103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4652

 

Introduced 2/6/2024, by Rep. Barbara Hernandez

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 205/9.44 new

    Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall create a student teaching stipend program to alleviate the financial burden of student teaching and to encourage students to pursue teaching careers to alleviate this State's teacher shortage. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher no later than June 1, 2025 or no later than June 1 each year thereafter. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1, 2025 and no later than July 1 each year thereafter and all eligible students shall be participants in the stipend program. Provides that no later than August 1, 2025 and no later than August 1 each year thereafter, subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 per semester for up to 2 consecutive semesters, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that the educator preparation program shall distribute stipend funds using the standard methods for allocating State-based financial aid or as wages for employment to each eligible student in monthly installments. Sets forth additional provisions concerning the distribution of funds. Provides for rulemaking.


LRB103 36983 RJT 67097 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4652LRB103 36983 RJT 67097 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by
5adding Section 9.44 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 205/9.44 new)
7    Sec. 9.44. Student teaching stipend program.
8    (a) As used in this Section:
9    "Educator preparation program" means an approved educator
10preparation program offered by a recognized school or
11institution under Article 21B of the School Code.
12    "Eligible student" means a student who is enrolled in an
13educator preparation program, who is maintaining satisfactory
14academic progress, who is in a student teaching placement, and
15who is not contracted as the teacher of record for the student
16teaching placement.
17    "Student teaching" means a supervised clinical experience
18that prepares a candidate to take full responsibility in an
19instructional setting.
20    (b) Subject to appropriation, the Board shall create a
21student teaching stipend program to alleviate the financial
22burden of student teaching and to encourage students to pursue
23teaching careers to alleviate this State's teacher shortage.

 

 

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1    (c) To participate in the stipend program, an eligible
2student must be placed as a student teacher no later than June
31, 2025 or no later than June 1 each year thereafter. An
4educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all
5eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July
61, 2025 and no later than July 1 each year thereafter, and all
7eligible students shall be participants in the stipend
8program.
9    (d) Under the stipend program and subject to available
10appropriations, no later than August 1, 2025 and no later than
11August 1 each year thereafter, the Board shall disburse to
12each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each
13eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 per semester for up
14to 2 consecutive semesters, plus additional funds to pay the
15direct costs of operating the stipend program. The educator
16preparation program shall distribute stipend funds using the
17standard methods for allocating State-based financial aid or
18as wages for employment to each eligible student in monthly
19installments.
20    (e) If there is a surplus appropriated in a fiscal year for
21the stipend program, then the Board shall increase the amount
22distributed to each educator preparation program by the same
23percentage that the surplus bears to the amount required to
24fully fund the total number of eligible students who qualify
25for the stipend program that fiscal year. An educator
26preparation program shall increase the stipend amounts

 

 

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1distributed to each eligible student in proportion to the
2surplus.
3    (f) If the amount appropriated in a fiscal year for the
4stipend program is insufficient to fully fund stipends for the
5total number of eligible students for that fiscal year, then
6the Board shall reduce the amount distributed to each educator
7preparation program by the same percentage that the deficit
8bears to the amount required to fully fund the total number of
9eligible students who qualify for the stipend program. An
10educator preparation program shall reduce the stipend amounts
11distributed to each eligible student in proportion to the
12deficit.
13    (g) Funds not distributed by an educator preparation
14program shall be returned to the Board to be used for the
15subsequent fiscal year's stipend program.
16    (h) The Board shall adopt rules regarding the
17administration of the stipend program.