101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB3640

 

Introduced 2/14/2020, by Sen. Jason A. Barickman

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-25

    Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish grade level endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator License in the categories of: (i) Elementary (grades K through 9); and (ii) Secondary (grades 6 through 12). Provides for the adoption of rules regarding requirements for obtaining grade level endorsements. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.


LRB101 17846 CMG 67281 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3640LRB101 17846 CMG 67281 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
521B-25 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-25)
7    Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued
8under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be
9specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each
10content area, school support area, and administrative area for
11which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized
12institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs
13shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to
14applicants who meet all of the requirements for the endorsement
15or endorsements, including passing any required tests. The
16State Superintendent of Education shall randomly audit
17institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are being
18followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being
19recommended.
20        (1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with
21    the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall
22    establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area
23    endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator

 

 

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1    License. These rules shall outline the requirements for
2    obtaining each endorsement.
3        (1.5) The State Board of Education shall establish
4    grade level endorsements to be added to the Professional
5    Educator License in the following categories: (i)
6    Elementary (grades K through 9); and (ii) Secondary (grades
7    6 through 12). The State Board of Education shall adopt
8    rules regarding requirements for obtaining the
9    endorsements specified under this paragraph.
10        (2) In addition to any and all grade level and content
11    area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of
12    Education, in consultation with the State Educator
13    Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the
14    requirements for the following endorsements:
15            (A) (Blank).
16            (B) Principal endorsement. A principal endorsement
17        shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of
18        any holder who qualifies by having all of the
19        following:
20                (i) Successful completion of a principal
21            preparation program approved in accordance with
22            Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable
23            rules.
24                (ii) At least 4 total years of teaching or 4
25            total years of working in the capacity of school
26            support personnel in an Illinois public school or

 

 

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1            nonpublic school recognized by the State Board of
2            Education, in a school under the supervision of the
3            Department of Corrections, or in an out-of-state
4            public school or out-of-state nonpublic school
5            meeting out-of-state recognition standards
6            comparable to those approved by the State
7            Superintendent of Education; however, the State
8            Board of Education, in consultation with the State
9            Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall
10            allow, by rules, for fewer than 4 years of
11            experience based on meeting standards set forth in
12            such rules, including without limitation a review
13            of performance evaluations or other evidence of
14            demonstrated qualifications.
15                (iii) A master's degree or higher from a
16            regionally accredited college or university.
17            (C) Chief school business official endorsement. A
18        chief school business official endorsement shall be
19        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
20        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or
21        higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience
22        in school business management or 2 years of
23        university-approved practical experience, and a
24        minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a
25        program approved by the State Board of Education for
26        the preparation of school business administrators and

 

 

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1        by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief
2        school business official endorsement may also be
3        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
4        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in
5        business administration, finance, accounting, or
6        public administration and who completes an additional
7        6 semester hours of internship in school business
8        management from a regionally accredited institution of
9        higher education and passes the applicable State
10        tests. This endorsement shall be required for any
11        individual employed as a chief school business
12        official.
13            (D) Superintendent endorsement. A superintendent
14        endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional
15        Educator License of any holder who has completed a
16        program approved by the State Board of Education for
17        the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had
18        at least 2 years of experience employed full-time in a
19        general administrative position or as a full-time
20        principal, director of special education, or chief
21        school business official in the public schools or in a
22        State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief
23        administrator is required to have the licensure
24        necessary to be a principal in a public school in this
25        State and where a majority of the teachers are required
26        to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a

 

 

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1        public school in this State, and has passed the
2        required State tests; or of any holder who has
3        completed a program that is not an Illinois-approved
4        educator preparation program at an Illinois
5        institution of higher education and that has
6        recognition standards comparable to those approved by
7        the State Superintendent of Education and holds the
8        general administrative, principal, or chief school
9        business official endorsement and who has had 2 years
10        of experience as a principal, director of special
11        education, or chief school business official while
12        holding a valid educator license or certificate
13        comparable in validity and educational and experience
14        requirements and has passed the appropriate State
15        tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The
16        superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to
17        serve only as a superintendent or assistant
18        superintendent.
19            (E) Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the
20        policy of this State to improve the quality of
21        instructional leaders by providing a career pathway
22        for teachers interested in serving in leadership
23        roles, but not as principals. The State Board of
24        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
25        Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher
26        leader endorsement under this subdivision (E). Persons

 

 

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1        who meet and successfully complete the requirements of
2        the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader
3        endorsement on the Professional Educator License for
4        serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may
5        qualify to serve in such positions as department
6        chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction
7        leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by
8        the district. The endorsement shall be available to
9        those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator
10        License, (ii) hold a master's degree or higher from a
11        regionally accredited institution, (iii) have
12        completed a program of study that has been approved by
13        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
14        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and
15        (iv) have successfully demonstrated competencies as
16        defined by rule.
17            A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in
18        this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement may
19        evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of this
20        Code, provided that the individual has completed the
21        evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of this
22        Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate
23        personnel under the respective school district's
24        collective bargaining agreement.
25            The State Board of Education, in consultation with
26        the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,

 

 

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1        may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish
2        and implement the teacher leader endorsement program
3        and to specify the positions for which this endorsement
4        shall be required.
5            (F) Special education endorsement. A special
6        education endorsement in one or more areas shall be
7        affixed to a Professional Educator License for any
8        individual that meets those requirements established
9        by the State Board of Education in rules. Special
10        education endorsement areas shall include without
11        limitation the following:
12                (i) Learning Behavior Specialist I;
13                (ii) Learning Behavior Specialist II;
14                (iii) Speech Language Pathologist;
15                (iv) Blind or Visually Impaired;
16                (v) Deaf-Hard of Hearing;
17                (vi) Early Childhood Special Education; and
18                (vii) Director of Special Education.
19        Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary,
20        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may
22        add additional areas of special education by rule.
23            (G) School support personnel endorsement. School
24        support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but
25        are not limited to, school counselor, marriage and
26        family therapist, school psychologist, school speech

 

 

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1        and language pathologist, school nurse, and school
2        social worker. This endorsement is for individuals who
3        are not teachers or administrators, but still require
4        licensure to work in an instructional support position
5        in a public or State-operated elementary school,
6        secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement
7        with a governing body or board of control or a charter
8        school operating in compliance with the Charter
9        Schools Law. The school support personnel endorsement
10        shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License
11        and shall meet all of the requirements established in
12        any rules adopted to implement this subdivision (G).
13        The holder of such an endorsement is entitled to all of
14        the rights and privileges granted holders of any other
15        Professional Educator License, including teacher
16        benefits, compensation, and working conditions.
17(Source: P.A. 100-13, eff. 7-1-17; 100-267, eff. 8-22-17;
18100-288, eff. 8-24-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-780, eff.
191-1-19; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220,
20eff. 8-7-19.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.