TEACH grant still not available for students, college working on deal with four year schools

Austin Community College's Financial Aid office is still unable to offer the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant to students.

The federal grant provides up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. The grant was created in 2007 by Congress as part of its College Cost Reduction and Access Act.

According to ACC Financial Aid Specialist, Sharon Reynolds, ACC is not able to award the grant because the college is still waiting to make a deal with a four-year college or university that would accept credits earned while pursuing a teaching associate degree at ACC.

"Things tend to move rather slowly and take time with something like this," said Reynolds.
Currently a contract is being sought with Texas Tech University, however it doesn't mean that a student would have to go to Texas Tech if receiving the TEACH grant.

"Once we have a contract with one university, then we can offer the TEACH grant, and a student can actually transfer anywhere that offers it, not to just the school we have the contract with," Reynolds said.

Reynolds said she has a waiting list to contact students who are interested in the TEACH grant when it becomes available.

The TEACH grant requires an applicant to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), however according to their website, it says nothing about demonstrating financial need.

The TEACH grant requires that after finishing college, the grant recipient must teach for four academic years in a high needs field in a school that meets income qualifications.
There are penalties for not meeting the teaching requirements for the grant. The money from the grant converts to unsubsidized loans if the individual doesn't follow the required teaching guidelines within eight years of graduation. For students interested in being teachers after college, the TEACH grant is a possible alternative to Pell grants, or unsubsidized loans.