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 servicesscholarship fund is established:
        (1) to encourage and promote qualified minority individuals topursue a career in teaching in accredited schools in Indiana;
        (2) to enhance the number of individuals who may serve as rolemodels for the minority students in Indiana; and
        (3) to rectify the shortage of minority teachers teaching inaccredited schools in Indiana;
        (4) to encourage and promote qualified individuals to pursue acareer in:
            (A) teaching special education in accredited schools inIndiana; or
            (B) practicing occupational or physical therapy in accreditedschools in Indiana, in vocational rehabilitation centers underIC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1), or in community mental retardation orother developmental disabilities centers under IC 12-29(except IC 12-29-3-6) as part of the special educationprogram; and
        (5) to rectify the shortage of individuals who:
            (A) teach special education; or
            (B) provide certain other special education services inaccredited 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 frommoney in the fund.
    (c) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund notcurrently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the samemanner 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 annualscholarships 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 thefund if the individual:
        (1) is a minority student;
        (2) is admitted to an eligible institution as a full-time student oralready 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 aneligible institution, pursues;
        a course of study that would enable the student, upongraduation, to teach in an accredited school in Indiana;
        (4) agrees, in writing, to teach in an accredited school in Indianafor at least three (3) years of the first five (5) years followingthat student's certification as a teacher; and
        (5) meets any other minimum criteria established by thecommission.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-2-5
Scholarship qualifications; special education teachers and physicaland occupational therapy practitioners
    Sec. 5. An individual qualifies for an initial scholarship from thefund if the individual:
        (1) is admitted to an eligible institution as a full-time student oris attending an eligible institution as a full-time student;
        (2) either intends to pursue or, in the case of a student who isattending an eligible institution, pursues a course of study thatwould enable the student, upon graduation, to be:
            (A) licensed to teach special education in an accreditedschool under rules adopted by the Indiana state board ofeducation;
            (B) licensed to practice occupational therapy:
                (i) in an accredited school;
                (ii) in a vocational rehabilitation center underIC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1); or
                (iii) in a community mental retardation or otherdevelopmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 exceptIC 12-29-3-6; or
            (C) licensed to practice physical therapy:
                (i) in an accredited school;
                (ii) in a vocational rehabilitation center underIC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1); or
                (iii) in a community mental retardation or otherdevelopmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 exceptIC 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 underIC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1); or
                (iii) in a community mental retardation or otherdevelopmental disabilities center under IC 12-29 exceptIC 12-29-3-6;
        for at least three (3) of the first five (5) years following thestudent's licensure as a teacher, licensure as an occupationaltherapist, or licensure as a physical therapist; and
        (4) meets any other minimum criteria established by thecommission.
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 berenewed under this chapter for a total scholarship award that does notexceed eight (8) semesters (or its equivalent). However, an eligibleinstitution may not grant a scholarship renewal to a student for anacademic year that ends later than six (6) years after the date thestudent 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, aminority student that qualified for the initial scholarship undersection 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 admissionto the eligible institution's school of education; or
            (B) of 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent asestablished by the eligible institution if the eligibleinstitution's school of education does not require a certainminimum cumulative grade point average.
    (b) To qualify for a scholarship renewal from the fund, anindividual that qualified for the initial scholarship under section 5 ofthis 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 admissionto the eligible institution's school of education; or
            (B) of 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent asestablished by the eligible institution if the eligibleinstitution's school of education does not require a certainminimum 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 equalto the lesser of the following amounts:
        (1) The balance of the student's total cost in attending theeligible 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 thischapter; and
        (2) demonstrates to the commission financial need in an amountgreater than described in section 8 of this chapter.
    (b) The annual scholarship that the minority student may receiveis equal to the lesser of the following amounts:
        (1) The balance of the student's total cost in attending theeligible 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 thecommission with the most recent information concerning:
        (1) the number of minority students enrolled at each eligibleinstitution; 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 accreditedschool; or
                (ii) licensed to practice occupational therapy or licensed topractice physical therapy in an accredited school, in avocational rehabilitation center underIC 12-12-1-4.1(a)(1), or in a community mental retardationor other developmental disabilities center under IC 12-29as 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 fromthe fund to each eligible institution in proportion to the number ofminority students enrolled at each eligible institution based upon theinformation 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 scholarshiprecipients 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 followingorder:
            (A) Minority students seeking a renewal scholarship.
            (B) Newly enrolling minority students.
            (C) Special education services students seeking a renewalscholarship.
            (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 thecommission to any other eligible institution in need of additionalfunds.
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 thischapter may not be reduced because the student receives otherscholarships or forms of financial aid.
    (b) Except as otherwise permitted by law, the amount of any otherstate financial aid received by a student may not be reduced becausethe 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 accuraterecords in implementing the program, including the following:
        (1) The number of scholarships awarded under this chapter.
        (2) The number of individuals who fulfilled the agreementdescribed under section 5 of this chapter.
        (3) The number of individuals who did not fulfill the agreementdescribed under section 5 of this chapter.
    (b) Each eligible institution shall provide the commission withinformation concerning the following:
        (1) The awarding of scholarships under this chapter.        (2) The academic progress made by each recipient of ascholarship under this chapter.
        (3) Other pertinent information requested by the commission.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.