(1) Upon documentation of federal student loan indebtedness, the office may enter into agreements with certificated teachers to repay all or part of a federal student loan in exchange for teaching service in a shortage area in an approved education program. Teachers eligible for loan repayment under this section must hold an endorsement in the content area in which they are assigned to teach during the period of repayment.

(2) The agreement shall specify the period of time it is in effect and detail the obligations of the office and the participant, including the amount to be paid to the participant. The ratio of loan repayment to years of teaching service for the loan repayment program must be the same as established for the conditional scholarship programs under RCW 28B.102.150. The agreement must also specify the shortage area of teaching service for which loan repayment will be provided.

(3) At the end of each school year, a participant under this section shall provide evidence to the office that the requisite teaching service has been provided. Upon receipt of the evidence, the office shall pay the participant the agreed-upon amount for one year of full-time teaching service or a prorated amount for less than full-time teaching service. To qualify for additional loan repayments, the participant must be engaged in continuous teaching service as defined by the office. The office may approve leaves of absence from continuous service and other deferments as may be necessary.

(4) The office may, at its discretion, arrange to make the loan repayment directly to the holder of the participant's federal student loan.

(5) The office may not reimburse a participant for loan repayments made before the participant entered into an agreement with the office under this section.

(6) The office's obligations to a participant under this section shall cease when:

(a) The terms of the agreement have been fulfilled;

(b) The participant is assigned to teach in a content area in which he or she is not endorsed;

(c) The participant fails to maintain continuous teaching service as determined by the office; or

(d) All of the participant's federal student loans have been repaid.

Effective date—Findings—Intent—2019 c 295: See notes following RCW 28A.310.235.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 295: See notes following RCW 28B.10.033.

Intent—2019 c 295: See note following RCW 28B.102.030.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 295: See note following RCW 28A.415.265.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 295: See note following RCW 28A.180.120.

Effective date—2011 1st sp.s. c 11 ss 101-103, 106-202, 204-244, and 301: See note following RCW 28B.76.020.

Intent—2011 1st sp.s. c 11: See note following RCW 28B.76.020.