Questions and Answers
Categories: Program | Scholarship | Service Obligation
Q - What is the scholarship service obligation?
A - Scholarship recipients must serve in a high need district AND high need school for a period of time equivalent to the length of their scholarship.
Q - What is meant by "high-need"?
A -
For our scholarship, "high-need district" and "high need school" meet one of the following criteria:
- 40% or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free and reduced lunch subsidies, or that is otherwise eligible--without receipt of a waiver--to operate as a school-wide program under Title I of the ESEA (middle/secondary schools my qualify based on poverty levels in feeder schools or average poverty levels in all elementary feeder schools).
- 34% of academic classroom teachers overall (across all subjects) do not have a major, minor, or significant coursework in their main assignments field; or more than 34% of the main assignment faculty in two of the core-subject departments do not have a major, minor, or significant coursework in their main assignment field.
- Attrition rate among classroom teachers was 15% or more in the last three school years.
Q - May scholarship recipients fulfill their service obligation while completing their program of study?
A -
No. Service obligation must follow graduation and full teacher certification.
Q - What are acceptable school assignments?
A -
Elementary, Middle, Secondary, Charter, Public. (Private, parochial, and preschool are not eligible.)
Q - What are acceptable teaching assignments?
A -
K-12, Full-time, Part-time, Summer School, and Long-term substituting.
Q - What is meant by "long-term substituting"?
A -
Long-term means substitute teaching that is full-time and ongoing (e.g., substituting for a regular teacher who is on extended leave or sabbatical).
Q - Which schools in Hawaii meet one of the high need criteria?
A -
Read the list of eligible schools. (Revised 08/30/08.)
Q - Must scholarship recipients teach fulltime to repay their service obligation?
A -
No. It is permissible for recipients to teach part-time to fulfill their service obligation.
Q - Must scholarship recipients submit a verification form TWICE during each school year?
A -
Yes. You must submit verification at the beginning of the school year (or start of employment) and at the end of the school year's employment.
Q - May scholarship recipients verify their service obligation via a notarized statement instead of using the official verification form?
A -
Yes. You may submit a notarized statement vouching for your service as a TEMPORARY measure IF the official form has not yet been completed by the school or district office.
Q - If I'm unable to complete the program, what are the consequences?
A - Admitted students who withdraw must pay back the scholarship amount to date according to U.S. Department of Education's Scholarship Terms and Conditions, Authority 20 U.S.C. 1024(e), OMD Control #1840-0753.
Q - If I'm unable to fulfill the teaching obligation, what is the consequence?
A - Graduates who do not teach in a high-need school must pay back the scholarship amount according to U.S. Department of Education's Scholarship Terms and Conditions, Authority 20 U.S.C. 1024(e), OMD Control #1840-0753.
