SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) is looking to expand the MAP Grant application process to help provide much-needed financial assistance to displaced workers.
“Local community colleges called a critical problem to my attention: that the existing MAP rules completely discriminate against those who’ve been laid off,” Rose said. “It just makes sense to move these displaced workers into an educational setting instead of having them on the unemployment rolls.”
Senate Bill 3306 would create a two-year pilot program administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to set aside some MAP funds solely for displaced workers. It is expected that the set-aside of funds will actually increase the number of students receiving MAP Grant funds by about 700 – 1000 students without any additional taxpayer funds being spent.
The two-year program will begin with the 2015 and 2016 academic years. Richland, Parkland, Danville Area and Lakeland Community Colleges all testified in favor of this legislation and it was inspired by a meeting that Senator Rose had with the presidents of the central Illinois schools.
Senator Rose is optimistic about the success of the program, which will make the transition of job loss to job reeducation a lot easier.
Senate Bill 3306 passed the Senate on April 10.