In order to increase the number of nurses graduating from Illinois institutions of higher learning, the Board shall establish and administer a competitive grant program for institutions of higher learning that award degrees in nursing. The grants may be awarded on the basis of performance criteria that shall include, but not be limited to, degree production, student retention, and passage rates on professional licensure examinations.
The Board shall adopt those rules that are necessary for the implementation and administration of the grants established under this Section.
110 ILCS 205/9.31