CHAPTER 2. MINORITY TEACHER SCHOLARSHIPS; SPECIAL EDUCATION, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AND PHYSICAL THERAPY SCHOLARSHIPS - Indiana Statutes

IC 21-13-2
     Chapter 2. Minority Teacher Scholarships; Special Education, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy Scholarships

IC 21-13-2-1
Minority teacher or special education services scholarship fund; establishment
     Sec. 1. The minority teacher or special education services scholarship fund is established:
        (1) to encourage and promote qualified minority individuals to pursue a career in teaching in accredited schools in Indiana;
        (2) to enhance the number of individuals who may serve as role models for the minority students in Indiana; and
        (3) to rectify the shortage of minority teachers teaching in accredited schools in Indiana;
        (4) to encourage and promote qualified individuals to pursue a career in:
            (A) teaching special education in accredited schools in Indiana; or
            (B) practicing occupational or physical therapy in accredited schools in Indiana, in vocational rehabilitation centers under IC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1), or in community mental retardation or other developmental disabilities centers under IC 12-29 (except IC 12-29-3-6) as part of the special education program; and
        (5) to rectify the shortage of individuals who:
            (A) teach special education; or
            (B) provide certain other special education services in accredited schools in Indiana.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-2
Administration of fund
     Sec. 2. (a) The commission shall administer the fund.
    (b) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from money in the fund.
    (c) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same manner as other public funds may be invested.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-3
Money in fund; use
     Sec. 3. Money in the fund shall be used to provide annual scholarships to individuals who qualify for a scholarship under:
        (1) section 4 of this chapter; or
        (2) section 5 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-4 Initial scholarship qualifications
     Sec. 4. An individual qualifies for an initial scholarship from the fund if the individual:
        (1) is a minority student;
        (2) is admitted to an eligible institution as a full-time student or already attends an eligible institution as a full-time student;
        (3) either:
            (A) intends to pursue; or
            (B) in the case of a student who is already attending an eligible institution, pursues;
        a course of study that would enable the student, upon graduation, to teach in an accredited school in Indiana;
        (4) agrees, in writing, to teach in an accredited school in Indiana for at least three (3) years of the first five (5) years following that student's certification as a teacher; and
        (5) meets any other minimum criteria established by the commission.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-5
Scholarship qualifications; special education teachers and physical and occupational therapy practitioners
     Sec. 5. An individual qualifies for an initial scholarship from the fund if the individual:
        (1) is admitted to an eligible institution as a full-time student or is attending an eligible institution as a full-time student;
        (2) either intends to pursue or, in the case of a student who is attending an eligible institution, pursues a course of study that would enable the student, upon graduation, to be:
            (A) licensed to teach special education in an accredited school under rules adopted by the Indiana state board of education;
            (B) licensed to practice occupational therapy:
                (i) in an accredited school;
                (ii) in a vocational rehabilitation center under IC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1); or
                (iii) in a community mental retardation or other developmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 except IC 12-29-3-6; or
            (C) licensed to practice physical therapy:
                (i) in an accredited school;
                (ii) in a vocational rehabilitation center under IC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1); or
                (iii) in a community mental retardation or other developmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 except IC 12-29-3-6;
        (3) agrees in writing to:
            (A) teach in an accredited school; or
            (B) practice occupational therapy or physical therapy, whichever applies:                 (i) in an accredited school in Indiana;
                (ii) in a vocational rehabilitation center under IC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1); or
                (iii) in a community mental retardation or other developmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 except IC 12-29-3-6;
        for at least three (3) of the first five (5) years following the student's licensure as a teacher, licensure as an occupational therapist, or licensure as a physical therapist; and
        (4) meets any other minimum criteria established by the commission.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254. Amended by P.L.197-2007, SEC.15.

IC 21-13-2-6
Renewal of scholarships; term
     Sec. 6. Subject to section 12 of this chapter, a scholarship may be renewed under this chapter for a total scholarship award that does not exceed eight (8) semesters (or its equivalent). However, an eligible institution may not grant a scholarship renewal to a student for an academic year that ends later than six (6) years after the date the student received the initial scholarship under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-7
Renewal of scholarships; conditions
     Sec. 7. (a) To qualify for a scholarship renewal from the fund, a minority student that qualified for the initial scholarship under section 4 of this chapter must:
        (1) comply with the criteria in section 4 of this chapter; and
        (2) maintain at least the cumulative grade point average:
            (A) that is required by an eligible institution for admission to the eligible institution's school of education; or
            (B) of 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent as established by the eligible institution if the eligible institution's school of education does not require a certain minimum cumulative grade point average.
    (b) To qualify for a scholarship renewal from the fund, an individual that qualified for the initial scholarship under section 5 of this chapter must:
        (1) comply with the criteria set forth in section 5 of this chapter; and
        (2) maintain at least the cumulative grade point average:
            (A) that is required by an eligible institution for admission to the eligible institution's school of education; or
            (B) of 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent as established by the eligible institution if the eligible institution's school of education does not require a certain minimum cumulative grade point average.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.
IC 21-13-2-8
Amount of scholarship
     Sec. 8. Except as provided in this chapter, a scholarship is equal to the lesser of the following amounts:
        (1) The balance of the student's total cost in attending the eligible institution for the academic year.
        (2) One thousand dollars ($1,000).
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-9
Minority student qualifications
     Sec. 9. (a) This section applies if a minority student:
        (1) initially qualifies for a scholarship under section 4 of this chapter; and
        (2) demonstrates to the commission financial need in an amount greater than described in section 8 of this chapter.
    (b) The annual scholarship that the minority student may receive is equal to the lesser of the following amounts:
        (1) The balance of the student's total cost in attending the eligible institution for the academic year.
        (2) Four thousand dollars ($4,000).
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-10
Eligibility information
     Sec. 10. The commission for higher education shall provide the commission with the most recent information concerning:
        (1) the number of minority students enrolled at each eligible institution; and
        (2) the number of individuals who are:
            (A) enrolled at each eligible institution; and
            (B) pursuing a course of study that would enable the student, upon graduation, to be:
                (i) licensed to teach special education in an accredited school; or
                (ii) licensed to practice occupational therapy or licensed to practice physical therapy in an accredited school, in a vocational rehabilitation center under IC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1), or in a community mental retardation or other developmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 as part of the special education program.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254. Amended by P.L.197-2007, SEC.16.

IC 21-13-2-11
Allocation of money
     Sec. 11. The commission shall allocate the available money from the fund to each eligible institution in proportion to the number of minority students enrolled at each eligible institution based upon the information received from the commission for higher education. As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-12
Determination of scholarship recipients
     Sec. 12. Each eligible institution shall determine the scholarship recipients under this chapter:
        (1) based upon:
            (A) the criteria set forth in section 4 or 5 of this chapter; and
            (B) the rules adopted by the commission; and
        (2) with a priority on granting scholarships in the following order:
            (A) Minority students seeking a renewal scholarship.
            (B) Newly enrolling minority students.
            (C) Special education services students seeking a renewal scholarship.
            (D) Newly enrolling special education services students.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-13
Reallocation of funds
     Sec. 13. Any funds that:
        (1) are allocated to an eligible institution; and
        (2) are not used for scholarships under this chapter;
shall be returned to the commission for reallocation by the commission to any other eligible institution in need of additional funds.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-14
Amount of scholarship; conditions
     Sec. 14. (a) The amount of a scholarship awarded under this chapter may not be reduced because the student receives other scholarships or forms of financial aid.
    (b) Except as otherwise permitted by law, the amount of any other state financial aid received by a student may not be reduced because the student receives a scholarship under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-15
Maintenance of records
     Sec. 15. (a) The commission shall maintain complete and accurate records in implementing the program, including the following:
        (1) The number of scholarships awarded under this chapter.
        (2) The number of individuals who fulfilled the agreement described under section 5 of this chapter.
        (3) The number of individuals who did not fulfill the agreement described under section 5 of this chapter.
    (b) Each eligible institution shall provide the commission with information concerning the following:
        (1) The awarding of scholarships under this chapter.         (2) The academic progress made by each recipient of a scholarship under this chapter.
        (3) Other pertinent information requested by the commission.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.