IllinoisIllinois law provides scholarships for school social work training
Illinois law provides annual scholarships for eligible social workers training for a school license, when program funding is available.
What it does
The Commission awards up to 250 scholarships a year for school social work license training, if funding is available. Applicants must meet education and other eligibility rules.
Scholarships pay tuition and required fees directly to an eligible Illinois school. Payments to private nonprofit schools have a cap tied to comparable public university programs.
Recipients must work in an eligible Illinois school for at least two of the five years after leaving the program, or repay a share of the scholarship with interest.
Argument forScholarships could help eligible social workers pay for school social work training when program funding is available.
Argument againstRecipients who cannot complete the school work requirement could face repayment with interest, even when the reason is outside their control.
More detail
The Commission awards up to 250 scholarships each year for school social work license training. Applicants must agree to take courses for an Illinois professional educator license with a school social work endorsement. Awards depend on available funding. Applicants must apply, be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens, hold or pursue an Illinois social work license, and have or be about to earn a master's degree in social work from an approved program. The text provides for annual awards beginning with the 2022–2023 academic year.
The Commission pays scholarship funds directly to the eligible school. The school must be in Illinois and prepare students for the school social work license endorsement. Scholarships cover tuition and required fees for the license training. For a private nonprofit school, the payment cannot exceed the maximum grant for the most expensive comparable program at a public state university.
Recipients must work as school social workers in Illinois schools or repay part of their scholarship. The work must be at a public or nonprofit preschool, elementary school, or secondary school in Illinois. Recipients who do not complete the work requirement must repay a share based on the part they did not complete, with 5% interest and possible reasonable collection fees. The text lists exceptions for full-time related graduate study, limited military service, certain disabilities, and an unsuccessful search for eligible full-time work. Recipients must begin the work within one year after graduation or leaving the program. Certain periods do not count toward the five-year service period.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Aug 7Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0798Latest
- Aug 7Effective Date August 7, 2026
- Aug 7Governor J. B. Pritzker ApprovedBecame Law
- Jun 26Sent to the GovernorTo Governor
- Jun 1Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Steve Stadelman
- May 31Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Robert F. Martwick
- May 29Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen
- May 28Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane L. Johnson
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 28Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes
- May 28Passed Both Houses
- May 28Third Reading - Passed; 058-000-000Passed Senate
- May 22Rule 2-10 Third Reading Deadline Established As May 31, 2026
- May 14Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 18, 2026
- May 14Second ReadingMinor
- May 7Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Linda Holmes
- May 6Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 6Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 7, 2026Minor
- May 6Do Pass Higher Education; 013-000-000
- Apr 28Assigned to Higher EducationMinor
- Apr 16Referred to Assignments
- Apr 16First ReadingMinor
- Apr 16Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Karina Villa
- Apr 16Placed on Calendar Order of First ReadingMinor
- Apr 16Arrive in SenateMinor
- Apr 15Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 076-032-000Passed House
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- Apr 13Fiscal Note Filed
- Apr 10Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Apr 10Second Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Apr 9Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Matt Hanson
- Apr 9Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit
- Apr 8Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Sharon Chung
- Apr 6Fiscal Note Requested by Rep. Dan Swanson
- Mar 26Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Mar 25Do Pass / Short Debate Higher Education Committee; 008-002-000
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Assigned to Higher Education CommitteeMinor
- Feb 13Referred to Rules Committee
- Feb 13First ReadingMinor
- Feb 6Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Camille Y. LillyIntroduced
Education