Illinois Administrative Code › Title 23 - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES › Part 70 - EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER PREPARATION ASSISTANCE GRANT › Section 70.80 - Loans; Waiver or Deferral of Repayment

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
Any candidate in a program administered under this Part may
				receive a forgivable loan for direct expenses associated with completion of the
				Early Childhood teacher preparation program, provided those expenditures are
				not otherwise paid for through grants-in-aid, other forgivable loans, or other
				resources of the consortium. Any amount expended for an individual's direct
				expenses shall be considered a part of that individual's loan, regardless of
				how the payment is administered and regardless of whether the individual
				receives any actual payment of funds. The total amount of any candidate's loan
				shall not exceed $12,000.
a) Loan
			 funds provided to candidates as part of this program shall be fully forgiven if
			 a graduate completes five years of service in a State-funded preschool
			 education program established pursuant to Section 2-3.71 of the School Code.
			 Forgiveness and repayment of loans shall be determined as provided in this
			 Section.
b) An individual may
			 accrue the service required for forgiveness of loans under this Part in one or
			 more State-funded preschool education programs.
c) If an individual has not assumed
			 employment in a State-funded preschool education program or position within two
			 years after receiving a professional educator license endorsed in early
			 childhood education, the individual shall be required to begin the repayment of
			 amounts loaned under this Part. No interest shall apply. An individual who
			 drops out of the program shall be required to begin repaying the amounts loaned
			 in the month following the month when it becomes evident that he or she will
			 not be completing any of the program's requirements for two consecutive
			 semesters.
d) If an individual has
			 not completed five years of service within 10 years after receiving a
			 professional educator license endorsed for early childhood education, the
			 individual shall be required to begin the repayment of amounts loaned under
			 this Part. The amount due shall be the total amount borrowed, less a percentage
			 reflecting the relationship that any time taught by the individual in
			 State-funded preschool education programs or positions bears to the total
			 five-year commitment. Loan amounts shall be reduced in increments of 10 percent
			 for each semester completed.
e)
			 Repayment of loans shall be made in no more than 60 equal installments. The
			 minimum monthly payment will be determined by dividing the total amount due by
			 60. An individual may prepay the balance due on the loan in its entirety at any
			 time or make payments in addition to the minimum amount owed each month without
			 penalty.
f) In addition to the loan
			 forgiveness in accordance with subsection (a), the State Superintendent may
			 defer or waive an individual's obligation to repay an amount due as provided in
			 this subsection (f).
1) The State
			 Superintendent shall waive the repayment obligation for an individual who is
			 counseled out of a preparation program or found ineligible to continue,
			 provided that the individual's exit from the program is not due to a violation
			 of law or of applicable institutional policies.
2) The State Superintendent shall waive the
			 repayment obligation for an individual who drops out of a preparation program
			 or demonstrates that he or she is unable to complete a portion of the required
			 teaching service due to:
A) the onset or
			 exacerbation of a disability;
B)
			 the need to care for an immediate family member during serious illness or
			 disability;
C) destruction of the
			 individual's residence; or
D) other
			 circumstances that require the individual to assume responsibilities that
			 cannot be avoided without serious financial hardship or other family disruption
			 (e.g., death of a spouse that results in the need to take a second job or
			 assume operation of a business).
3) The State Superintendent shall waive the
			 repayment obligation for a candidate who does not complete a preparation
			 program due to the unavailability of a State appropriation for this initiative
			 for at least two consecutive years.
4) The State Superintendent shall defer the
			 repayment obligation for a period of time specifically related to the
			 circumstances when an individual:
A) is
			 unemployed or is working for fewer than 30 hours per week; or
B) is experiencing a financial hardship
			 (e.g., receiving public assistance or earning an amount per month that is no
			 greater than 200 percent of the amount of the loan payment, or experiencing
			 circumstances such as those outlined in subsection (f)(2)); or
C) has re-enrolled as a full-time student in
			 an institution of higher education or in a program under this Part.
5) Each request for a waiver or
			 deferral of repayment shall be submitted by a representative of the partnership
			 under whose auspices the individual is or was enrolled in teacher preparation.
			 Using a format specified by the State Superintendent, the representative and
			 the affected individual shall describe the specific circumstances that apply.
			 This description shall be accompanied by evidence such as a physician's
			 statement, insurance claim, or other documentation of the relevant
			 facts.