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Public Act 91-0831
HB4021 Enrolled LRB9113015ACtmA
AN ACT creating the Great START program.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is
amended by adding Section 10-22 as follows:
(20 ILCS 1305/10-22 new)
Sec. 10-22. Great START program.
(a) Beginning October 1, 2000 and until July 1, 2004,
the Department of Human Services shall, subject to a specific
appropriation for this purpose, operate a Great START
(Strategy To Attract and Retain Teachers) program. The goal
of the program is to improve children's developmental and
educational outcomes in child care by encouraging increased
professional preparation by staff and staff retention. The
Great START program shall coordinate with the TEACH
professional development program.
The program shall provide wage supplements and may
include other incentives to licensed child care center
personnel, including early childhood teachers, school-age
workers, early childhood assistants, school-age assistants,
and directors, as such positions are defined by
administrative rule of the Department of Children and Family
Services. The program shall provide wage supplements and may
include other incentives to licensed family day care home
personnel and licensed group day care home personnel,
including caregivers and assistants as such positions are
defined by administrative rule of the Department of Children
and Family Services. Individuals will receive supplements
commensurate with their qualifications.
(b) The Department shall convene a working committee of
its standing Child and Development Advisory Council to make
recommendations by October 1, 2000 on the components of the
Great START program. The working committee shall consist of
experts from the child care and early childhood education
field. In addition, the working committee shall include, when
necessary, the Secretary of Human Services, the Director of
Children and Family Services, the Director of Commerce and
Community Affairs, the Director of Employment Security, the
Superintendent of the State Board of Education, the Chair of
the Community College Board, and the Chair of the Executive
Committee of the Board of Higher Education, or their
designees.
(c) The Department shall, by rule, define the scope and
operation of the program, including a wage supplement scale.
The scale shall pay increasing amounts for higher levels of
educational attainment beyond minimum qualifications and
shall recognize longevity of employment. Subject to the
availability of sufficient appropriation, the wage
supplements shall be paid to child care personnel in the form
of bonuses at 6 month intervals. Six months of continuous
service with a single employer is required to be eligible to
receive a wage supplement bonus. Wage supplements shall be
paid directly to individual day care personnel, not to their
employers. Eligible individuals must provide to the
Department or its agent all information and documentation,
including but not limited to college transcripts, to
demonstrate their qualifications for a particular wage
supplement level.
If appropriations permit, the Department may include
one-time signing bonuses or other incentives to help
providers attract staff, provided that the signing bonuses
are less than the supplement staff would have received if
they had remained employed with another day care center or
family day care home.
If appropriations permit, the Department may include
one-time longevity bonuses or other incentives to recognize
staff who have remained with a single employer.
(d) The Department shall evaluate the Great START
program, gather data on turnover rates, educational
attainment, and other relevant issues, and submit a report to
the General Assembly on the Great START program by December
31, 2002.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
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