Illinois House passes student teacher stipend proposal

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — State representatives passed a plan Monday night to help student teachers get paid for their work.

The legislation could require the Illinois Board of Higher Education to distribute a stipend of up to $10,000 per semester for student teachers. 

Advocates estimate the new stipend program could cost $68 million, but sponsors are only asking for $10 million to start the program.

Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) said this policy could make the teaching profession more accessible and address the teacher shortage in Illinois.

"The student teacher program requires them to pretty much have an internship that is unpaid. Most of the time, it is equivalent to a full-time job," Hernandez said. "They deserve a little bit of money to be able to sustain themselves."

The legislation could also allow the Illinois State Board of Education to provide $2,000 per semester to eligible cooperating teachers. 

Some House Republicans worry that the state won't have enough money to provide the stipend for student teachers on an annual basis. 

House Bill 1375 passed out of the House on a 78-23 vote and now heads to the Senate for further consideration. 

This idea gained strong bipartisan support and passed out of the House last year on a 85-23 vote, but the measure stalled in the Senate.

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