Title 17. Education

Chapter 20-B. Taylor Opportunity Program for Students-Teachers

17:3042.1      Loans for students enrolled in colleges or universities to prepare to teach

A. (1) In addition to all other powers and duties of the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, the commission may make loans to a student who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Is a bona fide citizen and resident of the state.

(b) Desires to become a teacher and has been accepted to enroll in a public or independent college or university in this state.

(c) Has a composite score on the American College Test or the Scholastic Aptitude Test which is, or is the equivalent to, a twenty-three on the 1990 version of the American College Test, or an equivalent concordant value on any subsequent version of such test or on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

(d) Has a cumulative high school grade point average of at least a 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.

(e) Has successfully completed high school course work which constitutes a core curriculum and meets standards for admission to the eligible college or university. The core curriculum and the eligible college or university shall be as provided in Subpart B of Part I of Chapter 50 of this Title.

(f) Meets such other qualifications as the commission may prescribe by rule.

(2) The commission also may make loans to a student who meets the requirements of any one of the following Subparagraphs:

(a) Meets the requirements of Subparagraphs (1)(a) and (b) of this Subsection, has successfully completed not less than forty-eight credit hours of academic course work from an accredited college or university, has a cumulative grade point average on such course work of at least 3.00 calculated on a 4.00 scale, and meets such other qualifications as the commission may prescribe by rule.

(b) Meets the requirements of Subparagraphs (1)(a) and (b) of this Subsection, has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, has a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.00 calculated on a 4.00 scale, and meets such other qualifications as the commission may prescribe by rule.

(c) Meets the requirements of Subparagraphs (1)(a) and (b) of this Subsection, has at least a master’s degree from an accredited college or university, and meets such other qualifications as the commission may prescribe by rule.

B. The authority of the commission to make loans to persons eligible as provided in this Chapter shall be exercised in accordance with and be subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

C. The commission may make a loan to a student whom it deems to be qualified, upon such terms and conditions as the commission may impose in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, provided the student intends to acquire a degree from a program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to R.S. 17:7.2 which leads to a degree in education or intends to pursue an alternative program which leads to regular certification as a teacher as provided by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

D. Any student to whom the commission has made a loan shall be required to maintain a cumulative college grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the conclusion of each academic year and to enter a program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to R.S. 17:7.2 which leads either to a degree in education or to regular certification as a teacher as soon as the student has earned sufficient credits to do so. If at any time a student who is receiving a loan fails to maintain the cumulative grade point average required by this Chapter for continued eligibility for this program or is placed on academic probation by the college or university he attends, he shall be ineligible for additional loans under this Chapter. The commission may resume making loans as provided in this Chapter when and if a student regains the cumulative grade point average required by this Chapter for continuing eligibility and is no longer on academic probation, provided that the period of ineligibility did not persist for more than two years from the date of loss of eligibility. The commission, by rule, may provide that a loan made to a student who leaves school for reasons specified by rule may be continued at the discretion of the commission.

E. It shall be the duty of the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, hereinafter referred to in this Chapter as “the commission”, to:

(1) Accept and review each application for such a loan;

(2) To make careful and full investigation of the qualifications of each applicant; and

(3) To determine his or her eligibility to become the recipient of such a loan and to continue to be eligible for such loan.

F. The commission may prescribe such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of this Chapter.

Acts 1986, No. 583, § 1, eff. July 2, 1986. Amended by Acts 1989, No. 476, § 1; Acts 1991, No. 817, § 1, eff. July 23, 1991; Acts 1997, No. 476, § 1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 165, § 1, eff. May 7, 1998; Acts 2015, No. 227, § 2.