Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Help for Teachers Who Want to Teach

Loan Forgiveness for Teachers Who Can No Longer Teach in Rural Alaska

For Immediate Release May 1, 1998 Contact: Rep. Gary Davis at (907) 465-2693.

Juneau -- The Alaska Senate Friday overwhelmingly passed House Bill 407, which provides additional forgiveness of Teacher Scholarship Loans for teachers who are no longer physically able to teach in Rural Alaska. HB 407 passed the Senate 18-1.

Participants in the program are eligible to have their loan payments forgiven, either partially or in their entirety, based on the number of years they teach at a rural elementary or secondary school.

"Sometimes, individuals, through no fault of their own, can no longer fulfill those requirements," said Representative Gary Davis (R-Soldotna), sponsor of HB 407. "This bill provides that a program participant who is diagnosed with a medical condition for which treatment is available only in an urban area, may still qualify for payment forgiveness, providing he or she is still teaching in an elementary or secondary school," Davis said.

The provisions of HB 407 complements existing provisions in the Teacher Scholarship Loan Program. There are already provisions for payment deferments and extensions due to hardship. Loans can be totally forgiven because of total disability.

"Unfortunately, there are times when people are ready and able to continue teaching, but they cannot do so outside of an urban area because of required medical treatment. They want to hold up their end of the bargain, but, through no fault of their own, they can't. This bill remedies that situation without damaging the integrity of the program," Davis said. "Plus, it will help keep good teachers in a classroom, doing what they've been trained to do and still fulfilling the goals of the program," Davis said.

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