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Public Act 102-0730
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| HB4257 Enrolled | LRB102 20917 CMG 29806 b |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section |
21B-45 as follows:
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(105 ILCS 5/21B-45) |
Sec. 21B-45. Professional Educator License renewal. |
(a) Individuals holding a Professional Educator License |
are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as |
specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this |
Code. |
Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall |
meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section, |
unless otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds |
a license endorsed in more than one area that has different |
renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal |
requirements for the position for which he or she spends the |
majority of his or her time working. |
(b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as |
provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that |
year. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if |
a license holder's electronic mail address is available, the |
State Board of Education shall send him or her notification |
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electronically that his or her license will lapse if not |
renewed, to be sent no more than 6 months prior to the license |
lapsing. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon |
(i) payment by the applicant of a $500 penalty to the State |
Board of Education or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by |
completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally |
accredited institution of higher education in the content area |
that most aligns with one or more of the educator's |
endorsement areas. Any and all back fees, including without |
limitation registration fees owed from the time of expiration |
of the license until the date of reinstatement, shall be paid |
and kept in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of this |
Code concerning an institute fund and the provisions in |
Article 21B of this Code concerning fees and requirements for |
registration. Licenses not registered in accordance with |
Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6 |
months from the expiration of the last year of registration or |
on January 1 of the fiscal year following initial issuance of |
the license. An unregistered license is invalid after |
September 1 for employment and performance of services in an |
Illinois public or State-operated school or cooperative and in |
a charter school. Any license or endorsement may be |
voluntarily surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily |
surrendered license shall be treated as a revoked license. An |
Educator License with Stipulations with only a |
paraprofessional endorsement does not lapse.
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(c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to |
satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in |
this Section, each professional educator licensee with an |
administrative endorsement who is working in a position |
requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois |
Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of |
this Code, per fiscal year. |
(c-5) All licenses issued by the State Board of Education |
under this Article that expire on June 30, 2020 and have not |
been renewed by the end of the 2020 renewal period shall be |
extended for one year and shall expire on June 30, 2021. |
(d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the |
requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this |
Section, each professional educator licensee may create a |
professional development plan each year. The plan shall |
address one or more of the endorsements that are required of |
his or her educator position if the licensee is employed and |
performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated |
school or cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a |
charter school, the plan shall address that endorsement or |
those endorsements most closely related to his or her educator |
position. Licensees employed and performing services in any |
other Illinois schools may participate in the renewal |
requirements by adhering to the same process. |
Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the |
licensee's professional development activities shall align |
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with one or more of the following criteria: |
(1) activities are of a type that engage participants |
over a sustained period of time allowing for analysis, |
discovery, and application as they relate to student |
learning, social or emotional achievement, or well-being; |
(2) professional development aligns to the licensee's |
performance; |
(3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student |
growth or district improvement; |
(4) activities align to State-approved standards;
and |
(5) higher education coursework. |
(e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator |
licensee shall engage in professional development activities. |
Prior to renewal, the licensee shall enter electronically into |
the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name, |
date, and location of the activity, the number of professional |
development hours, and the provider's name. The following |
provisions shall apply concerning professional development |
activities: |
(1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours |
of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in |
order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided |
in this Section. |
(2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle, |
any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not |
working in a position requiring such endorsement is not |
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required to complete Illinois Administrators' Academy |
courses, as described in Article 2 of this Code. Such |
licensees must complete one Illinois Administrators' |
Academy course within one year after returning to a |
position that requires the administrative endorsement. |
(3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement |
who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or |
an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in |
an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall |
complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as |
described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in |
addition to 100 hours of professional development per |
5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code. |
However, for the 2021-2022 school year only, a licensee |
under this paragraph (3) is not required to complete an |
Illinois Administrators' Academy course. |
(4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for |
Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher |
designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of |
professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order |
to renew the license. |
(5) Licensees working in a position that does not |
require educator licensure or working in a position for |
less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be |
exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration |
fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the |
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license. |
(6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits |
from a State of Illinois retirement system shall notify |
the State Board of Education using ELIS, and the license |
shall be maintained in retired status. For any renewal |
cycle in which a licensee retires during the renewal |
cycle, the licensee must complete professional development |
activities on a prorated basis depending on the number of |
years during the renewal cycle the educator held an active |
license. If a licensee retires during a renewal cycle, the |
licensee must notify the State Board of Education using |
ELIS that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in |
retired status and must show proof of completion of |
professional development activities on a prorated basis |
for all years of that renewal cycle for which the license |
was active. An individual with a license in retired status |
shall not be required to complete professional development |
activities or pay registration fees until returning to a |
position that requires educator licensure. Upon returning |
to work in a position that requires the Professional |
Educator License, the licensee shall immediately pay a |
registration fee and complete renewal requirements for |
that year. A license in retired status cannot lapse. |
Beginning on January 6, 2017 (the effective date of Public |
Act 99-920) through December 31, 2017, any licensee who |
has retired and whose license has lapsed for failure to |
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renew as provided in this Section may reinstate that |
license and maintain it in retired status upon providing |
proof to the State Board of Education using ELIS that the |
licensee is retired and is not working in a position that |
requires a Professional Educator License. |
(7) For any renewal cycle in which professional |
development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the |
licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the |
minimum professional development hours required in this |
Section prior to September 1 of that year. Professional |
development hours used to fulfill the minimum required |
hours for a renewal cycle may be used for only one renewal |
cycle. For any fiscal year or renewal cycle in which an |
Illinois Administrators' Academy course was required but |
not completed, the licensee shall complete any missed |
Illinois Administrators' Academy courses prior to |
September 1 of that year. The licensee may complete all |
deficient hours and Illinois Administrators' Academy |
courses while continuing to work in a position that |
requires that license until September 1 of that year. |
(8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the |
professional development renewal requirements set forth in |
this Section at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is |
ineligible to register his or her license and may submit |
an appeal to the State Superintendent of Education for |
reinstatement of the license. |
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(9) If professional development opportunities were |
unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were |
unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond |
August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be |
submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the |
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an |
extension is approved, the license shall remain valid |
during the extension period. |
(10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to |
December 27, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act |
98-610) shall commence the annual renewal process with the |
first scheduled registration due after December 27, 2013 |
(the effective date of Public Act 98-610). |
(11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this |
subsection (e), if a licensee earns more than the required |
number of professional development hours during a renewal |
cycle, then the licensee may carry over any hours earned |
from April 1 through June 30 of the last year of the |
renewal cycle. Any hours carried over in this manner must |
be applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois |
Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those |
courses may not be carried over. |
(f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to |
the required questions under penalty of perjury. |
(f-5) The State Board of Education shall conduct random |
audits of licensees to verify a licensee's fulfillment of the |
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professional development hours required under this Section. |
Upon completion of a random audit, if it is determined by the |
State Board of Education that the licensee did not complete |
the required number of professional development hours or did |
not provide sufficient proof of completion, the licensee shall |
be notified that his or her license has lapsed. A license that |
has lapsed under this subsection may be reinstated as provided |
in subsection (b). |
(g) The following entities shall be designated as approved |
to provide professional development activities for the renewal |
of Professional Educator Licenses: |
(1) The State Board of Education. |
(2) Regional offices of education and intermediate |
service centers. |
(3) Illinois professional associations representing |
the following groups that are approved by the State |
Superintendent of Education: |
(A) school administrators; |
(B) principals; |
(C) school business officials; |
(D) teachers, including special education |
teachers; |
(E) school boards; |
(F) school districts; |
(G) parents; and |
(H) school service personnel. |
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(4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher |
education that offer Illinois-approved educator |
preparation programs and public community colleges subject |
to the Public Community College Act. |
(5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools |
authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint |
educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this |
Code for the purposes of providing career and technical |
education or special education services. |
(6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of December |
31, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-1147), has |
had or has a grant from or a contract with the State Board |
of Education to provide professional development services |
in the area of English Learning to Illinois school |
districts, teachers, or administrators. |
(7) State agencies, State boards, and State |
commissions. |
(8) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum |
Disposition of Property Act. |
(h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this |
Section shall make available professional development |
opportunities that satisfy at least one of the following: |
(1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and |
district leaders who guide continuous professional |
development; |
(2) improve the learning of students; |
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(3) organize adults into learning communities whose |
goals are aligned with those of the school and district; |
(4) deepen educator's content knowledge; |
(5) provide educators with research-based |
instructional strategies to assist students in meeting |
rigorous academic standards; |
(6) prepare educators to appropriately use various |
types of classroom assessments; |
(7) use learning strategies appropriate to the |
intended goals; |
(8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to |
collaborate; |
(9) prepare educators to apply research to decision |
making; |
(10) provide educators with training on inclusive |
practices in the classroom that examines instructional and |
behavioral strategies that improve academic and |
social-emotional outcomes for all students, with or |
without disabilities, in a general education setting; or |
(11) beginning on July 1, 2022, provide educators with |
training on the physical
and mental health needs of |
students, student safety, educator ethics, professional |
conduct, and
other topics that address the well-being of |
students and improve the academic and social-emotional
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outcomes of students. |
(i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this |
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Section shall do the following: |
(1) align professional development activities to the |
State-approved national standards for professional |
learning; |
(2) meet the professional development criteria for |
Illinois licensure renewal; |
(3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains |
how it aligns to State standards and identify the |
assessment for determining the expected impact on student |
learning or school improvement; |
(4) maintain original documentation for completion of |
activities; |
(5) provide license holders with evidence of |
completion of activities; |
(6) request an Illinois Educator Identification Number |
(IEIN) for each educator during each professional |
development activity; and |
(7) beginning on July 1, 2019, register annually with |
the State Board of Education prior to offering any |
professional development opportunities in the current |
fiscal year. |
(j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual |
audits of a subset of approved providers, except for school |
districts, which shall be audited by regional offices of |
education and intermediate service centers. The State Board of |
Education shall ensure that each approved provider, except for |
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a school district, is audited at least once every 5 years. The |
State Board of Education may conduct more frequent audits of |
providers if evidence suggests the requirements of this |
Section or administrative rules are not being met. |
(1) (Blank). |
(2) Approved providers shall comply with the |
requirements in subsections (h) and (i) of this Section by |
annually submitting data to the State Board of Education |
demonstrating how the professional development activities |
impacted one or more of the following: |
(A) educator and student growth in regards to |
content knowledge or skills, or both; |
(B) educator and student social and emotional |
growth; or |
(C) alignment to district or school improvement |
plans. |
(3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review |
the annual data collected by the State Board of Education, |
regional offices of education, and intermediate service |
centers in audits to determine if the approved provider |
has met the criteria and should continue to be an approved |
provider or if further action should be taken as provided |
in rules. |
(k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal |
cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each |
5-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional |
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development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed |
and entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the |
registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or |
debit card. |
(l) Any professional educator licensee endorsed for school |
support personnel who is employed and performing services in |
Illinois public schools and who holds an active and current |
professional license issued by the Department of Financial and |
Professional Regulation or a national certification board, as |
approved by the State Board of Education, related to the |
endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License shall |
be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional |
development requirements provided for in this Section. Such |
individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to |
renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who |
does not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial |
and Professional Regulation shall complete professional |
development requirements for the renewal of a Professional |
Educator License provided for in this Section. |
(m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and |
Licensure Board
must be made within 30 days after receipt of |
notice from the State Superintendent of Education that a |
license will not be renewed based upon failure to complete the |
requirements of this Section. A licensee may appeal that |
decision to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board |
in a manner prescribed by rule. |
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(1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State |
Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be |
sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the |
State Board of Education. |
(2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board |
shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license |
within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to |
determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of |
this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure |
Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its |
determination based upon the record of review, which shall |
consist of the following: |
(A) the regional superintendent of education's |
rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license, |
if applicable; |
(B) any evidence submitted to the State |
Superintendent along with the individual's electronic |
statement of assurance for renewal; and |
(C) the State Superintendent's rationale for |
nonrenewal of the license. |
(3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board |
shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding |
license renewal by certified mail, return receipt |
requested, no later than 30 days after reaching a |
decision. Upon receipt of notification of renewal, the |
licensee, using ELIS, shall pay the applicable |