93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2171


 
Introduced 1/14/2004, by Carol Ronen
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		














20 ILCS 1305/10-22









    Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Deletes a provision that includes beginning and ending dates for the operation of a Great START(Strategy to Attract and Retain Teachers) program. Deletes provisions (i) requiring a working committee of the Child and Development Advisory Council of the Department of Human Services to make certain recommendations concerning the Great START program by October 1, 2000 and (ii) requiring the Department to evaluate the Great START program, gather data on the program, and submit a report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2002. Effective immediately.



















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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
















 


 


A BILL FOR









 














SB2171

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    AN ACT concerning professional development.

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
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represented in the General Assembly:


 
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    Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended  
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by changing Section 10-22 as follows:
 



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    (20 ILCS 1305/10-22)



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    Sec. 10-22. Great START program. 

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    (a) Beginning October 1, 2000 and until July 1, 2004, The 
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Department of
Human Services shall,
subject to a specific 
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appropriation for
this purpose, operate a Great START (Strategy 
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To Attract and Retain
Teachers) program. The goal of the 
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program is
to improve children's developmental and educational 
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outcomes in child care by
encouraging
increased professional 
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preparation by staff and
staff retention. The Great START 
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program shall coordinate with the TEACH
professional 
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development program.

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    The program shall provide wage supplements and may include 
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other incentives
to licensed child care center
personnel, 
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including early childhood
teachers, school-age workers, early 
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childhood assistants, school-age
assistants, and directors, as 
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such positions are defined by
administrative rule of the 
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Department of Children and Family Services. The
program shall 
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provide wage supplements and may include other incentives to

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licensed family day care home personnel and licensed group day 
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care home
personnel,
including caregivers and assistants as 
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such positions are
defined by administrative rule of the 
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Department of Children and Family
Services. Individuals will 
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receive supplements
commensurate with their qualifications.

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    (b) (Blank).
The Department shall convene a working 
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committee of its standing Child
and Development Advisory 
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Council to make
recommendations
by October 1, 2000 on the

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components of the Great START program. The working committee 
 


 









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shall
consist of experts from the child care and
early 
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childhood education field. In addition, the working committee 
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shall
include, when necessary, the Secretary of Human Services,

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the
Director of Children and Family Services, the
Director of 
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Commerce and Community Affairs, the Director of Employment

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Security, the Superintendent of the State
Board of Education, 
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the Chair of the Community College Board, and the Chair of
the 
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Executive Committee of the Board
of Higher Education, or their 
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designees.

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    (c) The Department shall, by rule, define the scope and 
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operation of the
program, including a wage supplement scale. 
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The
scale shall pay increasing amounts for
higher levels of 
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educational attainment beyond minimum qualifications and shall

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recognize longevity of employment.
Subject to the availability 
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of sufficient appropriation, the wage supplements
shall be paid 
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to child care personnel in the form of
bonuses at 6 month 
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intervals. Six months of
continuous service with a single 
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employer is required to be eligible to receive
a wage 
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supplement bonus.  Wage
supplements shall be paid directly to 
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individual day care personnel, not to
their employers.  Eligible 
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individuals must
provide to the Department or its agent all 
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information and documentation,
including but not limited to 
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college transcripts, to
demonstrate their qualifications for a 
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particular
wage supplement level.

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    If appropriations permit, the Department may include 
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one-time signing bonuses
or other incentives to help providers 
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attract staff,
provided that the signing bonuses are less than 
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the supplement staff would have
received if they had remained 
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employed
with another day care center or family day care home.

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    If appropriations permit, the Department may include 
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one-time longevity
bonuses or other incentives to recognize 
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staff who have
remained with a single employer.

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    (d) (Blank).
The Department shall evaluate the Great START 
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program, gather data
on
turnover rates, educational

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attainment, and other relevant issues, and submit a report to 
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the General
Assembly on the Great START program by
December 31, 
 


 









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2002.

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(Source: P.A. 91-831, eff. 6-15-00; revised 12-6-03.)

 

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