SB3763 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 19999 CMG 69525 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB3763

Introduced 2/14/2020, by Sen. Scott M. Bennett

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.16 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides for the awarding of bilingual education teacher scholarships to persons meeting specified requirements. Requires the principal, or his or her designee, of an approved high school to certify to the Commission, for students who are Illinois residents and are completing an application for the scholarship, that the student ranked scholastically in the upper one-half of their graduating class at the end of the sixth semester. Provides teacher education program enrollment requirements. Provides post-scholarship teaching requirements and exemptions. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 adding Section 65.16 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.16 new)

Sec. 65.16. Bilingual education teacher scholarships.

(a) There shall be awarded annually 250 scholarships to persons qualifying as members of any of the following groups:

(1) Students who are otherwise qualified to receive a scholarship as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section and who make application to the Commission for such scholarship and agree to take courses that will prepare the student for the teaching of children under Article 14C of the School Code.

(2) Persons holding a valid certificate issued under the laws relating to the certification of teachers and who make application to the Commission for such scholarship and agree to take courses that will prepare them for the teaching of children under Article 14C of the School Code.

(3) Persons who (i) have graduated high school, (ii) have not been certified as a teacher, and (iii) make application to the Commission for such scholarship and agree to take courses that will prepare them for the teaching of children under Article 14C of the School Code.

Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission.

For the purposes of this Section, scholarships awarded each school year shall be deemed to be issued on July 1 of the year prior to the start of the postsecondary school term and all calculations for use of the scholarship shall be based on such date. Each scholarship shall entitle its holder to exemption from fees as provided in subsection (a) of Section 65.40 while enrolled in a transitional bilingual education program of teacher education, or an equivalent program, for a period of not more than 4 calendar years and shall be available for use at any time during such period of study except as provided in subsection (b) of Section 65.40.

Scholarships issued to holders of a valid certificate issued under the laws relating to the certification of teachers as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection may also entitle the holder thereof to a program of teacher education that will prepare the student for the teaching of children under Article 14C of the School Code at the graduate level.

(b) The principal, or his or her designee, of an approved high school shall certify to the Commission, for students who are Illinois residents and are completing an application, that the students ranked scholastically in the upper one-half of their graduating class at the end of the sixth semester.

(c) Each holder of a scholarship must furnish proof to the Commission, in such form and at such intervals as the Commission prescribes, of the holder's continued enrollment in a teacher education program qualifying the holder for the scholarship. Any holder of a scholarship who fails to register in a transitional bilingual education program of teacher education, or an equivalent program, at the university within 10 days after the commencement of the term, quarter, or semester immediately following the receipt of the scholarship or who, having registered, withdraws from the university or transfers out of teacher education, shall thereupon forfeit the right to use it and it may be granted to the person having the next highest rank as shown on the list held by the Commission. If the person having the next highest rank, within 10 days after notification thereof by the Commission, fails to register at any such university in a transitional bilingual education program of teacher education, or an equivalent program, or who, having registered, withdraws from the university or transfers out of teacher education, the scholarship may then be granted to the person shown on the list as having the rank next below such person.

(d) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under this Section must, within one year after graduation from or termination of enrollment in a teacher education program, begin teaching at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or elementary or secondary school for a period of at least 2 of the 5 years immediately following that graduation or termination, excluding, however, from the computation of that 5 year period: (i) any time up to 3 years spent in the military service, whether such service occurs before or after the person graduates; (ii) any time that person is enrolled full-time in an academic program related to the field of teaching leading to a graduate or postgraduate degree; (iii) the time that person is a person with a temporary total disability for a period of time not to exceed 3 years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) the time that person is seeking and unable to find full-time employment as a teacher at an Illinois public, private, or parochial school; (v) the time that person is taking additional courses, on at least a half-time basis, needed to obtain certification as a teacher in Illinois; or (vi) the time that person is fulfilling teaching requirements associated with other programs administered by the Commission if he or she cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.

A person who has accepted a scholarship under this Section and who has been unable to fulfill the teaching requirements of this Section may receive a deferment from the obligation of repayment under this subsection (d) under guidelines established by the Commission.

Any such person who fails to fulfill this teaching requirement shall pay to the Commission the amount of tuition waived by virtue of his or her acceptance of the scholarship, together with interest at 5% per year on that amount. However, this obligation to repay the amount of tuition waived plus interest does not apply when the failure to fulfill the teaching requirement results from the death or adjudication as a person under legal disability of the person holding the scholarship, and no claim for repayment may be filed against the estate of such a decedent or person under legal disability. Payments received by the Commission under this subsection (d) shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit in the General Revenue Fund. Each person receiving a scholarship shall be provided with a description of the provisions of this subsection (d) at the time he or she qualifies for the benefits of such a scholarship.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.