Public Act 101-0554
 
SB1498 EnrolledLRB101 09980 AXK 55082 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.80d as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.80d new)
    Sec. 2-3.80d. Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher
Internship Program.
    (a) In this Section:
    "Pre-service teaching student" means a student who is a
declared agricultural education major accepted into an
approved agricultural teacher education program at a public
university in this State and who has completed at least 30
credit hours and has maintained, at a minimum, a 2.5 cumulative
grade point average on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.
    "Illinois agricultural company" means any company in this
State that has an interest in the agricultural industry, as
determined by the pre-service teaching student's public
university.
    (b) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education
must, in consultation with the Board of Higher Education,
develop an Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher
Internship Program, beginning at the secondary education
level, for pre-service teaching students that consists of both
of the following:
        (1) At a minimum, an 8-week experience or 300 hours of
    experience to prepare the pre-service teaching student for
    in-classroom experiences, including, but not limited to,
    experiences in the 5 career clusters for Illinois
    agricultural education through partnerships with Illinois
    agricultural companies. The 5 career clusters include
    agricultural business management, agricultural mechanics
    and technology, horticulture services operations and
    management, agricultural sciences, and natural resources
    conservation management.
        (2) Both in-classroom lectures and hands-on, applied
    learning.
    (c) Subject to appropriation, the State Board must award
grants to a pre-service teaching student enrolled in the
Internship Program under subsection (b), which may be used by
the student to support all of the following activities:
        (1) A stipend not to exceed $7,500 for a pre-service
    teaching student's completion of the Internship Program,
    distributed in monthly installments.
        (2) Lodging for a pre-service teaching student while
    participating in the Internship Program.
        (3) Reimbursement for meals, not to exceed the per diem
    rate established by the Internal Revenue Service, for a
    pre-service teaching student while participating in the
    Internship Program.
        (4) Any reasonable costs for participation in the
    Internship Program charged by any participating Illinois
    agricultural company.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.