| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | AN ACT concerning education.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | 21B-30 and 21B-50 as follows:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) (Blank). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | and implement a system of examinations, which shall be | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | examinations and indicators must be based on national and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | State professional teaching standards, as determined by the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | State Board of Education, in consultation with the State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | implement and administer this Section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | (c) (Blank). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other | ||||||
2 | requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section | ||||||
3 | 21B-20 other than the higher education requirements. | ||||||
4 | (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be | ||||||
5 | required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area | ||||||
6 | of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There | ||||||
7 | shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall | ||||||
8 | be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record | ||||||
9 | until he or she has passed the applicable content area test. | ||||||
10 | (e) (Blank). | ||||||
11 | (f) (Blank). Except as otherwise provided in this Article, | ||||||
12 | beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing | ||||||
13 | teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates | ||||||
14 | subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a | ||||||
15 | teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of | ||||||
16 | Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation | ||||||
17 | and Licensure Board. Subject to appropriation, an individual | ||||||
18 | who holds a Professional Educator License and is employed for | ||||||
19 | a minimum of one school year by a school district designated as | ||||||
20 | Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after application to the | ||||||
21 | State Board, receive from the State Board a refund for any | ||||||
22 | costs associated with completing the teacher performance | ||||||
23 | assessment under this subsection. | ||||||
24 | (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher | ||||||
25 | performance assessment shall be the test tests that from time | ||||||
26 | to time are designated by the State Board of Education, in |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | ||||||
2 | Board, and may include a test be tests prepared by an | ||||||
3 | educational testing organization or a test tests designed by | ||||||
4 | the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State | ||||||
5 | Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The test of content | ||||||
6 | area knowledge shall assess content knowledge in a specific | ||||||
7 | subject field. The test tests must be designed to be racially | ||||||
8 | neutral to ensure that no person taking the test tests is | ||||||
9 | discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national | ||||||
10 | origin, or other factors unrelated to the person's ability to | ||||||
11 | perform as a licensed employee. The score required to pass the | ||||||
12 | test tests shall be fixed by the State Board of Education, in | ||||||
13 | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | ||||||
14 | Board. The test tests shall be administered not fewer than 3 | ||||||
15 | times a year at such time and place as may be designated by the | ||||||
16 | State Board of Education, in consultation with the State | ||||||
17 | Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. | ||||||
18 | The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess | ||||||
19 | the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of | ||||||
20 | applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under | ||||||
21 | subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this | ||||||
22 | Code in the English language and in the language of the | ||||||
23 | transitional bilingual education program requested by the | ||||||
24 | applicant. | ||||||
25 | (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the | ||||||
26 | provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | district subject to Article 34 of this Code. | ||||||
2 | (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the | ||||||
3 | testing requirements under this Section shall include without | ||||||
4 | limitation provisions governing test selection, test | ||||||
5 | validation and determination of a passing score, | ||||||
6 | administration of the tests, frequency of administration, | ||||||
7 | applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the | ||||||
8 | years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special | ||||||
9 | accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop | ||||||
10 | such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to | ||||||
11 | year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
| ||||||
12 | (Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; | ||||||
13 | 100-932, eff. 8-17-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. | ||||||
14 | 8-7-19; 101-594, eff. 12-5-19.) | ||||||
15 | (105 ILCS 5/21B-50) | ||||||
16 | Sec. 21B-50. Alternative Educator Licensure Program. | ||||||
17 | (a) There is established an alternative educator licensure | ||||||
18 | program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure | ||||||
19 | Program for Teachers. | ||||||
20 | (b) The Alternative Educator Licensure Program for | ||||||
21 | Teachers may be offered by a recognized institution approved | ||||||
22 | to offer educator preparation programs by the State Board of | ||||||
23 | Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation | ||||||
24 | and Licensure Board. | ||||||
25 | The program shall be comprised of 4 phases: |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (1) A course of study that at a minimum includes | ||||||
2 | instructional planning; instructional strategies, | ||||||
3 | including special education, reading, and English language | ||||||
4 | learning; classroom management; and the assessment of | ||||||
5 | students and use of data to drive instruction. | ||||||
6 | (2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's | ||||||
7 | assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a | ||||||
8 | co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must | ||||||
9 | hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an | ||||||
10 | alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to | ||||||
11 | enter the residency and must complete additional program | ||||||
12 | requirements that address required State and national | ||||||
13 | standards , pass the State Board's teacher performance | ||||||
14 | assessment no later than the end of the first semester of | ||||||
15 | the second year of residency, as required under phase (3) | ||||||
16 | of this subsection (b), and be recommended by the | ||||||
17 | principal or qualified equivalent of a principal, as | ||||||
18 | required under subsection (d) of this Section, and the | ||||||
19 | program coordinator to continue with the second year of | ||||||
20 | the residency. | ||||||
21 | (3) A second year of residency, which shall include | ||||||
22 | the candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching | ||||||
23 | position for one school year. The candidate must be | ||||||
24 | assigned an experienced teacher to act as a mentor and | ||||||
25 | coach the candidate through the second year of residency. | ||||||
26 | (4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or | ||||||
2 | qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under | ||||||
3 | subsection (d) of this Section, and the program | ||||||
4 | coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency. | ||||||
5 | If there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about | ||||||
6 | the candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may | ||||||
7 | complete one additional year of residency teaching under a | ||||||
8 | professional development plan developed by the principal | ||||||
9 | or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At | ||||||
10 | the completion of the third year, a candidate must have | ||||||
11 | positive evaluations and a recommendation for full | ||||||
12 | licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent | ||||||
13 | and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator | ||||||
14 | License shall be issued. | ||||||
15 | Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to | ||||||
16 | satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content | ||||||
17 | matter requirements established by law. | ||||||
18 | (c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an | ||||||
19 | Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of | ||||||
20 | teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a | ||||||
21 | preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this | ||||||
22 | Code or charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic | ||||||
23 | school in which the chief administrator is required to have | ||||||
24 | the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in | ||||||
25 | this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required | ||||||
26 | to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | school in this State, but may be renewed for a third year if | ||||||
2 | needed to complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program | ||||||
3 | for Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an | ||||||
4 | individual who meets all of the following requirements: | ||||||
5 | (1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college | ||||||
6 | or university with a bachelor's degree or higher. | ||||||
7 | (2) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or | ||||||
8 | greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another scale. | ||||||
9 | (3) Has completed a major in the content area if | ||||||
10 | seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if | ||||||
11 | seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special | ||||||
12 | education endorsement, has completed a major in the | ||||||
13 | content area of reading, English/language arts, | ||||||
14 | mathematics, or one of the sciences. If the individual | ||||||
15 | does not have a major in a content area for any level of | ||||||
16 | teaching, he or she must submit transcripts to the State | ||||||
17 | Board of Education to be reviewed for equivalency. | ||||||
18 | (4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection | ||||||
19 | (b) of this Section. | ||||||
20 | (5) Has passed a content area test required for the | ||||||
21 | specific endorsement for admission into the program, as | ||||||
22 | required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. | ||||||
23 | A candidate possessing the alternative provisional | ||||||
24 | educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any | ||||||
25 | other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school | ||||||
26 | who are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | any, but a school is not required to provide these benefits | ||||||
2 | during the years of residency if the candidate is serving only | ||||||
3 | as a co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of | ||||||
4 | record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any | ||||||
5 | other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be | ||||||
6 | counted towards tenure. | ||||||
7 | (d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative | ||||||
8 | Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a | ||||||
9 | school district, including without limitation a preschool | ||||||
10 | educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or | ||||||
11 | charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in | ||||||
12 | this State in which the chief administrator is required to | ||||||
13 | have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public | ||||||
14 | school in this State and in which a majority of the teachers | ||||||
15 | are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors | ||||||
16 | in a public school in this State. A recognized institution | ||||||
17 | that partners with a public school district administering a | ||||||
18 | preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this | ||||||
19 | Code must require a principal to recommend or evaluate | ||||||
20 | candidates in the program. A recognized institution that | ||||||
21 | partners with an eligible entity administering a preschool | ||||||
22 | educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that | ||||||
23 | is not a public school district must require a principal or | ||||||
24 | qualified equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate | ||||||
25 | candidates in the program. The program presented for approval | ||||||
26 | by the State Board of Education must demonstrate the supports |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | that are to be provided to assist the provisional teacher | ||||||
2 | during the 2-year residency period. These supports must | ||||||
3 | provide additional contact hours with mentors during the first | ||||||
4 | year of residency. | ||||||
5 | (e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection | ||||||
6 | (b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section | ||||||
7 | 21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a | ||||||
8 | Professional Educator License. | ||||||
9 | (f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the | ||||||
10 | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such | ||||||
11 | rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the | ||||||
12 | Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
| ||||||
13 | (Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-822, eff. 1-1-19; | ||||||
14 | 101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19; 101-643, eff. | ||||||
15 | 6-18-20.)
| ||||||
16 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||||||
17 | 2021.
|