[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_HB1852
LRB9207059ACcd
1 AN ACT concerning higher education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act
5 is amended by changing Sections 50 and 52 as follows:
6 (110 ILCS 947/50)
7 Sec. 50. Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
8 program.
9 (a) As used in this Section:
10 "Eligible applicant" means a minority student who
11 has graduated from high school or has received a General
12 Educational Development Certification and has maintained
13 a cumulative grade point average at the postsecondary
14 level of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and who by
15 reason thereof is entitled to apply for scholarships to
16 be awarded under this Section.
17 "Minority student" means a student who is either (i)
18 Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial
19 groups in Africa); (ii) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or
20 Portuguese culture with origins in Mexico, South or
21 Central America, or the Caribbean islands, regardless of
22 race); (iii) Asian American (a person with origins in any
23 of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia,
24 the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan, and the
25 Pacific Islands, including, among others, Hawaii,
26 Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia); or (iv) Native
27 American (a person who is a member of a federally or
28 state recognized Indian tribe, or whose parents or
29 grandparents have such membership) and to include the
30 native people of Alaska.
31 "Qualified student" means a person (i) who is a
-2- LRB9207059ACcd
1 resident of this State and a citizen or permanent
2 resident of the United States; (ii) who is a minority
3 student, as defined in this Section; (iii) who, as an
4 eligible applicant, has made a timely application for a
5 minority teaching scholarship under this Section; (iv)
6 who is enrolled on at least a half-time a full time basis
7 at the sophomore level or above until his or her last
8 semester at a qualified Illinois institution of higher
9 learning as an undergraduate student and has not received
10 a baccalaureate degree, except that last semester seniors
11 must enroll only for a minimum of 6 credit hours in order
12 to retain minority scholarship eligibility under this
13 Section; (v) who is enrolled in a course of study leading
14 to teacher certification, including alternative teacher
15 certification; (vi) who maintains a grade point average
16 of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale while enrolled at the
17 postsecondary level; and (vii) who continues to advance
18 satisfactorily toward the attainment of a degree.
19 (b) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
20 minority students to pursue teaching careers at the
21 elementary or secondary school level, each qualified student
22 shall be awarded a minority teacher scholarship to any
23 qualified Illinois institution of higher learning.
24 (c) Each minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
25 Section shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition
26 and fees and room and board costs of the qualified Illinois
27 institution of higher learning at which the recipient is
28 enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000; except that in
29 the case of a recipient who does not reside on-campus at the
30 institution at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the
31 scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee
32 expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of
33 $5,000.
34 (d) The total amount of minority teacher scholarship
-3- LRB9207059ACcd
1 assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an
2 individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other
3 financial assistance awarded to that individual for that
4 year, shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the
5 institution at which the student is enrolled. If the amount
6 of minority teacher scholarship to be awarded to a qualified
7 student as provided in subsection (c) of this Section exceeds
8 the cost of attendance at the institution at which the
9 student is enrolled, the minority teacher scholarship shall
10 be reduced by an amount equal to the amount by which the
11 combined financial assistance available to the student
12 exceeds the cost of attendance.
13 (e) The maximum number of academic terms for which a
14 qualified student can receive minority teacher scholarship
15 assistance shall be 8 semesters or 12 quarters of
16 undergraduate study.
17 (f) In any academic year for which an eligible applicant
18 under this Section accepts financial assistance through the
19 Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, as authorized by
20 Section 551 et seq. of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the
21 applicant shall not be eligible for scholarship assistance
22 awarded under this Section.
23 (g) All applications for minority teacher scholarships
24 to be awarded under this Section shall be made to the
25 Commission on forms which the Commission shall provide for
26 eligible applicants. The form of applications and the
27 information required to be set forth therein shall be
28 determined by the Commission, and the Commission shall
29 require eligible applicants to submit with their applications
30 such supporting documents or recommendations as the
31 Commission deems necessary.
32 (h) Subject to a separate appropriation for such
33 purposes, payment of any minority teacher scholarship awarded
34 under this Section shall be determined by the Commission.
-4- LRB9207059ACcd
1 All scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this
2 subsection shall be paid to the institution and used only for
3 payment of the tuition and fee and room and board expenses
4 incurred by the student in connection with his or her
5 attendance as an undergraduate student at a qualified
6 Illinois institution of higher learning. Any minority
7 teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
8 applicable to 2 semesters or 3 quarters of enrollment. If a
9 qualified student withdraws from enrollment prior to
10 completion of the first semester or quarter for which the
11 minority teacher scholarship is applicable, the school shall
12 refund to the Commission the full amount of the minority
13 teacher scholarship.
14 (i) The Commission shall administer the minority teacher
15 scholarship aid program established by this Section and shall
16 make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with
17 this Section for its effective implementation.
18 (j) When an appropriation to the Commission for a given
19 fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all
20 qualified students, the Commission shall allocate the
21 appropriation in accordance with this subsection. If funds
22 are insufficient to provide all qualified students with a
23 scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission
24 shall allocate the available scholarship funds for that
25 fiscal year on the basis of the date the Commission receives
26 a complete application form.
27 (k) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (j) or
28 any other provision of this Section, the Commission shall set
29 a goal to award to qualified male minority applicants in each
30 fiscal year at least 30% of the funds appropriated for
31 scholarships awarded under this Section in each fiscal year
32 shall be reserved for qualified male minority applicants.
33 (l) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any
34 academic year, each recipient of a minority teacher
-5- LRB9207059ACcd
1 scholarship awarded under this Section shall be required by
2 the Commission to sign an agreement under which the recipient
3 pledges that, within the 5 year period following the
4 termination of the undergraduate program for which the
5 recipient was awarded a minority teacher scholarship, the
6 recipient (i) shall teach for a period of not less than one
7 year for each year of scholarship assistance he or she was
8 awarded under this Section; and (ii) shall fulfill this
9 teaching obligation at a nonprofit Illinois public, private,
10 or parochial preschool, elementary school, or secondary
11 school. The recipient at which no less than 30% of the
12 enrolled students are minority students in the year during
13 which the recipient begins teaching at the school; and (iii)
14 shall, upon request by the Commission, provide the Commission
15 with evidence that he or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled
16 the terms of the teaching agreement provided for in this
17 subsection.
18 (m) If a recipient of a minority teacher scholarship
19 awarded under this Section fails to fulfill the teaching
20 obligation set forth in subsection (l) of this Section, the
21 Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of
22 the scholarships received, prorated according to the fraction
23 of the teaching obligation not completed, at a rate of
24 interest equal to 5%, and if applicable, reasonable
25 collection fees. The Commission is authorized to establish
26 rules relating to its collection activities for repayment of
27 scholarships under this Section. All repayments collected
28 under this Section shall be forwarded to the State
29 Comptroller for deposit into the State's General Revenue
30 Fund.
31 (n) A recipient of minority teacher scholarship shall
32 not be considered in violation of the agreement entered into
33 pursuant to subsection (l) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a
34 full time basis as a graduate student in a course of study
-6- LRB9207059ACcd
1 related to the field of teaching at a qualified Illinois
2 institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving, not in
3 excess of 3 years, as a member of the armed services of the
4 United States; (iii) is temporarily totally disabled for a
5 period of time not to exceed 3 years as established by sworn
6 affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking and
7 unable to find full time employment as a teacher at an
8 Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or
9 elementary or secondary school that satisfies the criteria
10 set forth in subsection (l) of this Section and is able to
11 provide evidence of that fact; or, (v) becomes permanently
12 totally disabled as established by sworn affidavit of a
13 qualified physician.
14 (o) Scholarship recipients under this Section who
15 withdraw from the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
16 program but remain enrolled in school to continue their
17 postsecondary studies in another academic discipline shall
18 not be required to commence repayment of their Minority
19 Teachers of Illinois scholarship so long as they remain
20 enrolled in school on a full-time basis or if they can
21 document for the Commission special circumstances that
22 warrant extension of repayment.
23 (Source: P.A. 91-670, eff. 12-22-99.)
24 (110 ILCS 947/52)
25 Sec. 52. David A. DeBolt Teacher Shortage Scholarship
26 Program.
27 (a) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
28 students, especially minority students, to pursue teaching
29 careers or alternative teacher certification in teacher
30 shortage disciplines, the Commission shall, each year,
31 receive and consider applications for scholarship assistance
32 under this Section. An applicant is eligible for a
33 scholarship under this Section when the Commission finds that
-7- LRB9207059ACcd
1 the applicant is:
2 (1) a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;
3 (2) a resident of Illinois;
4 (3) a high school graduate or a person who has
5 received a General Educational Development Certificate;
6 (4) enrolled or accepted for enrollment, on at
7 least a half-time basis at the sophomore level or above,
8 at an Illinois institution of higher learning; and
9 (5) pursuing a postsecondary course of study
10 leading to initial certification in a teacher shortage
11 discipline or pursuing additional course work needed to
12 gain State Board of Education approval, including
13 alternative teacher certification to teach in an approved
14 specialized area in which a teacher shortage exists.
15 (a-5) The State Board of Education shall notify the
16 Commission as to which disciplines are considered teacher
17 shortage disciplines, such as mathematics, science, or other
18 studies.
19 (b) Recipients shall be selected from among applicants
20 qualified pursuant to subsection (a) based on a combination
21 of the following criteria as set forth by the Commission: (1)
22 academic excellence; (2) status as a minority student as
23 defined in Section 50; and (3) financial need. Preference
24 may be given to previous recipients of assistance under this
25 Section, provided they continue to maintain eligibility and
26 maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the
27 institution of higher learning at which they enroll.
28 (c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
29 in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room
30 and board costs of the Illinois institution of higher
31 learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual
32 maximum of $5,000; except that in the case of a recipient who
33 does not reside on-campus at the institution of higher
34 learning at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the
-8- LRB9207059ACcd
1 scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee
2 expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of
3 $5,000.
4 (d) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded
5 by the Commission under this Section to an individual in any
6 given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance
7 awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed
8 the cost of attendance at the institution of higher learning
9 at which the student is enrolled.
10 (e) A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters or 12
11 quarters of scholarship assistance under this Section.
12 (f) All applications for scholarship assistance to be
13 awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission in
14 a form as set forth by the Commission. The form of
15 application and the information required to be set forth
16 therein shall be determined by the Commission, and the
17 Commission shall require eligible applicants to submit with
18 their applications such supporting documents as the
19 Commission deems necessary.
20 (g) Subject to a separate appropriation made for such
21 purposes, payment of any scholarship awarded under this
22 Section shall be determined by the Commission. All
23 scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this Section
24 shall be paid to the institution on behalf of the recipients.
25 Scholarship funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3
26 quarters of enrollment within an academic year.
27 (h) The Commission shall administer the David A. DeBolt
28 Teacher Shortage Scholarship Program established by this
29 Section and shall make all necessary and proper rules not
30 inconsistent with this Section for its effective
31 implementation.
32 (i) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any
33 academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under
34 this Section shall be required by the Commission to sign an
-9- LRB9207059ACcd
1 agreement under which the recipient pledges that, within the
2 5 year period following the termination of the academic
3 program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship,
4 the recipient: (i) shall teach in a teacher shortage
5 discipline for a period of not less than one year for each
6 year of scholarship assistance awarded under this Section,
7 (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a nonprofit an
8 Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or
9 elementary or secondary school, and (iii) shall, upon request
10 of the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that
11 he or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the
12 teaching agreement provided for in this subsection.
13 (j) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this
14 Section fails to fulfill the teaching obligation set forth in
15 subsection (i) of this Section, the Commission shall require
16 the recipient to repay the amount of the scholarships
17 received, prorated according to the fraction of the teaching
18 obligation not completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% no
19 greater than the highest rate applicable for educational
20 loans made pursuant to Title IV, Part B of the Higher
21 Education Act of 1965, as amended, and, if applicable,
22 reasonable collection fees. The Commission is authorized to
23 establish rules relating to its collection activities for
24 repayment of scholarships under this Section.
25 (k) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the
26 Commission under this Section shall not be in violation of
27 the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (i) if the
28 recipient (i) enrolls on a full-time basis as a graduate
29 student in a course of study related to the field of teaching
30 at an institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving as a
31 member of the armed services of the United States; (iii) is
32 temporarily totally disabled, as established by sworn
33 affidavit of a qualified physician; or (iv) is seeking and
34 unable to find full-time employment as a teacher at a school
-10- LRB9207059ACcd
1 that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (i) and
2 is able to provide evidence of that fact. Any such extension
3 of the period during which the teaching requirement must be
4 fulfilled shall be subject to limitations of duration as
5 established by the Commission.
6 (Source: P.A. 90-201, eff. 7-24-97; 91-670, eff. 12-22-99.)
7 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July
8 1, 2001.