JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

2011-12 ILLINOIS FUTURE TEACHER CORPS (IFTC) PROGRAM
TEACHING AGREEMENT/PROMISSORY NOTE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting the 2011-12 Teacher Education Scholarship Programs Application, I agree to the terms and conditions of the 2011-12 Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) Program rules and procedures as described in this Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note.

The Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) Program offers students who are studying to become teachers in Illinois the opportunity to receive an award for assistance with college tuition, fees, room and board expenses charged by the institution, institutions standard cost of living allowance for students living off campus, or commuter allowances, if applicable.  The amount of the award is based upon the teaching commitment made, subject to appropriations, and may be:  (1) up to $5,000; (2) up to $10,000 if the student is pursuing a course of study necessary to teach in a shortage discipline or has made a commitment to teach at a hard-to-staff school; or (3) up to $15,000 if the student is pursuing a course of study necessary to teach in a shortage discipline and has made a commitment to teach at a hard-to-staff school.

PROMISE TO PAY

If I receive funds from the IFTC Program, I promise to teach for five years on a full-time basis for any assistance received through this program. I understand the teaching obligations outlined in this Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note apply to all awards, including prior awards for which funds from the DeBolt Teacher Shortage Scholarship (DTSS) were received.  I understand that this is a Teaching Agreement and Promissory Note, which will obligate me to repay program awards, if I do not fulfill the teaching requirement described on this form. I realize that my failure to fulfill the teaching requirement will immediately convert any funds received into an interest-bearing loan.  Therefore, I will either teach or pay ISAC, or its designee, a sum equal to the program assistance received plus interest and costs.  I have read, understood, and agreed to the terms and conditions printed on this Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note.  I also understand that I may cancel this award, without any cost, by returning all proceeds that were issued for my benefit provided that the proceeds are returned prior to the end of the academic year in which they were received.

PROGRAM AGREEMENTS

  1. I agree to maintain eligibility for this scholarship by:
    1. enrolling on at least a half-time basis as an undergraduate student at the junior or senior level or as a graduate student at an approved Illinois institution of higher learning;
    2. pursuing a postsecondary course of study leading to initial teacher certification or taking additional courses needed to gain Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) approval to teach, including alternative initial teacher certification.  If I intend to teach in a shortage discipline in Illinois (as certified by my approved Illinois institution of higher learning), I must be seeking teacher certification in one of the following disciplines:
      1. Early Childhood Education
      2. Regular Education>
        • Bilingual Education
        • Math
        • Physical Education (K-8) 
        • Reading
        • Science
      3. Special Education
        • Learning Behavior Specialist I
        • Speech and Language Impaired

          As of December 2010, the above list of approved teacher shortage disciplines in the State of Illinois will be used when determining 2011-12 IFTC Program eligibility.
    3. maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale;
    4. maintaining satisfactory academic progress as determined by my college;
    5. not being in default on any student loan, nor owing a refund of any state or federal grant;
    6. not having previously received funds from the IFTC Program for the equivalent of two academic years, which is the program maximum;
    7. not receiving funds from the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship or Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) programs during the same terms(s) for which I receive funds from the IFTC Program.
  1. As an IFTC Program recipient, I shall:
    1. teach on a full-time basis for a period of not less than five years and in accordance with any additional commitment to teach in a teacher shortage discipline and/or at a hard-to-staff school, as applicable; Recipients who are awarded funds based on a commitment to teach at a hard-to-staff school and in a teacher shortage discipline are required to fulfill both obligations (if this cannot be done concurrently, the obligation may be extended per item 1(e) of the below EXTENSION OF TEACHING REQUIREMENTS);
    2. begin teaching within one year following the completion of the postsecondary education degree or certificate program for which the IFTC Program funds were awarded, and teach on a continuous basis for the required period of time;
    3. teach in a nonprofit Illinois public, private or parochial preschool or an Illinois public elementary or secondary school and, as appropriate to my commitment, teach in a teacher shortage discipline and/or teach at a hard-to-staff school for which IFTC Program was awarded;
    4. use the proceeds of the scholarship for educational tuition, fees, room and board expenses charged by the institution, institutions standard cost of living allowance for students living off campus, or commuter allowances, if applicable; and
    5. provide ISAC, as it requires, evidence of compliance with the program requirements.
  1. See ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS.

EXTENSION OF TEACHING REQUIREMENTS

 

  1. The teaching requirement may be extended if I am:
    1. serving, for not more than three years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
    2. enrolled full-time as a graduate student in a course of study related to the field of teaching at an institution of higher learning;
    3. temporarily totally disabled, for not more than three years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician;
    4. actively seeking, but unable to find, full-time employment as a teacher at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or an Illinois public elementary or secondary school, for one continuous period of time which shall not exceed two years in duration;
    5. fulfilling teaching requirements associated with other programs administered by ISAC if I cannot concurrently fulfill the requirement in a period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.
  1. In order to qualify for any of these extensions, I must provide written evidence of my eligibility and submit a request to ISAC to approve my extension.

REPAYMENT

  1. I understand that termination of enrollment or failure to fulfill this teaching requirement will convert the award to an interest-bearing loan.  If the five-year teaching requirement is not fulfilled, I will repay the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), or its designee, a sum equal to the amount of the funds received plus interest.
  2. I agree that, if the funds received convert to a loan, I shall:
    1. enter repayment status on the earliest of the following dates: (1) the first day of the first calendar month after I have ceased to pursue a course of study leading to a teaching certification, but not until six months have elapsed after the cessation of at least half-time enrollment in such a course of study; (2) the date that I inform ISAC that I do not plan to fulfill the teaching obligation; (3) the day after the latest date upon which I must have begun teaching in order to complete the teaching requirement;
    2. make payments to ISAC, or its designee, which cover principal, interest and collection costs according to a schedule established by ISAC, and which calls for complete repayment within ten years after I enter repayment status.
  1. ISAC will not require payments amounting to more than $1,200 annually, unless higher payments are needed to complete the entire repayment within the ten-year period described above.  ISAC may agree to accept a lesser amount because of my documented, extenuating financial circumstances.

INTEREST

  1. The interest rate for repayment of an IFTC Program award shall be equal to five percent (5%).
  2. Interest charges begin to accrue on the date that my repayment obligation begins.

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

  1. I understand that if I receive IFTC Program funds to teach a shortage discipline at a hard-to-staff school and do not fulfill my obligation in both areas, I will be responsible for repaying the funds received for the part of the obligation I do not fulfill.  I understand that Illinois schools included on the U.S. Department of Education’s list used for teacher loan forgiveness will be used as the list for hard-to-staff schools.  The teaching requirement can only be fulfilled at a nonprofit Illinois public, private or parochial preschool  or at the Illinois public elementary and secondary schools on the list at the time the teaching obligation begins.
  2. I agree that, if I fail to meet the conditions for maintaining complete eligibility, or if ISAC determines that I ceased to pursue a postsecondary degree for which the scholarship was received, I shall:
    1. repay the amount of the award received, prorated according to the teaching obligation not completed, as determined by ISAC;
    2. pay a simple per annum interest charge on the outstanding principal;
    3. pay all charges incurred for the collection and/or enforcement of this note, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney’s fees and collection costs as determined by ISAC.
  1. I will comply with all ISAC rules and agree to inform ISAC in writing within ten days of any changes affecting my enrollment status, name or address.
  2. I authorize ISAC to obtain enrollment and address information from any of the officers or agents of the postsecondary school in which I plan to become enrolled, am enrolled, or was enrolled.
  3. I may appeal an ISAC administrative decision in accordance with 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2700.70.

REPAYMENT DEFERMENTS

  1. I may temporarily postpone the repayment obligation during the time I am:
    1. serving, for not more than three years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
    2. temporarily totally disabled, for no more than three years as established by the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician;
    3. pursuing a graduate course of study and enrolled on a full-time basis for one continuous period of time, not to exceed three years;
    4. actively seeking and unable to find full-time employment for one continuous period, not to exceed two years; and
    5. withdrawn from a course of study leading to certification/approval in a teacher discipline, but remain enrolled at least half-time in another academic discipline for one continuous period of time, not to exceed three years.
  1. In order to qualify for any of these deferments, I must provide written evidence of my eligibility and must submit a request to ISAC to approve my deferment.
  2. During the time I qualify for any of the deferments described above, I need not make payments and interest does not accrue.
  3. I understand that ISAC may extend the ten-year repayment period by the length of time that I meet any of the deferment conditions.

REPAYMENT CANCELLATION

ISAC will cancel my repayment obligation if it determines that:
  1. I have become totally and permanently disabled, on the basis of a sworn affidavit of a licensed physician;
  2. I have died, on the basis of a death certificate provided by the executor (or the executor’s designee) of my estate.

DEFAULT

  1. This note shall, at ISAC’s option, become immediately due and payable if:
    1. I fail to make principal payments when due, or fail to pay any installment of interest, unless ISAC agrees to allow the accrued interest to be capitalized as part of the principal amount;
    2. I file a petition for bankruptcy;
    3. I make a false representation in any material respect on any ISAC application.
  1. In the event of acceleration, interest shall continue to accrue on any unpaid balance.
  2. I hereby waive demand and presentment of payment and notice of dishonor.