🚀 go-pugleaf

I'm not sure on this one. I was admitted to college during my Soph. year of high school.
When my parents and I inquired on the GED, we were told that I had to be 21 to take it.
This would have been about 1987, so maybe the rules have changed.

As far as states paying for college for teacher candidates, this is not terribly common,
at least not outright-and believe me, I looked at all the options out there when I went
back for my certificate. (The following programs existed/exist in TX, TN, MS, AR, and
VA, to my knowledge. Some are federal, some are state)

options generally are:

1.) loan forgiveness for teaching in high-poverty areas
2.)loan forgiveness for teaching critical need subject areas
both require a multi-year commitment, and the student still needs to come up with the
money somewhere. Most programs pay off 10% a year, plus interest, so we're talking a 10
year commitment to teaching in a difficult setting, or the risk of having the entire
loan come due quickly.
2.)Alternative certification/internship programs. These are for people with college
degrees. Generally, you spend a summer in full-time training, and then spend a year as a
teacher intern and taking classes. You are paid a very small salary for that first year
(usually about 50% of a starting teacher's salary) with full teaching duties. A three
year commitment to a high need school or area is required, and you must find a placement
before admission to the program. Again, if you don't complete your commitment, the cost
of your education becomes due and payable immediately.
3.)Grants in aid. Usually, only available to graduate students with high undergraduate
GPA's and good credentials, sometimes to  upper class undergrads in high-need areas.
Outright payments for getting teacher certification, without a formal commitment.
Usually only a fraction of the cost. When I did my grad work in TX, the grant was
$500/semester, plus out of state tuition waiver, for a math/science specialist with a
GRE in the upper 25% and a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA, $750 a semester for a special
education or ESL teacher candidate with a minimum 3.0 and a GRE in the upper 25%.
4.) Military Troops for teachers. Retired military personnel can get their teacher
training paid in full and the difference between active duty and retirement pay during
teacher training, plus get paid full retirement pay and full teaching salary if they
choose to teach in the public schools in a low income or high-demand area. JROTC
instructors get full active duty pay, do not have to under go teacher certification, and
get an additional bonus.
5.)Neighborhood training programs-provide college tuition assistance, usually with a
commitment to work in a high need school, for residents of urban areas who are serving
as teacher's aides and paraprofessionals to take college classes leading to teacher
certification. Typical commitment is 3-5 years, and since the student is working while
attending school, can stretch to 10.


I know of NO state which has large numbers of grants to pay tuition directly for the
average undergraduate student who chooses to teach elementary school, high school
english, history, or other low-demand fields. I also know of nmo program which provides
any sort of financial aid to teacher candidates who are not strong academically. In
general, the programs are geared towards mid-career students and to highly qualified
candidates, in high need areas such as mathematics, physical sciences, special
education, and ESL. I would be really interested in hearing about these wonderful
programs, because in my experience, it's not nearly so easy.

Ted Rosenberg wrote:

> Joni J Rathbun wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 5 Jun 2000, Ted Rosenberg wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > My youngest daughter got tired of high school in 10th grade.  As her SAT's were
> > > 1440 (in the beginning of 10th grade,) she simply took the bus to the local
> > > community college and enrolled.  The only problem she had was the computer
> > > didn't believe her birthday.  Despite the SAT's they had her take their own
> > > entrance exam to be sure.
> > > They then talked her into taking her GED's and she "aced them" with a 315.
> > > Maryland gave her an Honors Diploma - which says nothing about GED on it, but
> > > she put the GED on her Cirrocumuli Vita.  She then transferred to an extremely
> > > prestigious college, with $30,000 of MERIT scholarships - she has since
> > > received another $9,000 of merit scholarships.
> >
> > I tried this once but was told I couldn't get the GED until after my
> > class had graduated. So my choice was ... wait until my class graduated
> > then go do the GED or finish with my class. There were no colleges
> > within commuting distance so I just finished it out.
> >
>
> You can get your GED as soon as you are out of  school -drop out, graduate, just OUT
> any way you do it !  You do have to notify the LEA in writing that you are GONE
> before you can apply for a GED.  In some states you have to be 16 to leave school,
> Besides you don't NEED a GED.
>
> Where are you that there are no community colleges around?  McMurdo Sound ??   Big
> Dionamede Island ??? Fort Jefferson ??  Even THERE you can enroll in a distance
> learning program.
>
> > >
> > > ALSO, anyone who wants to teach elementary or secondary school instead of
> > > college can usually get a full scholarship by simply promising to teach for a
> > > number of years.
> > >
> >
> > In my experience, the way this works is:  If you teach in certain
> > (predefined) low income, economically stressed or disadvantaged
> > areas, so on and so forth, for a certain period of time, the government
> > will forgive certain government loans. I think this little goodie is
> > not well known. I certainly learned about it too late. Three new
> > teachers working with me my first year were all on the program.
> > I had no idea my home community was one that qualified. I could
> > have taken loans instead of paying cash and had those loans paid
> > off for me by the feds.  I don't know if the program still exists
> > or not.
>
> GEE, you better actually do some research on the subject.  Most states will pay ALL
> tuition for ANYONE who agrees to be a teacher

--
Donna Devore Metler
dmmetler@bellsouth.net
www.math.ttu.edu/~dmettler
www.funfelt.com/donna
Asst. Director, Educational Programming, Peabody Place Museum
Faculty, Academy of the Performing Arts, early childhood and applied music
Children's educational advocate