Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB2848 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2848 Introduced , by Rep. Michelle Mussman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new110 ILCS 947/65.135 new110 ILCS 947/65.140 new Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a program of paid internships for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to develop and maintain interest in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a school support personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship program. Provides that, to encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Sets forth provisions concerning the Program. Effective immediately. LRB104 11375 LNS 21463 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2848 Introduced , by Rep. Michelle Mussman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new110 ILCS 947/65.135 new110 ILCS 947/65.140 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new 110 ILCS 947/65.140 new Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a program of paid internships for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to develop and maintain interest in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a school support personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship program. Provides that, to encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Sets forth provisions concerning the Program. Effective immediately. LRB104 11375 LNS 21463 b LRB104 11375 LNS 21463 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2848 Introduced , by Rep. Michelle Mussman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new110 ILCS 947/65.135 new110 ILCS 947/65.140 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new 110 ILCS 947/65.140 new
4	4	105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
5	5	105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new
6	6	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
7	7	110 ILCS 947/65.140 new
8	8	Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a program of paid internships for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to develop and maintain interest in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a school support personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship program. Provides that, to encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Sets forth provisions concerning the Program. Effective immediately.
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11	11	A BILL FOR
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13	13	HB2848 LRB104 11375 LNS 21463 b
14	14	1 AN ACT concerning education.
15	15	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
16	16	3 represented in the General Assembly:
17	17	4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
18	18	5 2-3.206 and 2-3.207 as follows:
19	19	6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new)
20	20	7 Sec. 2-3.206. School support personnel paid internship
21	21	8 program.
22	22	9 (a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education
23	23	10 shall establish a program of paid internships for students
24	24	11 enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school
25	25	12 support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker,
26	26	13 school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and
27	27	14 speech-language pathologist.
28	28	15 (b) A paid internship under the program shall be for one
29	29	16 academic year and shall continue until the student has met the
30	30	17 student's internship or field placement requirement as part of
31	31	18 the educator preparation program in which the student is
32	32	19 enrolled.
33	33	20 (c) Under the program, the rate of pay for the student may
34	34	21 be no lower than the wage required under Section 4 of the
35	35	22 Minimum Wage Law.
36	36	23 (d) If the amount of funds appropriated for the program is
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40	40	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2848 Introduced , by Rep. Michelle Mussman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
41	41	105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new110 ILCS 947/65.135 new110 ILCS 947/65.140 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new 105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new 110 ILCS 947/65.135 new 110 ILCS 947/65.140 new
42	42	105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
43	43	105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new
44	44	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
45	45	110 ILCS 947/65.140 new
46	46	Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a program of paid internships for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to develop and maintain interest in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a school support personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship program. Provides that, to encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Sets forth provisions concerning the Program. Effective immediately.
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48	48	LRB104 11375 LNS 21463 b
49	49	A BILL FOR
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55	55	105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
56	56	105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new
57	57	110 ILCS 947/65.135 new
58	58	110 ILCS 947/65.140 new
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77	77	1 insufficient to cover all internships in a given fiscal year,
78	78	2 the State Board of Education shall allocate the funds
79	79	3 available to internships in high need schools or school
80	80	4 districts.
81	81	5 (e) To qualify for a paid internship under the program,
82	82	6 the student must be supervised by an individual who holds a
83	83	7 Professional Educator License under Article 21B with an
84	84	8 endorsement in the student's area of study.
85	85	9 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.207 new)
86	86	10 Sec. 2-3.207. Mentorship and recruitment program.
87	87	11 (a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education
88	88	12 shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment
89	89	13 program to develop and maintain interest in the school support
90	90	14 personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school
91	91	15 psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and
92	92	16 speech-language pathologist. The purpose of the program is to
93	93	17 attract students in high schools, community colleges, and
94	94	18 undergraduate higher education programs to school support
95	95	19 personnel professions and to encourage students to continue on
96	96	20 to complete appropriate educator preparation programs and
97	97	21 employment in this State's public schools.
98	98	22 (b) The State Board of Education shall collaborate with
99	99	23 the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College
100	100	24 Board, institutions of higher education, and professional
101	101	25 associations representing the respective school support
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112	112	1 personnel endorsement areas to develop the program.
113	113	2 (c) If the funding appropriated for the program is
114	114	3 insufficient to address all areas of this State, the program
115	115	4 may be limited to those areas of highest need. A pilot program
116	116	5 must cover all school support personnel endorsement areas.
117	117	6 Section 10. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
118	118	7 amended by adding Sections 65.135 and 65.140 as follows:
119	119	8 (110 ILCS 947/65.135 new)
120	120	9 Sec. 65.135. School support personnel educator preparation
121	121	10 scholarship program.
122	122	11 (a) Subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026
123	123	12 academic year, the Commission shall establish a school support
124	124	13 personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually
125	125	14 award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school
126	126	15 counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language
127	127	16 pathology. A person is eligible for a scholarship if the
128	128	17 person:
129	129	18 (1) is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;
130	130	19 (2) submits an application to the Commission for a
131	131	20 scholarship;
132	132	21 (3) verifies that the person meets the requirements to
133	133	22 enroll in an educator preparation program the successful
134	134	23 completion of which will qualify the person for a school
135	135	24 support personnel endorsement in the area of school
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146	146	1 psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, or
147	147	2 speech-language pathologist; and
148	148	3 (4) agrees to take the coursework necessary to earn a
149	149	4 Professional Educator License with a school support
150	150	5 personnel endorsement in the area of school psychologist,
151	151	6 school counselor, school nurse, or speech-language
152	152	7 pathologist.
153	153	8 (b) If funds are insufficient for a given fiscal year to
154	154	9 provide all qualified applicants with a scholarship as
155	155	10 authorized by this Section, the Commission shall allocate the
156	156	11 available scholarship funds for that fiscal year to qualified
157	157	12 applicants who submit a complete application on or before a
158	158	13 date specified by the Commission, based on the following order
159	159	14 of priority:
160	160	15 (1) first, to qualified applicants who received a
161	161	16 scholarship under this Section in the prior academic year;
162	162	17 (2) second, to new, qualified applicants who are
163	163	18 members of a racial minority as defined in subsection (d);
164	164	19 and
165	165	20 (3) third, to other new, qualified applicants in
166	166	21 accordance with this Section.
167	167	22 (c) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be
168	168	23 issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission.
169	169	24 (d) The General Assembly finds that racial minorities are
170	170	25 underrepresented as school support personnel in elementary and
171	171	26 secondary schools in this State and it is in the interest of
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182	182	1 this State to provide them with priority consideration for
183	183	2 programs that encourage their participation in school support
184	184	3 personnel fields and thereby foster professions that are more
185	185	4 reflective of the diversity of the Illinois students and their
186	186	5 parents those professions serve. A more reflective workforce
187	187	6 in school support personnel endorsement fields allows for
188	188	7 improved outcomes for students and better utilization of
189	189	8 services. Therefore, the Commission should give priority to
190	190	9 those applicants who are members of a racial minority.
191	191	10 In this subsection (d), "racial minority" means a person
192	192	11 who is a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent
193	193	12 resident alien of the United States and who is:
194	194	13 (1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black
195	195	14 racial groups in Africa);
196	196	15 (2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese
197	197	16 culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America,
198	198	17 or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race);
199	199	18 (3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of
200	200	19 the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the
201	201	20 Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or
202	202	21 (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having
203	203	22 origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
204	204	23 In awarding scholarships under this Section, the
205	205	24 Commission shall give priority to those applicants who are
206	206	25 members of a racial minority.
207	207	26 (e) Each scholarship awarded under this Section shall be
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218	218	1 applied to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees at the
219	219	2 University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago
220	220	3 State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State
221	221	4 University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois
222	222	5 University, Northern Illinois University, or Western Illinois
223	223	6 University. Each scholarship may be applied to pay tuition and
224	224	7 mandatory fees required to obtain a Professional Educator
225	225	8 License under Article 21B of the School Code with a school
226	226	9 support personnel endorsement in the area of school
227	227	10 psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, or
228	228	11 speech-language pathologist.
229	229	12 (f) The Commission shall make tuition and fee payments
230	230	13 directly to the qualified institution of higher learning that
231	231	14 the applicant attends.
232	232	15 (g) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under this
233	233	16 Section must, within one year after graduation or termination
234	234	17 of enrollment in an educator preparation program to obtain a
235	235	18 Professional Educator License with a school support personnel
236	236	19 endorsement in the area of school psychologist, school
237	237	20 counselor, school nurse, or speech-language pathologist, begin
238	238	21 working in that endorsement area at a public or nonpublic
239	239	22 not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or secondary
240	240	23 school located in this State for at least 2 of the 5 years
241	241	24 immediately following that graduation or termination,
242	242	25 excluding, however, from the computation of that 5-year
243	243	26 period: (i) any time up to 3 years spent in military service,
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254	254	1 whether such service occurs before or after the person
255	255	2 graduates; (ii) the time that person is a person with a
256	256	3 temporary total disability, for a period of time not to exceed
257	257	4 3 years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified
258	258	5 physician; and (iii) the time that person is seeking and
259	259	6 unable to find full-time employment in that person's field of
260	260	7 endorsement at a public or nonpublic not-for-profit preschool,
261	261	8 elementary school, or secondary school located in this State.
262	262	9 (h) If a recipient of a scholarship under this Section
263	263	10 fails to fulfill the work obligation set forth in subsection
264	264	11 (g), the Commission shall require the recipient to repay the
265	265	12 amount of the scholarship received, prorated according to the
266	266	13 fraction of the obligation not completed, at a rate of
267	267	14 interest equal to 5%, and, if applicable, reasonable
268	268	15 collection fees. The Commission is authorized to establish
269	269	16 rules relating to its collection activities for repayment of
270	270	17 scholarships under this Section. All repayments collected
271	271	18 under this Section shall be forwarded to the State Comptroller
272	272	19 for deposit into this State's General Revenue Fund.
273	273	20 (i) A recipient of a scholarship under this Section is not
274	274	21 considered to be in violation of the failure to fulfill the
275	275	22 work obligation under subsection (g) if the recipient (i)
276	276	23 enrolls on a full-time basis as a graduate student in a course
277	277	24 of study related to the recipient's field of endorsement at a
278	278	25 qualified institution; (ii) is serving, not in excess of 3
279	279	26 years, as a member of the armed services of the United States;
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290	290	1 (iii) is a person with a temporary total disability for a
291	291	2 period of time not to exceed 3 years, as established by the
292	292	3 sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking and
293	293	4 unable to find full-time employment in the recipient's field
294	294	5 of endorsement at a public or non-public not-for-profit
295	295	6 preschool, elementary school, or secondary school located in
296	296	7 this State that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection
297	297	8 (g) and is able to provide evidence of that fact; or (v)
298	298	9 becomes a person with a permanent total disability, as
299	299	10 established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.
300	300	11 (110 ILCS 947/65.140 new)
301	301	12 Sec. 65.140. School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan
302	302	13 Repayment Program.
303	303	14 (a) To encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of
304	304	15 school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and
305	305	16 school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in
306	306	17 those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission
307	307	18 shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan
308	308	19 repayment assistance under this Section. This program shall be
309	309	20 known as the School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan
310	310	21 Repayment Program. The Commission shall administer the Program
311	311	22 and shall adopt all necessary and proper rules to effectively
312	312	23 implement the Program.
313	313	24 (b) Beginning July 1, 2025, subject to a separate
314	314	25 appropriation made for such purposes, the Commission shall
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325	325	1 award a grant, up to a maximum of $6,500, to each qualified
326	326	2 applicant. The Commission may encourage the recipient of a
327	327	3 grant under this Section to use the grant award for repayment
328	328	4 of the recipient's higher education loans.
329	329	5 If funds are insufficient for a given fiscal year to
330	330	6 provide all qualified applicants with a grant as authorized by
331	331	7 this Section, the Commission shall allocate the available
332	332	8 grant funds for that fiscal year to qualified applicants who
333	333	9 submit a complete application on or before a date specified by
334	334	10 the Commission, based on the following order of priority:
335	335	11 (1) first, to new, qualified applicants who are
336	336	12 members of a racial minority as defined in subsection (e);
337	337	13 and
338	338	14 (2) second, to other new, qualified applicants in
339	339	15 accordance with this Section.
340	340	16 (c) A person is a qualified applicant under this Section
341	341	17 if the person meets all of the following qualifications:
342	342	18 (1) The person is a United States citizen or eligible
343	343	19 noncitizen.
344	344	20 (2) The person is a resident of this State.
345	345	21 (3) The person is a borrower with an outstanding
346	346	22 balance due on a higher education loan related to
347	347	23 obtaining a degree in either school psychology, school
348	348	24 counseling, school nursing, or school speech-language
349	349	25 pathology.
350	350	26 (4) The person has been employed as a school
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361	361	1 psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, or school
362	362	2 speech-language pathologist by a public preschool,
363	363	3 elementary school, or secondary school for at least 12
364	364	4 consecutive months.
365	365	5 (5) The person is currently employed as a school
366	366	6 psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, or school
367	367	7 speech-language pathologist by a public preschool,
368	368	8 elementary school, or secondary school in this State;
369	369	9 (d) An applicant shall submit an application, in a form
370	370	10 determined by the Commission, for grant assistance under this
371	371	11 Section to the Commission. An applicant is required to submit,
372	372	12 with the application, such supporting documentation as the
373	373	13 Commission may deem necessary.
374	374	14 (e) The General Assembly finds that racial minorities are
375	375	15 underrepresented as school support personnel in preschools,
376	376	16 elementary schools, and secondary schools in this State and it
377	377	17 is in the interest of this State to provide them with priority
378	378	18 consideration for programs that encourage their participation
379	379	19 in this field and thereby foster school support personnel
380	380	20 professions that are more reflective of the diversity of the
381	381	21 Illinois students and their parents those professions will
382	382	22 serve. A more reflective workforce in school support personnel
383	383	23 professions allows for improved outcomes for students and
384	384	24 better utilization of services. Therefore, the Commission
385	385	25 should give priority to those applicants who are members of a
386	386	26 racial minority.
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397	397	1 In this subsection (e), "racial minority" means a person
398	398	2 who is a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent
399	399	3 resident alien of the United States and who is:
400	400	4 (1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black
401	401	5 racial groups in Africa);
402	402	6 (2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese
403	403	7 culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America,
404	404	8 or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race);
405	405	9 (3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of
406	406	10 the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the
407	407	11 Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or
408	408	12 (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having
409	409	13 origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
410	410	14 In awarding grants under this Section, the Commission
411	411	15 shall give priority to those applicants who are members of a
412	412	16 racial minority.
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