Bill Amendment: IL SB1506 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly
NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List
Bill Title: SCH CD-ST BD ED-EDUCATOR MEM
Status: 2016-12-29 - Sent to the Governor [SB1506 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2015-SB1506-House_Amendment_002.html
Bill Title: SCH CD-ST BD ED-EDUCATOR MEM
Status: 2016-12-29 - Sent to the Governor [SB1506 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2015-SB1506-House_Amendment_002.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1506
| ||||||
2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1506 by replacing | ||||||
3 | everything after the enacting clause with the following:
| ||||||
4 | "Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is | ||||||
5 | amended by changing Section 52 as follows:
| ||||||
6 | (110 ILCS 947/52)
| ||||||
7 | Sec. 52. Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program; Golden | ||||||
8 | Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching.
| ||||||
9 | (a) In this Section, "Foundation" means the Golden Apple | ||||||
10 | Foundation for Excellence in Teaching, a registered 501(c)(3) | ||||||
11 | not-for-profit corporation. | ||||||
12 | (a-2) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois | ||||||
13 | students,
especially minority students, to pursue teaching | ||||||
14 | careers, especially in
teacher shortage
disciplines
(which | ||||||
15 | shall be defined to include early childhood education) or at
| ||||||
16 | hard-to-staff schools (as defined by the Commission in |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | consultation with the
State Board of Education), to provide | ||||||
2 | those students with the crucial mentoring, guidance, and | ||||||
3 | in-service support that will significantly increase the | ||||||
4 | likelihood that they will complete their full teaching | ||||||
5 | commitments and elect to continue teaching in targeted | ||||||
6 | disciplines and hard-to-staff schools, and to ensure that | ||||||
7 | students in this State will continue to have access to a pool | ||||||
8 | of highly-qualified teachers, each qualified student shall be | ||||||
9 | awarded a Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program scholarship | ||||||
10 | to any Illinois institution of higher learning. The Commission | ||||||
11 | shall administer the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program, | ||||||
12 | which shall be managed by the Foundation pursuant to the terms | ||||||
13 | of a grant agreement meeting the requirements of Section 4 of | ||||||
14 | the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act. | ||||||
15 | (a-3) For purposes of this Section, a qualified student | ||||||
16 | shall be a student who meets the following qualifications: | ||||||
17 | (1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or | ||||||
18 | eligible noncitizen of the United States; | ||||||
19 | (2) is a high school graduate or a person who has | ||||||
20 | received a high school equivalency certificate; | ||||||
21 | (3) is enrolled or accepted, on at least a half-time | ||||||
22 | basis, at an institution of higher learning; | ||||||
23 | (4) is pursuing a postsecondary course of study leading | ||||||
24 | to initial certification or pursuing additional course | ||||||
25 | work needed to gain State Board of Education approval to | ||||||
26 | teach, including alternative teacher licensure; and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (5) is a participant in programs managed by and is | ||||||
2 | approved to receive a scholarship from the Foundation. | ||||||
3 | (a-5) (Blank).
| ||||||
4 | (b) (Blank).
| ||||||
5 | (b-5) Funds designated for the Golden Apple Scholars of | ||||||
6 | Illinois Program shall be used by the Commission for the | ||||||
7 | payment of scholarship assistance under this Section or for the | ||||||
8 | award of grant funds, subject to the Illinois Grant Funds | ||||||
9 | Recovery Act, to the Foundation. Subject to appropriation, | ||||||
10 | awards of grant funds to the Foundation shall be made on an | ||||||
11 | annual basis and following an application for grant funds by | ||||||
12 | the Foundation. | ||||||
13 | (b-10) Each year, the Foundation shall include in its | ||||||
14 | application to the Commission for grant funds an estimate of | ||||||
15 | the amount of scholarship assistance to be provided to | ||||||
16 | qualified students during the grant period. Any amount of | ||||||
17 | appropriated funds exceeding the estimated amount of | ||||||
18 | scholarship assistance may be awarded by the Commission to the | ||||||
19 | Foundation for management expenses expected to be incurred by | ||||||
20 | the Foundation in providing the mentoring, guidance, and | ||||||
21 | in-service supports that will increase the likelihood that | ||||||
22 | qualified students will complete their teaching commitments | ||||||
23 | and elect to continue teaching in hard-to-staff schools. If the | ||||||
24 | estimate of the amount of scholarship assistance described in | ||||||
25 | the Foundation's application is less than the actual amount | ||||||
26 | required for the award of scholarship assistance to qualified |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | students, the Foundation shall be responsible for using awarded | ||||||
2 | grant funds to ensure all qualified students receive | ||||||
3 | scholarship assistance under this Section. | ||||||
4 | (b-15) All grant funds not expended or legally obligated | ||||||
5 | within the time specified in a grant agreement between the | ||||||
6 | Foundation and the Commission shall be returned to the | ||||||
7 | Commission within 45 days. Any funds legally obligated by the | ||||||
8 | end of a grant agreement shall be liquidated within 45 days or | ||||||
9 | otherwise returned to the Commission within 90 days after the | ||||||
10 | end of the grant agreement that resulted in the award of grant | ||||||
11 | funds. | ||||||
12 | (c) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be in | ||||||
13 | an amount
sufficient to pay the tuition and fees and room and | ||||||
14 | board costs of the Illinois
institution of higher learning at | ||||||
15 | which the recipient is enrolled, up to
an annual maximum of | ||||||
16 | $5,000; except that in the case of a
recipient who
does not
| ||||||
17 | reside
on-campus at the institution of higher learning at which | ||||||
18 | he or she is enrolled,
the amount of the scholarship shall be | ||||||
19 | sufficient to pay tuition and fee
expenses and a commuter | ||||||
20 | allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000. All scholarship | ||||||
21 | funds distributed in accordance with this Section shall be paid | ||||||
22 | to the institution on behalf of recipients.
For any academic | ||||||
23 | year in which a recipient enrolled at a public university is | ||||||
24 | entitled to scholarship funds, he or she is exempt from the | ||||||
25 | payment of any remaining tuition and fees not covered by the | ||||||
26 | scholarship.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (d) The total amount of scholarship assistance awarded by | ||||||
2 | the Commission
under this Section to an individual in any given | ||||||
3 | fiscal year, when added to
other financial assistance awarded | ||||||
4 | to that individual for that year, shall not
exceed the cost of | ||||||
5 | attendance at the institution of higher learning at which
the | ||||||
6 | student is enrolled. In any academic year for which a qualified | ||||||
7 | student under this Section accepts financial assistance | ||||||
8 | through any other teacher scholarship program administered by | ||||||
9 | the Commission, a qualified student shall not be eligible for | ||||||
10 | scholarship assistance awarded under this Section.
| ||||||
11 | (e) A recipient may receive up to 8 semesters or 12
| ||||||
12 | quarters of scholarship
assistance under this Section. | ||||||
13 | Scholarship funds are applicable toward 2 semesters or 3 | ||||||
14 | quarters of enrollment each academic year.
| ||||||
15 | (f) All applications for scholarship assistance to be | ||||||
16 | awarded under this
Section shall be made to the Foundation in a | ||||||
17 | form determined by the Foundation. Each year, the Foundation | ||||||
18 | shall notify the Commission of the individuals awarded | ||||||
19 | scholarship assistance under this Section. Each year, at least | ||||||
20 | 30% of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program | ||||||
21 | scholarships shall be awarded to students residing in counties | ||||||
22 | having a population of less than 500,000.
| ||||||
23 | (g) (Blank).
| ||||||
24 | (h) The Commission shall administer the payment of
| ||||||
25 | scholarship assistance provided through the Golden Apple | ||||||
26 | Scholars of Illinois Program and shall make all necessary
and
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for the | ||||||
2 | effective
implementation of this Section.
| ||||||
3 | (i) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any | ||||||
4 | academic year, each
recipient of a scholarship awarded under | ||||||
5 | this
Section shall be required by the Foundation to sign an | ||||||
6 | agreement under which
the
recipient pledges that, within the | ||||||
7 | 2-year period following the
termination
of the academic program | ||||||
8 | for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the
| ||||||
9 | recipient: (i) shall begin teaching for a period of not
less | ||||||
10 | than 5 years, (ii) shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a | ||||||
11 | nonprofit
Illinois public,
private, or parochial
preschool or | ||||||
12 | an Illinois public elementary or secondary school that | ||||||
13 | qualifies for teacher loan cancellation under Section | ||||||
14 | 465(a)(2)(A) of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 | ||||||
15 | U.S.C. 1087ee(a)(2)(A)) or other Illinois schools deemed | ||||||
16 | eligible for fulfilling the teaching commitment as designated | ||||||
17 | by the Foundation, and (iii)
shall, upon request of
the | ||||||
18 | Foundation, provide the Foundation with evidence that he or she | ||||||
19 | is fulfilling
or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching | ||||||
20 | agreement provided for in this
subsection. Upon request, the | ||||||
21 | Foundation shall provide evidence of teacher fulfillment to the | ||||||
22 | Commission.
| ||||||
23 | (j) If a recipient of a scholarship awarded under this | ||||||
24 | Section fails to
fulfill the teaching obligation set forth in | ||||||
25 | subsection (i) of this Section,
the Commission shall require | ||||||
26 | the recipient to repay the amount of the
scholarships received, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | prorated according to the fraction of the teaching
obligation | ||||||
2 | not completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% and if applicable, | ||||||
3 | reasonable
collection fees.
Payments received by the | ||||||
4 | Commission under this subsection (j)
shall be remitted to the | ||||||
5 | State Comptroller for deposit into
the General Revenue Fund, | ||||||
6 | except that that portion of a
recipient's repayment that equals | ||||||
7 | the amount in expenses that
the Commission has reasonably | ||||||
8 | incurred in attempting
collection from that recipient shall be | ||||||
9 | remitted to the State
Comptroller for deposit into the | ||||||
10 | Commission's Accounts
Receivable Fund. | ||||||
11 | (k) A recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Foundation | ||||||
12 | under this
Section shall not be considered to have failed to | ||||||
13 | fulfill the teaching obligations of the agreement entered into | ||||||
14 | pursuant to
subsection (i) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a | ||||||
15 | full-time basis as a graduate
student in a course of study | ||||||
16 | related to the field of teaching at an institution
of higher | ||||||
17 | learning; (ii) is serving as a member of the armed services of | ||||||
18 | the
United States; (iii) is temporarily totally disabled, as | ||||||
19 | established by sworn
affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) | ||||||
20 | is seeking and unable to find
full-time employment as a teacher | ||||||
21 | at a school that satisfies the criteria set
forth
in subsection | ||||||
22 | (i) and is able to provide evidence of that fact; (v) is taking | ||||||
23 | additional courses, on at least a half-time basis, needed to | ||||||
24 | obtain certification as a teacher in Illinois; (vi) is | ||||||
25 | fulfilling teaching requirements associated with other | ||||||
26 | programs administered by the Commission and cannot |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a period of | ||||||
2 | time equal to the length of the teaching obligation; or (vii) | ||||||
3 | is participating in a program established under Executive Order | ||||||
4 | 10924 of the President of the United States or the federal | ||||||
5 | National Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et | ||||||
6 | seq.). Any such
extension of the period during which the | ||||||
7 | teaching requirement must be fulfilled
shall be subject to | ||||||
8 | limitations of duration as established by the Commission.
| ||||||
9 | (l) A recipient who fails to fulfill the teaching | ||||||
10 | obligations of the agreement entered into pursuant to | ||||||
11 | subsection (i) of this Section shall repay the amount of | ||||||
12 | scholarship assistance awarded to them under this Section | ||||||
13 | within 10 years. | ||||||
14 | (m) Annually, at a time determined by the Commission in | ||||||
15 | consultation with the Foundation, the Foundation shall submit a | ||||||
16 | report to assist the Commission in monitoring the Foundation's | ||||||
17 | performance of grant activities. The report shall describe the | ||||||
18 | following: | ||||||
19 | (1) the Foundation's anticipated expenditures for the | ||||||
20 | next fiscal year; | ||||||
21 | (2) the number of qualified students receiving | ||||||
22 | scholarship assistance at each institution of higher | ||||||
23 | learning where a qualified student was enrolled under this | ||||||
24 | Section during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
25 | (3) the total monetary value of scholarship funds paid | ||||||
26 | to each institution of higher learning at which a qualified |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | student was enrolled during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
2 | (4) the number of scholarship recipients who completed | ||||||
3 | a baccalaureate degree during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
4 | (5) the number of scholarship recipients who fulfilled | ||||||
5 | their teaching obligation during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
6 | (6) the number of scholarship recipients who failed to | ||||||
7 | fulfill their teaching obligation during the previous | ||||||
8 | fiscal year; | ||||||
9 | (7) the number of scholarship recipients granted an | ||||||
10 | extension described in subsection (k) of this Section | ||||||
11 | during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
12 | (8) the number of scholarship recipients required to | ||||||
13 | repay scholarship assistance in accordance with subsection | ||||||
14 | (j) of this Section during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
15 | (9) the number of scholarship recipients who | ||||||
16 | successfully repaid scholarship assistance in full during | ||||||
17 | the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
18 | (10) the number of scholarship recipients who | ||||||
19 | defaulted on their obligation to repay scholarship | ||||||
20 | assistance during the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
21 | (11) the amount of scholarship assistance subject to | ||||||
22 | collection in accordance with subsection (j) of this | ||||||
23 | Section at the end of the previous fiscal year; | ||||||
24 | (12) the amount of collected funds to be remitted to | ||||||
25 | the Comptroller in accordance with subsection (j) of this | ||||||
26 | Section at the end of the previous fiscal year; and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (13) other information that the Commission may | ||||||
2 | reasonably request. | ||||||
3 | (n) Nothing in this Section shall affect the rights of the | ||||||
4 | Commission to collect moneys owed to it by recipients of | ||||||
5 | scholarship assistance through the Illinois Future Teacher | ||||||
6 | Corps Program, repealed by this amendatory Act of the 98th | ||||||
7 | General Assembly. | ||||||
8 | (o) The Auditor General shall prepare an annual audit of | ||||||
9 | the operations and finances of the Golden Apple Scholars of | ||||||
10 | Illinois Program. This audit shall be provided to the Governor, | ||||||
11 | General Assembly, and the Commission. | ||||||
12 | (p) The suspension of grant making authority found in | ||||||
13 | Section 4.2 of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act shall not | ||||||
14 | apply to grants made pursuant to this Section. | ||||||
15 | (Source: P.A. 98-533, eff. 8-23-13; 98-718, eff. 1-1-15 .)
| ||||||
16 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
17 | becoming law.".
|