Who thought she would graduate without crippling debt?
Where did I find these claims that Best in Class and Best in Care were programs people should rely on as they enter school and trust to protect them after they graduate?
The borrowers were promised repayment. They've done their part, and it's time to pay them.
I first heard about the Best in the Class program from another special education teacher whose daughter was attending Georgetown College. She shared this information with the other teachers who have college age children. She received an e-mail telling her about this wonderful opportunity for parents who were special education teachers and how they can borrow money for their child's tuition. We all called and inquired about this program. I would be interested in knowing how the Universities pushed this program. When I called and talked to someone about this program and explained what and where I taught they (someone in the Best in the class program who answered the phone) felt this was a perfect program for me. When mentioning this to a Speech Therapist who was in graduate school at UofL, she told me that there were people (not sure if they were from the University or BIC) who came and did a big pitch for this program. Were university financial aid personnel in on this, encouraging students to take out this loan? I too did not see a disclaimer, having my husband who is an attorney look over the application for me. I did not see anything alarming until last year when on-line they started writing "as funds are available" my first indication that this program was possibly in trouble. How can Universities push a program that was not financially secure!
ReplyDeleteSomething just does not add up.
I do not understand how they can just stop paying for our loans when all this information is out there proving they PROMISED to repay our loans so long as we hold up our end of the deal. This is a HUGE financial burdern put upon us. I do not know how I am going to repay my loans that are well over $32,000. This is a slap in the face to all educators!
ReplyDeleteI once was in a meeting where Gene Wilhoit, then Commissioner of KDE, was telling everyone that if a student wanted to be a teacher then they could go to college for free. He believed that was the promise.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that this has happened. I would have NEVER gone back to get further education if I had known my loans would not be forgiven. There has GOT to be something that can be done. We've done our part - now it's time to PAY UP!
ReplyDeleteIf banks and auto industries are getting BILLIONS in bailouts, WHY can we not have our loans paid back--like we were PROMISED??? This whole situation makes me sick and regretful of ever going into education.
ReplyDeleteSusan, thank you for looking into KHEAA’s documentation. KHEAA has so many ties with the state and other organizations that people rarely delve into this as deep as you have done. I always thought that this program was a sure deal. The Student Loan People and other organizations marketed it that way. I was told that I was doing Kentucky a favor by teaching in a critical needs area and that my loans would be forgiven as a result. I called twice a year to confirm that the program would still pay off the balance as promised.
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was too good to be true but yet my colleagues were having 20% of their loans forgiven every year and KHEAA was publishing their articles such as these in their annual reports and press releases. So I figured they would certainly stand up to their end of the bargain. Thank you for this honest post. It helps to show how hard working adults can be manipulated into believing a well known agency will follow through on its word.
Most teachers go "above and beyond" for their students. To teach requires a large amount of time and money to be certified. With the budget cuts, jobs are being lost. The funding for the loan forgiveness has been lost. Now the best of the best are being hurt the most. Loosing the best in class loan forgiveness hurts many teachers now, but untold students in the future.
ReplyDeleteTo Whom It May Concern:
ReplyDeleteHello. My name is Michael. I decided four years ago to go back to college to get my masters in special education because colleges across the state recruited for online classes for special education degrees, there was a need for special education teachers, and I was under the impression that my loan would be paid back 20% each year for five years that I taught until my loan was paid off. From that point forward, the percentage of reduction has decreased to pretty much nothing. It looks like we are going to have to pay our own loan back since we were mislead by someone, but I don’t think anyone is really going to take the blame for it. I got my Special Education Degree, completed my KTIP, all of my evaluations have been really good, and I have taught for four years in Madison County. I lack one month and the first day of teaching the next school year to get my tenured and not have to be worried about being pink slipped because of budget cuts. I have loved and enjoyed my four years of teaching, but before I left school this past Friday, my principal pulled me to the side and told me that she was giving me my verbal pink slip because some person who worked at our school as a Guidance Counselor that has been working for KDE is coming back to our district. So, our Guidance Counselor has a Special Education Degree and she will be put in my spot, which puts me out of a job. I guess this is because of budget cuts, but I’m not for sure. I didn’t have, nor do I have now any way to pay off my loan. I am asking for your support to help people like me who have been put in this bad situation to help us pay off our student loans. I appreciate your time.
Michael
I am mother of my son who is in college right now and paying his student loan. whatever I earn i can't save for raining day and also i have my own expenses as well. my husband lost his business and he is unemployed. i have my daughter who is in college as well. both of my children have part time job, but this is not enough to pay off their loans.
ReplyDelete