SB 661

Abstract

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Allows the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to award Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships to an individual who has a valid Illinois-licensed clinical social work license or social work license and a Master of Social Work degree for the purpose of obtaining a Professional Educator License with an endorsement in social work. Sets forth various terms and conditions of the scholarship, including that a recipient of the scholarship must work 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 the recipient's graduation or termination of studies. Effective January 1, 2022. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill with the following changes. Provides for scholarship awards beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year. Removes certain provisions concerning rulemaking. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall give priority to those applicants who are members of a racial minority (rather than those applicants who are members of underrepresented communities in the school social work field in Illinois); defines "racial minority". Provides that each scholarship shall be applied to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees (rather than applied only to tuition). Makes other changes concerning the application and payment of a scholarship. Requires a scholarship recipient to work as a school social worker at a school (rather than work at a school). Effective January 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill with the following changes. Adds provisions concerning the priority in the award of scholarships for a fiscal year in which the amount of an appropriation is insufficient to provide scholarships to all qualified candidates. Makes changes concerning priority consideration to those applicants who are members of a racial minority. Removes a reference to "private or parochial school". Requires the repayment of amounts received if a recipient fails to fulfill the work obligation required under the terms of the scholarship, with exceptions. Effective January 1, 2022.