HB0060 Engrossed LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 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 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5 amended by adding Section 65.27 as follows:
 
6     (110 ILCS 947/65.27 new)
7     Sec. 65.27. Teach Illinois Scholarship Program.
8     (a) For the purposes of this Section:
9     "Area of identified staff shortage" means a school district
10 in which the number of teachers is insufficient to meet student
11 or school district demand or a subject area for which the
12 number of teachers who are qualified to teach that subject area
13 is insufficient to meet student or school district demand, as
14 determined by the State Board of Education.
15     "Qualified institution of higher learning" means one of the
16 universities listed in Section 65.40 of this Act.
17     (b) The Commission shall implement and administer a teacher
18 scholarship program, to be known as the Teach Illinois
19 Scholarship Program. The Commission shall annually award
20 scholarships to persons preparing to teach in areas of
21 identified staff shortages. These scholarships shall be issued
22 to individuals who make application to the Commission and who
23 agree to take courses at qualified institutions of higher
24 learning that will prepare them to teach in areas of identified
25 staff shortages.
26     (c) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued
27 pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.
28     (d) Each scholarship shall be utilized by its holder for
29 the payment of tuition and non-revenue bond fees at any
30 qualified institution of higher learning. Such tuition and fees
31 shall be available only for courses that will enable the
32 individual to be certified to teach in areas of identified

 

 

HB0060 Engrossed - 2 - LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 b

1 staff shortages. The Commission shall determine which courses
2 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.
6     (f) Following the completion of the program of study, the
7 individual must accept employment to teach in an elementary or
8 secondary school in Illinois in an area of identified staff
9 shortage for a period of at least 5 years. Individuals who fail
10 to comply with this provision shall refund all of the awarded
11 scholarships to the Commission, whether payments were made
12 directly to the institutions of higher learning or to the
13 individuals, and this condition shall be agreed to in writing
14 by all scholarship recipients at the time the scholarship is
15 awarded. No individual shall be required to refund tuition
16 payments if his or her failure to obtain employment as a
17 teacher in a school is the result of financial conditions
18 within school districts. The rules promulgated as provided in
19 this Section shall contain provisions regarding the waiving and
20 deferral of such payments.
21     (g) The Commission, with the cooperation of the State Board
22 of Education, shall assist individuals who have participated in
23 the scholarship program established by this Section in finding
24 employment in areas of identified staff shortages.
25     (h) The scholarships under this Section are subject to
26 appropriations to the Commission by the General Assembly.