HB2310ham001 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Will Guzzardi

Filed: 3/21/2023

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2310

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2310 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
52-3.71 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
7    Sec. 2-3.71. Grants for preschool educational programs.
8    (a) Preschool program.
9        (1) The State Board of Education shall implement and
10    administer a grant program under the provisions of this
11    subsection which shall consist of grants to public school
12    districts and other eligible entities, as defined by the
13    State Board of Education, to conduct voluntary preschool
14    educational programs for children ages 3 to 5 which
15    include a parent education component. A public school
16    district which receives grants under this subsection may

 

 

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1    subcontract with other entities that are eligible to
2    conduct a preschool educational program. These grants must
3    be used to supplement, not supplant, funds received from
4    any other source.
5        (2) (Blank).
6        (3) Except as otherwise provided under this subsection
7    (a), any teacher of preschool children in the program
8    authorized by this subsection shall hold a Professional
9    Educator License with an early childhood education
10    endorsement.
11        (3.5) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year and
12    until the 2023-2024 school year, an individual may teach
13    preschool children in an early childhood program under
14    this Section if he or she holds a Professional Educator
15    License with an early childhood education endorsement or
16    with short-term approval for early childhood education or
17    he or she pursues a Professional Educator License and
18    holds any of the following:
19            (A) An ECE Credential Level of 5 awarded by the
20        Department of Human Services under the Gateways to
21        Opportunity Program developed under Section 10-70 of
22        the Department of Human Services Act.
23            (B) An Educator License with Stipulations with a
24        transitional bilingual educator endorsement and he or
25        she has (i) passed an early childhood education
26        content test or (ii) completed no less than 9 semester

 

 

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1        hours of postsecondary coursework in the area of early
2        childhood education.
3        (4) (Blank).
4        (4.5) The State Board of Education shall provide the
5    primary source of funding through appropriations for the
6    program. Such funds shall be distributed to achieve a goal
7    of "Preschool for All Children" for the benefit of all
8    children whose families choose to participate in the
9    program. Based on available appropriations, newly funded
10    programs shall be selected through a process giving first
11    priority to qualified programs serving primarily at-risk
12    children and second priority to qualified programs serving
13    primarily children with a family income of less than 4
14    times the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the
15    Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and
16    Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2).
17    For purposes of this paragraph (4.5), at-risk children are
18    those who because of their home and community environment
19    are subject to such language, cultural, economic and like
20    disadvantages to cause them to have been determined as a
21    result of screening procedures to be at risk of academic
22    failure. Such screening procedures shall be based on
23    criteria established by the State Board of Education.
24        Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (4.5),
25    grantees under the program must enter into a memorandum of
26    understanding with the appropriate local Head Start

 

 

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1    agency. This memorandum must be entered into no later than
2    3 months after the award of a grantee's grant under the
3    program, except that, in the case of the 2009-2010 program
4    year, the memorandum must be entered into no later than
5    the deadline set by the State Board of Education for
6    applications to participate in the program in fiscal year
7    2011, and must address collaboration between the grantee's
8    program and the local Head Start agency on certain issues,
9    which shall include without limitation the following:
10            (A) educational activities, curricular objectives,
11        and instruction;
12            (B) public information dissemination and access to
13        programs for families contacting programs;
14            (C) service areas;
15            (D) selection priorities for eligible children to
16        be served by programs;
17            (E) maximizing the impact of federal and State
18        funding to benefit young children;
19            (F) staff training, including opportunities for
20        joint staff training;
21            (G) technical assistance;
22            (H) communication and parent outreach for smooth
23        transitions to kindergarten;
24            (I) provision and use of facilities,
25        transportation, and other program elements;
26            (J) facilitating each program's fulfillment of its

 

 

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1        statutory and regulatory requirements;
2            (K) improving local planning and collaboration;
3        and
4            (L) providing comprehensive services for the
5        neediest Illinois children and families.
6    If the appropriate local Head Start agency is unable or
7    unwilling to enter into a memorandum of understanding as
8    required under this paragraph (4.5), the memorandum of
9    understanding requirement shall not apply and the grantee
10    under the program must notify the State Board of Education
11    in writing of the Head Start agency's inability or
12    unwillingness. The State Board of Education shall compile
13    all such written notices and make them available to the
14    public.
15        (5) The State Board of Education shall develop and
16    provide evaluation tools, including tests, that school
17    districts and other eligible entities may use to evaluate
18    children for school readiness prior to age 5. The State
19    Board of Education shall require school districts and
20    other eligible entities to obtain consent from the parents
21    or guardians of children before any evaluations are
22    conducted. The State Board of Education shall encourage
23    local school districts and other eligible entities to
24    evaluate the population of preschool children in their
25    communities and provide preschool programs, pursuant to
26    this subsection, where appropriate.

 

 

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1        (6) The State Board of Education shall report to the
2    General Assembly by November 1, 2018 and every 2 years
3    thereafter on the results and progress of students who
4    were enrolled in preschool educational programs, including
5    an assessment of which programs have been most successful
6    in promoting academic excellence and alleviating academic
7    failure. The State Board of Education shall assess the
8    academic progress of all students who have been enrolled
9    in preschool educational programs.
10        On or before November 1 of each fiscal year in which
11    the General Assembly provides funding for new programs
12    under paragraph (4.5) of this Section, the State Board of
13    Education shall report to the General Assembly on what
14    percentage of new funding was provided to programs serving
15    primarily at-risk children, what percentage of new funding
16    was provided to programs serving primarily children with a
17    family income of less than 4 times the federal poverty
18    level, and what percentage of new funding was provided to
19    other programs.
20        (7) Due to evidence that expulsion practices in the
21    preschool years are linked to poor child outcomes and are
22    employed inconsistently across racial and gender groups,
23    early childhood programs receiving State funds under this
24    subsection (a) shall prohibit expulsions. Planned
25    transitions to settings that are able to better meet a
26    child's needs are not considered expulsion under this

 

 

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1    paragraph (7).
2            (A) When persistent and serious challenging
3        behaviors emerge, the early childhood program shall
4        document steps taken to ensure that the child can
5        participate safely in the program; including
6        observations of initial and ongoing challenging
7        behaviors, strategies for remediation and intervention
8        plans to address the behaviors, and communication with
9        the parent or legal guardian, including participation
10        of the parent or legal guardian in planning and
11        decision-making.
12            (B) The early childhood program shall, with
13        parental or legal guardian consent as required,
14        utilize a range of community resources, if available
15        and deemed necessary, including, but not limited to,
16        developmental screenings, referrals to programs and
17        services administered by a local educational agency or
18        early intervention agency under Parts B and C of the
19        federal Individual with Disabilities Education Act,
20        and consultation with infant and early childhood
21        mental health consultants and the child's health care
22        provider. The program shall document attempts to
23        engage these resources, including parent or legal
24        guardian participation and consent attempted and
25        obtained. Communication with the parent or legal
26        guardian shall take place in a culturally and

 

 

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1        linguistically competent manner.
2            (C) If there is documented evidence that all
3        available interventions and supports recommended by a
4        qualified professional have been exhausted and the
5        program determines in its professional judgment that
6        transitioning a child to another program is necessary
7        for the well-being of the child or his or her peers and
8        staff, with parent or legal guardian permission, both
9        the current and pending programs shall create a
10        transition plan designed to ensure continuity of
11        services and the comprehensive development of the
12        child. Communication with families shall occur in a
13        culturally and linguistically competent manner.
14            (D) Nothing in this paragraph (7) shall preclude a
15        parent's or legal guardian's right to voluntarily
16        withdraw his or her child from an early childhood
17        program. Early childhood programs shall request and
18        keep on file, when received, a written statement from
19        the parent or legal guardian stating the reason for
20        his or her decision to withdraw his or her child.
21            (E) In the case of the determination of a serious
22        safety threat to a child or others or in the case of
23        behaviors listed in subsection (d) of Section 10-22.6
24        of this Code, the temporary removal of a child from
25        attendance in group settings may be used. Temporary
26        removal of a child from attendance in a group setting

 

 

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1        shall trigger the process detailed in subparagraphs
2        (A), (B), and (C) of this paragraph (7), with the child
3        placed back in a group setting as quickly as possible.
4            (F) Early childhood programs may utilize and the
5        State Board of Education, the Department of Human
6        Services, and the Department of Children and Family
7        Services shall recommend training, technical support,
8        and professional development resources to improve the
9        ability of teachers, administrators, program
10        directors, and other staff to promote social-emotional
11        development and behavioral health, to address
12        challenging behaviors, and to understand trauma and
13        trauma-informed care, cultural competence, family
14        engagement with diverse populations, the impact of
15        implicit bias on adult behavior, and the use of
16        reflective practice techniques. Support shall include
17        the availability of resources to contract with infant
18        and early childhood mental health consultants.
19            (G) Beginning on July 1, 2018, early childhood
20        programs shall annually report to the State Board of
21        Education, and, beginning in fiscal year 2020, the
22        State Board of Education shall make available on a
23        biennial basis, in an existing report, all of the
24        following data for children from birth to age 5 who are
25        served by the program:
26                (i) Total number served over the course of the

 

 

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1            program year and the total number of children who
2            left the program during the program year.
3                (ii) Number of planned transitions to another
4            program due to children's behavior, by children's
5            race, gender, disability, language, class/group
6            size, teacher-child ratio, and length of program
7            day.
8                (iii) Number of temporary removals of a child
9            from attendance in group settings due to a serious
10            safety threat under subparagraph (E) of this
11            paragraph (7), by children's race, gender,
12            disability, language, class/group size,
13            teacher-child ratio, and length of program day.
14                (iv) Hours of infant and early childhood
15            mental health consultant contact with program
16            leaders, staff, and families over the program
17            year.
18            (H) Changes to services for children with an
19        individualized education program or individual family
20        service plan shall be construed in a manner consistent
21        with the federal Individuals with Disabilities
22        Education Act.
23        The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
24    Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development and the
25    Department of Children and Family Services, shall adopt
26    rules to administer this paragraph (7).

 

 

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1        (8) In order to ensure the quality and continuity of
2    services, within 6 months after the effective date of this
3    amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, all grant
4    agreements shall require each child care center to do the
5    following:
6            (A) Comply with the wage floor and compensation
7        policies set forth in Section 45-10 of the Early
8        Childhood Workforce Act, if the State, subject to
9        appropriation, pays contracts and grants that are
10        sufficient to comply with the wage floor and
11        compensation policies set forth in Section 45-10 of
12        the Early Childhood Workforce Act.
13            (B) Report quarterly up-to-date contact
14        information for staff to the Department to allow the
15        State Board of Education to communicate with the
16        workers about their rights and supports available to
17        them.
18            (C) Supply the State Board of Education with
19        current copies of its: (i) wage scales for classroom
20        and support staff, (ii) formal procedures for
21        addressing employee grievances, and (iii) records of
22        classroom and support staff participation in creation
23        of personnel and operational policies.
24            (D) Reconcile expenses quarterly and annually
25        submit a year-end comprehensive financial report in a
26        form prescribed by the State Board of Education which

 

 

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1        includes a detailed breakdown of the uses of funding
2        including amounts spent on workforce compensation and
3        supports.
4    (b) (Blank).
5    (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section,
6grantees may serve children ages 0 to 12 of essential workers
7if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health
8emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency
9Management Agency Act. For the purposes of this subsection,
10essential workers include those outlined in Executive Order
1120-8 and school employees. The State Board of Education shall
12adopt rules to administer this subsection.
13(Source: P.A. 100-105, eff. 1-1-18; 100-645, eff. 7-27-18;
14101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
15    Section 10. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
16changing Section 9A-11 as follows:
 
17    (305 ILCS 5/9A-11)  (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-11)
18    Sec. 9A-11. Child care.
19    (a) The General Assembly recognizes that families with
20children need child care in order to work. Child care is
21expensive and families with low incomes, including those who
22are transitioning from welfare to work, often struggle to pay
23the costs of day care. The General Assembly understands the
24importance of helping low-income working families become and

 

 

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1remain self-sufficient. The General Assembly also believes
2that it is the responsibility of families to share in the costs
3of child care. It is also the preference of the General
4Assembly that all working poor families should be treated
5equally, regardless of their welfare status.
6    (b) To the extent resources permit, the Illinois
7Department shall provide child care services to parents or
8other relatives as defined by rule who are working or
9participating in employment or Department approved education
10or training programs. At a minimum, the Illinois Department
11shall cover the following categories of families:
12        (1) recipients of TANF under Article IV participating
13    in work and training activities as specified in the
14    personal plan for employment and self-sufficiency;
15        (2) families transitioning from TANF to work;
16        (3) families at risk of becoming recipients of TANF;
17        (4) families with special needs as defined by rule;
18        (5) working families with very low incomes as defined
19    by rule;
20        (6) families that are not recipients of TANF and that
21    need child care assistance to participate in education and
22    training activities;
23        (7) youth in care, as defined in Section 4d of the
24    Children and Family Services Act, who are parents,
25    regardless of income or whether they are working or
26    participating in Department-approved employment or

 

 

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1    education or training programs. Any family that receives
2    child care assistance in accordance with this paragraph
3    shall receive one additional 12-month child care
4    eligibility period after the parenting youth in care's
5    case with the Department of Children and Family Services
6    is closed, regardless of income or whether the parenting
7    youth in care is working or participating in
8    Department-approved employment or education or training
9    programs;
10        (8) families receiving Extended Family Support Program
11    services from the Department of Children and Family
12    Services, regardless of income or whether they are working
13    or participating in Department-approved employment or
14    education or training programs; and
15        (9) families with children under the age of 5 who have
16    an open intact family services case with the Department of
17    Children and Family Services. Any family that receives
18    child care assistance in accordance with this paragraph
19    shall remain eligible for child care assistance 6 months
20    after the child's intact family services case is closed,
21    regardless of whether the child's parents or other
22    relatives as defined by rule are working or participating
23    in Department approved employment or education or training
24    programs. The Department of Human Services, in
25    consultation with the Department of Children and Family
26    Services, shall adopt rules to protect the privacy of

 

 

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1    families who are the subject of an open intact family
2    services case when such families enroll in child care
3    services. Additional rules shall be adopted to offer
4    children who have an open intact family services case the
5    opportunity to receive an Early Intervention screening and
6    other services that their families may be eligible for as
7    provided by the Department of Human Services.
8    Beginning October 1, 2023, and every October 1 thereafter,
9the Department of Children and Family Services shall report to
10the General Assembly on the number of children who received
11child care via vouchers paid for by the Department of Children
12and Family Services during the preceding fiscal year. The
13report shall include the ages of children who received child
14care, the type of child care they received, and the number of
15months they received child care.
16    The Department shall specify by rule the conditions of
17eligibility, the application process, and the types, amounts,
18and duration of services. Eligibility for child care benefits
19and the amount of child care provided may vary based on family
20size, income, and other factors as specified by rule.
21    The Department shall update the Child Care Assistance
22Program Eligibility Calculator posted on its website to
23include a question on whether a family is applying for child
24care assistance for the first time or is applying for a
25redetermination of eligibility.
26    A family's eligibility for child care services shall be

 

 

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1redetermined no sooner than 12 months following the initial
2determination or most recent redetermination. During the
312-month periods, the family shall remain eligible for child
4care services regardless of (i) a change in family income,
5unless family income exceeds 85% of State median income, or
6(ii) a temporary change in the ongoing status of the parents or
7other relatives, as defined by rule, as working or attending a
8job training or educational program.
9    In determining income eligibility for child care benefits,
10the Department annually, at the beginning of each fiscal year,
11shall establish, by rule, one income threshold for each family
12size, in relation to percentage of State median income for a
13family of that size, that makes families with incomes below
14the specified threshold eligible for assistance and families
15with incomes above the specified threshold ineligible for
16assistance. Through and including fiscal year 2007, the
17specified threshold must be no less than 50% of the
18then-current State median income for each family size.
19Beginning in fiscal year 2008, the specified threshold must be
20no less than 185% of the then-current federal poverty level
21for each family size. Notwithstanding any other provision of
22law or administrative rule to the contrary, beginning in
23fiscal year 2019, the specified threshold for working families
24with very low incomes as defined by rule must be no less than
25185% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family
26size. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or

 

 

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1administrative rule to the contrary, beginning in State fiscal
2year 2022, the specified income threshold shall be no less
3than 200% of the then-current federal poverty level for each
4family size.
5    In determining eligibility for assistance, the Department
6shall not give preference to any category of recipients or
7give preference to individuals based on their receipt of
8benefits under this Code.
9    Nothing in this Section shall be construed as conferring
10entitlement status to eligible families.
11    The Illinois Department is authorized to lower income
12eligibility ceilings, raise parent co-payments, create waiting
13lists, or take such other actions during a fiscal year as are
14necessary to ensure that child care benefits paid under this
15Article do not exceed the amounts appropriated for those child
16care benefits. These changes may be accomplished by emergency
17rule under Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative
18Procedure Act, except that the limitation on the number of
19emergency rules that may be adopted in a 24-month period shall
20not apply.
21    The Illinois Department may contract with other State
22agencies or child care organizations for the administration of
23child care services.
24    (c) Payment shall be made for child care that otherwise
25meets the requirements of this Section and applicable
26standards of State and local law and regulation, including any

 

 

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1requirements the Illinois Department promulgates by rule in
2addition to the licensure requirements promulgated by the
3Department of Children and Family Services and Fire Prevention
4and Safety requirements promulgated by the Office of the State
5Fire Marshal, and is provided in any of the following:
6        (1) a child care center which is licensed or exempt
7    from licensure pursuant to Section 2.09 of the Child Care
8    Act of 1969;
9        (2) a licensed child care home or home exempt from
10    licensing;
11        (3) a licensed group child care home;
12        (4) other types of child care, including child care
13    provided by relatives or persons living in the same home
14    as the child, as determined by the Illinois Department by
15    rule.
16    (c-5) Solely for the purposes of coverage under the
17Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, child and day care home
18providers, including licensed and license exempt,
19participating in the Department's child care assistance
20program shall be considered to be public employees and the
21State of Illinois shall be considered to be their employer as
22of January 1, 2006 (the effective date of Public Act 94-320),
23but not before. The State shall engage in collective
24bargaining with an exclusive representative of child and day
25care home providers participating in the child care assistance
26program concerning their terms and conditions of employment

 

 

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1that are within the State's control. Nothing in this
2subsection shall be understood to limit the right of families
3receiving services defined in this Section to select child and
4day care home providers or supervise them within the limits of
5this Section. The State shall not be considered to be the
6employer of child and day care home providers for any purposes
7not specifically provided in Public Act 94-320, including, but
8not limited to, purposes of vicarious liability in tort and
9purposes of statutory retirement or health insurance benefits.
10Child and day care home providers shall not be covered by the
11State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971.
12    In according child and day care home providers and their
13selected representative rights under the Illinois Public Labor
14Relations Act, the State intends that the State action
15exemption to application of federal and State antitrust laws
16be fully available to the extent that their activities are
17authorized by Public Act 94-320.
18    (d) The Illinois Department shall establish, by rule, a
19co-payment scale that provides for cost sharing by families
20that receive child care services, including parents whose only
21income is from assistance under this Code. The co-payment
22shall be based on family income and family size and may be
23based on other factors as appropriate. Co-payments may be
24waived for families whose incomes are at or below the federal
25poverty level.
26    (d-5) The Illinois Department, in consultation with its

 

 

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1Child Care and Development Advisory Council, shall develop a
2plan to revise the child care assistance program's co-payment
3scale. The plan shall be completed no later than February 1,
42008, and shall include:
5        (1) findings as to the percentage of income that the
6    average American family spends on child care and the
7    relative amounts that low-income families and the average
8    American family spend on other necessities of life;
9        (2) recommendations for revising the child care
10    co-payment scale to assure that families receiving child
11    care services from the Department are paying no more than
12    they can reasonably afford;
13        (3) recommendations for revising the child care
14    co-payment scale to provide at-risk children with complete
15    access to Preschool for All and Head Start; and
16        (4) recommendations for changes in child care program
17    policies that affect the affordability of child care.
18    (e) (Blank).
19    (f) The Illinois Department shall, by rule, set rates to
20be paid for the various types of child care. Child care may be
21provided through one of the following methods:
22        (1) arranging the child care through eligible
23    providers by use of purchase of service contracts or
24    vouchers;
25        (2) arranging with other agencies and community
26    volunteer groups for non-reimbursed child care;

 

 

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1        (3) (blank); or
2        (4) adopting such other arrangements as the Department
3    determines appropriate.
4    (f-1) Within 30 days after June 4, 2018 (the effective
5date of Public Act 100-587), the Department of Human Services
6shall establish rates for child care providers that are no
7less than the rates in effect on January 1, 2018 increased by
84.26%.
9    (f-5) (Blank).
10    (f-10) When child care is provided by a child care center
11either licensed or exempt from licensure under Section 2.09 of
12the Child Care Act of 1969 by use of purchase of service
13contracts, grants, or any arrangements other than vouchers, in
14order to ensure the quality and continuity of services, within
156 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
16103rd General Assembly, all contracts shall require each child
17care center to do the following:
18        (1) Comply with the wage floor and compensation
19    policies set forth in Section 45-10 of the Early Childhood
20    Workforce Act, if the State, subject to appropriation,
21    pays contracts, grants, and any arrangements other than
22    vouchers that are sufficient to comply with the wage floor
23    and compensation policies set forth in Section 45-10 of
24    the Early Childhood Workforce Act.
25        (2) Report quarterly up-to-date contact information
26    for staff to the Department to allow the Department to

 

 

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1    communicate with the workers about their rights and
2    supports available to them.
3        (3) Supply the Department with current copies of its:
4    (i) wage scales for classroom and support staff, (ii)
5    formal procedures for addressing employee grievances, and
6    (iii) records of classroom and support staff participation
7    in creation of personnel and operational policies.
8        (4) Reconcile expenses quarterly and annually submit a
9    year-end comprehensive financial report in a form
10    prescribed by the Department which includes a detailed
11    breakdown of the uses of funding including amounts spent
12    on workforce compensation and supports.
13    (g) Families eligible for assistance under this Section
14shall be given the following options:
15        (1) receiving a child care certificate issued by the
16    Department or a subcontractor of the Department that may
17    be used by the parents as payment for child care and
18    development services only; or
19        (2) if space is available, enrolling the child with a
20    child care provider that has a purchase of service
21    contract with the Department or a subcontractor of the
22    Department for the provision of child care and development
23    services. The Department may identify particular priority
24    populations for whom they may request special
25    consideration by a provider with purchase of service
26    contracts, provided that the providers shall be permitted

 

 

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1    to maintain a balance of clients in terms of household
2    incomes and families and children with special needs, as
3    defined by rule.
4(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-657, eff. 3-23-21;
5102-491, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-926, eff.
65-27-22.)
 
7    Section 15. The Early Childhood Workforce Act is amended
8by adding Sections 45-10 and 45-15 as follows:
 
9    (325 ILCS 80/45-10 new)
10    Sec. 45-10. Wage floor and compensation.
11    (a) The Early Childhood Workforce Standards Board is
12created. The Board shall consist of the following members who
13must be appointed within 60 days after the effective date of
14this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly:
15        (1) Three members of a labor union representing child
16    care workers who serve children in the Child Care
17    Assistance Program and the Preschool for All program.
18        (2) Two employer representatives of early childhood
19    programs that are recipients of both Child Care Assistance
20    Program and Preschool for All program contracts or grants.
21        (3) Two members of the public who are parents or
22    guardians of children in the Child Care Assistance Program
23    or the Preschool for All program.
24        (4) One representative of a nongovernmental advocacy

 

 

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1    organization with an interest in early childhood care and
2    education.
3        (5) One representative of a State agency or division
4    concerned with child care and early learning.
5    (b) Members of the Board shall serve 4-year terms without
6pay and shall make and establish rules and regulations
7governing the Board and its proceedings. Terms of the initial
8members shall be staggered as follows:
9        (1) For members who are labor union representatives,
10    one shall serve for 2 years, one shall serve for 3 years,
11    and one shall serve for 4 years.
12        (2) For members who are employer representatives, one
13    shall serve for 2 years and one shall serve for 3 years.
14        (3) For members of the public who are parents, one
15    shall serve for one year and one shall serve for 2 years.
16        (4) For the member who represents a nongovernment
17    advocacy organization, a term of 3 years.
18        (5) For the member who represents a State agency or
19    division, a term of 4 years.
20    (c) For State Fiscal Year 2025, and for each State fiscal
21year thereafter, the Early Childhood Workforce Standards Board
22shall determine the following for child care centers which are
23licensed or exempt from licensure under Section 2.09 of the
24Child Care Act of 1969:
25        (1) An hourly wage floor, and salaried equivalent, for
26    workers in State-funded early childhood programs which,

 

 

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1    based on investigation, the Board believes will serve to
2    recruit and retain early childhood workers.
3        (2) Minimum increments above the wage floor as may be
4    necessary to retain workers in State-funded early
5    childhood programs such as for years of experience or job
6    title.
7    The Board shall issue recommendations on what terms of
8contract, a grant, or other State funding will be sufficient
9to comply with the wage floor and compensation policies it
10sets forth.
11    (d) Notwithstanding subsection (c) or any other provision
12of law, the wage floor in State Fiscal Year 2028 and after
13shall be no lower than $25 per hour.
14    (e) The Board shall utilize interdisciplinary,
15interinstitutional collaborations from key stakeholders as
16well as public hearings with interested parties and key
17stakeholders to conduct research, establish its findings, and
18define the implementation of the wage floor determined under
19subsections (c) and (d).
20    (f) The Board shall receive administrative support from
21the Department of Human Services.
 
22    (325 ILCS 80/45-15 new)
23    Sec. 45-15. Training and mentorship. Subject to
24appropriation, beginning in State Fiscal Year 2025, the
25Department of Human Services shall implement and administer a

 

 

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1program making grants to early childhood worker training
2programs that value experience, inclusion, equity, and racial
3justice; and center worker voices and needs such as
4mentorship, apprenticeships, and peer-led learning.".