HB0150eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0150 Engrossed LRB096 03209 NHT 13226 b

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 21st Century Scholars Act.

Section 5. Findings and purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds that one of the greatest barriers to access to college and success in college is adequate preparation for academic work at the college-level. The General Assembly also finds that large numbers of students are required to take remedial education courses before they are ready for college-level courses, particularly in writing and mathematics. The General Assembly further acknowledges that poor academic preparation may create an often insurmountable barrier to college or career success and result in limited, needs-based, financial aid being used on substantial remedial coursework.

(b) It is the intent of the General Assembly to provide an incentive for low-income Illinois students to improve their academic preparation for postsecondary education. The General Assembly acknowledges that, in addition to the poor academic preparation of low-income students, the lack of information and support services on financial aid and college and career readiness create significant barriers to college and career success.

(c) This Act is intended to leverage this State's successful, needs-based Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants to low-income students with a voluntary, school district-based, incentive program for improved academic preparation.

Section 10. Definitions.

"Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

"Eligible student" means a student who meets all of the following requirements at the time of eligibility:

(1) Is a resident of this State.

(2) Is enrolled in grade 8 at a public or an accredited, nonpublic school.

(3) Is eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the National School Lunch Program.

(4) Agrees in writing, together with the student's custodial parents or guardian, that the student will do the following:

(A) graduate from an approved high school, as defined in the Higher Education Student Assistance Act;

(B) complete the 21st Century Scholars Curriculum;

(C) have no felony convictions;

(D) apply (i) to an institution of higher learning for admission and (ii) for any federal and State student financial assistance available to the student to attend an institution of higher learning; and

(E) achieve a cumulative grade point average upon graduation of at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale (or its equivalent if another grading scale is used) for courses taken during grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.

"Institution of higher learning" means "institution of higher learning" as defined in the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.

"Program" means the 21st Century Scholars Program established under this Act.

"Scholarship applicant" means a student who meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Was an eligible student.

(2) Is a resident of this State.

(3) Has graduated from an approved high school, as defined in the Higher Education Student Assistance Act, and completed the 21st Century Scholars Curriculum.

(4) Has been accepted to attend an institution of higher learning in this State as a full-time student.

(5) Has timely filed an application for other types of financial assistance available to the student from the State and federal government.

"Tuition scholarship" means financial assistance provided under Section 15 of this Act to a student to offset the costs of tuition and other mandatory fees incurred by the student in attending an institution of higher learning. A full-tuition scholarship includes the undergraduate tuition and other mandatory service and activity fees, rounded to the nearest whole dollar and as further defined in Section 15 of this Act.

"21st Century Scholars Curriculum" includes no less than 15 units of high school coursework from the following 5 categories:

(1) at least 4 years of English, including written and oral communications and literature, of which up to 2 years may be collegiate level instruction;

(2) at least 3 years of social studies, including history and government;

(3) at least 3 years of mathematics (introductory through advanced algebra, geometry, or trigonometry);

(4) at least 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and

(5) at least 2 years of electives in foreign language, music, vocational education, or art.

"21st Century Scholars" means students who have been awarded a tuition scholarship by the Commission to attend an institution of higher learning under this Act.

"Participating school district" means a school district that meets the requirements of Section 25 of this Act.

Section 15. Scholarship amount; total award.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall provide annual tuition scholarships to scholarship applicants who qualify under Section 20 of this Act in an amount that is equal to the lowest of the following amounts:

(1) If the scholarship applicant attends a public institution of higher learning and:

(A) receives no other financial assistance specifically designated for tuition and other mandatory fees, a full-tuition scholarship to the institution of higher learning shall be awarded; or

(B) receives other financial assistance specifically designated for tuition and other mandatory fees, the balance required to attend the institution of higher learning shall be awarded, not to exceed the amount described in clause (A) of this subdivision (1).

(2) If the scholarship applicant attends a private institution of higher learning and:

(A) receives no other financial assistance specifically designated for tuition and other mandatory fees, an average of the full-tuition scholarship amounts for all public universities in this State, as determined by the Commission, shall be awarded; or

(B) receives other financial assistance specifically designated for tuition and other mandatory fees, the balance required to attend the institution of higher learning shall be awarded, not to exceed the amount described in clause (A) of this subdivision (2).

(b) Each tuition scholarship awarded under this Act is renewable under Section 20 of this Act for a total scholarship award that does not exceed the equivalent of 135 credit hours.

Section 20. Application and renewal of tuition scholarship.

(a) To initially qualify for a tuition scholarship under this Act, a scholarship applicant must do all of the following:

(1) Demonstrate acceptance as a full-time student by an institution of higher learning.

(2) Submit to the Commission all of the information and evidence required by the Commission to determine eligibility as a scholarship applicant.

(3) Agree to release student record information, such as grades and his or her chosen field of study, to the Commission for the purpose of assessing the educational persistence of 21st Century Scholars.

(b) To qualify for tuition scholarship renewal under this Act, a scholarship recipient must do all of the following:

(1) Submit to the Commission a renewal application and evidence required by the Commission.

(2) Continue to comply with the requirements set forth in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this Section.

(3) Continue to be a student in good standing at the institution of higher learning.

Section 25. Responsibilities and obligations. The State, the participating school district, and the student shall enter into a 3-part compact as follows:

(1) At a minimum, the school district shall agree to provide a 21st Century Scholars Curriculum to eligible students and offer all of the following:

(A) Academic support for satisfactory completion of courses.

(B) Guidance to eligible students enrolled in rigorous courses that will prepare them for college-level classes and ameliorate the need for remedial coursework at institutions of higher learning.

(C) Assistance in applying for applicable State and federal financial aid opportunities.

(D) Information about the full range of higher education options.

(E) Assistance with applying and enrolling at an institution of higher learning.

(F) Individualized support as necessary to facilitate the purpose of this Act.

(G) Opportunities for parents or legal guardians to participate in activities designed to support the academic preparation and collegiate aspirations of their children.

The participating school district shall report annually to the Commission on the number of eligible students enrolled in the Program.

(2) The eligible student agrees to do all of the following:

(A) Enroll in a 21st Century Scholars Curriculum consisting of the courses delineated in Section 10 of this Act.

(B) Maintain at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale (or its equivalent).

(C) Participate in academic support services, such as mentoring and tutoring, as developed by the school district.

(D) Participate in activities designed to assist in the college search, application, and financial aid processes.

(E) Apply to at least one institution of higher learning.

(3) The Commission agrees to certify school districts that provide the 21st Century Curriculum and meet the requirements of subdivision (1) of this Section. Subject to State appropriations, the Commission shall also provide a tuition scholarship to 21st Century Scholars.

Section 90. Rules. The Commission shall adopt rules to implement this Act, including all of the following:

(1) Rules establishing additional criteria for the tuition scholarships and an appeals process for students denied tuition scholarships.

(2) Notwithstanding the definition of "eligible students" under Section 5 of this Act, rules that may include students who are in grades other than grade 8 as eligible students.

(3) Rules regarding mentoring, outreach, and student services programs and partnerships with school districts and institutions of higher learning.

Section 95. Reports on awards. The Commission shall prepare a statistical report on a fiscal year basis that describes awards to 21st Century Scholars attending institutions of higher learning and assessing the educational persistence of 21st Century Scholars under this Act. The report shall be filed with the General Assembly on or before August 15 of the year following the fiscal year covered in the report.