SB0661 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 13543 CMG 18890 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0661

Introduced 2/24/2021, by Sen. Ann Gillespie

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 947/65.110 new

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Allows the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to award Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships to an individual who has a valid Illinois-licensed clinical social work license or social work license and a Master of Social Work degree for the purpose of obtaining a Professional Educator License with an endorsement in social work. Sets forth various terms and conditions of the scholarship, including that a recipient of the scholarship must work at a public or nonpublic not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or secondary school located in this State for at least 2 of the 5 years immediately following the recipient's graduation or termination of studies. Effective January 1, 2022.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

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 Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.110 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.110 new)

Sec. 65.110. Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarship.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall award annually up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships to a person who:

(1) holds a valid Illinois-licensed clinical social work license or social work license;

(2) has obtained a master's degree in social work from an approved program;

(3) is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen; and

(4) submits an application to the Commission for such scholarship and agrees to take courses to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement in School Social Work.

(b) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission, if no rule adopted by the State Board of Education prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, pursuant to the exercise of any right, power, duty, responsibility, or matter of pending business transferred from the State Board of Education to the Commission under this Section, shall be affected thereby, and all such rules shall become the rules of the Commission until modified or changed by the Commission in accordance with law. In awarding the scholarship, the Commission shall give priority to those applicants who are members of underrepresented communities in the school social work field in Illinois.

(c) Each scholarship shall be applied to the payment of tuition at the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University. Tuition payments shall be applied only to courses that are required to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement in School Social Work. The Commission, in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall determine the courses eligible for tuition payments under this Section.

(d) The Commission shall make tuition payments directly to the qualified institution of higher learning which the applicant attends for the courses prescribed or may make payments to the applicant. Any applicant who receives payments and who fails to enroll in the courses prescribed shall refund the payments to the Commission.

(e) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under this Section must, within one year after graduation or termination of enrollment in a Post-Master of Social Work Professional Education License with an endorsement in School Social Work program, begin working at a public or nonpublic not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or secondary school located in this State for at least 2 of the 5 years immediately following that graduation or termination, excluding, however, from the computation of that 5-year period: (i) any time up to 3 years spent in the military service, whether such service occurs before or after the person graduates; (ii) the time that person is a person with a temporary total disability for a period of time not to exceed 3 years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; and (iii) the time that person is seeking and unable to find full-time employment as a school social worker at a State public, private, or parochial school.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.