a) A
complete ISAC application for the Teach Illinois Scholarship program must be
postmarked on or before March 1 immediately preceding the academic year for
which the scholarship is being requested, in order to receive priority
consideration for an award.
1) ISAC
applications are available from the institutions listed in Section 2768.20(a)(4),
ISAC's Web site, Illinois State legislative offices, Illinois Congressional
offices, and ISAC's Springfield, Deerfield and Chicago offices.
2) ISAC
will make renewal applications available to all qualified students
who were awarded
assistance under this Part during the preceding
academic year.
3) If
the student section of the application is incomplete, ISAC will notify the
applicant. The applicant will then have an opportunity to furnish the missing
information; however, the application will be considered for processing as of
the date when the application is complete and received at ISAC's Deerfield office.
b) ISAC
shall select recipients on a first-come, first-served basis from among
qualified applicants who filed timely applications. Recipients of assistance
under this Part during the previous academic year shall receive priority
consideration, provided the student has submitted an application on a timely
basis.
c) The
Teach Illinois Scholarship award is applicable only toward tuition and non-
revenue bond fees for courses in a teacher education program that prepares the
recipient to teach in an area of identified staff shortage, as defined in
Section 2768.15.
d) The
total number of scholarships awarded in a given fiscal year is contingent upon
available funding.
e) Notice
of eligibility shall be sent by ISAC to each qualified applicant who is
selected to receive a Teach Illinois Scholarship. A notice will be sent by ISAC
to each qualified applicant who is not selected to receive a Teach Illinois
Scholarship.
f) Prior
to receiving scholarship assistance for any academic year, the qualified applicant
must sign a Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note that is submitted to ISAC.
The Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note shall include the following stipulations:
1) the
recipient pledges to teach, on a full-time basis, for a period of not less than
five years at an Illinois elementary or secondary school in an area of
identified staff shortage, as defined in Section 2768.15;
2) the
recipient shall begin teaching within one year following completion of the
postsecondary education degree program for which the scholarship was awarded,
and shall teach on a continuous basis for the required period of time;
3) if
the teaching requirement is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan
and the recipient must repay the entire amount of the scholarship, plus
interest at a rate equal to five percent, and, if applicable, reasonable
collection fees;
4) the
recipient agrees to provide ISAC with evidence of compliance with
program requirements (e.g.,
responses to annual follow-up questionnaires, etc.); and
5) the
recipient promises to use the proceeds of the scholarship for courses in a
teacher education program that prepares the recipient to teach in an area of
identified staff shortage, as defined in Section 2768.15.
g) ISAC,
in cooperation with the Illinois State Board of Education, will assist
recipients in finding employment as a full-time teacher in areas of identified
staff shortage, as defined in Section 2768.15.
h) A
recipient of a scholarship awarded under this Part shall not be in violation of
the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (f) during any period in
which the recipient:
1) serves,
for not more than three years, as a member of the United States
Armed Forces;
2) is
enrolled full-time in a graduate course of study related to the field of
teaching at an
institution of higher learning;
3) is
temporarily totally disabled, for not more than three years, as established by
the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician;
4) is
actively seeking but unable to find full-time employment as a teacher at a
school that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (f)(1) of this
Section for one continuous period not to exceed two years, and is able to
provide evidence of that fact; or
5) is
fulfilling teaching requirements associated with other programs administrated
by ISAC, if he/she cannot concurrently fulfill them in a period of time equal
to the length of the teaching obligation.
i) If a
recipient is required to repay the scholarship, the repayment period shall be
completed within ten years after the scholarship converts to a loan. This
ten-year period may be extended if the recipient:
1) serves,
for not more than three years, as a member of the United States
Armed Forces;
2) is
temporarily disabled, for not more than three years, as established by the
sworn affidavit of a licensed physician;
3) is
pursuing a graduate course of study and is enrolled on a full-time basis for
one continuous period of time not to exceed three years; or
4) is
actively seeking but unable to find full-time employment as a teacher at a
school that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (f)(1) of this
Section for one continuous period not to exceed two years and is able to
provide evidence of that fact.
j) During
the time a recipient qualifies for any of the extensions listed in subsection
(i), he or she shall not be required to make payments and interest shall not
accrue.
k) A recipient shall enter
repayment status on the earliest of the following dates:
1) the
first day of the first calendar month after the recipient has ceased to pursue
a course of study leading to certification as a teacher in an area of
identified staff shortage, but not until six months have elapsed after the
cessation of at least half-time enrollment in the course of study;
2) the
date the recipient informs ISAC that he or she does not plan to fulfill the
teaching obligation; or
3) 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.
l) A
recipient shall not be required to repay the amount of the scholarships
received if he or she becomes permanently totally disabled, as established by
the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician (see, e.g., 34 CFR 653.42(k)(1)), or if his or her representative provides ISAC with a death certificate or
other evidence that the recipient is deceased.
m) The
recipient may be eligible for loan forgiveness of the proceeds received under
this Part if he or she is unable to find full-time employment as a teacher at a
school that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (f)(1) of this
Section based on the financial conditions within the qualified school
districts. To qualify for loan forgiveness, the recipient must have first
exhausted the extensions options provided in subsections (h)(4) and (5) of this
Section.
