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  4. Senator Ann Gillespie News

Gillespie moves to address school social worker shortage

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Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 10:16 AM
  • Student Debt
  • Gillespie
  • School Social Workers
  • SB661

gillespie 041421ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – Two measures introduced by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) that would assist school social workers with earning and paying off their degrees passed in the Senate Higher Education Committee on Tuesday.

“Illinois schools face a shortage of professional, culturally competent social workers,” Gillespie said. “We must make it easier for our future social workers to finish and pay off their education so that schools can hire the positions they desperately need to fill.”

Senate Bill 661 would require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to award up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships each year. Scholarship recipients would be required to work at a public or not-for-profit P-12 school in Illinois for at least two of the five years immediately following their graduation.

Senate Bill 662 would require ISAC to consider up to $6,500 in loan repayment assistance to borrowers with loans related to a degree in social work. Recipients must be employed at a public elementary or secondary school in Illinois for at least one year.

Both of Gillespie’s proposals would grant priority to underrepresented groups in the school social work field.

“As students return to in-person learning after over a year of remote classes, the need for social workers is more critical than ever,” Gillespie said. “Student mental health must be our primary focus in the upcoming school year.”

Both pieces of legislation now await consideration before the full Senate.

Gillespie continues fight to end abuse of seclusion rooms in schools

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Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 04:14 PM
  • Education
  • Gillespie
  • Seclusion Rooms
  • SB2296

gillespie 041321SPRINGFIELD – As classes resume in-person, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation in the Senate Education Committee to ban the abuse of restraints and seclusion rooms in schools.

“With students returning to physical classrooms, our children should not fear that their basic dignity will be stripped away,” Gillespie said. “I remain committed to ending the inhumane practice of prone restraint and the abuse of seclusion rooms.”

Read more: Gillespie continues fight to end abuse of seclusion rooms in schools

Gillespie elected co-chair of Senate Women’s Caucus

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Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 01:50 PM
  • Slideshow
  • Gillespie
  • Illinois Senate Women's Caucus

gillespie 032421SPRINGFIELD – After being elected co-chair of the bipartisan Illinois Senate Women’s Caucus, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) released the following statement:

“I am honored to have been elected as co-chair of the Senate Women’s Caucus and look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to continue our fight for full gender equality.

“Women still face systemic disparities in health care, employment, compensation and more. The pandemic has amplified those disparities, especially for working women of color.

Read more: Gillespie elected co-chair of Senate Women’s Caucus

Gillespie announces local CTE grant recipients to some District 211, 214 schools

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Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Friday, March 19, 2021 12:26 PM
  • ISBE
  • Grants
  • Gillespie
  • Career and Technical Education

careertech2 031921ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – To provide alternative and affordable education options to students, the Illinois State Board of Education has awarded career and technical education (CTE) grants to three schools in the 27th Illinois Senate District, represented by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights).

“As our economy adapts to the pandemic, CTE is becoming increasingly important,” Gillespie said. “These grants will help train future CTE teachers so that young learners in our community have access to affordable educational opportunities for a career in growing industries.”

The CTE Education Career Pathways Grants were awarded to 62 schools and vocational centers across the state, totaling over $1.5 million. Prospect High School, John Hersey High School and Fremd High School are the local recipients.

CTE Education Career Pathways Grants prepare students for teaching careers with hands-on experiences that offer dual-credit, credentials and mentorship. The program also gives priority to applicants in underrepresented groups in the teaching field.

Learn more about the CTE Education Career Pathways Grant at isbe.net/cte.

Gillespie moves to repay up to $6,500 in student debt for school social workers

Details
Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Monday, March 15, 2021 10:30 AM
  • Gillespie
  • ISAC
  • Student Loan Debt
  • School Social Workers
  • SB662

gillespie 031521ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – To address the growing student debt crisis, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) introduced legislation that would provide a loan repayment option for public school social workers that could cover up to $6,500 of a student’s debt.

“The student debt crisis is crushing our school social workers,” Gillespie said. “These careers typically require high educational requirements, with compensation that is less than adequate.”

The legislation would require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to consider up to $6,500 in loan repayment assistance to borrowers with loans related to a degree in social work. Recipients must be employed at a public elementary or secondary school in Illinois for at least one year. Gillespie’s proposal also grants priority to applicants who are members of underrepresented communities in the social work field.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are over 1.6 million student borrowers in Illinois with a collective $60 billion in student debt.

The legislation, Senate Bill 662, awaits consideration in the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Gillespie votes for health care equity

Details
Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Friday, January 15, 2021 10:23 AM
  • Health Care
  • Gillespie
  • COVID-19

Senator GillespieARLINGTON HEIGHTS – To address disparities in health outcomes further highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation out of the Illinois Senate that would foster greater coordination and bolster services offered by hospitals in underserved communities.

“The only way to get us through this pandemic is to improve health outcomes in the communities most affected by the virus,” Gillespie said. “Transforming our health system to increase access and make quality care affordable will alleviate the generations-long disparities we see today.”

Read more: Gillespie votes for health care equity

Gillespie moves to end abuse of seclusion rooms

Details
Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 08:44 PM
  • Gillespie
  • Seclusion Rooms
  • SB2315
  • Prone Restraint

saferoom 011221SPRINGFIELD – To end the abuse of seclusion rooms in public schools, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed a measure in the Illinois Senate that would ban the use of prone restraint.

“With students beginning to return to physical classrooms, our children should not fear that their basic dignity will be stripped away,” Gillespie said. “I remain committed to ending the inhumane practice of prone restraint and the abuse of seclusion rooms.”

Previously filed under Senate Bill 2315, the legislation now moves under House Bill 2263. Current law allows school staff to isolate a student if they pose a danger to themselves or others. However, a Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois investigation revealed that isolation rooms are often used as a punishment for refusing to do classwork, swearing and other behavior that does not pose a threat to safety.

ISBE issued rules to only allow timeouts with a trained adult in the room, an unlocked door and “only for therapeutic reasons or protecting the safety of students and staff.” These emergency rules, however, will expire 150 days after implemented.

House Bill 2263 passed the Illinois Senate and awaits consideration in the Illinois House.

Gillespie moves to extend essential employee and first responder protections

Details
Category: Senator Ann Gillespie News
Monday, January 11, 2021 06:24 PM
  • First Responders
  • COVID-19
  • Workers Compensation
  • Essential Workers

cashier 011121SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing that essential employees and first-responders face increased risk of COVID-19 infections, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) voted to extend a set of emergency provisions designed to streamline worker’s compensation.

“This pandemic has shown just how vulnerable working people are if they get sick on the job,” Gillespie said. “Essential workers and first-responders deserve a safety net, so they and their families are protected from the economic fallout of catching COVID-19.”

Under normal circumstances, employees are responsible for proving their injuries or illness stem from the workplace to qualify for worker’s compensation benefits. Because first-responders and essential workers face increased exposure to the COVID-19 virus, state lawmakers changed the law in May to assume an essential worker who contracts the virus did so in the workplace and qualifies for benefits. An employer must now prove the infection happened outside work and the workers doesn’t deserve coverage.

If signed into law, the extension runs through June 30, 2021. House Bill 4276 passed in the Illinois Senate without opposition and awaits consideration in the Illinois House.

More Articles ...

  1. Gillespie collecting holiday cards for seniors
  2. Gillespie: New program could help first-time home buyers
  3. Group home provider Little City awarded housing grant
  4. Gillespie highlights National Apprenticeship Week

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