Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5397

LRB104 16435 LNS 29826 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5397

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Daniel Didech

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/2-3.214 new

Amends the School Code. Establishes within the State Board of Education the shortage differential salary incentive program to support licensed teachers who provide instruction in special education and hard-to-staff locations. Sets forth the various shortage differential grants under the program based on specified criteria. Provides that teachers who receive an annual shortage differential grant for being assigned to a position in a hard-to-staff location shall be assigned to a position in: (1) a complex area identified as a hard-to-staff location by a school district; (2) a complex area whose rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program has been below this State's average rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program for the last 3 years; (3) a geographically isolated complex area; or (4) a complex area whose combined number of vacant teaching positions and emergency hires was higher than 10% in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 2-3.214 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.214 new)

Sec. 2-3.214. Shortage differential salary incentive program.

(a) There is established within the State Board of Education the shortage differential salary incentive program to support licensed teachers who provide instruction in special education and hard-to-staff locations.

(b) The shortage differential salary incentive program shall provide:

(1) a $10,000 annual shortage differential grant for each public school teacher who possesses a valid Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations in the subject area of special education and is assigned to a school-level, instructional, special education position;

(2) a $3,000 annual shortage differential grant for each public school teacher who possesses a valid Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations, regardless of subject area, and is assigned to a school-level position at a school identified as a hard-to-staff location by a school district, whether in a classroom or school support personnel position, as long as the teacher is assigned to a location that meets no more than one of the areas listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c);

(3) a $5,000 annual shortage differential grant grant for each public school teacher who possesses a valid Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations, regardless of subject area, and is assigned to a school-level position, whether in a classroom or school support personnel position, as long as the teacher is assigned to a location that meets 2 of the areas listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c);

(4) a $7,500 annual shortage differential grant for each public school teacher who possesses a valid Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations, regardless of subject area, and is assigned to a school-level position, whether in a classroom or school support personnel position, as long as the teacher is assigned to a location that meets 3 of the areas listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c); and

(5) a $5,000 annual shortage differential grant for each public school teacher who possesses a valid Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations, regardless of subject area, and is assigned to a school-level position, whether in a classroom or school support personnel position, as long as the teacher is assigned to a location that meets all 4 of the areas listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c).

(c) Teachers who receive an annual shortage differential grant for being assigned to a position in a hard-to-staff location under subsection (b) shall be assigned to a position in:

(1) a complex area identified as a hard-to-staff location by a school district;

(2) a complex area whose rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program has been below this State's average rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program for the last 3 years;

(3) a geographically isolated complex area, which shall be defined as a complex area that is more than 25 miles from an urban center; or

(4) a complex area whose combined number of vacant teaching positions and emergency hires was higher than 10% in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.