94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB0060


 
Introduced 1/6/2005, by Rep. Lou Lang
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













110 ILCS 947/65.27 new









    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.  Requires the Illinois
Student Assistance Commission to implement and administer a teacher scholarship
program, to be known as the Teach Illinois Scholarship Program.  Defines "area of identified staff shortage" as a school district in which
the number of teachers is insufficient to meet student or school district
demand or a subject area for which the number of teachers who are qualified to teach that subject area is insufficient to meet student or school district demand, as determined by the State Board of
Education.  Requires the
Commission to annually award scholarships to persons preparing to teach in
areas of
identified staff shortages.  Requires the recipient to accept employment to
teach in an
elementary
or secondary school in Illinois in an area of identified staff
shortage for a period
of at least 5 years.
















LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 b

















FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
















 


 


A BILL FOR









 









HB0060

LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 b






1
    AN ACT concerning education. 

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
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represented in the General Assembly: 


 
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    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is

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amended by adding Section 65.27 as follows:


 
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    (110 ILCS 947/65.27 new)

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    Sec. 65.27. Teach Illinois Scholarship Program.

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    (a) For the purposes of this Section:

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    "Area of identified staff shortage" means a school district 
10
in which
the number of teachers is insufficient to meet student 
11
or school district
demand or a subject area for which the 
12
number of teachers who are qualified to teach that subject area 
13
is insufficient to meet student or school district demand, as 
14
determined by the State Board of
Education.

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    "Qualified institution of higher learning" means one of the

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universities listed in Section 65.40 of this Act.

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    (b) The Commission shall implement and administer a teacher

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scholarship program, to be known as the Teach Illinois 
19
Scholarship
Program.  The Commission shall annually award 
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scholarships to persons
preparing to teach in areas of 
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identified staff shortages.  These
scholarships shall be issued 
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to individuals who make application to the
Commission and who 
23
agree to take courses at qualified institutions of
higher 
24
learning that will prepare them to teach in areas of identified 
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staff
shortages.

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    (c) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued

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pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.

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    (d) Each scholarship shall be utilized by its holder for 
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the payment
of tuition and non-revenue bond fees at any 
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qualified institution of
higher learning.  Such tuition and fees 
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shall be available only for courses
that will enable the 
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individual to be certified to teach in areas of
identified 
 


 






HB0060
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LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 b




1
staff shortages.  The Commission shall determine which
courses 
2
are eligible for tuition payments under this Section.

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    (e) The Commission may make tuition payments directly to 
4
the
qualified institution of higher learning that the 
5
individual attends for the
courses prescribed.

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    (f) Following the completion of the program of study, the 
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individual
must accept employment to teach in an elementary or 
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secondary school in
Illinois
in an area of identified staff 
9
shortage for a period of at least 5
years.  Individuals who fail 
10
to comply with this provision shall refund all
of the awarded 
11
scholarships to the Commission, whether payments were
made 
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directly to the institutions of higher learning or to the 
13
individuals,
and this condition shall be agreed to in writing 
14
by all scholarship
recipients at the time the scholarship is 
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awarded.  No individual shall be
required to refund tuition 
16
payments if his or her failure to obtain
employment as a 
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teacher in a school is the result of financial conditions

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within school districts.  The rules promulgated as provided in 
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this
Section shall contain provisions regarding the waiving and 
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deferral of
such payments.

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    (g) The Commission, with the cooperation of the State Board 
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of
Education, shall assist individuals who have participated in 
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the
scholarship program established by this Section in finding 
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employment
in areas of identified staff shortages.

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    (h) Appropriations for the scholarships outlined in this 
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Section
shall be made to the Commission by the
General 
27
Assembly.