Last year Governor Pat Quinn vetoed the salaries for the 44 regional superintendents.
This month, the Illinois State Board of Education has put the appropriation for the officials back into its proposed budget.
Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents president Bob Daiber says he's hopeful the General Assembly will keep the funding line and the governor will approve it.
"We certainly believe we're making our case as to why we are so important as the delivery system of state services to public schools," said Daiber.
The regional superintendents oversee school building inspections, alternative schools, and teacher certification, among other things.
They went without pay from July to November last year when legislators approved paying the positions through a local property tax rather than general revenue.