283—28.1(256) Definitions.

“Eligible applicant” means an individual who meets the criteria in Iowa Code section 256.218(3), agrees to complete the obligation, completes applications on or before the date established by the commission, and does not meet a condition in 283—subrule 10.3(1). The obligation ends after five consecutive years. Progression towards completion of the obligation is verified annually. In addition, the eligible applicant will have graduated in the top 25 percent academically of students completing the teacher preparation program at the institution, as certified by the postsecondary institution offering the teacher preparation program from which the applicant graduates, and must be providing instruction in an eligible teaching field or in a combination of eligible teaching fields at an eligible school or agency and will be teaching on a full-time basis.

“Eligible school or agency” means a public school district, area education agency, charter school, and accredited nonpublic school located in Iowa and recognized and approved by the department of education.

“Eligible student loan” means the same as defined in Iowa Code section 256.218(4). Only the outstanding portion of a federal consolidation loan that was used to repay an eligible student loan qualifies as an eligible student loan.

“Eligible teaching field” means hard-to-staff subjects as identified by the director of the department of education.

“Preparation program” means the programs of practitioner preparation leading to initial licensure of teachers, administrators, and other professional school personnel.

“Teacher” means an individual who holds a practitioner’s license or a statement of professional recognition issued under Iowa Code chapter 256 and who is employed in a nonadministrative position by an eligible school or agency pursuant to a contract issued by a board of directors under Iowa Code section 279.13. “Teacher” also includes a preschool teacher who is licensed by the board of educational examiners under Iowa Code chapter 256 and is employed by an eligible school or agency.

[ARC 9586C, IAB 10/1/25, effective 11/5/25]