Illinois lawmakers consider proposal to pay student teachers, draw more to the profession
LAKE BLUFF, Ill. (CBS) – Nearly 80% of Illinois schools say they have a teacher shortage program, according to data from last school year.
But there is proposed legislation that could be part of the solution. The idea is to pay student teachers. CBS 2 spoke to a college student who is on board with the idea.
Before a student can step into a teacher's shoes, he needs experience in the classroom.
"There's a lot of hours that you need to complete along with coursework," said Brett Montalbano, a teaching assistant at Lake Bluff Elementary School.
Montalbano is also a student at National Louis University working toward a degree in elementary education.
"You just realize how exceptional kids can be," he said.
Next year, he plans to be a student teacher. Student teaching comes with all the work of a full-time teacher but none of the pay.
"In fact, you have to pay for your tuition, and then you don't get paid for student teaching," said Montalbano. "It's a lot of time and it's a lot of money that you're missing out on."
That's the way it's always been, he said, but, he said, that "doesn't mean we can't change it for the better."
Montalbano sees something better in a bill that state lawmakers are considering in Springfield.
"Hopefully, it's a great incentive for them to become teachers, to want to continue in the field as well," said State Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora).
She sponsored the bill that would create a student teaching stipend program. Under the program, student teachers would get paid up to $10,000 a semester for up to two semesters.
"Currently, we're in the stage of just making sure that we can get the votes to create this program available to the students, and then eventually, we'll figure out how we can pay for it," Hernandez said.
Reporter: "How do you think your bill will help combat the teacher shortage that we're seeing in Illinois?"
Hernandez: "I think it will show individuals that we are really serious in combating this, that we're really serious in supporting teachers."
Montalbano hopes it's a solution for students to comfortably step into a teacher's shoes.
"The people that are in this profession are dedicated," he said.
There are actually two bills being considered by state lawmakers that could create very similar stipend programs. Neither have gone up for a vote yet, but the goal is to move forward with just one bill.
