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Public Act 097-0702
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| SB0638 Enrolled | LRB097 04402 NHT 44441 b |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, |
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections |
21-5b, 21-5c, and 21B-50 as follows:
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(105 ILCS 5/21-5b) |
(Section scheduled to be repealed on September 1, 2013) |
Sec. 21-5b. Alternative certification. The State Board of |
Education, in
consultation with the State Teacher |
Certification Board, shall
establish and implement an |
alternative certification program under which
persons who meet |
the requirements of and successfully complete the program
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established by this Section shall be issued an alternative |
teaching certificate
for teaching in the schools. The program |
shall be
limited to not more than 260 new participants during |
each year that the program
is in effect. The State Board of |
Education, in cooperation with one or more not-for-profit |
organizations in the State that support excellence in teaching, |
which may be in partnership
with a university that offers |
4-year baccalaureate and masters degree
programs and that is a |
recognized institution as defined in Section 21B-105 of this |
Code, may within
30 days after submission by the program |
sponsor approve
a course of study developed by the program |
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sponsor that persons
in the program must successfully complete |
in order to satisfy one
criterion for issuance of an |
alternative certificate under this Section.
The Alternative |
Teacher Certification program course of study must include |
content and skills which have been approved by the State Board |
of Education,
in consultation with the State Teacher |
Certification Board, as meeting the requirement
for State |
teacher certification. |
The alternative certification program established under |
this Section shall be
known as the Alternative Teacher |
Certification program. The Alternative
Teacher Certification |
Program shall be offered by the submitting partnership,
and |
such partnership may be offered by one or more not-for-profit
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organizations in the State which support excellence in |
teaching. The program
shall be
comprised of the following 3 |
phases: (a) the first phase is the
course of study offered on |
an intensive basis in education theory,
instructional methods, |
and
practice
teaching; (b) the second phase is the person's |
assignment to a full-time
teaching position for one school |
year; and (c) the third phase is a
comprehensive assessment of |
the person's teaching performance by school
officials and the |
partnership participants
and a recommendation by the program |
sponsor to the
State Board of Education that the person be |
issued a standard alternative
teaching certificate. Successful |
completion of the Alternative Teacher
Certification program |
shall be deemed to satisfy any other
practice or student |
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teaching and subject matter requirements established by
law. |
A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for |
one year of
teaching
in the common schools and not renewable, |
shall be issued under this Section
21-5b to persons who at the |
time of applying for the provisional alternative
teaching |
certificate under this Section: |
(1) have graduated from an accredited college or |
university with a
bachelor's degree; |
(2) have successfully completed the first phase of the |
Alternative Teacher
Certification program as provided in |
this Section; |
(3) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject |
matter knowledge
required by Section
21-1a; and |
(4) (i) have been employed for a period of at least 5 |
years in an area
requiring application of the individual's |
education or (ii) have attained at least a cumulative grade |
average of a "B" if the individual is assigned either to a |
school district that has not met the annual measurable |
objective for highly qualified teachers required by the |
Illinois Revised Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT) Plan or to |
a school district whose data filed with the State Board of |
Education indicates that the district's poor and minority |
students are taught by teachers who are not highly |
qualified at a higher rate than other students; however, |
this item (4)
does not apply with respect to a provisional |
alternative teaching certificate
for
teaching in schools |
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situated in a school district that is located in a city
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having a
population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants. |
Assignment may be made under clause (ii) of this item (4) |
only if the district superintendent and the exclusive |
bargaining representative of the district's teachers, if |
any, jointly agree to permit the assignment.
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A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate |
under this Section
shall be treated as a regularly certified |
teacher for purposes of compensation,
benefits, and other terms |
and conditions of employment afforded teachers in the
school |
who are members of a bargaining unit represented by an |
exclusive
bargaining representative, if any. |
Until February 15, 2000, a standard alternative teaching |
certificate,
valid for 4 years for teaching
in the schools and |
renewable as provided in
Section 21-14, shall be
issued under |
this Section 21-5b to persons who first complete the |
requirements
for the provisional alternative teaching |
certificate
and who at the time of applying for a standard |
alternative teaching certificate
under this Section have |
successfully completed the second and third phases of
the |
Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in this |
Section.
Alternatively, beginning February 15, 2000, at the end |
of the 4-year
validity
period,
persons who were issued a |
standard alternative teaching certificate shall be
eligible, |
on
the same basis as holders of an Initial Teaching Certificate |
issued under
subsection (b) of
Section 21-2 of this Code, to |
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apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate,
provided they
meet |
the requirements of
subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code |
and further provided that a
person who
does not
apply for and |
receive a Standard Teaching Certificate shall be able to teach
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only in
schools situated in a school district that is located |
in a city having a
population in excess
of 500,000 inhabitants. |
Beginning February 15, 2000, persons who have completed the |
requirements for
a
standard alternative teaching certificate |
under this Section shall be issued an
Initial
Alternative |
Teaching Certificate valid for 4 years of teaching and not
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renewable. At the end of the 4-year validity period, these |
persons shall be
eligible, on the same
basis as
holders of an |
Initial Teaching Certificate issued under subsection (b) of
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Section 21-2 of
this Code, to apply for a Standard Teaching |
Certificate, provided they meet the
requirements of subsection |
(c) of Section 21-2. |
Such alternative certification program shall be |
implemented so that the first
provisional alternative teaching |
certificates issued under this Section are
effective upon the |
commencement of the 1997-1998 academic year and the first
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standard alternative teaching certificates issued under this |
Section are
effective upon the commencement of the 1998-1999 |
academic year. |
The State Board of Education, in cooperation with the |
partnership or partnerships
establishing such Alternative |
Teacher Certification programs, shall adopt rules
and |
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regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the |
State Board
of Education deems necessary to establish and |
implement the program. |
No one may be admitted to an alternative certification |
program under this Section after September 1, 2013 2012, and |
those candidates who are admitted on or before September 1, |
2013 2012 must complete the program before January 1, 2015 |
September 1, 2013. |
This Section is repealed on January 1, 2015 September 1, |
2013. |
(Source: P.A. 96-862, eff. 1-15-10; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)
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(105 ILCS 5/21-5c) |
(Section scheduled to be repealed on September 1, 2013) |
Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification. |
The State Board
of Education, in consultation with the State |
Teacher Certification Board, shall
establish and implement one |
or more alternative route to teacher certification programs
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under which persons who meet the requirements of and |
successfully complete the programs
established by this Section |
shall be issued an initial teaching
certificate for teaching in |
schools in this State.
The State Board of Education may
approve |
a course of study
that persons in such programs must |
successfully complete in order to
satisfy one criterion for |
issuance of a certificate under this Section. The
Alternative |
Route to Teacher Certification programs course of study must |
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include
content and skills which have been approved by the |
State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State |
Teacher Certification Board, as meeting the
requirement for |
State teacher certification. |
Programs established under this Section shall be
known as |
Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs. The |
programs
may be offered by a university that offers 4-year |
baccalaureate and masters degree programs and that is a |
recognized institution as defined in Section 21B-105 of this |
Code, by one or more not-for-profit
organizations in the State, |
or a combination thereof. The programs shall be comprised of |
the following 3
phases: (a) a
course of study offered on an |
intensive basis in education theory,
instructional methods, |
and
practice teaching; (b) the person's assignment to a |
full-time
teaching position for one school year, including the |
designation of a
mentor teacher to advise and assist the person |
with that
teaching assignment; and (c) a comprehensive |
assessment of the person's
teaching performance by school |
officials and program participants
and a recommendation by the |
program sponsor to the
State Board of Education that the person |
be issued an initial
teaching certificate. Successful |
completion of Alternative Route to
Teacher
Certification |
programs shall be deemed to satisfy any other
practice or |
student teaching and subject matter requirements established |
by
law. |
A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for |
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one year of
teaching
in the common schools and not renewable, |
shall be issued under this Section
21-5c to persons who at the |
time of applying for the provisional alternative
teaching |
certificate under this Section: |
(1) have graduated from an accredited college or |
university with a
bachelor's degree; |
(2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years |
in an area
requiring application of the individual's |
education; |
(3) have successfully completed the first phase of the |
Alternative Teacher
Certification program as provided in |
this Section; and |
(4) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject |
matter knowledge
required by Section 21-1a. |
An initial teaching certificate, valid for teaching
in the |
common schools,
shall be
issued under Section 21-3 or 21-5 to |
persons who first complete the
requirements
for the provisional |
alternative teaching certificate
and who at the time of |
applying for an initial teaching certificate
have successfully |
completed the second and third phases of
the Alternative Route |
to Teacher Certification program as provided in this
Section. |
A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate |
or an initial
teaching certificate earned under this Section
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shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes |
of compensation,
benefits, and other terms and conditions of |
employment afforded teachers in the
school who are members of a |
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bargaining unit represented by an exclusive
bargaining |
representative, if any. |
The State Board of Education may adopt rules
and |
regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the |
State Board
deems necessary to establish and implement the |
program. |
No one may be admitted to an alternative certification |
program under this Section after September 1, 2013 2012, and |
those candidates who are admitted on or before September 1, |
2013 2012 must complete the program before January 1, 2015 |
September 1, 2013. |
This Section is repealed on January 1, 2015 September 1, |
2013. |
(Source: P.A. 96-862, eff. 1-15-10; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)
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(105 ILCS 5/21B-50) |
Sec. 21B-50. Alternative educator licensure program. |
(a) There is established an alternative educator licensure |
program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure |
Program for Teachers. |
(b) Beginning on January 1, 2013, the Alternative Educator |
Licensure Program for Teachers may be offered by a recognized |
institution approved to offer educator preparation programs by |
the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State |
Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Any program offered |
by a not-for-profit entity also must be approved by the Board |
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of Higher Education. |
The program shall be comprised of 4 phases: |
(1) A course of study that at a minimum includes |
instructional planning; instructional strategies, |
including special education, reading, and English language |
learning; classroom management; and the assessment of |
students and use of data to drive instruction. |
(2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's |
assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a |
co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must |
hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an |
alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to |
enter the residency and must complete additional program |
requirements that address required State and national |
standards, pass the assessment of professional teaching |
before entering the second residency year, as required |
under phase (3) of this subsection (b), and be recommended |
by the principal and program coordinator to continue with |
the second year of the residency. |
(3) A second year of residency, which shall include the |
candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position |
for one school year. The candidate must be assigned an |
experienced teacher to act as a mentor and coach the |
candidate through the second year of residency. |
(4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's |
teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal and |
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the program coordinator, at the end of the second year of |
residency. If there is disagreement between the 2 |
evaluators about the candidate's teaching effectiveness, |
the candidate may complete one additional year of residency |
teaching under a professional development plan developed |
by the principal and preparation program. At the completion |
of the third year, a candidate must have positive |
evaluations and a recommendation for full licensure from |
both the principal and the program coordinator or no |
Professional Educator License shall be issued. |
Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to |
satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content |
matter requirements established by law. |
(c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an a |
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of |
teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a |
charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic school in |
which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure |
necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State |
and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have |
the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in |
this State, but may be renewed for a third year if needed to |
complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for |
Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an |
individual who meets all of the following requirements: |
(1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college |
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or university with a bachelor's degree or higher. |
(2) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or |
greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another scale. |
(3) Has completed a major in the content area if |
seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if |
seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special |
education endorsement, has completed a major in the content |
area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics, or |
one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a |
major in a content area for any level of teaching, he or |
she must submit transcripts to the State Superintendent of |
Education to be reviewed for equivalency. |
(4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection |
(b) of this Section. |
(5) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area |
test required for the specific endorsement for admission |
into the program, as required under Section 21B-30 of this |
Code. |
A candidate possessing the alternative provisional |
educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any |
other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school who |
are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if any, |
but a school is not required to provide these benefits during |
the years of residency if the candidate is serving only as a |
co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of |
record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any |
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other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be |
counted towards tenure. |
(d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative |
Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a |
school district, including without limitation a charter |
school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in this State |
in which the chief administrator is required to have the |
licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in |
this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required |
to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public |
school in this State. The program presented for approval by the |
State Board of Education must demonstrate the supports that are |
to be provided to assist the provisional teacher during the |
2-year residency period. These supports must provide |
additional contact hours with mentors during the first year of |
residency. |
(e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection |
(b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section |
21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a Professional |
Educator License. |
(f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the |
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such |
rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the |
Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
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(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |