State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Senate Amendment 001 ]

91_HB4021

 
                                              LRB9113015ACtmA

 1        AN ACT creating the Great START program.

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

 4        Section  5.   The  Department  of  Human  Services Act is
 5    amended by adding Section 10-22 as follows:

 6        (20 ILCS 1305/10-22 new)
 7        Sec. 10-22. Great START program.
 8        (a)  Beginning October 1, 2000, the Department  of  Human
 9    Services  shall, subject to a specific appropriation for this
10    purpose, operate a  Great  START  (Strategy  To  Attract  and
11    Retain  Teachers)  program.  The  goal  of  the program is to
12    improve children's educational  outcomes  in  child  care  by
13    encouraging  increased  professional preparation by staff and
14    staff retention. The Great  START  program  shall  coordinate
15    with the TEACH professional development program.
16        The  program  shall  provide wage supplements to licensed
17    child  care  center  personnel,  including  early   childhood
18    teachers,  school-age  workers,  early  childhood assistants,
19    school-age  assistants,  and   directors,   as   defined   by
20    administrative  rule of the Department of Children and Family
21    Services. The  program  shall  provide  wage  supplements  to
22    licensed  family  day  care home personnel and licensed group
23    day care home personnel, including caregivers and  assistants
24    as  defined  by  administrative  rule  of  the  Department of
25    Children  and  Family  Services.  Individuals  will   receive
26    supplements commensurate with their qualifications.
27        (b)  The  Department shall convene an advisory commission
28    to make recommendations by October 1, 2000 on the  components
29    of  the  Great  START  program. The advisory commission shall
30    consist of experts from the child care  and  early  childhood
31    education  field.  In  addition  to  the  Secretary  of Human
 
                            -2-               LRB9113015ACtmA
 1    Services, ex officio, and other appropriate  members  of  the
 2    Department  of Human Services, the Commission shall include a
 3    Senator appointed by the President of the Senate,  a  Senator
 4    appointed  by  the  Senate  Minority Leader, a Representative
 5    appointed by the  Speaker  of  the  House,  a  Representative
 6    appointed  by  the  House  Minority Leader, and the following
 7    ex-officio members:  the  Director  of  Children  and  Family
 8    Services, the Director of Commerce and Community Affairs, the
 9    Director  of  Employment  Security, the Superintendent of the
10    State Board of Education, the Chair of the Community  College
11    Board,  and the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board
12    of Higher Education. Ex-officio members may name  a  designee
13    to represent them.
14        (c)  The  Department  shall,  by  rule,  develop  a  wage
15    supplement  scale. The scale shall pay increasing amounts for
16    higher  levels  of  educational  attainment  beyond   minimum
17    qualifications  and  shall recognize longevity of employment.
18    The wage supplements shall be paid to child care personnel in
19    the form of bonuses at  6  month  intervals.  Six  months  of
20    continuous  service  with a single employer is required to be
21    eligible  to  receive  a   wage   supplement   bonus.    Wage
22    supplements  shall  be  paid  directly to individual day care
23    personnel, not to their employers.  Eligible individuals must
24    provide documentation, including but not limited  to  college
25    transcripts,   to  demonstrate  their  qualifications  for  a
26    particular wage supplement level.
27        If appropriations  permit,  the  Department  may  include
28    one-time  signing  bonuses  to  help providers attract staff,
29    provided  that  the  signing  bonuses  are  less   than   the
30    supplement  staff  would  have  received if they had remained
31    employed with another day care  center  or  family  day  care
32    home.
33        If  appropriations  permit,  the  Department  may include
34    one-time  longevity  bonuses  to  recognize  staff  who  have
 
                            -3-               LRB9113015ACtmA
 1    remained with a single employer.
 2        (d)  The  Department  shall  evaluate  the  Great   START
 3    program,   gather   data   on   turnover  rates,  educational
 4    attainment, and other relevant issues, and submit a report to
 5    the General Assembly on the Great START program  by  December
 6    31, 2002.

 7        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 8    becoming law.

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