| ||||
| Public Act 102-1022 | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
AN ACT concerning education.
| ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||
Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is | ||||
amended by changing Section 65.115 as follows:
| ||||
(110 ILCS 947/65.115)
| ||||
(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a | ||||
delayed effective date) | ||||
Sec. 65.115 65.110. School and Municipal Social Work | ||||
Shortage Loan Repayment Program. | ||||
(a) To encourage Illinois students to work, and to | ||||
continue to work, as a school social worker in public school | ||||
districts in this State or in State municipalities, the | ||||
Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications | ||||
for loan repayment assistance under this Section. This program | ||||
shall be known as the School and Municipal Social Work | ||||
Shortage Loan Repayment Program. The Commission shall | ||||
administer the program and shall adopt all necessary and | ||||
proper rules to effectively implement the program. | ||||
(b) Beginning July 1, 2022, subject to a separate | ||||
appropriation made for such purposes, the Commission shall | ||||
award a grant, up to a maximum of $6,500, to each qualified | ||||
applicant. The Commission may encourage the recipient of a | ||||
grant under this Section to use the grant award for repayment | ||
of the recipient's educational loan. If an appropriation for | ||
this program for a given fiscal year is insufficient to | ||
provide grants to all qualified applicants, the Commission | ||
shall allocate the appropriation in accordance with this | ||
subsection. If funds are insufficient to provide all qualified | ||
applicants with a grant as authorized by this Section, the | ||
Commission shall allocate the available grant funds for that | ||
fiscal year to qualified applicants who submit a complete | ||
application on or before a date specified by the Commission, | ||
based on the following order of priority: | ||
(1) first, to new, qualified applicants who are | ||
members of a racial minority as defined in subsection (e); | ||
and | ||
(2) second, to other new, qualified applicants in | ||
accordance with this Section. | ||
(c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section | ||
if he or she meets all of the following qualifications: | ||
(1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible | ||
noncitizen. | ||
(2) The person is a resident of this State. | ||
(3) The person is a borrower with an outstanding | ||
balance due on an educational loan related to obtaining a | ||
degree in social work. | ||
(4) The person has been employed as a school social | ||
worker by a public elementary school or secondary school | ||
in this State for at least 12 consecutive months or as a | ||
social worker for an Illinois municipality who did not | ||
report directly to a police department. | ||
(5) The person is currently employed as a school | ||
social worker by a public elementary school or secondary | ||
school in this State or as a social worker for an Illinois | ||
municipality who does not report directly to a police | ||
department. | ||
(d) An applicant shall submit an application, in a form | ||
determined by the Commission, for grant assistance under this | ||
Section to the Commission. An applicant is required to submit, | ||
with the application, supporting documentation as the | ||
Commission may deem necessary. | ||
(e) Racial minorities are underrepresented as school | ||
social workers in elementary and secondary schools and in | ||
municipalities in Illinois, and the General Assembly finds | ||
that it is in the interest of this State to provide them | ||
priority consideration for programs that encourage their | ||
participation in this field and thereby foster a profession | ||
that is more reflective of the diversity of Illinois | ||
residents, students and parents they will serve. A more | ||
reflective workforce in school social work allows improved | ||
outcomes for individuals students and a better utilization of | ||
services. Therefore, the Commission shall give priority to | ||
those applicants who are members of a racial minority. In this | ||
subsection (e), "racial minority" means a person who is a | ||
citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident | ||
alien of the United States and who is: | ||
(1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black
| ||
racial groups in Africa); | ||
(2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese
| ||
culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America,
| ||
or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race); | ||
(3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of
| ||
the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the
| ||
Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or | ||
(4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having
| ||
origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
| ||
(Source: P.A. 102-622, eff. 7-1-22; revised 11-10-21.)
| ||