DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of the Secretary

PROPOSED

PUBLIC NOTICE

Education Impact Analysis Pursuant To 14 Del.C. Section 122(d)

1206 Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program

A. TYPE OF REGULATORY ACTION REQUIRED

New Regulation

B. SYNOPSIS OF SUBJECT MATTER OF THE REGULATION

Pursuant to 14 Del.C. §§183 and 3402(c), the Delaware Department of Education, acting in cooperation with the Delaware Higher Education Office ("DHEO"), seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to create 14 DE Admin. Code 1206 Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program. In accordance with 14 Del.C. §181(15), the DHEO administers the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program set forth in 14 Del.C. §3422. The regulation is being created to provide eligibility criteria and to delineate the process for applying for the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program.

Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on or before February 4, 2020 to Department of Education, Office of the Secretary, Attn: Regulation Review, 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, Delaware 19901 or email to DOEregulations.comment@doe.k12.de.us. A copy of this regulation may be viewed online at the Registrar of Regulation's website, http://regulations.delaware.gov/services/current_issue.shtml, or obtained at the Department of Education, located at the address listed above.

C. IMPACT CRITERIA

1. Will the regulation help improve student achievement as measured against state achievement standards? The regulation concerns a Professional Incentive Program under 14 Del.C. Ch. 34 (Financial Assistance for Higher Education).

2. Will the regulation help ensure that all students receive an equitable education? The regulation concerns a Professional Incentive Program under 14 Del.C. Ch. 34 (Financial Assistance for Higher Education).

3. Will the regulation help to ensure that all students' health and safety are adequately protected? The regulation concerns a Professional Incentive Program under 14 Del.C. Ch. 34 (Financial Assistance for Higher Education).

4. Will the regulation help to ensure that all students' legal rights are respected? The regulation will help to ensure that all students' legal rights are respected.

5. Will the regulation preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision making at the local board and school level? The regulation does not change the decision making at the local board and school level.

6. Will the regulation place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels? The regulation does not place any unnecessary reporting, administrative requirements, or mandates on decision makers at the local board and school levels.

7. Will the decision making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated be placed in the same entity? The decision making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated does not change because of the regulation.

8. Will the regulation be consistent with and not an impediment to the implementation of other state educational policies, in particular to state educational policies addressing achievement in the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, language arts and social studies? The regulation concerns a Professional Incentive Program under 14 Del.C. Ch. 34 (Financial Assistance for Higher Education).

9. Is there a less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the regulation? There is not a less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the regulation.

10. What is the cost to the State and to the local school boards of compliance with the regulation? As provided in 14 Del.C. §3402(t), the General Assembly annually appropriates a "Scholarships and Loans" sum in the Budget Act for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 14 Del.C. Ch. 34. The proposed regulation is consistent with the FY20 Appropriations Act (House Bill No. 225) that went into effect on July 1, 2019.

1206 Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program

The purpose of this regulation is to provide eligibility criteria and application procedures for the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program pursuant to 14 Del.C. §3422.

The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning unless the context in which they are used clearly indicates otherwise:

“Academic Record” means the applicant’s unofficial transcript from college or graduate school for the most recent academic year.

“Award” means a loan under the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program, the repayment of which is forgiven when the borrower is employed as a licensed speech language pathologist in a Delaware public school or by a provider or its contractors for Delaware programs serving infants and toddlers under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Birth to Three Early Intervention) for the period of time specified in 14 Del.C. §3422(c)(2).

“Delaware Higher Education Office” or “DHEO” means the Department of Education’s Office which administers specific programs related to higher education, including, but not limited to, scholarship and loan programs.

“Direct Educational Expenses” means tuition, mandatory fees, room, board, books, and supplies.

“Full-Time Student” means a graduate student enrolled in nine (9) or more credit hours.

“Institution” means a post-secondary institution or institution of higher education in Delaware that is accredited, or a candidate for accreditation, by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

“Part-Time Student” means a student enrolled in a graduate program that is at least five (5) and less than nine (9) credit hours per term.

“Student Account Access Site” means the webpage on the DHEO’s website where students can access scholarship and loan forgiveness opportunities.

3.1 The application acceptance and submission period for the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program shall be posted on the DHEO's website by April 1 each calendar year.

3.1.1 Applications shall not be accepted outside of the posted application acceptance period under any circumstances.

3.1.2 Incomplete applications shall not be accepted or processed.

3.2 In order for an application to be considered complete, an applicant must:

3.2.1 Submit the applicant's Academic Record to DHEO by mail, fax, or email by the last date of the application acceptance period.

3.2.2 Complete an application through the Student Account Access Site by the last date of the application acceptance period. The application shall include:

3.2.2.1 The applicant’s major, name of the applicant’s Institution, and the school year in which the applicant was most recently enrolled.

3.2.2.2 Applicants may update their enrollment information on the Student Account Access Site through the last date of the application acceptance period.

3.2.2.3 A first time applicant must establish an account and provide his or her valid email address and permanent mailing address before being permitted to submit the information required in subsection 3.2.2 of this regulation.

4.1 Applicants shall meet the following requirements to be considered for the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program:

4.1.1 Be either a Part-Time or a Full-Time Student enrolled in a graduate program in Delaware that will satisfy the educational requirements to become licensed by the Delaware Board of Speech Pathologists, Audiologists, and Hearing Aid Dispensers as a speech/language pathologist; and

4.1.2 Demonstrate strong academic merit.

5.1 DHEO determines the number and amount of Awards to be given annually. The number and amount of Awards each year will vary and is based on and subject to the General Assembly appropriating funds for the Speech Language Pathologist Incentive Loan Program.

5.2 An Award shall be used for, and not in excess of, Direct Educational Expenses.

5.3 An Award may be renewed annually for up to two (2) years.

5.3.1 To be eligible to renew an Award, students are required to submit an Academic Record and updated enrollment information by the date required by the DHEO.

5.3.2 An Award may be renewed annually as long as students maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the Institution.

5.4 An Award may be pro-rated for Part-Time Students.

6.1 A signed promissory note, which includes the terms of repayment and loan forgiveness, shall be executed before disbursement of funds.

6.2 All payments shall be disbursed directly to the eligible recipient's college or university only.