Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program

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Fact Sheet: Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program

General Description and Purpose

In July 2000, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), using funds from the federal Special Leveraging Educational Partnership (SLEAP), created the Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program (HETAP). This new scholarship program was established by SCHEV to help address the teacher shortage in Virginia by assisting undergraduate students enrolled in a K-12 teacher preparation program. Preference is given to students enrolled in a teacher shortage content area identified by the Virginia Department of Education.
Application Procedures

The college or university Financial Aid Office, in conjunction with the Education Department at the institution, will determine the process and select recipients from the pool of eligible students. Student applications should not be sent to SCHEV.
Eligibility

An undergraduate student enrolled at a participating nonprofit public or private Virginia college or university who meets the following requirements:
Virginia domiciliary resident, according to section 23-7.4 of the Code of Virginia;
U. S. citizen or eligible non-citizen for federal Title IV purposes;
Enrolled full-time as an undergraduate;
Not seeking a second bachelor's degree;
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by the institution;
Enrolled, or intend to enroll, into an eligible K-12 teacher preparation program;
Demonstrate financial need, subject to Title IV financial need requirements;
Cumulative college grade point average of at least 2.5;
Nominated by faculty member;
Not in default or owe an overpayment on a Title IV, HEA program loan; and
Satisfy Selective Service registration requirements.
Teaching shortage areas can be found on the Virginia Department of Education’s website

The following represent the top 10 critical shortage teaching endorsement area assignments for 2008-2009:

Special Education (speech-language disorders preK-12; special education general curriculum K-12 (learning disabilities; emotional disturbance; mental retardation); early childhood special education (birth through age 5); special education adapted curriculum K-12 (severe disabilities); hearing impairments preK-12; and visual impairments preK-12)
Mathematics (Mathematics 6-12; Algebra I)
Science (Earth science; middle grades 6-8; biology)
Reading Specialist
Foreign Languages (Spanish preK-12)
Career and Technical Education (family and consumer sciences; technology education)
English as a Second Language preK-12
English 6-12
Library Media preK-12
Middle Grades 6-8 (all subjects)
Awards

The annual award at four-year institutions is $2,000. Two-year institutions may opt to reduce the maximum annual award; however, the minimum annual award will be at least $1,000.
Renewal

Annual funding for this program is contingent upon the availability of funds from the federal SLEAP program. Students are not automatically renewed but may receive the award in multiple years, if eligible.
Excess Refunds Policy

Excess funds for this program will be reallocated to the College Scholarship Assistance Program for the current year.
This fact sheet is produced by the SCHEV to provide a general overview of the program