State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ]
[ Senate Amendment 001 ]

91_HB4021ham002

 










                                             LRB9113015ACtmam

 1                    AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4021

 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend House Bill 4021  by  replacing
 3    everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 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 developmental and educational outcomes  in
13    child  care by encouraging increased professional preparation
14    by staff and staff retention. The Great START  program  shall
15    coordinate with the TEACH professional development program.
16        The  program  shall  provide  wage  supplements  and  may
17    include  other  incentives  to  licensed  child  care  center
18    personnel,  including  early  childhood  teachers, school-age
19    workers, early childhood assistants,  school-age  assistants,
20    and   directors,   as   such   positions   are   defined   by
21    administrative  rule of the Department of Children and Family
22    Services. The program shall provide wage supplements and  may
 
                            -2-              LRB9113015ACtmam
 1    include  other  incentives  to  licensed family day care home
 2    personnel  and  licensed  group  day  care  home   personnel,
 3    including  caregivers  and  assistants  as such positions are
 4    defined by administrative rule of the Department of  Children
 5    and  Family  Services.  Individuals  will receive supplements
 6    commensurate with their qualifications.
 7        (b)  The Department shall convene a working committee  of
 8    its  standing  Child and Development Advisory Council to make
 9    recommendations by October 1, 2000 on the components  of  the
10    Great  START  program. The working committee shall consist of
11    experts from the child care  and  early  childhood  education
12    field. In addition, the working committee shall include, when
13    necessary,  the  Secretary of Human Services, the Director of
14    Children and Family Services, the Director  of  Commerce  and
15    Community  Affairs,  the Director of Employment Security, the
16    Superintendent of the State Board of Education, the Chair  of
17    the  Community  College Board, and the Chair of the Executive
18    Committee  of  the  Board  of  Higher  Education,  or   their
19    designees.
20        (c)  The  Department shall, by rule, define the scope and
21    operation of the program, including a wage supplement  scale.
22    The  scale  shall pay increasing amounts for higher levels of
23    educational  attainment  beyond  minimum  qualifications  and
24    shall recognize  longevity  of  employment.  Subject  to  the
25    availability    of   sufficient   appropriation,   the   wage
26    supplements shall be paid to child care personnel in the form
27    of bonuses at 6 month intervals.  Six  months  of  continuous
28    service  with a single employer is required to be eligible to
29    receive a wage supplement bonus.  Wage supplements  shall  be
30    paid  directly to individual day care personnel, not to their
31    employers.   Eligible  individuals  must   provide   to   the
32    Department  or  its  agent all information and documentation,
33    including  but  not  limited  to  college   transcripts,   to
34    demonstrate   their  qualifications  for  a  particular  wage
 
                            -3-              LRB9113015ACtmam
 1    supplement level.
 2        If appropriations  permit,  the  Department  may  include
 3    one-time   signing   bonuses  or  other  incentives  to  help
 4    providers attract staff, provided that  the  signing  bonuses
 5    are  less  than  the  supplement staff would have received if
 6    they had remained employed with another day  care  center  or
 7    family day care home.
 8        If  appropriations  permit,  the  Department  may include
 9    one-time longevity bonuses or other incentives  to  recognize
10    staff who have remained with a single employer.
11        (d)  The   Department  shall  evaluate  the  Great  START
12    program,  gather  data   on   turnover   rates,   educational
13    attainment, and other relevant issues, and submit a report to
14    the  General  Assembly on the Great START program by December
15    31, 2002.

16        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
17    becoming law.".

[ Top ]