The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) does not process, approve, or deny Teacher Cancellation Low Income (TCLI) loan forgiveness applications. Loan forgiveness programs are processed through the entity that holds your loan. For questions other than those related to your entity’s inclusion on the TCLI Directory, contact your loan holder.
Federal law determines which entities are eligible for inclusion on the Teacher Cancellation Low Income (TCLI) Directory. NDDPI’s role is to compile the list of eligible schools based on the following criteria:
- It must be a public or private nonprofit elementary school or secondary school. The definition of “secondary school” is a school that provides secondary education, as determined by state law. However, regardless of state law, secondary education does not include any education beyond grade 12. Note: Under North Dakota state law, elementary education begins with kindergarten and includes grades 1-8.
- It is a school in which the number of students meeting a measure of poverty exceeds 30 percent of the total number of students enrolled in such school under Section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
- It is in the school district of a local educational agency which is eligible, on a yearly basis, for assistance pursuant to Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
- Programs or centers may qualify for inclusion on the TCLI Directory if the program or center meets the eligibility criteria for a low-income elementary or secondary school outlined above. However, if the students in these programs or centers are still counted in their home schools for Title I enrollment purposes, they may not also be counted at the program or center.
- An educational service agency (ESA) that operates programs or centers may also qualify for inclusion on the TCLI Directory if the ESA meets the low-income eligibility criteria outlined above. An “educational service agency” is a regional public multi-service agency authorized by state law to develop, manage, and provide services or programs to local educational agencies as defined in Section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
If you question whether your school or educational agency has been omitted from the TCLI Directory in error based on the requirements listed above, please email dpiees@nd.gov or call (701) 328-3610.
The TCLI Directory lists entities eligible for teacher loan forgiveness. When performing a query, entering the state and the year will pull up the complete list of eligible entities for the state. Entering the school or educational service agency’s name and location is optional; when doing a search this way, your entity might not show up if the name you entered does not sufficiently match how it is presented on the list.
Visit the Federal Student Aid website to view the Teacher Loan Forgiveness page and download the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Application. You may also obtain an application from your loan servicer.
More information and frequently asked questions can be found on the Student Loan Forgiveness page.