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92_HB2467
LRB9203465NTsbA
1 AN ACT relating to education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
5 21-14.5 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21-14.5 new)
7 Sec. 21-14.5. Continuing Professional Development
8 Scholarship Program.
9 (a) The Continuing Professional Development Scholarship
10 Program is hereby created. The State Board of Education
11 shall implement and administer the program, which shall, from
12 appropriations made for the purposes of this Section, provide
13 Continuing Professional Development Scholarships to eligible
14 applicants.
15 (b) An applicant is eligible for a Continuing
16 Professional Development Scholarship if he or she is a holder
17 of a Standard Teaching Certificate, is seeking renewal of
18 that certificate, and is planning to take coursework from a
19 regionally accredited institution as part of an approved
20 certificate renewal plan as provided in Section 21-14 of this
21 Code.
22 (c) Applications for Continuing Professional Development
23 Scholarships shall be made to the State Board of Education in
24 a form as set forth by the State Board of Education. As part
25 of the application, the applicant shall provide to the State
26 Board of Education proof that the applicant has an approved
27 certificate renewal plan and that the plan includes
28 coursework as described in subdivision (A) or (F) of
29 paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this
30 Code.
31 (d) The State Board of Education shall, in consultation
-2- LRB9203465NTsbA
1 with the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community
2 College Board, determine the average tuition charge per
3 credit hour of all public universities and community colleges
4 in this State. A person who has been awarded a Continuing
5 Professional Development Scholarship may receive scholarship
6 assistance to cover the actual tuition charge for the
7 coursework that the person is enrolled to take from a
8 regionally accredited institution as part of his or her
9 certificate renewal plan, provided that the maximum amount
10 awarded per scholarship shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 4
11 times the average tuition charge per credit hour as
12 determined by the State Board of Education under this
13 subsection (d) or (ii) $500. In no instance may a person
14 receive scholarship assistance in an amount in excess of the
15 actual tuition charged that person for the coursework.
16 (e) A person who has received a Continuing Professional
17 Development Scholarship may reapply for another Continuing
18 Professional Development Scholarship within a 5-year period,
19 provided that the person does not exceed the number of credit
20 hours needed to complete his or her certificate renewal plan.
21 (f) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules,
22 consistent with the requirements of this Section, that are
23 necessary to implement and administer the Continuing
24 Professional Development Scholarship Program.
25 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on
26 July 1, 2001.
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