Noyce Fellowship Application - Page 1

This grant is awarded pursuant to the authority of the National Science Foundation Act 1950, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1861-75), and is subject to Federal Demonstration Partnership General Terms and Conditions (FDP-III, dated 07/01/00) and the NSF Agency-Specific Requirements (dated 07/01/00).

In recognition of the critical correlation between teacher quality, including mastery of content knowledge, and student achievement, the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program (RNSP), named for a pioneer of semiconductor development and founder of the semiconductor industry, seeks to encourage talented mathematics, science, and engineering students and STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers. Grants to institutions of higher education provide funds for scholarships for STEM students who commit to teaching in K-12 schools.

Consistent with the requirements of the funding provided by NSF, the recipient accepts the scholarship with the understanding that it carries with it a service obligation. More specifically, in exchange for the scholarship, the recipient agrees upon graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder), and completing the CU teacher certification program, to teach in a "high-need local educational agency" (see definition below) for two years for each year of the scholarship assistance. The recipient understands that the period of time for which he or she receives scholarship assistance will be determined in comparison to full-time employment in the teacher preparation program (exclusive of summers). Similarly, the recipient understands that the period of time he or she must teach in a high-need public school will be determined in comparison to what the school district considers to be teaching on a full-time basis. Full-time basis does not include summers or optional intersession periods for those school districts that operate year-round programs. The total service obligation must be completed within six (6) years after graduation from CU-Boulder.

The recipient does not have to repay to the University of Colorado-Boulder the scholarship provided with funds under the NSF Grant Award: DUE 0434144 if CU-Boulder determines that the recipient has fulfilled his or her service obligation. To determine that the recipient has met the service obligation, The University of Colorado-Boulder must receive information to confirm that the recipient, within six (6) years of graduation from CU-Boulder, taught in a high need local education agency for at least two years for each year the recipient received this scholarship assistance. So that CU-Boulder may obtain the information it needs to make these determinations, the recipient agrees to have the school district in which he or she has taught provide to CU-Boulder information as CU-Boulder may require that confirms:

1. The school in which the recipient has taught is "high-need" as defined in the "Definition of High-Need Local Education Agency" below; and
2. The recipient taught on a full-time basis.

Before the recipient graduates, CU-Boulder will provide the recipient written guidance that explains the information the recipient must have the school(s) provide CU-Boulder and the date or dates that this information is due.

[NOTE: To prevent a scholarship recipient becoming liable for repaying the scholarship and 5% administrative costs because of a school district's delay in forwarding the required employment information to CU-Boulder, CU-Boulder also will accept employment information directly from the recipient. In this case, within six (6) years of graduation from CU-Boulder, the scholarship recipient must submit to CU-Boulder (1) a notarized statement that he or she has asked the district(s) to provide the needed information and the date(s) this request was made, and (2) a copy of the personal and employment information each school has been asked to submit. When a scholarship recipient chooses the second option, CU-Boulder's determination that s/he is meeting the service obligation is only provisional. Until each school provides the information, the scholarship recipient retains a continuing responsibility to work to get each school to submit it as soon as possible.]

A suggested schedule for repayment with teaching service or monetary funds is included with the promissory note signed by the scholarship recipient.

For the purposes of this agreement, a "high-need local education agency" is a public school district that meets one of the following definitions:

1. It has at least one school in which 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for participation in the free and reduced lunch program established by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.1751 et seq.),
2. It has at least one school in which: (i) more than 34 percent of the academic classroom teachers at the secondary level (across all academic subjects) do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in, or graduate degree in, the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes; or (ii) more than 34 percent of the teachers in two academic departments do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in, or a graduate degree in the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes.
3. It has at least one school whose teacher attrition rate has been 15 percent or more over the last three school years.

The recipient agrees to repay to CU-Boulder the amount of the scholarship if he or she does not--

1. Meet the service obligation or reporting requirements identified above in "Recipient's Retention of Scholarship Assistant for Meeting the Service Obligation;" or
2. Receive a waiver or suspension of this obligation as explained below in "Discharge of a Required Payment."

If the scholarship recipient does not fulfill his or her service obligation within six (6) years by teaching for two years in a high-need local educational agency for each year he or she received scholarship support, the recipient becomes obligated to fully repay the scholarship within six (6) years after his or her date of graduation from CU-Boulder. If the scholarship recipient withdraws from CU-Boulder prior to graduation, the recipient becomes obligated to repay the scholarship six (6) months after his or her withdrawal from CU-Boulder.

If upon graduation from CU-Boulder, the scholarship recipient teaches in a high-need local educational agency for a period that is less than the period of his or her service obligation, the recipient becomes responsible for repayment of the percentage of the period for which the service obligation was not fulfilled.

Until the scholarship recipient either satisfies the service obligation or repays the scholarship, the recipient agrees to provide CU-Boulder a current home address and telephone number and a current work address and telephone number, as well as other needed identifying information. In addition, the recipient understands that CU-Boulder and the high-need LEA are or will be using the recipient's social security number so that CU-Boulder can, if necessary, secure payment of these amounts from the recipient if he or she fails to meet the service obligation.

Default will be determined and repayment will be collected as described in this Promissory Note signed by the scholarship recipient at this time. All repaid scholarship funds, less grantee administrative costs associated with collection of the repayment not to exceed 5% of the forfeited amount, will be returned to the United States Treasury.

CU-Boulder will waive or suspend an obligation to repay the scholarship of a scholarship recipient who has died or who demonstrates to CU-Boulder's satisfaction that, because of permanent physical or mental disability or some other extraordinary circumstance, he or she is not employable as a teacher.

Upon receipt of acceptable documentation and approval of the discharge request, CU-Boulder returns to the scholarship recipient, or for a discharge of death, the recipient's estate, those payments received after the date the eligibility requirements for the discharge were met and prior to the date the discharge was approved. CU-Boulder also returns any payments received after the date the discharge was approved.

Before the recipient graduates or withdraws from CU-Boulder, CU-Boulder will provide the recipient an opportunity to review fully the terms and conditions of this scholarship.