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Sen. Ram Villivalam
Filed: 4/14/2021
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| 1 | | AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 925
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| 2 | | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 925 by replacing |
| 3 | | everything after the enacting clause with the following:
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| 4 | | "Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is |
| 5 | | amended by adding Section 10-23 as follows:
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| 6 | | (20 ILCS 1305/10-23 new) |
| 7 | | Sec. 10-23. Maria Whelan Early Childhood Workforce Support |
| 8 | | Program. |
| 9 | | (a) The Department of Human Services shall, subject to the |
| 10 | | availability of funds, operate a Maria Whelan Early Childhood |
| 11 | | Education Workforce Support program. The goal of the program |
| 12 | | is to improve educational, developmental, and social or |
| 13 | | emotional outcomes for all children in early childhood |
| 14 | | programs by building and retaining a diverse, highly |
| 15 | | qualified, and well compensated early childhood workforce. |
| 16 | | (b) The program shall award a variety of financial |
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| 1 | | supports to eligible individuals in the early childhood |
| 2 | | workforce as defined by rule. The financial supports shall be |
| 3 | | designed to reduce the financial barriers the early childhood |
| 4 | | workforce faces to increase their education and credential |
| 5 | | attainment as well as to address the low wages of the early |
| 6 | | childhood field. The available financial supports shall |
| 7 | | include, but are not limited to, tuition payments, |
| 8 | | scholarships, costs for books and fees, debt relief, fees for |
| 9 | | entrance and licensure exams, bonus payments for completing a |
| 10 | | degree or credential, and wage supplements aligned with |
| 11 | | educational attainment. |
| 12 | | (c) The Department shall, by rule, define the scope, |
| 13 | | eligibility, application process, and operation of the |
| 14 | | program. If funds are limited, the program may prioritize |
| 15 | | awards that increase the diversity of the teacher pipeline, |
| 16 | | reduce racial and linguistic disparities, and increase access |
| 17 | | to care in geographic regions and age groups with the highest |
| 18 | | need for qualified teachers. Individuals must provide to the |
| 19 | | Department all relevant documentation to demonstrate |
| 20 | | eligibility.".
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