SB1604 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 06939 LNS 16976 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1604

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Laura Fine

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
110 ILCS 205/9.45 new

Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts and other educational units that have school social work interns to assist those school districts and other educational units in the funding of school social work internships approved by the interns' educator preparation programs by providing stipends. Sets forth the stipend amount. Provides that the State Board of Education shall annually disseminate to school districts and other educational units that have school social work interns a request for applications for grants. Provides that grant applications shall be accepted on an annual basis. Provides that the State Board of Education shall establish procedures for submitting requests for stipends and issuing funds to approved applicants. Provides for prioritizing grants if an appropriation is insufficient to fund all applications for grants. Provides that for any school year in which grants are awarded, the State Board of Education shall produce a report on the awarding of grants, in cooperation with the school districts and educational units that are awarded grants. Sets forth requirements for the report. Provides that the report shall be posted on the State Board of Education's Internet website each school year in which grants are awarded. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall establish and administer a grant program to support the field placement of social workers. Provides that the Board shall distribute the funds appropriated for this purpose in the form of grants to public or nonpublic institutions of higher education to expand opportunities for students who are intending to become social workers and to assist students in pursuing social-work related field placements, internships, and other work opportunities. Sets forth other requirements concerning the operation of the grant program. Effective immediately.

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 2-3.206 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new)

Sec. 2-3.206. Grants for stipends for school social work internships.

(a) As used in this Section, "school social work intern" means an individual who is enrolled in a program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of school social workers to qualify for a professional educator license under Article 21B of this Code with an endorsement in the area of school social work and who is required to complete a school social work internship in a school setting as part of the individual's educator preparation program.

(b) Subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts and other educational units that have school social work interns to assist those school districts and other educational units in the funding of school social work internships approved by the interns' educator preparation programs by providing stipends. The stipend amount shall equal at least $15,000 per year for each intern at a rate of at least $25 per hour.

(c) The State Board of Education shall annually disseminate to school districts and other educational units that have school social work interns a request for applications for grants under this Section. Grant applications shall be accepted on an annual basis. The State Board of Education shall establish procedures for submitting requests for stipends and issuing funds to approved applicants.

(d) If the appropriation for grants under this Section for a given fiscal year is less than the amount required to fund all applications for grants, the State Board of Education shall give priority to school districts that have been designated as Tier 1 or Tier 2 pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15 of this Code and that have applied for grant funds.

(e) For any school year in which grants are awarded under this Section, the State Board of Education shall produce a report on the awarding of grants, in cooperation with the school districts and educational units that are awarded grants. The report shall include a list of the recipients of the grant awards, the amount of grant funds awarded to each recipient, and the total amount awarded. The report shall be posted on the State Board of Education's Internet website each school year in which grants are awarded.

Section 10. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by adding Section 9.45 as follows:

(110 ILCS 205/9.45 new)

Sec. 9.45. Grants for social worker field placement.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Board shall establish and administer a grant program to support the field placement of social workers.

(b) The Board shall distribute the funds appropriated for the grant program established under this Section in the form of grants to public or nonpublic institutions of higher education to expand opportunities for students who are intending to become social workers and to assist students in pursuing social-work related field placements, internships, and other work opportunities.

(c) The Board shall ensure that the grant program established under this Section provides grants to a representative cross section of students in this State.

(d) No grant may be awarded under this Section for any program of sectarian instruction or for any program designed to serve a sectarian purpose.

(e) The Board may require evaluations, audits, or reports in relation to the fiscal and academic aspects of any program for which a grant is awarded under this Section. The Board may annually submit to the Governor and General Assembly a budgetary recommendation for grants under this Section.

(f) The Board may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.