110 ILCS 947/50

(110 ILCS 947/50)

Sec. 50. Teachers of Illinois scholarship program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Qualified bilingual applicant" means a qualified student who demonstrates proficiency in a language other than English by (i) receiving a State Seal of Biliteracy from the State Board of Education or (ii) receiving a passing score on an educator licensure target language proficiency test.

"Qualified student" means a student who:

(i) was enrolled in a public school district in this State, at any point in kindergarten through grade 12, that had an average of least 70% of students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during the most recent 3 school years for which data is available from the State Board of Education;

(ii) was either:

(A) enrolled in a public school district in this State, at any point in kindergarten through grade 12, that had a 3-year average teacher vacancy rate at or above the 3-year statewide average teacher vacancy rate, excluding public school districts that had zero vacancies, in any school year among the most recent 3 school years for which data is available from the State Board of Education; or

(B) enrolled in a public school district in this State, at any point in kindergarten through grade 12, in which the number of teacher vacancies in the district was at or above the statewide average number of teacher vacancies, excluding public school districts that had zero vacancies, in any school year among the most recent 3 school years for which data is available from the State Board of Education;

(iii) has graduated from high school or has received a State of Illinois High School Diploma;

(iv) is an Illinois resident and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;

(v) has made a timely application for a teacher scholarship under this Section;

(vi) is enrolled on at least a half-time basis at a qualified Illinois institution of higher learning;

(vii) is enrolled in a course of study leading to teacher licensure, including alternative teacher licensure, to be a preschool, elementary, or secondary school teacher, or, if the student is already licensed to teach, in a course of study leading to an additional teaching endorsement or a master's degree in an academic field in which he or she is teaching or plans to teach or who has received one or more College and Career Pathway Endorsements pursuant to Section 80 of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act and commits to enrolling in a course of study leading to teacher licensure, including alternative teacher licensure, to be a preschool, elementary, or secondary school teacher;

(viii) maintains a grade point average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; and

(ix) continues to advance satisfactorily toward the attainment of a degree.

(b) The Commission shall determine, at its discretion, how to verify whether an applicant is a qualified student. The Commission shall award teacher scholarships under this Section to qualified students who demonstrate to the Commission that they satisfy the requirements and purpose of this Section. All qualified students may apply. A student who received a scholarship under this Section in a previous academic year may not be disqualified from receiving a subsequent award if the public school district where the student had been enrolled no longer meets the criteria regarding free or reduced-price lunch or teacher vacancies described in this Section, as long as the student maintains all other conditions of eligibility.

(c) The annual teacher scholarship amount shall be computed by the institution. Each teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the total cost of attendance of the qualified Illinois institution of higher learning at which the recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $7,500.

(d) The total amount of teacher scholarship assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other financial assistance awarded to that individual for that year, shall not exceed the total cost of attendance at the institution at which the student is enrolled. If the amount of a teacher scholarship to be awarded to a scholarship recipient as provided in subsection (c) of this Section exceeds the total cost of attendance at the institution at which the student is enrolled, the teacher scholarship shall be reduced by an amount equal to the amount by which the combined financial assistance available to the recipient exceeds the total cost of attendance.

(e) The maximum number of academic terms for which a recipient can receive teacher scholarship assistance shall be 8 semesters or 12 quarters.

(f) In any academic year for which an eligible applicant under this Section accepts financial assistance through the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program, the Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program, or the Teach Illinois Scholarship Program, the applicant shall not be eligible for scholarship assistance awarded under this Section.

(g) All applications for teacher scholarships to be awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission on forms which the Commission shall provide. Applicants must submit an application annually. Applicants must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The form of applications and the information required to be set forth therein shall be determined by the Commission, and the Commission shall require applicants to submit with their applications such supporting documents or recommendations as the Commission deems necessary. If an application is incomplete, the Commission shall notify the applicant. The applicant shall then have an opportunity to furnish the missing information; however, the application shall be considered for processing only as of the date when the application is complete and received by the Commission. Applicants may be required to furnish the institution at which they are enrolled with a copy of their high school transcripts, any other documentation verifying high school graduation, or a copy of their State of Illinois High School Diploma.

(h) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes, payment of any teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall be determined by the Commission. All scholarship funds distributed in accordance with this subsection shall be paid to the institution and used only for payment of the tuition and fee and room and board expenses incurred by the student in connection with his or her attendance at a qualified Illinois institution of higher learning. Any teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall be applicable to 2 semesters or 3 quarters of enrollment within a regular academic year. If a recipient withdraws from enrollment prior to completion of the first semester or quarter for which the teacher scholarship is applicable, the school shall refund to the Commission the full amount of the teacher scholarship.

(i) The Commission shall administer the teacher scholarship program established by this Section and shall make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its effective implementation. The Commission shall make information available on its website regarding school districts that meet the criteria set forth in the definition of a qualified student under subsection (a).

(j) When an appropriation to the Commission for a given fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all qualified students, the Commission shall allocate the appropriation in accordance with this subsection. If funds are insufficient to provide all qualified students with a scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission shall allocate the available scholarship funds for that fiscal year to qualified students who submit a timely complete application form on or before a date specified by the Commission based on the following order of priority:

(1) To students who received a scholarship under this Section in the prior academic year and who remain eligible for a teacher scholarship under this Section.

(2) To students who demonstrate the most financial need, as determined by the Commission.

(3) To students with the earliest date of received completed applications.

(4) To students enrolled at or above the junior level.

(k) If at least $2,850,000 but less than $4,200,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal year for scholarships awarded under this Section, then at least 10% of the funds appropriated shall be reserved for qualified bilingual applicants, with priority being given to qualified bilingual applicants who are enrolled in an educator preparation program with a concentration in bilingual, bicultural education. If at least $4,200,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal year for the Teachers of Illinois scholarship program, then at least 30% of the funds appropriated shall be reserved for qualified bilingual applicants, with priority being given to qualified bilingual applicants who are enrolled in an educator preparation program with a concentration in bilingual, bicultural education. For a fiscal year to which this subsection applies, if, on or after January 1 of that fiscal year, appropriated funds remain after awarding reserved funds to qualified bilingual applicants, then the Commission may, in its discretion, award a portion of the reserved funds to other qualified students in accordance with subsection (j).

(l) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any academic year, each recipient of a teacher scholarship awarded under this Section shall be required by the Commission to sign and submit a teaching agreement or promissory note to the Commission under which the recipient pledges that, within the one-year period following the termination of the program for which the recipient was awarded a teacher scholarship, the recipient (i) shall begin teaching for a period of not less than one year for each year of scholarship assistance he or she was awarded under this Section and shall teach on a continuous basis for the required period of time; (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a public school district in this State that had a 3-year average teacher vacancy rate at or above the 3-year statewide average teacher vacancy rate, excluding public school districts that had zero vacancies, in any school year among the most recent 3 school years for which data is available from the State Board of Education or a public school district in this State in which the number of teacher vacancies in the district was at or above the statewide average number of teacher vacancies, excluding public school districts that had zero vacancies, in any school year among the most recent 3 school years for which data is available from the State Board of Education in the year during which the recipient begins teaching at the school or may instead, if the recipient received a scholarship as a qualified bilingual applicant, fulfill this teaching obligation in a program in transitional bilingual education pursuant to Article 14C of the School Code or in a school in which 20 or more English learner students in the same language classification are enrolled; and (iii) shall, upon request by the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching agreement provided for in this subsection. Recipients of a teacher scholarship under this Section are also required to provide the Commission with evidence of compliance with program requirements, including, but not limited to annual follow-up questionnaires. Recipients of a teacher scholarship under this Section must also promise to use the proceeds of the scholarship for educational expenses.

(l-5) If, prior to the 2025-2026 academic year, an individual received a scholarship under this Section and signed an agreement pledging to teach at a school meeting specified criteria and that individual receives a subsequent scholarship under this Section on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, then that recipient may complete his or her entire teaching obligation at a school meeting the criteria described in subsection (l) of this Section and the Commission shall consider such employment to satisfy the terms of that recipient's agreement to teach signed before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

(m) If a recipient of a teacher scholarship awarded under this Section fails to fulfill the teaching obligation set forth in subsection (l) of this Section, the scholarship converts to a loan. The repayment period shall be completed within 10 years after the scholarship converts to a loan.

The 10-year period may be extended if the recipient (i) serves, for not more than 3 years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces; (ii) is temporarily disabled, for not more than 3 years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician; (iii) is seeking and unable to find full-time employment, for one continuous period not to exceed 2 years, and is able to provide evidence of that fact; (iv) withdraws from a course of study leading to licensure as a teacher but is enrolled full time in another academic discipline; or (v) is pursuing a graduate course of study and is enrolled on a full-time basis for one continuous period of time not to exceed 3 years. During the time a recipient qualifies for any extensions, the recipient is not required to make payments and interest does not accrue.

The recipient shall enter repayment status on the earliest of the following: the first day of the first calendar month after the recipient has ceased to pursue a course of study leading to licensure as a teacher at the preschool, elementary, or secondary level, but not before 6 months have elapsed after the cessation of at least half-time enrollment in such a course of study; the date the recipient informs the Commission that the recipient does not plan to fulfill the teaching obligation; or the day after the latest date upon which the recipient must have begun teaching after completing the postsecondary education for which the scholarship was awarded.

The Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of the scholarships received, prorated according to the fraction of the teaching obligation not completed, at an annual rate of interest equal to 5%, and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees. If a recipient who enters into repayment under this subsection (m) subsequently, within 5 years of entering repayment, begins to teach at a school meeting the description under subsection (l) of this Section, the Commission may reduce the amount owed by the recipient in proportion to the amount of the teaching obligation completed. All repayments collected under this Section shall be forwarded to the State Comptroller for deposit into the State's General Revenue Fund.

A recipient is not required to repay the amount of the scholarship received if the recipient becomes permanently totally disabled, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician, or if the recipient's representative provides the Commission with a death certificate or other evidence that the recipient has died.

(n) A recipient of a teacher scholarship shall not be considered in violation of the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (l) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a full time basis as a graduate student in a course of study related to the field of teaching 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 sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking full-time employment for one continuous period not to exceed 2 years and is unable to find full time employment as a teacher at a school district in this State that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (l) of this Section and is able to provide evidence of that fact; (v) becomes a person with a permanent total disability as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (vi) is taking additional courses, on at least a half-time basis, needed to obtain licensure as a teacher in Illinois; or (vii) is fulfilling teaching requirements associated with other programs administered by the Commission and cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.

(o) Scholarship recipients under this Section who withdraw from a program of teacher education but remain enrolled in school to continue their postsecondary studies in another academic discipline shall not be required to commence repayment of their Teachers of Illinois scholarship so long as they remain enrolled in school on a full-time basis or if they can document for the Commission special circumstances that warrant extension of repayment.

(o-5) The Commission may not require repayment of any Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship from any recipient who:

(1) received that scholarship during the 2024-2025 academic year;

(2) would have remained eligible for the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship if it remained in effect for the 2025-2026 academic year;

(3) does not meet the definition of a qualified student under the Teachers of Illinois scholarship program established by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly; and

(4) does not complete the educator preparation program in which the recipient was enrolled when receiving the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship.

(p) The State Board of Education shall furnish all appropriate data referenced within the definition of a qualified student under subsection (a) on a timely basis to the Commission.

(q) Each qualified Illinois institution of higher learning that receives funds from the Teachers of Illinois scholarship program shall ensure that each scholarship recipient enrolled at the institution meets with an academic advisor at least once per academic year to facilitate on-time completion of the recipient's educator preparation program. Institutions shall also submit eligibility information for qualified students in sufficient time for the Commission to make award announcements.

Teacher scholarship awards under this Section shall be paid directly to the approved institution of record that certifies to the Commission that the applicant is an eligible recipient. The Commission shall annually establish priority claim dates for the submission of payment requests and inform institutions of the required priority dates. Late payment requests shall result in the delayed processing of payments. Payment requests shall be processed in the sequence of receipt by the Commission and as funds are available. Institutions may submit their payment requests beginning 10 days prior to the start of classes for the term for which payment is being requested.

The Commission shall disburse scholarship funds in 2 or 3 installments, depending on the number of terms financed by the scholarship, except that multiple disbursements are not required in cases in which the applicant's eligibility is not determined until the final term of the regular academic year for which the scholarship is being awarded or if a student is attending only one term and the maximum award does not exceed the student's cost of attendance.

Funds shall be remitted by the Commission to institutions on behalf of recipients. Upon receipt of scholarship funds, the institution shall verify the recipient's enrollment status for the term for which the award was intended. If enrolled, the institution may credit the scholarship funds to the recipient's account for expenses due and payable. The balance of the disbursement shall be released to the recipient. Upon receipt of the scholarship funds, if the recipient has withdrawn from enrollment for the terms for which the award was intended, the institution shall return the amount of the scholarship payment to the Commission.

(r) The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall first apply beginning with awards made for the 2025-2026 academic year.

(Source: P.A. 103-448, eff. 8-4-23; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25; 104-437, eff. 11-21-25.)