093_SB0532

 
                                     LRB093 10028 NHT 10279 b

 1        AN ACT concerning education.

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

 4        Section  5.   The Higher Education Student Assistance Act
 5    is amended by adding Section 65.67 as follows:

 6        (110 ILCS 947/65.67 new)
 7        Sec. 65.67.  Teaching Fellows Program.
 8        (a)  In this Section:
 9        "Completion of  the  Program"  means  graduation  from  a
10    public university in this State.
11        "Program" means the Teaching Fellows Program.
12        "Teacher-training  institution" means a public university
13    in this State.
14        "Teaching  certificate"   means   an   initial   teaching
15    certificate issued under Article 21 of the School Code.
16        (b)  A  Teaching Fellows Program shall be established and
17    administered  by  the  Commission.  Under  the  Program,  the
18    Commission shall provide  scholarship  loans  of  $6,500  per
19    person per year, subject to a separate appropriation made for
20    such  purposes,  to college juniors and seniors in this State
21    who are interested  in  preparing  to  teach  in  the  public
22    schools  of  this  State  and  who have been accepted into an
23    approved  teacher  preparation  program  leading  to  initial
24    certification.   The   Commission   shall   adopt   stringent
25    standards, including without limitation a minimum grade point
26    average, for awarding these scholarship loans to ensure  that
27    only the top college juniors and seniors receive them.
28        (c)  The  Commission  shall  administer  the  Program  in
29    cooperation   with  teacher-training  institutions.  Teaching
30    fellows shall be  required  to  be  exposed  to  a  range  of
31    extra-curricular   activities   while   in   college.   These
 
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 1    activities  must  be geared to instilling a strong motivation
 2    not only to remain in teaching but also to provide leadership
 3    to schools.
 4        (d)  The Commission shall make an effort to identify  and
 5    encourage   minority   students  and  students  who  may  not
 6    otherwise consider a career in teaching to enter the Program.
 7        (e)  A  scholarship  loan  under  the  Program  shall  be
 8    evidenced by a note made payable to the Commission and  shall
 9    bear interest at a rate determined by the Commission, but not
10    exceeding  the  highest  rate  applicable for education loans
11    made pursuant to Title IV, Part B of the Higher Education Act
12    of 1965 beginning September 1 after completion of the Program
13    or immediately after termination  of  the  scholarship  loan,
14    whichever  is earlier. The scholarship loan may be terminated
15    by  the  recipient  withdrawing  from  an  approved   teacher
16    preparation  program  or  by  the  recipient  not meeting the
17    standards set by the Commission.
18        (f)  The Commission shall forgive a scholarship loan if:
19             (1)  within  7  years  after  receiving  a  teaching
20        certificate, the recipient  teaches  for  4  years  in  a
21        public school in this State;
22             (2)  within  7  years  after  receiving  a  teaching
23        certificate,  the  recipient  teaches  for  3 consecutive
24        years, unless the recipient takes an  approved  leave  of
25        absence,  in  a  public  school  in this State in a local
26        school  administrative  unit  that,  at  the   time   the
27        recipient   accepts   employment  with  the  unit,  is  a
28        low-performing  school  system  or  has  been  placed  on
29        warning  status  as  defined  by  the  State   Board   of
30        Education; or
31             (3)  the  Commission finds that it is impossible for
32        the recipient to teach for the number of  years  required
33        for  forgiveness  of  the  loan  because  of the death or
34        permanent disability of the recipient.
 
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 1        A recipient  shall  continue  to  be  eligible  for  loan
 2    forgiveness  under  this subsection (f) even if the recipient
 3    fails to meet the time limits imposed by this subsection  (f)
 4    if  the  recipient  (i)  enrolls  on  a  full-time basis as a
 5    graduate student in a course of study related to the field of
 6    teaching at  an  institution  of  higher  learning;  (ii)  is
 7    serving  as  a  member  of  the  armed services of the United
 8    States;  (iii)  is  seeking  and  unable  to  find  full-time
 9    employment as a teacher at a public school in this State  and
10    is  able  to  provide  evidence  of  this  fact;  or  (iv) is
11    temporarily disabled, as evidenced by sworn  affidavit  of  a
12    qualified  physician. Any such extension of the period during
13    which the teaching obligation  must  be  fulfilled  shall  be
14    subject   to   limits  of  duration  as  established  by  the
15    Commission.
16        (g)  If a  recipient  of  a  scholarship  loan  fails  to
17    fulfill the terms set forth in subsection (f) of this Section
18    for  forgiveness  of the loan or if the loan is terminated as
19    set forth  in  subsection  (e)  of  this  Section,  then  the
20    Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of
21    the  loan received, prorated according to the fraction of the
22    teaching  obligation  not  completed  and,   if   applicable,
23    reasonable  collection  fees. The Commission is authorized to
24    establish rules relating to  its  collection  activities  for
25    repayment of loans.
26        The  Commission  shall  not  require  the commencement of
27    repayment of a scholarship loan that has not been  terminated
28    as  set  forth  in  subsection  (e) of this Section until, as
29    determined by the Commission, a sufficient amount of time has
30    passed since the  recipient  received  his  or  her  teaching
31    certificate so that the recipient can no longer meet the time
32    limits imposed by subsection (f) of this Section.
33        (h)  The  Teaching Fellows Revolving Fund is created as a
34    special fund in the State treasury.  All  funds  appropriated
 
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 1    to  or otherwise received by the Commission for scholarships,
 2    all funds received as repayment of scholarship loans, and all
 3    interest earned on these funds, shall be placed in the  Fund.
 4    All   money   in   the   Fund   shall  be  used,  subject  to
 5    appropriation, by the Commission for scholarship loans  under
 6    the   Program.   With  the  prior  approval  of  the  General
 7    Assembly, the Fund may be used, subject to appropriation, for
 8    campus and summer program support and costs  related  to  the
 9    disbursement of awards and collection of loan repayments.
10        (i)  The  administrative  costs for the Program shall not
11    exceed 5% of the funds appropriated for the Program.
12        (j)  The Commission shall make all necessary  and  proper
13    rules  not  inconsistent  with this Section for the effective
14    implementation of the Program.

15        Section 90.  The State Finance Act is amended  by  adding
16    Section 5.595 as follows:

17        (30 ILCS 105/5.595 new)
18        Sec. 5.595.  The Teaching Fellows Revolving Fund.