093_HB0020

 
                                     LRB093 02341 NHT 02349 b

 1        AN ACT to amend the Higher Education  Student  Assistance
 2    Act by adding Section 65.27.

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

 5        Section 5.  The Higher Education Student  Assistance  Act
 6    is amended by adding Section 65.27 as follows:

 7        (110 ILCS 947/65.27 new)
 8        Sec. 65.27.  Teach Illinois Scholarship Program.
 9        (a)  For the purposes of this Section:
10        "Area  of  identified  staff  shortage"  means  a  school
11    district  in  which the number of teachers is insufficient to
12    meet student or school district demand, as determined by  the
13    State Board of Education.
14        "Qualified  institution  of higher learning" means one of
15    the universities listed in Section 65.40 of this Act.
16        (b)  The Commission  shall  implement  and  administer  a
17    teacher  scholarship  program,  to  be  known  as  the  Teach
18    Illinois  Scholarship Program.  The Commission shall annually
19    award scholarships to persons preparing to teach in areas  of
20    identified  staff  shortages.   These  scholarships  shall be
21    issued to individuals who make application to the  Commission
22    and  who  agree  to take courses at qualified institutions of
23    higher learning that will prepare them to teach in  areas  of
24    identified staff shortages.
25        (c)  Scholarships  awarded  under  this  Section shall be
26    issued pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.
27        (d)  Each scholarship shall be utilized by its holder for
28    the payment of tuition  and  non-revenue  bond  fees  at  any
29    qualified  institution  of higher learning.  Such tuition and
30    fees shall be available only for courses that will enable the
31    individual to be certified to teach in  areas  of  identified
 
                            -2-      LRB093 02341 NHT 02349 b
 1    staff   shortages.   The  Commission  shall  determine  which
 2    courses are eligible for tuition payments under this Section.
 3        (e)  The Commission may make tuition payments directly to
 4    the  qualified  institution  of  higher  learning  that   the
 5    individual  attends  for  the  courses prescribed or may make
 6    payments to the  individual.   Any  individual  who  received
 7    payments  and  who  fails to enroll in the courses prescribed
 8    shall refund the payments to the Commission.
 9        (f)  Following the completion of the  program  of  study,
10    the   individual  must  accept  employment  to  teach  in  an
11    elementary or secondary school in  Illinois  in  an  area  of
12    identified  staff  shortage for a period of at least 5 years.
13    Individuals who fail to  comply  with  this  provision  shall
14    refund  all  of  the  awarded scholarships to the Commission,
15    whether payments were made directly to  the  institutions  of
16    higher  learning  or  to  the individuals, and this condition
17    shall be agreed to in writing by all  scholarship  recipients
18    at  the time the scholarship is awarded.  No individual shall
19    be required to refund tuition payments if his or her  failure
20    to  obtain  employment as a teacher in a school is the result
21    of financial conditions within school districts.   The  rules
22    promulgated   as  provided  in  this  Section  shall  contain
23    provisions  regarding  the  waiving  and  deferral  of   such
24    payments.
25        (g)  The  Commission,  with  the cooperation of the State
26    Board  of  Education,  shall  assist  individuals  who   have
27    participated  in  the scholarship program established by this
28    Section in finding employment in areas  of  identified  staff
29    shortages.
30        (h)  Appropriations for the scholarships outlined in this
31    Section  shall  be  made  to  the  Commission  by the General
32    Assembly.