HB1710 EnrolledLRB097 00225 NHT 50810 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5College Planning Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7    "Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance
8Commission.
9    "Program" means the College Planning Program established
10under Section 10 of this Act.
 
11    Section 10. College Planning Program; establishment. The
12College Planning Program is established to do all of the
13following:
14        (1) Reduce the number of students who withdraw from
15    high school before graduation.
16        (2) Reduce the number of students who fail to begin
17    planning for a postsecondary educational path upon
18    entering high school.
19        (3) Increase the number of high school students who are
20    prepared to enter postsecondary educational institutions
21    in this State upon graduation.
22        (4) Increase the number of students attaining a quality

 

 

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1    postsecondary credential within 6 years after graduation
2    from high school.
3        (5) Assist this State in meeting the workforce needs of
4    the future.
5        (6) Encourage students to attend postsecondary
6    educational institutions in this State by increasing
7    awareness of the need-based, financial aid programs
8    available to State residents attending postsecondary
9    educational institutions in this State.
10        (7) Increase timely financial aid application rates
11    among students from the lowest economic quintiles in this
12    State.
13        (8) Proactively counsel potential college students to
14    make the most efficient and effective use of need-based,
15    grant funding distributed under the Monetary Award Program
16    under Section 35 of the Higher Education Student Assistance
17    Act.
18        (9) Intervene beginning in 8th grade to aggressively
19    promote postsecondary education as a positive alternative
20    to less socially and economically desirable behaviors and
21    options that young students may consider instead of college
22    preparation.
 
23    Section 15. Administration.
24    (a) The Commission shall administer the Program.
25    (b) The Commission shall utilize the Program to target

 

 

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1low-income and potential first-generation college students
2with programs to promote college awareness and planning.
3    (c) The Commission shall adopt any rules that it deems
4necessary to implement the mission of the Program, including
5without limitation rules regarding a student's record of
6attendance at events, the determination of qualifying events
7and programs, information required on the initial application
8and annual certification, and appeals.
 
9    Section 20. Qualifications to participate in the Program.
10To qualify to participate in the Program, a student must meet
11all of the following requirements:
12        (1) He or she must reside in this State.
13        (2) At the time of application to the Program, he or
14    she must be enrolled in grade 8 at a public school in this
15    State or a nonpublic school that is recognized by the State
16    Board of Education and, by the end of grade 8, be enrolled
17    in a public high school in this State or a nonpublic school
18    that is recognized by the State Board of Education.
19        (3) At the time of enrollment in the Program, he or she
20    either (i) must not have a custodial parent or guardian who
21    has received a postsecondary degree or (ii) must be
22    eligible to participate in the free and reduced-price lunch
23    program under the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act.
24        (4) He or she agrees, in writing, together with the
25    student's custodial parent or guardian, that the student

 

 

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1    will do all of the following:
2            (A) Complete the course requirements specified in
3        Section 27-22 of the School Code and graduate from a
4        secondary school located in this State.
5            (B) Not be convicted of a felony offense that would
6        disqualify the student from receipt of federal student
7        aid.
8            (C) Timely apply, during grade 12, (i) for
9        admission to a postsecondary institution in this State
10        approved to participate in the Monetary Award Program
11        under Section 35 of the Higher Education Student
12        Assistance Act and (ii) for any federal and State
13        student financial assistance available to the student
14        to attend a postsecondary institution in this State.
15            (D) Achieve a cumulative grade point average upon
16        graduation from high school of at least a 2.5 on a 4.0
17        grading scale (or its equivalent if another grading
18        scale is used) for courses taken during grades 9, 10,
19        11, and 12.
20            (E) Update demographic and contact information
21        required within the initial Program participation
22        application and agreement at least once each academic
23        year on a schedule to be determined by the Commission.
24            (F) Take a recognized standardized college
25        entrance examination no later than the end of the 11th
26        grade.

 

 

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1            (G) Participate in college planning and
2        preparation activities required by the Commission as
3        part of the administration of the Program.
4            (H) Share personal academic and financial data
5        with the Commission beginning in grade 8 and through
6        the attainment of a bachelor's degree.
 
7    Section 25. Program benefits. Subject to appropriation of
8State, federal, or private funds, the Commission shall deliver
9the following services and benefits to students enrolled in the
10Program:
11        (1) College and career planning counseling provided by
12    the College Illinois! Corps.
13        (2) Assistance with the completion of college
14    admission, scholarship, and financial aid applications,
15    provided by the College Illinois! Corps.
16        (3) The opportunity to participate in simplified
17    admission or financial assistance application programs
18    administered by the Commission.
19        (4) Regular communication about important dates and
20    procedures in the college planning cycle as well as
21    estimates of future financial aid eligibility.
22        (5) Priority notification of eligibility for
23    Commission-administered, need-based, financial aid
24    programs.
25        (6) Ongoing college and career counseling while

 

 

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1    enrolled in a postsecondary institution in this State.
2        (7) An assigned college planning counselor for the
3    duration of enrollment in the Program.
4        (8) Invitation to participant-only college and career
5    planning workshops for the student and his or her parents
6    or guardian.
 
7    Section 30. Program disqualification. If a program
8participant fails to meet the requirements for continuation in
9the Program, the student is disqualified from future receipt of
10Program services and benefits that are not available to all
11students in this State.
 
12    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
13becoming law.