SB0661eng 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0661 Engrossed LRB102 13543 CMG 18890 b

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.110 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.110 new)

Sec. 65.110. Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarship.

(a) Subject to appropriation, beginning with awards for the 2022-2023 academic year, the Commission shall award annually up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships to a person who:

(1) holds a valid Illinois-licensed clinical social work license or social work license;

(2) has obtained a master's degree in social work from an approved program;

(3) is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen; and

(4) submits an application to the Commission for such scholarship and agrees to take courses to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement in School Social Work.

(b) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued pursuant to rules adopted by the Commission. In awarding scholarships, the Commission shall give priority to those applicants who are members of a racial minority. In this subsection (b), "racial minority" means a person who is a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident alien of the United States and who is:

(1) Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups in Africa);

(2) Hispanic (a person of Spanish or Portuguese culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race);

(3) Asian American (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or

(4) American Indian or Alaskan Native (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America).

(c) Each scholarship shall be applied to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees at the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University. Each scholarship may be applied to pay tuition and mandatory fees required to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement in School Social Work.

(d) The Commission shall make tuition and fee payments directly to the qualified institution of higher learning that the applicant attends.

(e) Any person who has accepted a scholarship under this Section must, within one year after graduation or termination of enrollment in a Post-Master of Social Work Professional Education License with an endorsement in School Social Work program, begin working as a school social worker at a public or nonpublic not-for-profit preschool, elementary school, or secondary school located in this State for at least 2 of the 5 years immediately following that graduation or termination, excluding, however, from the computation of that 5-year period: (i) any time up to 3 years spent in the military service, whether such service occurs before or after the person graduates; (ii) the time that person is a person with a temporary total disability for a period of time not to exceed 3 years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician; and (iii) the time that person is seeking and unable to find full-time employment as a school social worker at a State public, private, or parochial school.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.