BESE Tuition Program for Teachers
The BESE Tuition Program for Teachers is a competitive program that provides funding for selected teachers to enroll in courses at regionally accredited colleges or universities in Louisiana. Teachers selected into the program will have their tuition (excluding all other fees) for a single course paid directly to the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance by the Louisiana Department of Education.
Certified and currently employed classroom teachers are eligible to apply. Awardees are granted funding for a course, but not guaranteed enrollment in the course. Participating teachers must meet all course requirements and follow the enrollment process of the participating college or university.
STEM Fellows: To address the need for teachers certified in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to meet the growing needs of Louisiana’s STEM-based industries, applications for courses in STEM fields will be prioritized. Teachers participating in the program taking STEM-focused coursework will also join a cadre of educators called STEM Fellows, who will work with the Department and the LaSTEM Council to further STEM initiatives across the state.
Funding will be awarded as available. Priority will be given to applicants who:
Apply to enroll in a course related to the implementation of a high school STEM Pathway;
Apply to enroll in a STEM course;
Teach one or more STEM classes;
Seek teacher certification in a STEM-related field;
Teach in a rural school system;
Teach at a school labeled Comprehensive Intervention Required and/or Urgent Intervention Required; and/or
Apply to enroll in a course that fits into a broader certification, higher degree or other professional development program.
Click here for more information about applying for the BESE Tuition Program.
For questions about the BESE Tuition Program for Teachers, consult the Frequently Asked Questions or contact STEM@la.gov.
Classroom Teacher Enrollment Program (CTEP)
The Classroom Teacher Enrollment Program (CTEP) is run by the Louisiana Board of Regents and allows teachers to enroll in courses with unused seats at colleges and universities after the drop/add period has concluded. The CTEP program goes into effect when funding for the BESE Tuition Program for Teachers is exhausted.
If you are interested in utilizing CTEP, please make sure that you contact the Office of the Registrar at the university to ensure that the courses are eligible. Thereafter, the EBRPSS Office of Human Resources can assist you with the CTEP application.
EBRPSS CTEP Process:
Step 1: You must apply and be admitted into the University, either as degree seeking or non-matriculating.
DO NOT ADD THE COURSE(S) TO YOUR SCHEDULE YOURSELF. CTEP operates on a space available basis meaning that once the last day to add has passed, eligible students will be added to the course if there are seats available. Adding the course(s) on your own will result in you not being able to use CTEP funds.
CTEP cannot be used for the following course types:
Independent study courses
Thesis & dissertation courses
The course should lead to an education degree/certification area or increase the content knowledge of the subject area currently being taught by the applicant
Course enrollment is limited to 6 semester hours per semester (spring, fall, and summer)
Step 2: Contact the Office of the Registrar at the university to ensure that the courses are eligible.
Step 3: Using the following link, complete the EBRPSS Classroom Teacher Enrollment Program (CTEP) application.
CTEP applications must be submitted before the last day to add courses for the semester in which you are intending to take the course(s)
Step 4: After you receive the completed CTEP documentation from the HR Representative, submit the documents to the university’s registrar’s office