94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB1490

 

Introduced 2/23/2005, by Sen. Martin A. Sandoval

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Opportunity Scholarship Act. Establishes the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Provides that the Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall oversee the creation, operation, effectiveness, and adjustment of the scholarship program. Provides that a student is eligible for a scholarship if he or she has graduated from high school with a cumulative average grade of a "B" or greater, has received a composite score on the ACT of at least 24 or a combined verbal and mathematics score on the SAT of at least 1070, has completed a certain number of high school courses in specified subjects, and attends a participating university, college, or technical school. Provides for other initial eligibility requirements, course load, persistence, and grade point requirements for continuing eligibility, treatment of special enrollments, transfer among participating institutions, equivalencies, grievance procedures, and institutional agreements. Program. Provides that the Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall oversee the creation, operation, effectiveness, and adjustment of the scholarship program. Provides that a student is eligible for a scholarship if he or she has graduated from high school with a cumulative average grade of a "B" or greater, has received a composite score on the ACT of at least 24 or a combined verbal and mathematics score on the SAT of at least 1070, has completed a certain number of high school courses in specified subjects, and attends a participating university, college, or technical school. Provides for other eligibility requirements, course load, persistence, and grade point requirements for continuing eligibility, treatment of special enrollments, transfer among participating institutions, equivalencies, grievance procedures, and institutional agreements. Effective July 1, 2005.


LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1490 LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Opportunity Scholarship Act.
 
6     Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7     "Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance
8 Commission.
9     "Credit hour" means the unit of measure employed by an
10 institution to track progress towards degree completion. Only
11 units that satisfy graduation requirements under institutional
12 rules may be recognized as credit hours under this Act.
13     "Cumulative grade point average" the grade point average
14 based upon the numeric grades or their letter equivalents for
15 all credits earned by the student. For purposes of continuing
16 eligibility, the cumulative grade point average is the average
17 of grades assigned in courses attempted after admission to the
18 scholarship program, with the exception of courses for which no
19 credit hours would be awarded by the participating institution
20 that enrolled the student as a regular student.
21     "Executive director" means the Executive Director of the
22 Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
23     "Full-time attendance" means enrollment in a participating
24 institution as a regular student for at least 15 semester
25 credit hours.
26     "High school" means an "approved high school" as defined in
27 Section 10 of the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.
28     "Institution" means any university, college, or technical
29 school that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency, or,
30 in the case of institutions located outside the United States
31 of America, any university, college, or technical school
32 recognized by governmental authorities as adhering to

 

 

SB1490 - 2 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1 comparable quality standards in matters of curriculum,
2 resources, and business practices.
3     "On a 4.0 scale" means the numeric designation of grade
4 equivalencies shown on the following conversion table:
 
5     Letter Grade = Grade Point:
6         A or A+ = 4.00
7         A- = 3.66
8         B+ = 3.33
9         B = 3.00
10         B- = 2.66
11         C+ = 2.33
12         C = 2.00
13         C- = 1.67
14         D+ = 1.33
15         D = 1.00
16         D- = 0.67
17         F = 0.00
 
18     "Participating institution" means any university, college,
19 or technical school that is accredited by the North Central
20 Association of Colleges and Schools providing instruction from
21 a campus located in this State and that executes an agreement
22 pursuant to this Act.
23     "Regular student" means a person who is enrolled or
24 accepted for enrollment at an institution for the purpose of
25 obtaining a degree, certificate, or other recognized
26 educational credential offered by that institution.
27     "Scholarship" means any grant-in-aid awarded pursuant to
28 this Act.
29     "Scholarship program" means the Opportunity Scholarship
30 program established to allow this State's most academically
31 accomplished high school graduates to receive an affordable
32 education at any participating institution.
33     "Student" means any person who has not received a
34 baccalaureate, associate, or associate of applied science

 

 

SB1490 - 3 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1 degree or a diploma or certificate, however named, that
2 signifies completion of a technical program.
 
3     Section 10. Program created; duties of Executive Director.
4 These is established the Opportunity Scholarship Program. The
5 awarding of scholarships shall begin with the 2006-2007
6 academic year. The Executive Director of the Commission shall
7 oversee the creation, operation, effectiveness, and adjustment
8 of the scholarship program. To these ends, the Commission may
9 delegate functions, appoint assistants, or contract for
10 services to ensure the prudent and efficient operation of the
11 program. The executive director shall do all of the following:
12         (1) Develop all terms, conditions, and required forms
13     or contracts for the scholarship program.
14         (2) Prorate available appropriations if the
15     appropriations are insufficient to permit each participant
16     to receive a full scholarship payment.
17         (3) Transfer funds on October 15 or the first working
18     day thereafter and March 15 or the first working day
19     thereafter to participating institutions to cover
20     scholarship awards for each participating regular student
21     whose eligibility for benefits under the scholarship
22     program has been verified by the participating
23     institution.
24     The Commission may adopt any rules necessary to carry out
25 its responsibilities under this Act.
 
26     Section 15. Initial eligibility requirements. In order to
27 be eligible to receive a scholarship, a student must meet all
28 of the following qualifications:
29         (1) Have graduated from high school with a cumulative
30     average grade of a "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or greater for
31     all work attempted.
32         (2) Be a resident of this State at the time of
33     graduation from high school.
34         (3) Have taken the test administered by the American

 

 

SB1490 - 4 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1     College Testing Program (ACT) or the Scholastic Assessment
2     Test (SAT) before graduating from high school.
3         (4) Have received a composite score on the ACT of at
4     least 24 or a combined verbal and mathematics score on the
5     SAT of at least 1070.
6         (5) Have completed the required number of high school
7     courses in all of the following subjects:
8             (A) Four units of English (courses designed with a
9         major emphasis upon grammar, composition, or literary
10         analysis). One year of debate instruction may be
11         included to meet this requirement.
12             (B) Four units of algebra or higher mathematics
13         (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or other advanced
14         mathematics, including accelerated or honors
15         mathematics (algebra) provided at the 8th grade
16         level). Arithmetic, business, consumer, or general
17         mathematics, or other similar courses, are not
18         included.
19             (C) Four units of science, including 3 units of
20         approved laboratory science (courses in biology,
21         chemistry, or physics in which at least one regular
22         laboratory period is scheduled each week). Accelerated
23         or honors science (biology, physics, or chemistry)
24         provided in the 8th grade are acceptable. Qualifying
25         physical science or earth science courses, with lab,
26         may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
27             (D) Three units of social studies (history,
28         economics, sociology, geography, United States or
29         Illinois government, American Problems, and similar
30         courses).
31             (E) Two units of a modern or classical language,
32         including American Sign Language. The 2 units must be
33         in the same language.
34             (F) One unit of fine arts (art, theatre, or music),
35         except that, for students who are graduating from an
36         Illinois high school during the 2005-2006 school year,

 

 

SB1490 - 5 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1         one-half of a unit of art, theatre, or music is
2         required. Such credit may be in appreciation,
3         analysis, or performance.
4             (G) One half unit of computer science. Students
5         must have basic keyboarding skills, experience in
6         using computer word processing, database, and
7         spreadsheet packages, and experience in using the
8         Internet or other wide area networks.
9     Any course in which a student received a final grade below
10     a "C" (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) may not be counted for purposes
11     of this subdivision (5). If a student who receives
12     disqualifying grades in courses required under this
13     subdivision (5) retakes those courses while in high school,
14     the student may still qualify for eligibility if the
15     student has the required number of courses with a grade of
16     "C" or above in each subcategory.
17         (6) Attend a participating institution.
18         (7) Enter into the scholarship program within 5 years
19     of the date of graduation from high school. A student who
20     entered active military duty immediately after the date of
21     graduation from high school may qualify for the scholarship
22     if the student's release from military service occurs
23     within 5 years from the student's graduation and the
24     student enters the scholarship program within one year of
25     the student's release from active military duty.
 
26     Section 20. Loss of eligibility due to attendance outside
27 this State. A student is not eligible for the scholarship
28 program if the student attends full time at an institution
29 located outside this State for one or more semesters or
30 quarters. Full-time enrollment in a distance education program
31 offered by an institution located outside this State
32 constitutes attendance outside this State for purpose of this
33 Section. A student enrolled in an institution outside this
34 State is deemed to attend full time if the student carries a
35 full-time academic workload as determined by the institution

 

 

SB1490 - 6 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1 under a standard applicable to all students enrolled in a
2 particular educational program. The student's workload may
3 include any combination of courses, work, research, or special
4 studies that the institution considers sufficient to classify
5 the student as a full-time student.
 
6     Section 25. Exceptions to attendance restrictions.
7 Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act,
8 full-time attendance at an institution located outside this
9 State is permitted in any of the following circumstances:
10         (1) If the attendance occurs during a summer term or an
11     interim term.
12         (2) If the attendance occurs as part of a formal
13     exchange program sponsored or approved by the
14     participating institution where the student is enrolled as
15     a regular student.
16         (3) If the participating institution where the student
17     is enrolled as a regular student has outsourced a portion
18     of its curriculum to an out-of-state institution and the
19     attendance occurs in completing that portion of the
20     curriculum.
21         (4) If the executive director has granted an exception
22     for good cause shown.
 
23     Section 30. Course load requirements for continuing
24 eligibility. Each student in the scholarship program must
25 attempt and complete 15 semester credit hours of instruction
26 each semester in courses in which instructors assign letter
27 grades or their numeric equivalent. Failure to complete the
28 required number of courses disqualifies the student from
29 further participation in the program, effective at the end of
30 the semester in which the student fails to complete 15 semester
31 credit hours. Disqualification is subject to all of the
32 following exceptions:
33         (1) A student who is enrolled as a regular student at a
34     participating institution located in this State may use

 

 

SB1490 - 7 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1     distance education courses or transferable courses offered
2     by other institutions to satisfy the 15 semester hours of
3     instruction requirement if such credits are accepted by the
4     participating institution that has enrolled him or her as a
5     regular student.
6         (2) A student may petition the executive director to be
7     excused from strict compliance with this Section during
8     semesters in which the student participates in
9     institutionally sponsored or approved exchange programs,
10     internships, or similar structured, supervised,
11     credit-bearing learning experiences that preclude
12     enrollment in the participating institution's standard
13     curriculum.
14         (3) A student who fails to complete 15 semester hours
15     of instruction because the student must report for active
16     military service does not thereby lose his or her
17     eligibility.
18         (4) The executive director may waive the requirement to
19     complete 15 credit hours of instruction per semester for
20     good cause shown and may place such conditions upon the
21     waiver as may be necessary and prudent to achieve the
22     objectives of the scholarship program.
 
23     Section 35. Persistence requirements for continuing
24 eligibility. Upon entering the scholarship program, each
25 student shall maintain continuous attendance, enrolling in
26 consecutive spring and fall terms, subject to all of the
27 following exceptions:
28         (1) A student may petition the executive director to be
29     excused from strict compliance with this Section during
30     semesters in which the student participates in
31     institutionally sponsored or approved exchange programs,
32     internships, or similar structured, supervised,
33     credit-bearing learning experiences that preclude
34     enrollment in the participating institution's standard
35     curriculum.

 

 

SB1490 - 8 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1         (2) A student who fails to complete continuous
2     enrollment requirements because the student must report
3     for active military service will not thereby lose his or
4     her eligibility.
5         (3) The executive director may waive continuous
6     enrollment requirements for good cause shown and may place
7     such conditions upon the waiver as may be necessary and
8     prudent to achieve the objectives of the scholarship
9     program.
 
10     Section 40. Grade point requirements for continuing
11 eligibility. Numeric grades or their letter equivalents must be
12 assigned for each credit hour that each student attempts and
13 completes after admission into the scholarship program. Each
14 student must maintain a cumulative grade point average for all
15 credit hours completed of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale to remain
16 eligible to receive benefits under the scholarship program.
 
17     Section 45. Payment of benefits to students participating
18 in the scholarship program. Upon a student's admission to the
19 scholarship program, the executive director shall make
20 scholarship payments for the benefit of the student who
21 complies with course load requirements for 2 consecutive
22 semesters without regard to the student's grade point average.
23 Thereafter, payments may only be made if the student complies
24 with the course load and persistence requirements and if the
25 student's cumulative grade point average for all coursework
26 completed is at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The executive
27 director shall make the payments each semester for each student
28 whose compliance with course load, persistence, grade point,
29 and proficiency examinations has been verified by the
30 participating institution that enrolls the student as a regular
31 student. No payment may be made on behalf of any student who
32 fails to comply with course load, persistence, cumulative grade
33 point, and proficiency examinations or whose compliance has not
34 been verified by the participating institution that enrolls the

 

 

SB1490 - 9 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1 student as a regular student.
 
2     Section 50. Reinstatement of eligibility lost due to
3 failure to maintain grade point average. Any student who loses
4 eligibility because the student's cumulative grade point
5 average falls below 3.0 on a 4.0 scale may reestablish
6 eligibility by raising the cumulative grade point average to
7 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale and complying with all
8 requirements for continued eligibility relating to course
9 load, persistence, and proficiency examinations. All of the
10 following requirements related to reinstatement also apply:
11         (1) The student must apply to the participating
12     institution the student attends as a regular student for
13     reinstatement of eligibility.
14         (2) After verification by the participating
15     institution where the student attends as a regular student
16     that the student qualifies for reinstatement, the
17     executive director shall disburse payments on behalf of the
18     student for the term following that in which reinstatement
19     is earned and for all subsequent terms during which the
20     student remains eligible.
21         (3) Any student who loses eligibility a second time may
22     not be reinstated a second time.
 
23     Section 55. Treatment of special enrollments for purposes
24 of eligibility All of the following conditions for purposes of
25 eligibility apply to special enrollments:
26         (1) A student may enroll for more than 15 credit hours
27     in a semester. If the student completes 15 credit hours per
28     semester, the student is in compliance with course load
29     requirements even if the student drops an extra course.
30     Enrollment for additional credit hours does not diminish
31     the requirement to attempt and to complete 15 semester
32     credit hours in any subsequent semester. Grades assigned in
33     extra courses are counted as part of the student's
34     cumulative grade point average.

 

 

SB1490 - 10 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1         (2) Credit hours completed during summer sessions or
2     interim sessions are counted as part of a student's
3     cumulative grade point average. Enrollment during summer
4     or interim sessions does not diminish the course load
5     requirement to attempt and to complete 15 semester credit
6     hours in each fall and spring semester, nor does attendance
7     at such sessions excuse compliance with persistence
8     requirements.
9         (3) A student who fails to maintain the required
10     cumulative grade point average may repeat courses as part
11     of the student's effort to secure reinstatement of
12     scholarship benefits eligibility under Section 40 of this
13     Act. A student who takes a repeated course during a fall or
14     spring semester may not count those credit hours for
15     purposes of compliance with the course load requirement.
16     Upon completion of the repeated course, the grade assigned
17     in the repeated course replaces that assigned in the
18     original course for purposes of calculating the cumulative
19     grade point average.
20         (4) Asynchronous distance education courses are
21     recognized for purposes of course load and persistence
22     requirements in the semester in which the student completes
23     the course. Credit hours completed through asynchronous
24     distance education courses are included in the calculation
25     of cumulative grade point averages.
26         (5) With respect to internships and similar external
27     placements that affect load or grade assignment, a
28     participating institution may request that the executive
29     director issue standing limited exemptions from course
30     load and grade point requirements established under
31     Sections 30 and 40, respectively, where institutional
32     policy requires participating students to take a reduced
33     course load during the semester in which an internship
34     occurs or requires grading on a pass-fail or similar
35     grading system.
 

 

 

SB1490 - 11 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1     Section 60. Transfer among participating institutions. A
2 student may transfer among participating institutions without
3 losing eligibility if the student makes timely application to
4 transfer and documents continued compliance with course load,
5 persistence, grade point, and proficiency examination
6 requirements.
 
7     Section 65. Equivalencies. For any requirement in this Act
8 that is stated in terms of semester, semester credit hours,
9 grade point averages, or other technical terms commonly
10 employed by institutions of higher education, the executive
11 director shall establish an equivalency to determine the
12 initial and continued eligibility of each student who attends
13 an institution that uses an alternative calendar, grade system,
14 or other means of tracking academic progress and
15 accomplishment. The equivalency standards shall be used to
16 ensure equal treatment of each student who attends an
17 institution that uses an alternative system.
 
18     Section 70. Application for admission to the scholarship
19 program or for transfer between participating institutions.
20 All of the following application and transfer requirements
21 apply to the scholarship program:
22         (1) Any student who requests to participate in the
23     scholarship program must apply to the admissions office of
24     the participating institution that the student intends to
25     attend. The executive director shall specify the
26     application forms.
27             (A) Each student is responsible for arranging the
28         submission of official high school transcripts and
29         official test score reports from the ACT or SAT unless
30         the high school includes these scores on its official
31         transcript.
32             (B) An application is not complete until the
33         participating institution has received the official
34         high school transcripts and official test reports.

 

 

SB1490 - 12 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1             (C) Each application must be complete by September
2         1 for the fall semester or by January 1 for the spring
3         semester.
4         (2) Each student who requests to transfer between
5     participating institutions must apply to the admissions
6     office of the participating institution that the student
7     intends to attend on forms specified by the executive
8     director.
9             (A) Each student is responsible for arranging the
10         submission of all official transcripts and documents
11         needed to demonstrate compliance with course load,
12         persistence, grade point, and proficiency examination
13         requirements.
14             (B) An application is not complete until the
15         participating institution has received the official
16         transcripts and required documents.
17             (C) Each application must be complete by September
18         1 for the fall semester or by January 15 for the spring
19         semester.
20         (3) The executive director may waive the application
21     deadlines stated in this section for good cause shown.    
 
22     Section 75. Tentative acceptance into the scholarship
23 program and tentative approval of continued eligibility for
24 transfer students. The participating institution shall notify
25 the prospective student whether it is likely that the student
26 will qualify to participate in the scholarship program. Notice
27 of final acceptance is given after receipt and review of a
28 final official transcript from the student's high school to
29 confirm satisfactory completion of all high school courses and
30 graduation.
31     The participating institution shall notify a transfer
32 student whether it is likely that the student will qualify to
33 participate in the scholarship program. Notice of final
34 acceptance must be given after receipt and review of all
35 official transcripts and documents submitted to demonstrate

 

 

SB1490 - 13 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1 compliance with course load, persistence, cumulative grade
2 point average, and proficiency examination requirements. In
3 calculating the cumulative grade point average, the
4 participating institution shall factor in all credit hours
5 attempted, completed, and transcripted by the participating
6 institution from which the student transferred, whether or not
7 the receiving institution otherwise accepts the credit hours
8 and counts them towards satisfaction of its degree
9 requirements.
 
10     Section 80. Agreement to conditions of the scholarship
11 program. Participation in the scholarship program is limited
12 to each student who abides by all conditions and requirements
13 of the program, including any requirements for cooperation and
14 release of information that the executive director may
15 prescribe to assess the operation and effectiveness of the
16 scholarship program or to audit program administration. Each
17 student shall also agree that if the student withdraws or
18 otherwise terminates enrollment and is entitled to a refund,
19 then the student authorizes the participating institution that
20 the student attends to pay to the executive director that
21 portion of the student's refund that reflects moneys received
22 by the participating institution from the scholarship program.
 
23     Section 85. Grievance procedures. The student shall be
24 permitted to bring a grievance to challenge institutional
25 actions involving the determination of eligibility to
26 participate in the scholarship program or of compliance with
27 program requirements. Grievances shall be limited to alleging
28 that a violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of
29 specific terms or conditions of the laws or rules that govern
30 the program are arbitrary or capricious or discriminate on a
31 basis proscribed under law.
32         (1) Participating institutions shall establish
33     procedures to adjust grievances permitted under this
34     Section.

 

 

SB1490 - 14 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1         (2) Students may appeal institutional decisions to the
2     Commission, which, at its discretion, may accept the
3     grievance and conduct its own review or refer the grievance
4     to an independent hearing examiner for review and
5     recommendations concerning the proper resolution of
6     disputed legal or factual matters.
7         (3) Participating institutions shall comply with any
8     order issued to resolve a student grievance, subject to the
9     exercise of the right to appeal from the Commission's
10     resolution of the grievance as provided under law.
11         (4) Participating institutions shall be responsible
12     for all costs for hearing examiners retained by the
13     Commission to review such grievances or related expenses
14     reasonably incurred for such reviews.
 
15     Section 90. Institutional agreements. Any institution
16 that is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges
17 and Schools and that provides instruction from a campus located
18 in this State may enter into a written agreement with the
19 Commission to permit its eligible regular students to
20 participate in the scholarship program. Until such an
21 institution has agreed to comply with the requirements of this
22 Act, the Commission may not recognize it as a participating
23 institution and no student enrolled at the institution as a
24 regular student may participate in the scholarship program. The
25 executive director shall develop a standard contract document
26 for execution by such institutions. The standard contract shall
27 obligate a participating institution, at a minimum, to do all
28 of the following:
29         (1) Comply with all requirements placed upon
30     participating institutions in this Act.
31         (2) Review existing institutional procedures and
32     policies and provide any special assistance that may be
33     necessary to permit students to comply with the scholarship
34     program requirements.
35         (3) Notify prospective students of the program's

 

 

SB1490 - 15 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1     availability and of procedures employed by the
2     participating institution to implement the program.
3         (4) Process student applications for each academic
4     term by distributing and collecting student applications
5     and verifying eligibility of applicants.
6         (5) Submit to the executive director a roster of its
7     eligible regular students on October 1 or the first working
8     day thereafter and on February 28 or the first working day
9     thereafter.
10         (6) Permit participating students to attend classes
11     without the obligation to make payment towards that portion
12     of tuition and fee charges that will be covered by
13     scholarship program funds and without any interest or
14     penalty if funds are disbursed after the time when tuition
15     and fee charges ordinarily accrue interest or penalties.
16         (7) Allocate funds transferred by the executive
17     director to the benefit of each eligible student
18     participating in the scholarship program.
19         (8) Document the application of all funds received.
20         (9) Administer the program under the same procedures
21     employed to administer other financial aid programs that
22     the participating institution offers to its students,
23     subject to such adjustments as may be needed to comply with
24     scholarship program requirements.
25         (10) Treat mid-semester withdrawals of program
26     participants in the same manner that the institution treats
27     withdrawal of students who receive federal financial aid,
28     prorating the aid allocable to the student based upon
29     active attendance and remitting to the Commission such sums
30     as have not been earned by the student prior to the last
31     day of attendance.
32         (11) Expedite the preparation of official transcripts
33     and other documentation required by participating students
34     who transfer to other participating institutions, unless,
35     under institutional policy, a transferring student is
36     ineligible for the release of academic records pending

 

 

SB1490 - 16 - LRB094 10926 NHT 41495 b

1     settlement of outstanding debts to the institution.
2         (12) Cooperate with the executive director in all
3     matters relating to assessment of the operation and
4     effectiveness of the scholarship program.
5         (13) Cooperate with the executive director in all
6     matters relating to the audit of program administration.
7         (14) Provide prompt assistance to the executive
8     director in responding to legislative inquiries.
9         (15) Accept such amendments or modifications to the
10     standard contract terms as the executive director may
11     subsequently prescribe.
 
12     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
13 2005.