85.107 Scholarship and loan repayment incentive grant program.

(1) Purpose. The scholarship and loan repayment incentive grant program is created to assist in improving the representation of targeted group members within job classifications in which targeted group members are underutilized in the department.

(2m) Definitions. In this section:

(am) “Person with a disability" means any person who has a physical or mental disability that constitutes or results in a substantial barrier to employment.

(b) “Targeted group member" means a person with disabilities, or a person who belongs to a class of race, color, or sex, whose percent of the workforce within any job classification in the department is less than that class's percent of the statewide labor market for such job activities.

(3) Administration. From the appropriation under s. 20.395 (4) (aq), the department may:

(a) Award scholarships to targeted group members who are enrolled full time and registered as sophomores, juniors or seniors in a bachelor degree program offered by an accredited institution of higher education in this state. Scholarships under this paragraph shall not exceed the following amounts:

1. For a sophomore, $1,500.

2. For a junior, $2,000.

3. For a senior, $2,500.

(am) Award scholarships of not more than $2,000 each to any targeted group member who is registered in his or her 2nd year of full-time enrollment in an associate degree program, as defined in s. 38.01 (1), or vocational diploma program, as defined in s. 38.01 (11), at a technical college in this state.

(b)

1. Make loan repayment grants to targeted group members who are employed by the department and have education loans outstanding. Subject to subd. 2., loan repayment grants under this subdivision shall not exceed the following amounts:

a. After one year of employment by the department, $1,000.

b. After 2 years of employment by the department, an additional $1,200.

c. After 3 years of employment by the department, an additional $1,700.

d. After 4 years of employment by the department, an additional $2,100.

2. The total amount of loan repayment grants under this paragraph made to an employee shall not exceed the amount of the employee's education loans outstanding.

(4) Rule making. The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

History: 1987 a. 27; 2001 a. 16.