- A. "Department" means the New Mexico higher education department.
- B. "Committee" means the teaching professions advisory committee of the department.
- C. "Loan" means a grant of funds to defray the costs incidental to an eligible teacher preparation education, under a contract between the department and a student, requiring repayment with services or repayment of principal and interest and any fees.
- D. "Student" means a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen and resident of New Mexico who is enrolled in or accepted by an undergraduate or graduate teacher preparation program at a regionally accredited post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico.
- E. "Teacher preparation program" means a program that has been formally approved as meeting the requirements of the public education department and that leads to initial licensure or to additional licensure endorsements, including a program in a two-year post-secondary educational institution that meets the requirements for a teacher education transfer module established pursuant to Subsection C of Section 21-1B-4 NMSA 1978.
- F. "Eligible institution" means an accredited post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico offering a teacher education program which meets the requirements of the public education department.
- G. "Service" means full-time, on site practice as a certified/licensed public school teacher in a designated teacher shortage area of New Mexico.
- H. "Teacher shortage area" means one of the areas of unmet teacher demand which may be either geographic locations or specific teaching fields.
- I. "Extenuating circumstances" means circumstances not within the control of the recipient.
[5.7.13.7 NMAC - N, 11/15/2001; A, 8/30/2007]