HB0060 Engrossed

LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 b






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    AN ACT concerning education. 

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
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represented in the General Assembly: 


 
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    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is

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amended by adding Section 65.27 as follows:


 
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    (110 ILCS 947/65.27 new)

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    Sec. 65.27. Teach Illinois Scholarship Program.

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    (a) For the purposes of this Section:

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    "Area of identified staff shortage" means a school district 
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in which
the number of teachers is insufficient to meet student 
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or school district
demand or a subject area for which the 
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number of teachers who are qualified to teach that subject area 
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is insufficient to meet student or school district demand, as 
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determined by the State Board of
Education.

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    "Qualified institution of higher learning" means one of the

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universities listed in Section 65.40 of this Act.

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    (b) The Commission shall implement and administer a teacher

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scholarship program, to be known as the Teach Illinois 
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Scholarship
Program.  The Commission shall annually award 
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scholarships to persons
preparing to teach in areas of 
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identified staff shortages.  These
scholarships shall be issued 
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to individuals who make application to the
Commission and who 
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agree to take courses at qualified institutions of
higher 
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learning that will prepare them to teach in areas of identified 
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staff
shortages.

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    (c) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued

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pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.

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    (d) Each scholarship shall be utilized by its holder for 
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the payment
of tuition and non-revenue bond fees at any 
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qualified institution of
higher learning.  Such tuition and fees 
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shall be available only for courses
that will enable the 
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individual to be certified to teach in areas of
identified 
 


 






HB0060 Engrossed
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LRB094 04989 RAS 35021 b




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staff shortages.  The Commission shall determine which
courses 
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are eligible for tuition payments under this Section.

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    (e) The Commission may make tuition payments directly to 
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the
qualified institution of higher learning that the 
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individual attends for the
courses prescribed.

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    (f) Following the completion of the program of study, the 
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individual
must accept employment to teach in an elementary or 
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secondary school in
Illinois
in an area of identified staff 
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shortage for a period of at least 5
years.  Individuals who fail 
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to comply with this provision shall refund all
of the awarded 
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scholarships to the Commission, whether payments were
made 
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directly to the institutions of higher learning or to the 
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individuals,
and this condition shall be agreed to in writing 
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by all scholarship
recipients at the time the scholarship is 
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awarded.  No individual shall be
required to refund tuition 
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payments if his or her failure to obtain
employment as a 
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teacher in a school is the result of financial conditions

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within school districts.  The rules promulgated as provided in 
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this
Section shall contain provisions regarding the waiving and 
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deferral of
such payments.

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    (g) The Commission, with the cooperation of the State Board 
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of
Education, shall assist individuals who have participated in 
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the
scholarship program established by this Section in finding 
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employment
in areas of identified staff shortages.

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    (h) The scholarships under this Section are subject to 
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appropriations to the Commission by the General Assembly.