SB0661 EngrossedLRB102 13543 CMG 18890 b

1    AN ACT concerning 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, beginning with awards for
10the 2022-2023 academic year, the Commission shall award
11annually up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work School Social
12Work Professional Educator License scholarships to a person
13who:
14        (1) holds a valid Illinois-licensed clinical social
15    work license or social work license;
16        (2) has obtained a master's degree in social work from
17    an approved program;
18        (3) is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;
19    and
20        (4) submits an application to the Commission for such
21    scholarship and agrees to take courses to obtain an
22    Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement
23    in School Social Work.

 

 

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1    (b) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be
2issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission. In
3awarding scholarships, the Commission shall give priority to
4those applicants who are members of a racial minority. In this
5subsection (b), "racial minority" means a person who is a
6citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident
7alien of the United States and who is:
8        (1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black
9    racial groups in Africa);
10        (2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese
11    culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America,
12    or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race);
13        (3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of
14    the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the
15    Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or
16        (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having
17    origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
18    (c) Each scholarship shall be applied to the payment of
19tuition and mandatory fees at the University of Illinois,
20Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University,
21Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University,
22Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University,
23Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University.
24Each scholarship may be applied to pay tuition and mandatory
25fees required to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator
26License with an endorsement in School Social Work.

 

 

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1    (d) The Commission shall make tuition and fee payments
2directly to the qualified institution of higher learning that
3the applicant attends.
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 as a school social worker at a public or
9nonpublic not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or
10secondary school located in this State for at least 2 of the 5
11years immediately following that graduation or termination,
12excluding, however, from the computation of that 5-year
13period: (i) any time up to 3 years spent in the military
14service, whether such service occurs before or after the
15person graduates; (ii) the time that person is a person with a
16temporary total disability for a period of time not to exceed 3
17years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified
18physician; and (iii) the time that person is seeking and
19unable to find full-time employment as a school social worker
20at a State public, private, or parochial school.
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
221, 2022.