Sen. Laura Fine

Filed: 3/25/2024

 

 


 

 


 
10300SB2222sam001LRB103 27718 RJT 71275 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2222

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2222 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
53.204 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/3.204 new)
7    Sec. 3.204. Grants for stipends for school social work
8internships.
9    (a) As used in this Section, "school social work intern"
10means an individual who is enrolled in a program approved by
11the State Board of Education for the preparation of school
12social workers to qualify for a professional educator license
13under Article 21B with an endorsement in the area of school
14social work and who is required to complete a school social
15work internship in a school setting as part of the
16individual's educator preparation program.

 

 

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1    (b) Subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025
2school year, the State Board of Education shall award
3competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts and
4other educational units that have school social work interns
5to assist those school districts and other educational units
6in the funding of school social work internships approved by
7the interns' educator preparation programs by providing
8stipends. The stipend amount shall equal at least $15,000 per
9year for each intern at a rate of at least $25 per hour.
10    (c) The State Board of Education shall annually
11disseminate to school districts and other educational units
12that have school social work interns a request for
13applications for grants under this Section. Grant applications
14shall be accepted on an annual basis. The State Board of
15Education shall establish procedures for submitting requests
16for stipends and issuing funds to approved applicants.
17    (d) If the appropriation for grants under this Section for
18a given fiscal year is less than the amount required to fund
19all applications for grants, the State Board of Education
20shall give priority to school districts that have been
21designated as Tier 1 or Tier 2 pursuant to paragraph (3) of
22subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15 of this Code and that have
23applied for grant funds.
24    (e) For any school year in which grants are awarded under
25this Section, the State Board of Education shall produce a
26report on the awarding of grants, in cooperation with the

 

 

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1school districts and educational units that are awarded
2grants. The report shall include a list of the recipients of
3the grant awards, the amount of grant funds awarded to each
4recipient, and the total amount awarded. The report shall be
5posted on the State Board of Education's Internet website each
6year in which grants are awarded.
 
7    Section 10. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended
8by adding Section 9.44 as follows:
 
9    (110 ILCS 205/9.44 new)
10    Sec. 9.44. Grants for social worker field placement.
11    (a) Subject to appropriation, the Board shall establish
12and administer a grant program to support the field placement
13of social workers.
14    (b) The Board shall distribute the funds appropriated for
15the grant program established under this Section in the form
16of grants to public or nonpublic institutions of higher
17education to expand opportunities for students who are
18intending to become social workers and to assist students in
19pursuing social-work related field placements, internships,
20and other work opportunities.
21    (c) The Board shall ensure that the grant program
22established under this Section provides grants to a
23representative cross section of students in the State.
24    (d) No grant may be awarded under this Section for any

 

 

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1program of sectarian instruction or for any program designed
2to serve a sectarian purpose.
3    (e) The Board may require evaluations, audits, or reports
4in relation to fiscal and academic aspects of any program for
5which a grant is awarded under this Section. The Board may
6annually submit to the Governor and General Assembly a
7budgetary recommendation for grants under this Section.
8    (f) The Board may adopt any rules necessary for the
9implementation of this Section.
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.".