If you are a teacher serving in a low-income or subject-matter shortage area, it may be possible for you to cancel or defer your student loans. Recipients of the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship may reduce the years of service they must perform by teaching in a shortage area. If you have a loan from the Federal Perkins Loan Program, you may be eligible for loan cancellation for full-time teaching in certain categories.
Qualifying for Cancellation of a Perkins Loan:
Teaching in a Low-Income Area
In order for a Kansas school to qualify for the loan cancellation program, the building's (not district's) total enrollment which is eligible for free/reduced price meals must be greater than 30%. If a school building is not listed on this printout ( Excel), the percentage of low-income students is less than 30% and, therefore, would not be eligible for this program.
Once a building is identified as a Low Income School, go to this federal website to perform another search using the building name. This will verify that the school was accepted at the federal level and you may seek loan cancellation or deferment. A check list is provided to get started on what steps to take to begin the process.
Qualifying for Deferment of a federal loan:
Teaching in a Subject-Matter Shortage Area
For the 2012-13 school year, the following subjects are designated as teacher shortage areas in Kansas:
Special Education
- Severe Multiple Disabilities
- Educational Interpreter
- Intergration Specialist
- Vocational Special Needs
- Physical Therapy
- Supervisor
- Special Ed. Admin
- Occupational Therapy
- Gifted
If you are teaching in the above subject, and want to see if you would qualify for loan deferment, a check list is provided to explain who is eligible and what steps to take to begin the process.
If you have a loan or multiple loans from the Federal Direct Loan Program or the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL), you may be eligible for deferment if you are teaching full-time in a teacher-shortage (subject) area. [These loans include Federal Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS loans, Federal Consolidation Loans, and loans offered in earlier years through the Guaranteed Student Loan Program.]
Questions?
Federal Student Aid Hotline: 1-800-4FED-AID for questions on Federal Stafford/SLS borrowers (including teacher shortage area deferment).
Douglas Scholars should contact the state agency that awarded the scholarship.
Call (785) 296-3871 to reach the Kansas State Department of Education, in Topeka, Kansas. Ask to speak to someone for general questions about teacher loan cancellation or deferment.