Section 2760.10  Summary and Purpose

 

a)         The State Scholar Program publicly and personally identifies graduating high school seniors who possess superior academic potential.  Each student designated as a State Scholar receives a Certificate of Achievement and statewide recognition in the news media.  The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides the names of State Scholars to Illinois colleges and universities which actively seek State Scholars for admission. 

 

b)         This Part establishes rules which govern the State Scholar Program. Additional rules and definitions are contained in General Provisions, 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2700.

 

(Source:  Amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 9776, effective July 1, 2009)

 

Section 2760.20  State Scholar Eligibility

 

a)         To be considered for the State Scholar Program, a high school student shall:

 

1)         demonstrate superior academic potential as measured by test scores and high school records;

 

2)         be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;

 

3)         be a resident of Illinois;

 

4)         rank in the upper half of his/her high school class at the end of the third semester prior to graduation from high school (normally the sixth semester); and

 

5)         attend an approved high school.

 

b)         To be considered for the State Scholar Program, a student must take the ACT or the College Board's SAT Reasoning Test during the third or fourth semester prior to graduation from high school (e.g., for a student attending high school for the traditional eight semesters, the exam must be taken during the fifth or sixth semester).

 

1)         A student may take one or a combination of these examinations during the designated period.  A student may also take the same standardized test more than once.

 

2)         All scores from such tests taken during the designated period must be submitted to ISAC.

 

3)         If a student submits scores from multiple examinations taken during the designated period, ISAC will use the highest score.

 

4)         When a student submits scores to ISAC, the student must report his/her academic level at the time the test was taken.

 

c)         ISAC will accept supplementary score reports of tests taken during the designated period upon the student's authorization to the test service.  Such authorization by the student must be received by ISAC before August 1.

 

d)         Students who, for any reason, are unable to take a test on a regular testing date should make special arrangements to be tested in accordance with the procedures of the testing service.  Any special arrangements must take into account the test score submission deadline in subsections (b) and (c).

 

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 8447, effective July 1, 2015)

 

Section 2760.30  Program Procedures

 

a)         In order for its students to be considered for the State Scholar Program, a high school is to submit, in a format approved by ISAC, class ranks as of the third semester prior to graduation for students who desire to be considered for the Program.  For high schools that cannot provide class ranks, non-weighted grade point averages as of the third semester prior to graduation must be provided.

 

1)         Class ranks are calculated so that the class rank for the lowest grade point average (GPA) equals the total number of students being ranked. 

 

 

2)         The equivalent term rank shall be provided for students planning to graduate in other than the traditional four years (see Section 2760.20(b)).

 

b)         Test scores submitted in accordance with this Part shall be converted to an Illinois Standard Test Score as follows:

 

1)         The ACT composite score shall be the Illinois Standard Test Score.

 

2)         SAT critical reading and math scores shall be added, and then converted to the Illinois Standard Test Score using the official ACT-SAT Concordance (SAT Critical Reading + Math (Score Range)) table available at ACT's website.

 

c)         High school class ranks submitted in accordance with this Part shall be converted to an Illinois Standard Rank Score as follows:

 

1)         First, determine the percentile of the class rank for each student in accordance with the following formula:

 

            Percentile = [Size of Class MINUS (Rank in Class minus .5)] divided by Size of Class

 

2)         Then, use the table below to convert a percentile class rank to the Illinois Standard Rank Score.

 

Percentile	Illinois Standard Rank Score
99.75 - 99.99	30
99.54 - 99.74	29
99.19 - 99.53	28
98.62 - 99.18	27
97.73 - 98.61	26
96.42 - 97.72	25
94.53 - 96.41	24
91.93 - 94.52	23
88.50 - 91.92	22
84.14 - 88.49	21
78.82 - 84.13	20
72.58 - 78.81	19
65.55 - 72.57	18
57.94 - 65.54	17
50.00 - 57.93	16

 

d)         An Illinois Weighted Selection Score for each student shall be computed by adding the Illinois Standard Test Score to the Illinois Standard Rank Score.

 

e)         In any academic year, the number of State Scholars is approximately equal to ten percent of the estimated total number of Illinois high school graduates. ISAC annually establishes a minimum Weighted Selection Score to yield this result.

 

f)         Notwithstanding the previous provisions in this Section, any student nominated by his or her school shall be designated a State Scholar if that student achieves a score at or above the 95^th percentile on the ACT, or the equivalent on a comparable examination, regardless of that student's class rank.

 

g)         A Certificate of Achievement and congratulatory letter are issued for each State Scholar.  Subject to appropriation, each State Scholar who enrolls or is enrolled at least half-time in his or her first year at an Illinois institution of higher learning shall also receive a one-time grant of $1,000 to be applied to tuition and mandatory fees. A student who has been awarded a Merit Recognition Scholarship may not be awarded a grant under this Part.

 

h)         A listing of State Scholars shall be available upon request to colleges, members of the General Assembly and to the media.

 

i)          High school officials or student candidates shall have a period of 60 days following the announcement of the State Scholars to appeal a student's status. (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2700.70, Appeal Procedures.)

 

j)          If an appeal concerning an applicant's eligibility is received, ISAC shall request the high school verify the reported data.  If the conflict remains, ISAC shall conduct an audit of the high school's records in accordance with 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2700.60.

 

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 8447, effective July 1, 2015)

 

Section 2760.40  Institutional Procedures

 

a)         Funds shall be remitted to institutions on behalf of recipients. If funds are insufficient to provide grants to all qualified students, ISAC shall allocate the appropriation according to proration.

 

b)         Scholarship funds may be used to finance tuition and mandatory fee expenses for any term, including a summer term.

 

c)         The institution submits a request for payment to ISAC. The request must be received within one year after and including the date of the student's high school graduation.

 

d)         Upon receipt of scholarship funds, the institution shall verify the recipient's enrollment status. If the recipient is enrolled at least half time in his or her first year of college, the institution may credit the funds to the recipient's account.

 

e)         To provide sufficient time for processing and vouchering through the State Comptroller's Office in Springfield, all payment requests, except for summer term, must be received by ISAC no later than July 1. Summer term payment requests must be received no later than July 31.

 

(Source:  Added at 33 Ill. Reg. 9776, effective July 1, 2009)