(20 ILCS 505/8) (from Ch. 23, par. 5008)
(Text of Section from P.A. 98-718)
Sec. 8. Scholarships and fee waivers. Each year the Department may select from among the youth under care, youth who aged out of care at age 18 or older, or youth formerly under care who have been adopted or are in a guardianship placement, a maximum of 48 students (at least 4 of whom shall be children of veterans) who have earned a high school diploma from a public school district or a recognized nonpublic school or a high school equivalency certificate or who have met the State criteria for high school graduation; the youth selected shall be eligible for scholarships and fee waivers which will entitle them to 4 consecutive years of community college, university, or college education. Selection shall be made on the basis of scholastic record, aptitude, and general interest in higher education. In accordance with this Act, tuition scholarships and fee waivers shall be available to such students at any university or college maintained by the State of Illinois. The Department shall provide maintenance and school expenses, except tuition and fees, during the academic years to supplement the students' earnings or other resources so long as they consistently maintain scholastic records which are acceptable to their schools and to the Department. Students may attend other colleges and universities, if scholarships are awarded them, and receive the same benefits for maintenance and other expenses as those students attending any Illinois State community college, university, or college under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 97-799, eff. 7-13-12; 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
(Text of Section from P.A. 98-805)
Sec. 8. Scholarships and fee waivers. Each year the Department shall select a minimum of 53 students (at least 4 of whom shall be children of veterans) to receive scholarships and fee waivers which will enable them to attend and complete their post-secondary education at a community college, university, or college. Youth shall be selected from among the youth for whom the Department has court-ordered legal responsibility, youth who aged out of care at age 18 or older, or youth formerly under care who have been adopted or who have been placed in private guardianship. Recipients must have earned a high school diploma from an accredited institution, a General Education Development certificate or diploma, or have met the State criteria for high school graduation before the start of the school year for which they are applying for the scholarship and waiver. Scholarships and fee waivers shall be available to students for at least 5 years, provided they are continuing to work toward graduation. Unused scholarship dollars and fee waivers shall be reallocated to new recipients. No later than January 1, 2015, the Department shall promulgate rules identifying the criteria for "continuing to work toward graduation", and for reallocating unused scholarships and fee waivers. Selection shall be made on the basis of several factors, including, but not limited to, scholastic record, aptitude, and general interest in higher education. The selection committee shall include at least 2 individuals formerly under the care of the Department who have completed their post-secondary education. In accordance with this Act, tuition scholarships and fee waivers shall be available to such students at any university or college maintained by the State of Illinois. The Department shall provide maintenance and school expenses, except tuition and fees, during the academic years to supplement the students' earnings or other resources so long as they consistently maintain scholastic records which are acceptable to their schools and to the Department. Students may attend other colleges and universities, if scholarships are awarded them, and receive the same benefits for maintenance and other expenses as those students attending any Illinois State community college, university, or college under this Section. Beginning with recipients receiving scholarships and waivers in August 2014, the Department shall collect data and report annually to the General Assembly on measures of success including (i) the number of youth applying for and receiving scholarships, (ii) the percentage of scholarship recipients who complete their college or university degree within 5 years, (iii) the average length of time it takes for scholarship recipients to complete their college or university degree, (iv) the reasons that scholarship recipients are discharged or fail to complete their college or university degree, (v) when available youths' outcomes 5 years and 10 years after being awarded the scholarships, and (vi) budget allocations for maintenance and school expenses incurred by the Department.
(Source: P.A. 97-799, eff. 7-13-12; 98-805, eff. 1-1-15.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015