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(b) If an appropriation for this Section for a given |
fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all |
qualified applicants, the Commission shall allocate the |
appropriation in accordance with this subsection (b). If funds |
are insufficient to provide all qualified applicants with a |
scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission |
shall allocate the available scholarship funds for that fiscal |
year to qualified applicants who submit a complete application |
on or before a date specified by the Commission, based on the |
following order of priority: |
(1) firstly, to students who received a scholarship |
under this Section in the prior academic year and who |
remain eligible for a scholarship under this Section; |
(2) secondly, to new, qualified applicants who are |
members of a racial minority, as defined in subsection |
(c); and |
(3) finally, to other new, qualified applicants in |
accordance with this Section. |
(c) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be |
issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission. In |
awarding scholarships, the Commission shall give priority to |
those applicants who are members of a racial minority. Racial |
minorities are underrepresented as school social workers in |
elementary and secondary schools in this State, and the |
General Assembly finds that it is in the interest of this State |
to provide them with priority consideration for programs that |
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encourage their participation in this field and thereby foster |
a profession that is more reflective of the diversity of |
Illinois students and the parents they will serve. A more |
reflective workforce in school social work allows improved |
outcomes for students and a better utilization of services. |
Therefore, the Commission shall give priority to those |
applicants who are members of a racial minority. In this |
subsection (c), "racial minority" means a person who is a |
citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident |
alien of the United States and who is: |
(1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black |
racial groups in Africa); |
(2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese |
culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America, |
or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race); |
(3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of |
the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the |
Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or |
(4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having |
origins in any of the original peoples of North America). |
(d) Each scholarship shall be applied to the payment of |
tuition and mandatory fees at the University of Illinois, |
Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, |
Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, |
Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, |
Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University. |
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Each scholarship may be applied to pay tuition and mandatory |
fees required to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator |
License with an endorsement in School Social Work. |
(e) The Commission shall make tuition and fee payments |
directly to the qualified institution of higher learning that |
the applicant attends. |
(f) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under this |
Section must, within one year after graduation or termination |
of enrollment in a Post-Master of Social Work Professional |
Education License with an endorsement in School Social Work |
program, begin working as a school social worker at a public or |
nonpublic not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or |
secondary school located in this State for at least 2 of the 5 |
years immediately following that graduation or termination, |
excluding, however, from the computation of that 5-year |
period: (i) any time up to 3 years spent in the military |
service, whether such service occurs before or after the |
person graduates; (ii) the time that person is a person with a |
temporary total disability for a period of time not to exceed 3 |
years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified |
physician; and (iii) the time that person is seeking and |
unable to find full-time employment as a school social worker |
at a State public or nonpublic not-for-profit preschool, |
elementary school, or secondary school. |
(g) If a recipient of a scholarship under this Section |
fails to fulfill the work obligation set forth in subsection |
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(f), the Commission shall require the recipient to repay the |
amount of the scholarships received, prorated according to the |
fraction of the obligation not completed, at a rate of |
interest equal to 5%, and, if applicable, reasonable |
collection fees. The Commission is authorized to establish |
rules relating to its collection activities for repayment of |
scholarships under this Section. All repayments collected |
under this Section shall be forwarded to the State Comptroller |
for deposit into this State's General Revenue Fund. |
A recipient of a scholarship under this Section is not |
considered to be in violation of the failure to fulfill the |
work obligation under subsection (f) if the recipient (i) |
enrolls on a full-time basis as a graduate student in a course |
of study related to the field of social work at a qualified |
Illinois institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving, not |
in excess of 3 years, as a member of the armed services of the |
United States; (iii) is a person with a temporary total |
disability for a period of time not to exceed 3 years, as |
established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; |
(iv) is seeking and unable to find full-time employment as a |
school social worker at an Illinois public or nonpublic |
not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or secondary |
school that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (f) |
and is able to provide evidence of that fact; or (v) becomes a |
person with a permanent total disability, as established by |
the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.
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