SB1498enr 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1498 Enrolled LRB101 09980 AXK 55082 b

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 2-3.80d as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80d new)

Sec. 2-3.80d. Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program.

(a) In this Section:

"Pre-service teaching student" means a student who is a declared agricultural education major accepted into an approved agricultural teacher education program at a public university in this State and who has completed at least 30 credit hours and has maintained, at a minimum, a 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.

"Illinois agricultural company" means any company in this State that has an interest in the agricultural industry, as determined by the pre-service teaching student's public university.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education must, in consultation with the Board of Higher Education, develop an Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program, beginning at the secondary education level, for pre-service teaching students that consists of both of the following:

(1) At a minimum, an 8-week experience or 300 hours of experience to prepare the pre-service teaching student for in-classroom experiences, including, but not limited to, experiences in the 5 career clusters for Illinois agricultural education through partnerships with Illinois agricultural companies. The 5 career clusters include agricultural business management, agricultural mechanics and technology, horticulture services operations and management, agricultural sciences, and natural resources conservation management.

(2) Both in-classroom lectures and hands-on, applied learning.

(c) Subject to appropriation, the State Board must award grants to a pre-service teaching student enrolled in the Internship Program under subsection (b), which may be used by the student to support all of the following activities:

(1) A stipend not to exceed $7,500 for a pre-service teaching student's completion of the Internship Program, distributed in monthly installments.

(2) Lodging for a pre-service teaching student while participating in the Internship Program.

(3) Reimbursement for meals, not to exceed the per diem rate established by the Internal Revenue Service, for a pre-service teaching student while participating in the Internship Program.

(4) Any reasonable costs for participation in the Internship Program charged by any participating Illinois agricultural company.

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