This program provides eligible public school employees with a stipend payment from the State that can be applied toward an educational loan. These programs are different from the Federal Teacher and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) programs and awards will not affect one’s eligibility for these federal programs.
To be eligible, public school employees must provide services in a high needs Delaware public school and/or a high needs subject area, (listed below).
Additional Eligibility Requirements
- Public School Employee is defined as an individual employed at a Delaware public school in one of the following positions:
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- Educator
- School Counselor
- School Psychologist
- School Social Worker
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Public School Employees must hold a valid, current license and certificate issued by the Delaware Department of Education, visible in DEEDs.
- Applicants must have a qualified educational loan.
- Applicants must be employed full-time for at least 1 school year in the high-need school/area.
- Applicants must not have an ineffective evaluation on the State’s current evaluation system.
- An applicant can receive only 1 stipend per year and no more than 5 payments over the applicant’s lifetime.
Application Timeline
Apply for the Public School Employee Support Program for High Need Areas using the link below during the application window.
| School Year | Application Opens | Application Closes | Application Link |
| 2025-2026 | December 1, 2025 | December 30, 2025 | 2025-2026 Online Application |
Awards Timeline
Awards are expected to be announced in late February 2026. Award amounts are determined annually based on the projected budget and the number of eligible applicants. Stipend payments are anticipated to be issued in Spring 2026.
