101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB3728

 

Introduced 2/14/2020, 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 condition of the scholarship, including that a recipient of the scholarship must work at a public or nonpublic not-for profit preschool, elementary, or secondary school located in the State for at least 2 of the 5 years immediately following the recipient's graduation or termination of studies. Effective January 1, 2021.


LRB101 19839 CMG 69359 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3728LRB101 19839 CMG 69359 b

1    AN ACT concerning higher education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by adding Section 65.110 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.110 new)
7    Sec. 65.110. Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work
8Professional Educator License scholarship.
9    (a) Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall award
10annually up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work School Social
11Work Professional Educator License scholarships to a person
12who:
13        (1) holds a valid Illinois-licensed clinical social
14    work license or social work license;
15        (2) has obtained a master's degree in social work from
16    an approved program;
17        (3) is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;
18    and
19        (4) submits an application to the Commission for such
20    scholarship and agrees to take courses to obtain an
21    Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement
22    in School Social Work.
23    (b) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued

 

 

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1pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission, if no rule adopted
2by the State Board of Education prior to the effective date of
3this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, pursuant to
4the exercise of any right, power, duty, responsibility, or
5matter of pending business transferred from the State Board of
6Education to the Commission under this Section, shall be
7affected thereby, and all such rules shall become the rules of
8the Commission until modified or changed by the Commission in
9accordance with law. In awarding the scholarship, the
10Commission shall give priority to those applicants who are
11members of underrepresented communities in the school social
12work field in Illinois.
13    (c) Each scholarship shall be applied to the payment of
14tuition at the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois
15University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois
16University, Governors State University, Illinois State
17University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern
18Illinois University, and Western Illinois University. Tuition
19payments shall be applied only to courses that are required to
20obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an
21endorsement in School Social Work. The Commission, in
22consultation with the State Board of Education, shall determine
23the courses eligible for tuition payments under this Section.
24    (d) The Commission shall make tuition payments directly to
25the qualified institution of higher learning which the
26applicant attends for the courses prescribed or may make

 

 

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1payments to the applicant. Any applicant who receives payments
2and who fails to enroll in the courses prescribed shall refund
3the payments to the Commission.
4    (e) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under this
5Section must, within one year after graduation or termination
6of enrollment in a Post-Master of Social Work Professional
7Education License with an endorsement in School Social Work
8program, begin working at a public or nonpublic not-for profit
9preschool, elementary, or secondary school located in this
10State for at least 2 of the 5 years immediately following that
11graduation or termination, excluding, however, from the
12computation of that 5-year period: (i) any time up to 3 years
13spent in the military service, whether such service occurs
14before or after the person graduates; (ii) the time that person
15is a person with a temporary total disability for a period of
16time not to exceed 3 years, as established by the sworn
17affidavit of a qualified physician; and (iii) the time that
18person is seeking and unable to find full-time employment as a
19school social worker at a State public, private, or parochial
20school.
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
221, 2021.