Georgia's HOPE scholarship program: HOPE teacher scholarships for graduate study in critical shortage fields, 2000 April

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Scholarship Program

HOPE
Teacher Scholarships For Graduate Study In Critical
, Shortage Fields

Program Overview:
Ifyou love teaching and want to earn an advanced degree, or ifyou have an undergraduate degree and would like to become a teacher, Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program may be able to help you pay for your education. The HOPE Teacher Scholarship Program - a component of the lottery-funded HOPE program - provides forgivable loans to individuals seeking advanced education degrees in critical shortage fields ofstudy. You simply repay your loan by teaching in a Georgia public school after earning your advanced degree, saving you money and helping fill the need for qualified professiona1s in these teaching fields. It's a program that benefits Georgia teachers and every student in their classrooms.
Eligible Recipients:
The HOPE Teacher Scholarship Program assists a broad range ofindividuals, including: -, Teachers Without a Master's Degree. This includes teachers who have a Bachelor's Degree and are seeking an advanced degree in a critical shortage field. -, Teachers andIndividuals With a Master's or Specialist Degree. This includes:
Teachers and individuals who have a Master's Degree in a critical shortage field and are seeking a Specialist or Doctorate Degree in their current critical shortage field;
Teachers and individua1s who have a Master's Degree in a non-c1itical shortage field and are seeking an advanced degree in a critical shortage field; and
Teachers and individuals who have a Specialist Degree in a critical shortage field and are seeking a Doctorate Degree in their current critical shortage field .
-, Georgians With a Bachelor's Degree Who Are Not Currently Teaching or Who Have Not Taught. This includes individuals who have a Bachelor's Degree who are seeking an advanced degree in a critical shortage field.
Eligibility Requirements:
To be eligible, you must:
Be a legal resident of Georgia; and
Be admitted for regular admission into a graduate school and into an advanced degree teacher education program leading to certification in a

critical shortage field. Sh1dents whose admission status is provisional are not eligible. Ifyou are not eligible for HOPE and you are an inservice teacher, you may wish to contact your local staffdevelopment coordinator to learn about coursework eligible for funding through your school system.
Scholarship Amount:
Maximum awards are based on the number of credithours necessary for srudents to complete their program of study. Scholarship funds can be used toward any pa1t of the student's cost of attendance. Students who attend an eligible public college receive $125 per semester hour. At an eligible private college, students receive $200 per semester hour or quarter equivalent.
Loan Forgiveness:
Recipients ofthe HOPE Teacher Scholarship are granted a grace period ofone year after completing their approved program. After the grace period, recipients are obligated to teach/serve in their critical shortage field ofstudy in a Georgia public school at the preschool, elementa1y, middle , or secondary level one academic year for each $2,500 awarded through the scholarship, with a maximum offour years to repay.
Ifthe teaching/service obligation cannot be met, any outstanding loan amounts plus interest must be repaid to the State ofGeorgia.
NO TE: Onceyou havefulfilled your loan obligation, you may reapplyfor the HOPE Teacher Scholarship if you continue to meet the eligibiUty requirements.
Application Process:
Applications for the HOPE Teacher Scholarship Program are available each Spring through any eligible public or private college or university in Georgia (listed in this brochure) or directly from HOPE. Applicants must complete their part of the application and obtain signahlres from the instirution's College ofEducation teacher certification official and the financial aid office. The completed application is then forwarded directly to the HOPE Scholarship Program for consideration.
Approximately 700 scholarships are awarded each academic year on a first-come, first-served basis. Scholarship funds are provided directly to the school's financial aid office and are disbursed on a term-byterm basis.

Renewal Applicants:
Ifyou are currently receiving the HOPE Teacher Scholarship, you must complete a Renewal Application each academic year. HOPE mails Renewal Applications directly to current recipients after Spring term.
Critical Shortage Fields:
The approved critical shortage fields may change each Spring, based on an annual survey ofteaching vacancies in Georgia.
The following critical shortage fields were approved for the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 academic years. Additional fields may be added for the 20012002 academic year.
Business Education (Grades 7-12) Education ofExceptional Children (Grades
P-12): Behavior Disorders, Hearing Impaired, Interrelated Special Education, Leaming Disabilities, Mental Retardation, Orthopedically Impaired, or Preschool Special Education English to Speakers of Other Languages (Grades P-12) Foreign Language Education (Grades P-12): French or Spanish Health Occupations (Grades 7-12) Industrial Arts/Technology Education (Grades 7-12) Mathematics Education (Grades 7-12) Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-8) with prima1y concentration in: Math, Science, or Math and Science Science Education (Grades 7-12): Broad Field Science, Biology, Chemistry, Earth/Space, or Physics
Trade and Industrial Education (Grades 7-12)
Important Sources for Teaching Professionals:
For information on teaching certification requirements, you may contact the Georgia Professional Standards Commission toll-free at 1-800-869-7775. In Metro Atlanta, call (404) 657-9000.
For employment opportunities, please contact Public School Recruitment Services at the Georgia
Department ofEducation at (404) 656-4339 or visit
their Web site at http://www.doe.kl2.ga.us/ humanresources/ psrecruit.html

Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program:
A History
Governor Zell Miller founded Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program in September
1993. Two years later, Governor Miller established the HOPE Teacher Scholarship to
help attract more teachers into fields that have a shortage of trained professionals.
Since the HOPE Teacher Scholarship Program was established in July 1995, 6,045 Georgia educators have received more than
$27 million to expand their teaching skills in critical shortage areas. Currently 2,091 recipients are repaying their HOPE Teacher
Scholarships by teaching in Georgia classrooms.
The HOPE Teacher Scholarships for advanced education are funded entirely by the Georgia Lottery.
Pictured on our cover is Sara "Beth" Smith, a 1998 HOPE Teacher Scholarship graduate who is a special education teacher at Central
High School, Carroll County Schools. The students are Ashley Crisp (left) and Lisa Brown.

Eligible Colleges & Universities:

You may participate in the HOPE Teacher Scholarship Program at any ofthepublic and private colleges or universities currently offering teacher preparation programs approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. These include:

Public:
Albany State University Armstrong Atlantic State
University Augusta State University Columbus State University Fort Valley State University Georgia College & State
University Georgia Southern
University Georgia Southwestern
State University Georgia State University Kennesaw State University
North Georgia College & State University

State University of West Georgia
University of Georgia Valdosta State University
Private:
Berry College Brenau University Clark Atlanta University Emory University LaGrange College Mercer University Oglethorpe Unjversity Piedmont College Toccoa Falls College Wesleyan College

Roy E. Barnes, Governor
'tEORGIA
Student rinance Commission
Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program 2082 East fa,change Place, Suite 100
Tucker, GA 30084
In Metro Atlanta: (770) 724-9030 Or Toll-Free in Georgia at: 1-800-546-HOPE
For complete program eligibility requirements, visit our Web site at www.gsfc .org
Georgia'~ HOPE Scholarship Progra m-Helping Outstandlng Pupils Educationallyis funded by 1he Georgia Lottery for Education. Program details are subjecc to change, Check with the }iOPE Scholarship Program ea-ch year for HOPE Scholarship eligibility requirements.
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