(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80d)

Sec. 2-3.80d. Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program.

(a) In this Section:

"Pre-service teaching student" means a student who is a declared agricultural education major accepted into an approved agricultural teacher education program at a public university in this State and who has completed at least 30 credit hours and has maintained, at a minimum, a 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.

"Illinois agricultural company" means any company in this State that has an interest in the agricultural industry, as determined by the pre-service teaching student's public university.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education must, in consultation with the Board of Higher Education, develop an Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program, beginning at the secondary education level, for pre-service teaching students that consists of both of the following:

(1) At a minimum, an 8-week experience or 300 hours of experience to prepare the pre-service teaching student for in-classroom experiences, including, but not limited to, experiences in the 5 career clusters for Illinois agricultural education through partnerships with Illinois agricultural companies. The 5 career clusters include agricultural business management, agricultural mechanics and technology, horticulture services operations and management, agricultural sciences, and natural resources conservation management.

(2) Both in-classroom lectures and hands-on, applied learning.

(c) Subject to appropriation, the State Board must award grants to a pre-service teaching student enrolled in the Internship Program under subsection (b), which may be used by the student to support all of the following activities:

(1) A stipend not to exceed $7,500 for a pre-service teaching student's completion of the Internship Program, distributed in monthly installments.

(2) Lodging for a pre-service teaching student while participating in the Internship Program.

(3) Reimbursement for meals, not to exceed the per diem rate established by the Internal Revenue Service, for a pre-service teaching student while participating in the Internship Program.

(4) Any reasonable costs for participation in the Internship Program charged by any participating Illinois agricultural company.

(Source: P.A. 101-554, eff. 8-23-19.)