HB 5397

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.