HB3498 EngrossedLRB103 29879 RJT 56289 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by changing Sections 50, 52, and 65.15 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/50)
7    Sec. 50. Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
8program.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10        "Eligible applicant" means a minority student who has
11    graduated from high school or has received a State of
12    Illinois High School Diploma and has maintained a
13    cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0
14    scale, and who by reason thereof is entitled to apply for
15    scholarships to be awarded under this Section.
16        "Minority student" means a student who is any of the
17    following:
18            (1) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person
19        having origins in any of the original peoples of North
20        and South America, including Central America, and who
21        maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment).
22            (2) Asian (a person having origins in any of the
23        original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or

 

 

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1        the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited
2        to, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
3        Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and
4        Vietnam).
5            (3) Black or African American (a person having
6        origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa).
7            (4) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban,
8        Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or
9        other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race).
10            (5) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a
11        person having origins in any of the original peoples
12        of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).
13        "Qualified bilingual minority applicant" means a
14    qualified student who demonstrates proficiency in a
15    language other than English by (i) receiving a State Seal
16    of Biliteracy from the State Board of Education or (ii)
17    receiving a passing score on an educator licensure target
18    language proficiency test.
19        "Qualified student" means a person (i) who is a
20    resident of this State and a citizen or permanent resident
21    of the United States; (ii) who is a minority student, as
22    defined in this Section; (iii) who, as an eligible
23    applicant, has made a timely application for a minority
24    teaching scholarship under this Section; (iv) who is
25    enrolled on at least a half-time basis at a qualified
26    Illinois institution of higher learning; (v) who is

 

 

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1    enrolled in a course of study leading to teacher
2    licensure, including alternative teacher licensure, or, if
3    the student is already licensed to teach, in a course of
4    study leading to an additional teaching endorsement or a
5    master's degree in an academic field in which he or she is
6    teaching or plans to teach or who has received one or more
7    College and Career Pathway Endorsements pursuant to
8    Section 80 of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness
9    Act and commits to enrolling in a course of study leading
10    to teacher licensure, including alternative teacher
11    licensure; (vi) who maintains a grade point average of no
12    less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; and (vii) who continues to
13    advance satisfactorily toward the attainment of a degree.
14    (b) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
15minority students to pursue teaching careers at the preschool
16or elementary or secondary school level and to address and
17alleviate the teacher shortage crisis in this State described
18under the provisions of the Transitions in Education Act, each
19qualified student shall be awarded a minority teacher
20scholarship to any qualified Illinois institution of higher
21learning. However, preference may be given to qualified
22applicants enrolled at or above the junior level.
23    (c) Each minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
24Section shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and
25fees and room and board costs of the qualified Illinois
26institution of higher learning at which the recipient is

 

 

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1enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000; except that in the
2case of a recipient who does not reside on-campus at the
3institution at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the
4scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee
5expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of
6$5,000. However, if at least $2,850,000 is appropriated in a
7given fiscal year for the Minority Teachers of Illinois
8scholarship program, then, in each fiscal year thereafter,
9each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be in an
10amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room and
11board costs of the qualified Illinois institution of higher
12learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual
13maximum of $7,500; except that in the case of a recipient who
14does not reside on-campus at the institution at which he or she
15is enrolled, the amount of the scholarship shall be sufficient
16to pay tuition and fee expenses and a commuter allowance, up to
17an annual maximum of $7,500.
18    (d) The total amount of minority teacher scholarship
19assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an
20individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other
21financial assistance awarded to that individual for that year,
22shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the institution at
23which the student is enrolled. If the amount of minority
24teacher scholarship to be awarded to a qualified student as
25provided in subsection (c) of this Section exceeds the cost of
26attendance at the institution at which the student is

 

 

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1enrolled, the minority teacher scholarship shall be reduced by
2an amount equal to the amount by which the combined financial
3assistance available to the student exceeds the cost of
4attendance.
5    (e) The maximum number of academic terms for which a
6qualified student can receive minority teacher scholarship
7assistance shall be 8 semesters or 12 quarters.
8    (f) In any academic year for which an eligible applicant
9under this Section accepts financial assistance through the
10Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, as authorized by
11Section 551 et seq. of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the
12applicant shall not be eligible for scholarship assistance
13awarded under this Section.
14    (g) All applications for minority teacher scholarships to
15be awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission
16on forms which the Commission shall provide for eligible
17applicants. The form of applications and the information
18required to be set forth therein shall be determined by the
19Commission, and the Commission shall require eligible
20applicants to submit with their applications such supporting
21documents or recommendations as the Commission deems
22necessary.
23    (h) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes,
24payment of any minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
25Section shall be determined by the Commission. All scholarship
26funds distributed in accordance with this subsection shall be

 

 

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1paid to the institution and used only for payment of the
2tuition and fee and room and board expenses incurred by the
3student in connection with his or her attendance at a
4qualified Illinois institution of higher learning. Any
5minority teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall
6be applicable to 2 semesters or 3 quarters of enrollment. If a
7qualified student withdraws from enrollment prior to
8completion of the first semester or quarter for which the
9minority teacher scholarship is applicable, the school shall
10refund to the Commission the full amount of the minority
11teacher scholarship.
12    (i) The Commission shall administer the minority teacher
13scholarship aid program established by this Section and shall
14make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this
15Section for its effective implementation.
16    (j) When an appropriation to the Commission for a given
17fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all
18qualified students, the Commission shall allocate the
19appropriation in accordance with this subsection. If funds are
20insufficient to provide all qualified students with a
21scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission
22shall allocate the available scholarship funds for that fiscal
23year to qualified students who submit a complete application
24form on or before a date specified by the Commission based on
25the following order of priority:
26        (1) To students who received a scholarship under this

 

 

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1    Section in the prior academic year and who remain eligible
2    for a minority teacher scholarship under this Section.
3        (2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (k), to
4    students who demonstrate financial need, as determined by
5    the Commission.
6    (k) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subsection (j), at
7least 35% of the funds appropriated for scholarships awarded
8under this Section in each fiscal year shall be reserved for
9qualified male minority applicants, with priority being given
10to qualified Black male applicants beginning with fiscal year
112023. If the Commission does not receive enough applications
12from qualified male minorities on or before January 1 of each
13fiscal year to award 35% of the funds appropriated for these
14scholarships to qualified male minority applicants, then the
15Commission may award a portion of the reserved funds to
16qualified female minority applicants in accordance with
17subsection (j).
18    Beginning with fiscal year 2023, if at least $2,850,000
19but less than $4,200,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal
20year for scholarships awarded under this Section, then at
21least 10% of the funds appropriated shall be reserved for
22qualified bilingual minority applicants, with priority being
23given to qualified bilingual minority applicants who are
24enrolled in an educator preparation program with a
25concentration in bilingual, bicultural education. Beginning
26with fiscal year 2023, if at least $4,200,000 is appropriated

 

 

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1in a given fiscal year for the Minority Teachers of Illinois
2scholarship program, then at least 30% of the funds
3appropriated shall be reserved for qualified bilingual
4minority applicants, with priority being given to qualified
5bilingual minority applicants who are enrolled in an educator
6preparation program with a concentration in bilingual,
7bicultural education. Beginning with fiscal year 2023, if at
8least $2,850,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal year for
9scholarships awarded under this Section but the Commission
10does not receive enough applications from qualified bilingual
11minority applicants on or before January 1 of that fiscal year
12to award at least 10% of the funds appropriated to qualified
13bilingual minority applicants, then the Commission may, in its
14discretion, award a portion of the reserved funds to other
15qualified students in accordance with subsection (j).
16    (l) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any
17academic year, each recipient of a minority teacher
18scholarship awarded under this Section shall be required by
19the Commission to sign an agreement under which the recipient
20pledges that, within the one-year period following the
21termination of the program for which the recipient was awarded
22a minority teacher scholarship, the recipient (i) shall begin
23teaching for a period of not less than one year for each year
24of scholarship assistance he or she was awarded under this
25Section; (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a
26nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool,

 

 

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1elementary school, or secondary school at which no less than
230% of the enrolled students are minority students in the year
3during which the recipient begins teaching at the school or
4may instead, if the recipient received a scholarship as a
5qualified bilingual minority applicant, fulfill this teaching
6obligation in a program in transitional bilingual education
7pursuant to Article 14C of the School Code or in a school in
8which 20 or more English learner students in the same language
9classification are enrolled; and (iii) shall, upon request by
10the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he
11or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching
12agreement provided for in this subsection.
13    (m) If a recipient of a minority teacher scholarship
14awarded under this Section fails to fulfill the teaching
15obligation set forth in subsection (l) of this Section, the
16Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of
17the scholarships received, prorated according to the fraction
18of the teaching obligation not completed, at a rate of
19interest equal to 5%, and, if applicable, reasonable
20collection fees. If a recipient who enters into repayment
21under this subsection (m) subsequently teaches at a school
22meeting the description under subsection (l) of this Section,
23the Commission may reduce the amount owed by the recipient in
24proportion to the amount of the teaching obligation completed.
25The Commission is authorized to establish rules relating to
26its collection activities for repayment of scholarships under

 

 

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1this Section. All repayments collected under this Section
2shall be forwarded to the State Comptroller for deposit into
3the State's General Revenue Fund.
4    (n) A recipient of minority teacher scholarship shall not
5be considered in violation of the agreement entered into
6pursuant to subsection (l) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a
7full time basis as a graduate student in a course of study
8related to the field of teaching at a qualified Illinois
9institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving, not in excess
10of 3 years, as a member of the armed services of the United
11States; (iii) is a person with a temporary total disability
12for a period of time not to exceed 3 years as established by
13sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking and
14unable to find full time employment as a teacher at an Illinois
15public, private, or parochial preschool or elementary or
16secondary school that satisfies the criteria set forth in
17subsection (l) of this Section and is able to provide evidence
18of that fact; (v) becomes a person with a permanent total
19disability as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified
20physician; (vi) is taking additional courses, on at least a
21half-time basis, needed to obtain licensure as a teacher in
22Illinois; or (vii) is fulfilling teaching requirements
23associated with other programs administered by the Commission
24and cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a
25period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.
26    (o) Scholarship recipients under this Section who withdraw

 

 

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1from a program of teacher education but remain enrolled in
2school to continue their postsecondary studies in another
3academic discipline shall not be required to commence
4repayment of their Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
5so long as they remain enrolled in school on a full-time basis
6or if they can document for the Commission special
7circumstances that warrant extension of repayment.
8    (p) If the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
9program does not expend at least 90% of the amount
10appropriated for the program in a given fiscal year for 3
11consecutive fiscal years and the Commission does not receive
12enough applications from the groups identified in subsection
13(k) on or before January 1 in each of those fiscal years to
14meet the percentage reserved for those groups under subsection
15(k), then up to 3% of amount appropriated for the program for
16each of next 3 fiscal years shall be allocated to increasing
17awareness of the program and for the recruitment of Black male
18applicants. The Commission shall make a recommendation to the
19General Assembly by January 1 of the year immediately
20following the end of that third fiscal year regarding whether
21the amount allocated to increasing awareness and recruitment
22should continue.
23    (q) Each qualified Illinois institution of higher learning
24that receives funds from the Minority Teachers of Illinois
25scholarship program shall host an annual information session
26at the institution about the program for teacher candidates of

 

 

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1color in accordance with rules adopted by the Commission.
2Additionally, the institution shall ensure that each
3scholarship recipient enrolled at the institution meets with
4an academic advisor at least once per academic year to
5facilitate on-time completion of the recipient's educator
6preparation program.
7    (r) The changes made to this Section by Public Act 101-654
8will first take effect with awards made for the 2022-2023
9academic year.
10(Source: P.A. 101-654, eff. 3-8-21; 102-465, eff. 1-1-22;
11102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-1100, eff. 1-1-23.)
 
12    (110 ILCS 947/52)
13    Sec. 52. Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program; Golden
14Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching.
15    (a) In this Section, "Foundation" means the Golden Apple
16Foundation for Excellence in Teaching, a registered 501(c)(3)
17not-for-profit corporation.
18    (a-2) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
19students, especially minority students, to pursue teaching
20careers, especially in teacher shortage disciplines (which
21shall be defined to include early childhood education) or at
22hard-to-staff schools (as defined by the Commission in
23consultation with the State Board of Education), to provide
24those students with the crucial mentoring, guidance, and
25in-service support that will significantly increase the

 

 

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1likelihood that they will complete their full teaching
2commitments and elect to continue teaching in targeted
3disciplines and hard-to-staff schools, and to ensure that
4students in this State will continue to have access to a pool
5of highly-qualified teachers, each qualified student shall be
6awarded a Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
7scholarship to any Illinois institution of higher learning.
8The Commission shall administer the Golden Apple Scholars of
9Illinois Program, which shall be managed by the Foundation
10pursuant to the terms of a grant agreement meeting the
11requirements of Section 4 of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery
12Act.
13    (a-3) For purposes of this Section, a qualified student
14shall be a student who meets the following qualifications:
15        (1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or
16    eligible noncitizen of the United States;
17        (2) is a high school graduate or a person who has
18    received a State of Illinois High School Diploma;
19        (3) is enrolled or accepted, on at least a half-time
20    basis, at an institution of higher learning;
21        (4) is pursuing a postsecondary course of study
22    leading to initial certification or pursuing additional
23    course work needed to gain State Board of Education
24    approval to teach, including alternative teacher
25    licensure; and
26        (5) is a participant in programs managed by and is

 

 

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1    approved to receive a scholarship from the Foundation.
2    (a-5) (Blank).
3    (b) (Blank).
4    (b-5) Funds designated for the Golden Apple Scholars of
5Illinois Program shall be used by the Commission for the
6payment of scholarship assistance under this Section or for
7the award of grant funds, subject to the Illinois Grant Funds
8Recovery Act, to the Foundation. Subject to appropriation,
9awards of grant funds to the Foundation shall be made on an
10annual basis and following an application for grant funds by
11the Foundation.
12    (b-10) Each year, the Foundation shall include in its
13application to the Commission for grant funds an estimate of
14the amount of scholarship assistance to be provided to
15qualified students during the grant period. Any amount of
16appropriated funds exceeding the estimated amount of
17scholarship assistance may be awarded by the Commission to the
18Foundation for management expenses expected to be incurred by
19the Foundation in providing the mentoring, guidance, and
20in-service supports that will increase the likelihood that
21qualified students will complete their teaching commitments
22and elect to continue teaching in hard-to-staff schools. If
23the estimate of the amount of scholarship assistance described
24in the Foundation's application is less than the actual amount
25required for the award of scholarship assistance to qualified
26students, the Foundation shall be responsible for using

 

 

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1awarded grant funds to ensure all qualified students receive
2scholarship assistance under this Section.
3    (b-15) All grant funds not expended or legally obligated
4within the time specified in a grant agreement between the
5Foundation and the Commission shall be returned to the
6Commission within 45 days. Any funds legally obligated by the
7end of a grant agreement shall be liquidated within 45 days or
8otherwise returned to the Commission within 90 days after the
9end of the grant agreement that resulted in the award of grant
10funds.
11    (c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
12in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room
13and board costs of the Illinois institution of higher learning
14at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of
15$5,000; except that, in the case of a recipient who does not
16reside on campus on-campus at the institution of higher
17learning at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the
18scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee
19expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of
20$5,000. All scholarship funds distributed in accordance with
21this Section shall be paid to the institution on behalf of
22recipients.
23    (d) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by
24the Commission under this Section to an individual in any
25given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance
26awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed the

 

 

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1cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning at
2which the student is enrolled. In any academic year for which a
3qualified student under this Section accepts financial
4assistance through any other teacher scholarship program
5administered by the Commission, a qualified student shall not
6be eligible for scholarship assistance awarded under this
7Section.
8    (e) A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters or 12
9quarters of scholarship assistance under this Section.
10Scholarship funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3
11quarters of enrollment each academic year.
12    (f) All applications for scholarship assistance to be
13awarded under this Section shall be made to the Foundation in a
14form determined by the Foundation. Each year, the Foundation
15shall notify the Commission of the individuals awarded
16scholarship assistance under this Section. Each year, at least
1730% of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
18scholarships shall be awarded to students residing in counties
19having a population of less than 500,000.
20    (g) (Blank).
21    (h) The Commission shall administer the payment of
22scholarship assistance provided through the Golden Apple
23Scholars of Illinois Program and shall make all necessary and
24proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for the
25effective implementation of this Section.
26    (i) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any

 

 

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1academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under
2this Section shall be required by the Foundation to sign an
3agreement under which the recipient pledges that, within the
42-year period following the termination of the academic
5program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the
6recipient: (i) shall begin teaching for a period of not less
7than 5 years, (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a
8nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or
9an Illinois public elementary or secondary school that
10qualifies for teacher loan cancellation under Section
11465(a)(2)(A) of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
12U.S.C. 1087ee(a)(2)(A)) or other Illinois schools deemed
13eligible for fulfilling the teaching commitment as designated
14by the Foundation, and (iii) shall, upon request of the
15Foundation, provide the Foundation with evidence that he or
16she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching
17agreement provided for in this subsection. Upon request, the
18Foundation shall provide evidence of teacher fulfillment to
19the Commission.
20    (j) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this
21Section fails to fulfill the teaching obligation set forth in
22subsection (i) of this Section, the Commission shall require
23the recipient to repay the amount of the scholarships
24received, prorated according to the fraction of the teaching
25obligation not completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% and, if
26applicable, reasonable collection fees. If a recipient who

 

 

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1enters into repayment under this subsection (j) subsequently
2teaches at a school meeting the description under subsection
3(i) of this Section, the Commission may reduce the amount owed
4by the recipient in proportion to the amount of the teaching
5obligation completed. Payments received by the Commission
6under this subsection (j) shall be remitted to the State
7Comptroller for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, except
8that that portion of a recipient's repayment that equals the
9amount in expenses that the Commission has reasonably incurred
10in attempting collection from that recipient shall be remitted
11to the State Comptroller for deposit into the ISAC Accounts
12Receivable Fund, a special fund in the State treasury.
13    (k) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Foundation
14under this Section shall not be considered to have failed to
15fulfill the teaching obligations of the agreement entered into
16pursuant to subsection (i) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a
17full-time basis as a graduate student in a course of study
18related to the field of teaching at an institution of higher
19learning; (ii) is serving as a member of the armed services of
20the United States; (iii) is a person with a temporary total
21disability, as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified
22physician; (iv) is seeking and unable to find full-time
23employment as a teacher at a school that satisfies the
24criteria set forth in subsection (i) and is able to provide
25evidence of that fact; (v) is taking additional courses, on at
26least a half-time basis, needed to obtain certification as a

 

 

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1teacher in Illinois; (vi) is fulfilling teaching requirements
2associated with other programs administered by the Commission
3and cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a
4period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation;
5or (vii) is participating in a program established under
6Executive Order 10924 of the President of the United States or
7the federal National Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
812501 et seq.). Any such extension of the period during which
9the teaching requirement must be fulfilled shall be subject to
10limitations of duration as established by the Commission.
11    (l) A recipient who fails to fulfill the teaching
12obligations of the agreement entered into pursuant to
13subsection (i) of this Section shall repay the amount of
14scholarship assistance awarded to them under this Section
15within 10 years.
16    (m) Annually, at a time determined by the Commission in
17consultation with the Foundation, the Foundation shall submit
18a report to assist the Commission in monitoring the
19Foundation's performance of grant activities. The report shall
20describe the following:
21        (1) the Foundation's anticipated expenditures for the
22    next fiscal year;
23        (2) the number of qualified students receiving
24    scholarship assistance at each institution of higher
25    learning where a qualified student was enrolled under this
26    Section during the previous fiscal year;

 

 

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1        (3) the total monetary value of scholarship funds paid
2    to each institution of higher learning at which a
3    qualified student was enrolled during the previous fiscal
4    year;
5        (4) the number of scholarship recipients who completed
6    a baccalaureate degree during the previous fiscal year;
7        (5) the number of scholarship recipients who fulfilled
8    their teaching obligation during the previous fiscal year;
9        (6) the number of scholarship recipients who failed to
10    fulfill their teaching obligation during the previous
11    fiscal year;
12        (7) the number of scholarship recipients granted an
13    extension described in subsection (k) of this Section
14    during the previous fiscal year;
15        (8) the number of scholarship recipients required to
16    repay scholarship assistance in accordance with subsection
17    (j) of this Section during the previous fiscal year;
18        (9) the number of scholarship recipients who
19    successfully repaid scholarship assistance in full during
20    the previous fiscal year;
21        (10) the number of scholarship recipients who
22    defaulted on their obligation to repay scholarship
23    assistance during the previous fiscal year;
24        (11) the amount of scholarship assistance subject to
25    collection in accordance with subsection (j) of this
26    Section at the end of the previous fiscal year;

 

 

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1        (12) the amount of collected funds to be remitted to
2    the Comptroller in accordance with subsection (j) of this
3    Section at the end of the previous fiscal year; and
4        (13) other information that the Commission may
5    reasonably request.
6    (n) Nothing in this Section shall affect the rights of the
7Commission to collect moneys owed to it by recipients of
8scholarship assistance through the Illinois Future Teacher
9Corps Program, repealed by Public Act 98-533.
10    (o) The Auditor General shall prepare an annual audit of
11the operations and finances of the Golden Apple Scholars of
12Illinois Program. This audit shall be provided to the
13Governor, General Assembly, and the Commission.
14    (p) The suspension of grant making authority found in
15Section 4.2 of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act shall not
16apply to grants made pursuant to this Section.
17(Source: P.A. 102-1071, eff. 6-10-22; 102-1100, eff. 1-1-23;
18revised 12-13-22.)
 
19    (110 ILCS 947/65.15)
20    Sec. 65.15. Special education teacher scholarships.
21    (a) There shall be awarded annually 250 scholarships to
22persons qualifying as members of any of the following groups:
23        (1) Students who are otherwise qualified to receive a
24    scholarship as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this
25    Section and who make application to the Commission for

 

 

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1    such scholarship and agree to take courses that will
2    prepare the student for the teaching of children described
3    in Section 14-1 of the School Code.
4        (2) Persons holding a valid certificate issued under
5    the laws relating to the certification of teachers and who
6    make application to the Commission for such scholarship
7    and agree to take courses that will prepare them for the
8    teaching of children described in Section 14-1 of the
9    School Code.
10        (3) Persons who (A) have graduated high school; (B)
11    have not been certified as a teacher; and (C) make
12    application to the Commission for such scholarship and
13    agree to take courses that will prepare them for the
14    teaching of children described in Section 14-1 of the
15    School Code.
16    Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued
17pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Commission;
18provided that no rule or regulation promulgated by the State
19Board of Education prior to the effective date of this
20amendatory Act of 1993 pursuant to the exercise of any right,
21power, duty, responsibility or matter of pending business
22transferred from the State Board of Education to the
23Commission under this Section shall be affected thereby, and
24all such rules and regulations shall become the rules and
25regulations of the Commission until modified or changed by the
26Commission in accordance with law.

 

 

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1    For the purposes of this Section scholarships awarded each
2school year shall be deemed to be issued on July 1 of the year
3prior to the start of the postsecondary school term and all
4calculations for use of the scholarship shall be based on such
5date. Each scholarship shall entitle its holder to exemption
6from fees as provided in subsection (a) of Section 65.40 while
7enrolled in a special education program of teacher education,
8for a period of not more than 4 calendar years and shall be
9available for use at any time during such period of study
10except as provided in subsection (b) of Section 65.40.
11    Scholarships issued to holders of a valid certificate
12issued under the laws relating to the certification of
13teachers as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection may
14also entitle the holder thereof to a program of teacher
15education that will prepare the student for the teaching of
16children described in Section 14-1 of the School Code at the
17graduate level.
18    (b) The principal, or his or her designee, of an approved
19high school shall certify to the Commission, for students who
20are Illinois residents and are completing an application, that
21the students ranked scholastically in the upper one-half of
22their graduating class at the end of the sixth semester.
23    (c) Each holder of a scholarship must furnish proof to the
24Commission, in such form and at such intervals as the
25Commission prescribes, of the holder's continued enrollment in
26a teacher education program qualifying the holder for the

 

 

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1scholarship. Any holder of a scholarship who fails to register
2in a special education program of teacher education at the
3university within 10 days after the commencement of the term,
4quarter or semester immediately following the receipt of the
5scholarship or who, having registered, withdraws from the
6university or transfers out of teacher education, shall
7thereupon forfeit the right to use it and it may be granted to
8the person having the next highest rank as shown on the list
9held by the Commission. If the person having the next highest
10rank, within 10 days after notification thereof by the
11Commission, fails to register at any such university in a
12special education program of teacher education, or who, having
13registered, withdraws from the university or transfers out of
14teacher education, the scholarship may then be granted to the
15person shown on the list as having the rank next below such
16person.
17    (d) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under the
18preceding subsections of this Section must, within one year
19after graduation from or termination of enrollment in a
20teacher education program, begin teaching at a nonprofit
21Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or elementary
22or secondary school for a period of at least 2 of the 5 years
23immediately following that graduation or termination,
24excluding, however, from the computation of that 5 year period
25(i) any time up to 3 years spent in the military service,
26whether such service occurs before or after the person

 

 

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1graduates; (ii) any time that person is enrolled full-time in
2an academic program related to the field of teaching leading
3to a graduate or postgraduate degree; (iii) the time that
4person is a person with a temporary total disability for a
5period of time not to exceed 3 years, as established by the
6sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) the time that
7person is seeking and unable to find full time employment as a
8teacher at an Illinois public, private, or parochial school;
9(v) the time that person is taking additional courses, on at
10least a half-time basis, needed to obtain certification as a
11teacher in Illinois; or (vi) the time that person is
12fulfilling teaching requirements associated with other
13programs administered by the Commission if he or she cannot
14concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a period of
15time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.
16    A person who has accepted a scholarship under the
17preceding subsections of this Section and who has been unable
18to fulfill the teaching requirements of this Section may
19receive a deferment from the obligation of repayment under
20this subsection (d) under guidelines established by the
21Commission; provided that no guideline established for any
22such purpose by the State Board of Education prior to the
23effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993 shall be
24affected by the transfer to the Commission of the
25responsibility for administering and implementing the
26provisions of this Section, and all guidelines so established

 

 

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1shall become the guidelines of the Commission until modified
2or changed by the Commission.
3    Any such person who fails to fulfill this teaching
4requirement shall pay to the Commission the amount of tuition
5waived by virtue of his or her acceptance of the scholarship,
6together with interest at 5% per year on that amount. However,
7this obligation to repay the amount of tuition waived plus
8interest does not apply when the failure to fulfill the
9teaching requirement results from the death or adjudication as
10a person under legal disability of the person holding the
11scholarship, and no claim for repayment may be filed against
12the estate of such a decedent or person under legal
13disability. If a recipient who enters into repayment under
14this paragraph subsequently teaches at a school meeting the
15description under this subsection (d), the Commission may
16reduce the amount owed by the recipient in proportion to the
17amount of the teaching obligation completed. Payments received
18by the Commission under this subsection (d) shall be remitted
19to the State Treasurer for deposit in the General Revenue
20Fund. Each person receiving a scholarship shall be provided
21with a description of the provisions of this subsection (d) at
22the time he or she qualifies for the benefits of such a
23scholarship.
24    (e) This Section is basically the same as Sections 30-1,
2530-2, 30-3, and 30-4a of the School Code, which are repealed by
26this amendatory Act of 1993, and shall be construed as a

 

 

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1continuation of the teacher scholarship program established by
2that prior law, and not as a new or different teacher
3scholarship program. The State Board of Education shall
4transfer to the Commission, as the successor to the State
5Board of Education for all purposes of administering and
6implementing the provisions of this Section, all books,
7accounts, records, papers, documents, contracts, agreements,
8and pending business in any way relating to the teacher
9scholarship program continued under this Section; and all
10scholarships at any time awarded under that program by, and
11all applications for any such scholarships at any time made
12to, the State Board of Education shall be unaffected by the
13transfer to the Commission of all responsibility for the
14administration and implementation of the teacher scholarship
15program continued under this Section. The State Board of
16Education shall furnish to the Commission such other
17information as the Commission may request to assist it in
18administering this Section.
19(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
 
20    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
21becoming law.