Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program Application
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Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program Application

Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program:
The Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program is for educators teaching in a rural and/or underserved Idaho school district or charter school. The program will provide for the direct repayment of educational loans or the reimbursement of eligible educational expenses such as advanced degrees, career technical certifications, professional development, transcript credits, or other educational expenses. Other educational expenses may be defined as course fees, lab fees, required course equipment, course related expenses such as books and/or supplies, and/or transcription fees. A rural and underserved educator is eligible for loan repayment assistance or eligible educational expenses for up to four years, provide that the educator remains employed at the same school or by the same district.

  1. One thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for the first year;
  2. Two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for the second year;
  3. Three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) for the third year;
  4. Four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) for the fourth year.


Definitions:
• Idaho Code § 33-319 defines the parameters of a rural district/local education agency, and the Idaho State Department of Education has provided a list of all schools who meet the statutory definition of a rural school.

• The National Center for Education Statistics identifies three (3) additional subtypes for rurality: Fringe, distant and remote:
• Fringe: Less than 5 miles from an Urbanized Area
• Distant: More than 5 miles but less than 25 miles from an Urbanized Area
• Remote: More than 25 miles from an Urbanized Area

Note: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Locale Lookup tool identifies the school’s (not the district’s) rurality. (The NCES Locale Lookup Tool is attached for reference)

• Economically disadvantaged students are identified as students that attend schools that are eligible for funds pursuant to Title I, part A of the federal elementary and secondary education act, as amended.

• A "Separate elementary school" or "Separate secondary school" is a school is located more than fifteen (15) miles (for secondary) or ten (10) miles (elementary) on an all-weather road
from any other school serving like grades operated by the district.

Note: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Locale Lookup tool identifies the school’s (not the district’s) Title I status. (The NCES Locale Lookup Tool is attached for reference)

*Please reference Chapter 65, Title 33, Idaho Code regarding the Rural and Underserved Teacher Incentive Program for the entirety of law. 

Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program Requirements:
1. Full-time (1.0 FTE) as an Instructional and/or Pupil Service Staff Member (Part time Employees are Ineligible)

2. Standard Certified (5-year renewable standard certificate) (Interim Certificates, Emergency Provisionals, and Alternative Authorizations are Ineligible)

3. Employed as an instructional or pupil service staff (Administrators and Classified Staff are Ineligible) 

3. Employed in an eligible Idaho school district, chartered, or an eligible charter school

4. Has signed a contract with an eligible Idaho school district, chartered, or an eligible charter school

5. Working in a school that qualifies under the critical quality educator shortage criteria pursuant to Idaho Code § 33-6503:

  • Rural Isolation of the school pursuant to Idaho Code § 33-319 (If the district is rural per Idaho Code § 33-319, then the school would qualify as rural and would get at least one point – additional points for rurality are based on the NCES Reference Sheet)

AND/OR

  • Economic disadvantage of the school based on eligibility for funds pursuant to Title I, part A of the federal elementary and secondary education act, as amended 

Note: Please review the NCES Reference Sheet to determine the rurality and Title I status of your school.

4. Has

  • A federal educational loan in the applicant's name only through the federal student loan program that is not in default and that has a minimum unpaid current balance of at lease one thousand dollars ($1,000) at the time of the application (Private Educational Loans and Parent Plus Loans are Ineligible) 

OR 

  • At least one thousand dollars ($1,000) in current eligible education expenses starting July 1st, 2022 that may be reimbursed as pursuant to Idaho Code 33-65 at the time of application.



Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program Application Process:

  1. Submit an application to the Office of the State Board of Education
    • For federal educational loan repayment applications, the application must include official verification or proof of the applicant’s total unpaid accumulated educational loan debt and any other documentation for verification of the applicant’s eligibility. (The documentation should include the applicant's name, federal education loan servicer, total amount owed, federal education loan account number, and that the loan is not in default.
    • For reimbursement of current eligible educational expenses, the application must include verification of current eligible educational expenses of at least $1000 starting after July 1st, 2022. Receipts and a spreadsheet should be combined into one PDF and attached to the application. (Definition of Current Eligible Educational Expenses: Advanced degrees, career technical certifications, professional development, transcript credits, or other educational expenses. Other educational expenses may be defined as course fees, lab fees, required course equipment, course related expenses such as books and/or supplies, and/or transcription fees) 
  2. The applications will be reviewed and scored using a rubric. The Office of the State Board will use the results to determine the applicants selected for the Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program.
  3. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The second round of applications are due by May 31, 2023. Selected applicants will be notified by December, 2023.
  4. The applicants selected for the Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program will be notified via email.

Priority is given to rural-remote schools. 

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