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HB 2848

EDUC-SCH SUPPORT PERSONNEL

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mike Crawford and 1 co-sponsor

HB 2848 creates paid internships, a mentorship program, and scholarships for school social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses, and SLPs to boost Illinois school support sta

Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2848

Summary — HB 2848 (Education: School Support Personnel)

Status (as of March 2025)
- Introduced in the Illinois House by Rep. Michelle Mussman (filed 2/5/2025; introduced 2/6/2025).
- Referred to committees including Higher Education and Elementary & Secondary Education; read in the House; Rule 19(a) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee on 3/21/2025.
- Subject to appropriation (funding must be provided by the General Assembly for programs to operate).

Purpose
- To strengthen the pipeline of school support personnel in Illinois public schools by creating three state programs: (1) a paid internship program for students in educator preparation programs, (2) a mentorship and recruitment program, and (3) an educator preparation scholarship program (with related loan‑repayment consideration). These target endorsement areas include school social work, school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech‑language pathology.

Key provisions
1. Paid Internship Program (added to the School Code)
- The State Board of Education (ISBE) shall establish, subject to appropriation, a paid internship program for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the listed school support personnel endorsement areas.
- Internships last one academic year and continue until the student fulfills the field placement/internship requirement of their preparation program.
- Pay must be at least the state minimum wage.
- Students must be supervised by an individual holding an appropriate Professional Educator License endorsement.
- If funds are insufficient, ISBE will allocate available funds to districts or schools with the greatest need.

  1. Mentorship and Recruitment Program (added to the School Code)

    • ISBE, subject to appropriation, shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to attract students from high schools, community colleges, and undergraduate programs into school support professions and encourage completion of preparation programs and employment in Illinois public schools.
    • ISBE will collaborate with the Board of Higher Education, Illinois Community College Board, institutions of higher education, and professional associations.
    • If funding is limited, the program may be limited to highest‑need areas; a pilot must cover all endorsement areas.

  2. School Support Personnel Educator Preparation Scholarship Program (added to the Higher Education Student Assistance Act)

    • Starting with the 2025–2026 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), subject to appropriation, will award up to 250 annual scholarships for study in school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech‑language pathology.
    • Eligibility: U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen; application to ISAC; meets enrollment requirements for an educator preparation program leading to the relevant endorsement; agreement to take necessary coursework.
    • If funds are insufficient, ISAC will allocate funds by priority: (1) prior‑year recipients, (2) new applicants who are members of a racial minority (as defined in the bill), then (3) other qualified new applicants.
    • Scholarships issued under ISAC rules.

  3. Loan Repayment Consideration

    • ISAC shall receive and consider applications for loan‑repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to encourage scholarship recipients (and others) to work and remain in these fields in Illinois public schools. (Text in the packet is truncated; details on amounts/conditions are to be set by ISAC/rulemaking.)

Who is affected
- Primary: students enrolled in or entering educator preparation programs for school social work, school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and speech‑language pathology.
- Secondary: school districts and schools that host interns, institutions of higher education and preparation programs, ISBE and ISAC (administration/oversight), and ultimately K–12 students who receive services.
- Budget impact depends on appropriations; programs will not operate unless funded by the General Assembly.

Potential impact
- Intended to increase the number of trained school support personnel in Illinois, address workforce shortages in critical support roles, and improve recruitment and retention (especially in underserved or high‑need areas).
- Prioritization for racial minority applicants aims to increase workforce diversity in these professions.
- Scale and effectiveness depend on annual appropriations, ISBE/ISAC rulemaking, and collaboration with higher education and districts.

Notes and caveats
- Several program details (scholarship award amounts, loan repayment terms, selection/administrative rules) are delegated to ISBE and ISAC and will depend on subsequent rulemaking and appropriations.
- The legislative packet provided contains truncated text for some sections; the summary reflects the bill language available in the introduced version.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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