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<xml>
<title>Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB 5397</title>
<shortdesc>SCH-SALARY INCENTIVE PROGRAM</shortdesc>
<sponsor>
<sponsorhead1>House Sponsors</sponsorhead1><sponsors>Rep. Daniel Didech</sponsors>
</sponsor>
<lastaction>
<statusdate>2/10/2026</statusdate><chamber>House</chamber><action>Referred to Rules Committee</action>
</lastaction>
<synopsis>
<synopsistitle></synopsistitle>
<reference>105 ILCS 5/2-3.214 new</reference><aliasreference></aliasreference><SynopsisText>     Amends the School Code. Establishes within the State Board of Education the shortage differential salary incentive program to support licensed teachers who provide instruction in special education and hard-to-staff locations. Sets forth the various shortage differential grants under the program based on specified criteria. Provides that teachers who receive an annual shortage differential grant for being assigned to a position in a hard-to-staff location shall be assigned to a position in: (1) a complex area identified as a hard-to-staff location by a school district; (2) a complex area whose rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program has been below this State's average rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program for the last 3 years; (3) a geographically isolated complex area; or (4) a complex area whose combined number of vacant teaching positions and emergency hires was higher than 10% in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.</SynopsisText></synopsis>
<actions>
<statusdate>2/6/2026</statusdate><chamber>House</chamber><action>Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Daniel Didech</action>
<statusdate>2/10/2026</statusdate><chamber>House</chamber><action>First Reading</action>
<statusdate>2/10/2026</statusdate><chamber>House</chamber><action>Referred to Rules Committee</action>
</actions>
</xml>
