100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB2896

 

Introduced , by Rep. Dave Severin

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.170 new
110 ILCS 205/9.36 new
110 ILCS 947/65.28 new

    Amends the School Code, the Board of Higher Education Act, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish a position for one Rural Education Coordinator to represent the rural regions of this State, to be based at a recognized educator preparation institution, to (1) provide an emphasis on access to educator preparation programs that focus on rural education, (2) increase rural teacher recruitment, (3) develop an educator pipeline to rural schools and school districts, and (4) provide support mechanisms for rural schools and school districts. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to provide up to 40 financial stipends annually, not to exceed $2,800 per student, to offset tuition costs for individuals in educator preparation programs who agree to student teach in a rural school or school district of the student teacher's choice. Provides that a student teacher who receives a stipend must agree to work in a rural school or school district for at least 2 years. Makes related changes.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
52-3.170 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.170 new)
7    Sec. 2-3.170. Rural school determination. The State Board
8of Education shall determine which schools and school districts
9in this State are rural for the purposes of Section 9.36 of the
10Board of Higher Education Act and Section 65.28 of the Higher
11Education Student Assistance Act. The State Board of Education
12shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement the
13provisions of this Section.
 
14    Section 10. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by
15adding Section 9.36 as follows:
 
16    (110 ILCS 205/9.36 new)
17    Sec. 9.36. Rural Education Coordinator.
18    (a) In this Section:
19    "Coordinator" means the Rural Education Coordinator
20established under this Section.
21    "Educator preparation program" means an Illinois-approved

 

 

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1educator preparation program at a recognized institution that
2upon completion leads to a recommendation for licensure by that
3institution.
4    "Recognized institution" means a college, university, or
5not-for-profit entity granted recognition as an educator
6preparation institution under Section 21B-105 of the School
7Code.
8    "Rural schools and school districts" means schools and
9school districts that the State Board of Education has
10determined to be rural under Section 2-3.170 of the School
11Code.
12    (b) On or before July 1, 2018, the Board may establish a
13position for one Rural Education Coordinator to represent the
14rural regions of this State. The Coordinator must be based at a
15recognized institution in which an educator preparation
16program is maintained. The purpose of the Coordinator is to:
17        (1) provide an emphasis on access to educator
18    preparation programs that focus on rural education;
19        (2) increase rural teacher recruitment;
20        (3) develop an educator pipeline to rural schools and
21    school districts; and
22        (4) provide support mechanisms for rural schools and
23    school districts.
24    On or before January 1, 2019, the Board may select a
25recognized institution in a rural part of this State to house
26the Coordinator for no more than 5 years. Upon completion of

 

 

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1the first 5 years and every subsequent 5 years, the Board may
2select a different recognized institution in a rural part of
3this State to house the Coordinator. Any recognized institution
4is eligible to be selected to house the Coordinator in
5subsequent time periods.
6    Subject to appropriation, the Board shall provide funding
7for the purposes of this Section to the recognized institution
8selected to house the Coordinator.
9    (c) The recognized institution selected under subsection
10(b) of this Section to house the Coordinator shall collect data
11on the work of the Coordinator and annually provide a written
12summary report to the Board and to the State Board of
13Education. The report shall include:
14        (1) data on the number of students enrolled in an
15    educator preparation program at the recognized
16    institution; and
17        (2) data on how many students enrolled in an educator
18    preparation program at the recognized institution during
19    the 5-year period of housing the Coordinator were awarded a
20    stipend under Section 65.28 of the Higher Education Student
21    Assistance Act.
22    Prior to the completion of each 5-year period of a
23recognized institution housing the Coordinator, the Board and
24the State Board of Education, with the assistance of the
25Illinois Student Assistance Commission, shall jointly evaluate
26the effectiveness of the Coordinator and the stipends awarded

 

 

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1under Section 65.28 of the Higher Education Student Assistance
2Act and report their recommendations for continued funding to
3the General Assembly.
4    (d) The Board of Higher Education shall adopt such rules as
5may be necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.
 
6    Section 15. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
7amended by adding Section 65.28 as follows:
 
8    (110 ILCS 947/65.28 new)
9    Sec. 65.28. Teachers for rural schools stipend.
10    (a) In this Section:
11    "Educator preparation program" means an Illinois-approved
12educator preparation program at a recognized institution that
13upon completion leads to a recommendation for licensure by that
14institution.
15    "Recognized institution" means a college, university, or
16not-for-profit entity granted recognition as an educator
17preparation institution under Section 21B-105 of the School
18Code.
19    "Rural school or school district" means a school or school
20district that the State Board of Education has determined to be
21rural under Section 2-3.170 of the School Code.
22    (b) Beginning on or before January 1, 2019, subject to
23appropriation, the Commission shall provide up to 40 financial
24stipends annually, not to exceed $2,800 per student, to offset

 

 

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1tuition costs for individuals in educator preparation programs
2who agree to student teach in a rural school or school district
3of the student teacher's choice. In awarding stipends, the
4Commission shall, to the extent practicable, include persons
5with disabilities and take into consideration the geographic,
6race, and ethnic diversity of this State. Money for the
7stipends must be allocated from the Commission to the
8recognized institution in which the student is enrolled and
9credited to the student's account.
10    (c) A student teacher who receives a stipend pursuant to
11this Section must agree to work in a rural school or school
12district for at least 2 years after the completion of his or
13her student teaching, unless he or she can demonstrate
14extenuating circumstances in which employment would impose a
15hardship on him or her. If the recipient of a stipend does not
16accept an offer of employment to teach in a rural school or
17school district after the completion of his or her student
18teaching, then he or she may, as determined by the Commission
19on a case-by-case basis, have to reimburse the Commission for
20two-thirds of the amount of the stipend that he or she
21received. If a recipient of a stipend accepts an offer of
22employment to teach in a rural school or school district but
23only teaches in a rural school or school district for one year
24and not the required 2 years, then he or she may, as determined
25by the Commission on a case-by-case basis, have to reimburse
26the Commission for one-third of the amount of the stipend he or

 

 

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1she received.
2    (d) The Commission shall adopt such rules as may be
3necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.