SPRINGFIELD, Ill.— A measure introduced in the Illinois legislature would make students pay back certain tuition breaks from the state if they leave Illinois within five years of graduation.
The Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers reports the legislation would affect the Monetary Award Program, which serves about 140,000 lower income students. It’s part of a package of legislation sponsored by state Sen. Chapin Rose, a Republican from Mahomet.
Under the proposal, students receiving grants through the program would also have to graduate within four years and wouldn’t be able to get a grant the year after they flunk out.
“I hope that it’s not too drastic or draconian,” Rose said. “I hope it would serve as an incentive.”
Rose also wants to bar program grants from being used at for-profit colleges, an idea that’s been proposed previously.
Funding for the Monetary Award Program would be held steady at $373 million under the proposed budget from Gov. Bruce Rauner.
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