.02 Eligibility.

A. To be eligible for assistance under the Hoffman LARP, an applicant:

(1) Shall possess:

(a) An undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree from a college or university located in Maryland;

(b) A law degree from any school of law; or

(c) A resident teacher certificate from the Maryland State Department of Education after completing an alternative teaching preparation program approved by the State Superintendent of Education;

(2) Shall have obtained employment with the State (not including employment as a judicial clerk in any court), a local government, or an organization, institution, association, society, or corporation that is tax exempt under §501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(3) May not be in default on any higher education loan;

(4) Shall have a higher education loan for undergraduate, graduate, professional, or resident teacher certificate study obtained for tuition, educational expenses, or living expenses from a college, university, government, or commercial source; and

(5) Shall meet annual income requirements as established by the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

B. In addition to the eligibility requirements in §A of this regulation, an applicant for a Nancy Grasmick Teacher Award shall have:

(1) Taught in a public school in the State for at least 2 years:

(a) In science, technology, engineering, fine arts, or math;

(b) In a school in which the following percentages of the students are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program:

(i) On or before June 30, 2025, at least 75 percent; and

(ii) On or after July 1, 2025, at least 55 percent; or

(c) In a school that:

(i) Had Title I status during the 2018—2019 school year;

(ii) Lost Title I status after the 2018—2019 school year; and

(iii) Participates in the United States Department of Agriculture Community Eligibility Provision; and

(2) Received the highest performance evaluation rating possible for the most recent year that is available in the county in which the teacher has taught.

C. In addition to the eligibility requirements in §A of this regulation, an applicant employed as a licensed clinical counselor shall work in a high need geographic area of the State, as determined by the Maryland Department of Health, in one of the following fields:

(1) Licensed clinical alcohol and drug counseling;

(2) Licensed clinical marriage and family therapy counseling; or

(3) Licensed clinical professional counseling.