The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board today announced the upcoming September launch of a new loan repayment program benefitting recently appointed peace officers who have student loan debt.
The Texas Legislature created the program last year with the aim of helping law enforcement agencies fill vacant positions.
The program was created under Senate Bill 16 by Senator Kelly Hancock and funded to the tune of $4.2 million under House Bill 1, the Appropriations Act.
Qualifying participants include 35 distinct kinds of “peace officer” as defined in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Only those appointed on or after September 1, 2019 are eligible, provided that they are working full-time and had earned at least 60 credit hours at an eligible Texas higher education institution prior to their appointment.
In a news release, THECB explained, “Upon admittance to the (program), recipients will receive an initial award based on their one year of prior service. A successful applicant may receive up to $20,000 in loan repayment assistance over a period of five years ($4,000 annually or one-fifth of the outstanding loan balance, whichever is less).”
Awards are contingent on available funding. In the initial year of the program, applications will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis until funds are no longer available.
After the initial program year, priority will be given to prior year recipients and initial applications will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis until funds are no longer available. Additional program requirements are posted on the POLRAP webpage.
The Coordinating Board said that anticipates posting the online application in September.
