Public Act 094-0901
 
HB4308 Enrolled LRB094 15677 NHT 50886 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
21-27 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21-27)
    Sec. 21-27. The Illinois Teaching Excellence Program. The
Illinois Teaching Excellence Program is hereby established to
provide categorical funding for monetary incentives and
bonuses for teachers and school counselors who are employed by
school districts and who hold a Master Certificate. The State
Board of Education shall allocate and distribute to each school
district an amount as annually appropriated by the General
Assembly from federal funds for the Illinois Teaching
Excellence Program. The State Board of Education's annual
budget must set out by separate line item the appropriation for
the program. Unless otherwise provided by appropriation, each
school district's annual allocation shall be the sum of the
amounts earned for the following incentives and bonuses:
        (1) An annual payment of $3,000 to be paid to (A) each
    teacher who successfully completes the program leading to
    and who receives a Master Certificate and is employed as a
    teacher by a school district and (B) each school counselor
    who successfully completes the program leading to and who
    receives a Master Certificate and is employed as a school
    counselor by a school district. The school district shall
    distribute this payment to each eligible teacher or school
    counselor as a single payment or in not more than 3
    payments.
        (2) An annual incentive equal to $1,000 shall be paid
    to each teacher who holds a Master Certificate, who is
    employed as a teacher by a school district, and who agrees,
    in writing, to provide 60 hours of mentoring during that
    year to classroom teachers. This mentoring may include,
    either singly or in combination, (i) providing high quality
    professional development for new and experienced teachers,
    and (ii) assisting National Board for Professional
    Teaching Standards (NBPTS) candidates through the NBPTS
    certification process. The school district shall
    distribute 50% of each annual incentive payment upon
    completion of 30 hours of the required mentoring and the
    remaining 50% of the incentive upon completion of the
    required 60 hours of mentoring. Credit may not be granted
    by a school district for mentoring or related services
    provided during a regular school day or during the total
    number of days of required service for the school year.
        (3) An annual incentive equal to $3,000 shall be paid
    to each teacher who holds a Master Certificate, who is
    employed as a teacher by a school district, and who agrees,
    in writing, to provide 60 hours of mentoring during that
    year to classroom teachers in schools on academic early
    warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the
    students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both.
    The school district shall distribute 50% of each annual
    incentive payment upon completion of 30 hours of the
    required mentoring and the remaining 50% of the incentive
    upon completion of the required 60 hours of mentoring.
    Credit may not be granted by a school district for
    mentoring or related services provided during a regular
    school day or during the total number of days of required
    service for the school year.
    Each regional superintendent of schools shall provide
information about the Master Certificate Program of the
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and
this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly to each
individual seeking to register or renew a certificate under
Section 21-14 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 93-470, eff. 8-8-03; 94-105, eff. 7-1-05.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.