103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2689

 

Introduced 1/10/2024, by Sen. Robert Peters

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-20
105 ILCS 5/21B-30
105 ILCS 5/21B-40

    Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the issuance of a Montessori educator license to qualified individuals to teach using the Montessori method in public school programs that use the Montessori method as the primary method of instruction. Sets forth the requirements that an individual must satisfy to be issued a Montessori educator license, which include requiring the applicant to have (i) graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a bachelor's degree, (ii) a Montessori certificate or credential issued by an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, by the American Montessori Society, or by the Association Montessori Internationale, and (iii) successfully completed required testing. Makes related changes to provisions concerning educator testing and fees.


LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2689LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 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 Sections
521B-20, 21B-30, and 21B-40 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
7    Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
8Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
9whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
10required to be licensed must have one of the following
11licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
12educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
13teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2028, a short-term
14substitute teaching license; or (v) a Montessori educator
15license. References in law regarding individuals certified or
16certificated or required to be certified or certificated under
17Article 21 of this Code shall also include individuals
18licensed or required to be licensed under this Article. The
19first year of all licenses ends on June 30 following one full
20year of the license being issued.
21    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
22State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
23rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for

 

 

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1licenses and endorsements under this Section.
2        (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
3    have successfully completed an approved educator
4    preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
5    the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
6    program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
7    testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
8    successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
9    the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
10    the exceptional child, including, without limitation,
11    children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
12    successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
13    and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
14    criteria established by rule of the State Board of
15    Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
16    All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30
17    immediately following 5 years of the license being issued.
18    The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
19    specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is
20    eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
21    endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
22    teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
23    preparation program through placement in a setting with
24    children from birth through grade 2, and the individual
25    may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
26    student teaching experience must meet the requirements of

 

 

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1    and be approved by the individual's early childhood
2    teacher preparation program.
3        Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
4    Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
5    shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
6    in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
7    content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
8        (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
9    License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
10    that limits the license holder to one particular position
11    or does not require completion of an approved educator
12    program or both.
13        An individual with an Educator License with
14    Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
15    any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
16    who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
17        An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
18    with the following endorsements:
19            (A) (Blank).
20            (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
21        alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
22        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
23        applicant who, at the time of applying for the
24        endorsement, has done all of the following:
25                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
26            college or university with a minimum of a

 

 

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1            bachelor's degree.
2                (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
3            the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
4            Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
5            Code.
6                (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
7            under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
8        The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
9    valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
10    third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
11    forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
12            (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
13        alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
14        an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
15        holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
16        superintendent in a school district's central office.
17        This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
18        who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
19        done all of the following:
20                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
21            college or university with a minimum of a master's
22            degree in a management field other than education.
23                (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
24            years in a management level position in a field
25            other than education.
26                (iii) Successfully completed the first phase

 

 

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1            of an alternative route to superintendent
2            endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
3            of this Code.
4                (iv) Passed a content area test required under
5            Section 21B-30 of this Code.
6            The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
7        order to complete one full year of serving as a
8        superintendent or assistant superintendent.
9            (D) (Blank).
10            (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
11        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
12        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
13        has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
14        regionally accredited institution of higher education
15        or an accredited trade and technical institution and
16        has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
17        education in each area to be taught.
18            The career and technical educator endorsement on
19        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
20        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
21        endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
22            An individual who holds a valid career and
23        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
24        with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
25        degree may substitute teach in career and technical
26        education classrooms.

 

 

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1            (F) (Blank).
2            (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
3        transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
4        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
5        the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
6        with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
7        provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
8        all of the following requirements:
9                (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
10            writing ability in the language other than English
11            in which transitional bilingual education is
12            offered.
13                (ii) Has the ability to successfully
14            communicate in English.
15                (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
16            previous to his or her applying for a transitional
17            bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
18            comparable teaching certificate or comparable
19            authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
20            a degree from an institution of higher learning in
21            a foreign country that the State Educator
22            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
23            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
24            regionally accredited institution of higher
25            learning in the United States.
26            A transitional bilingual educator endorsement

 

 

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1        shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
2        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
3        of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
4        renewed.
5            Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
6        endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
7        presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
8        replaced for any reason.
9            (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
10        alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
11        other than English in the public schools, an
12        individual who holds an Educator License with
13        Stipulations may also apply for a language
14        endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
15        satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
16        following requirements:
17                (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
18            endorsement.
19                (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
20            language for which the endorsement is to be issued
21            by passing the applicable language content test
22            required by the State Board of Education.
23                (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
24            a regionally accredited institution of higher
25            education or, for individuals educated in a
26            country other than the United States, holds a

 

 

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1            degree from an institution of higher learning in a
2            foreign country that the State Educator
3            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
4            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
5            regionally accredited institution of higher
6            learning in the United States.
7                (iv) (Blank).
8            A language endorsement on an Educator License with
9        Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
10        grade 12 for the same validity period as the
11        individual's transitional bilingual educator
12        endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
13        and shall not be renewed.
14            (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
15        international educator endorsement on an Educator
16        License with Stipulations may be issued to an
17        individual who is being recruited by a particular
18        school district that conducts formal recruitment
19        programs outside of the United States to secure the
20        services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
21        the following requirements:
22                (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
23            bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
24                (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
25            grade level for which he or she will be employed.
26                (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the

 

 

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1            subject to be taught.
2                (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
3            language.
4            A holder of a visiting international educator
5        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
6        shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
7        programs in the language that was the medium of
8        instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
9        provided that he or she passes the English Language
10        Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
11        skills in English identified by the State Board of
12        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
13        Preparation and Licensure Board.
14            A visiting international educator endorsement on
15        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
16        years and shall not be renewed.
17            (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
18        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
19        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
20        high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
21        (i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
22        semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
23        institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
24        paraprofessional competency test under subsection
25        (c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
26        of age and will be using the Educator License with

 

 

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1        Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten
2        through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age
3        of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
4        paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
5        subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
6        endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
7        following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
8        may be renewed through application and payment of the
9        appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
10        this Code. An individual who holds only a
11        paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
12        to additional requirements in order to renew the
13        endorsement.
14            (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
15        business official endorsement on an Educator License
16        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
17        qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
18        years of full-time administrative experience in school
19        business management or 2 years of university-approved
20        practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
21        hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
22        State Board of Education for the preparation of school
23        business administrators and by passage of the
24        applicable State tests, including an applicable
25        content area test.
26            The chief school business official endorsement may

 

 

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1        also be affixed to the Educator License with
2        Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
3        master's degree in business administration, finance,
4        accounting, or public administration and who completes
5        an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
6        business management from a regionally accredited
7        institution of higher education and passes the
8        applicable State tests, including an applicable
9        content area test. This endorsement shall be required
10        for any individual employed as a chief school business
11        official.
12            The chief school business official endorsement on
13        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
14        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
15        endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
16        license holder completes renewal requirements as
17        required for individuals who hold a Professional
18        Educator License endorsed for chief school business
19        official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
20        rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
21        Education.
22            The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
23        necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
24            (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
25        in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
26        with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has

 

 

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1        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
2        program at an Illinois institution of higher education
3        and who has not successfully completed an
4        evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
5        who meets all of the following requirements:
6                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
7                (ii) Has completed an approved educator
8            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
9                (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
10            test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
11                (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
12            assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
13            minimum score on that assessment, as established
14            by the State Board of Education in consultation
15            with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
16            Board.
17            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
18        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
19        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
20        be renewed.
21            (M) (Blank).
22            (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
23        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
24        may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
25            (O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
26        provisional career and technical educator endorsement

 

 

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1        on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
2        to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
3        work experience in the skill for which the applicant
4        is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
5        board and regional office of education shall provide
6        verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
7        of Education at the time the application is submitted
8        that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
9        Educator License or an Educator License with
10        Stipulations with a career and technical educator
11        endorsement is available to teach and that actual
12        circumstances require such issuance.
13            A provisional career and technical educator
14        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
15        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
16        of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
17            An individual who holds a provisional career and
18        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
19        with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
20        career and technical education classrooms.
21        (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
22    License may be issued to qualified applicants for
23    substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
24    prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
25    Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
26    a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's

 

 

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1    degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
2    of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
3    educator preparation program in this State and have earned
4    at least 90 credit hours.
5        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
6        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
7    teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
8    has had his or her Professional Educator License or
9    Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
10    then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
11    Substitute Teaching License.
12        A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
13    licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
14    board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
15    contract because of an emergency situation, then a
16    district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
17    than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
18    district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
19    office of education within 5 business days after the
20    employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
21    position. A district may continue to employ that same
22    substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
23    calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
24    is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
25    30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
26    written request with the appropriate regional office of

 

 

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1    education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
2    that the position remains vacant and the district
3    continues to actively seek qualified candidates and
4    provides documentation that it has provided training
5    specific to the position, including training on meeting
6    the needs of students with disabilities and English
7    learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
8    granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
9    emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
10    has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
11    fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
12    capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
13    or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
14    candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
15    advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
16    vacant position.
17        There is no limit on the number of days that a
18    substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
19    provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
20    than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
21    through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
22    days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
23    same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
24    Professional Educator License or Educator License with
25    Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
26    for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same

 

 

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1    school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
2    number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
3    apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
4    this Code.
5        A school district may not require an individual who
6    holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
7    License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
8    Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
9        (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
10    on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
11    apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
12    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
13    Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
14    applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
15    public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
16    Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible
17    for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
18    Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
19    completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
20    accredited institution of higher education.
21        Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
22    substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
23    individual has had his or her Professional Educator
24    License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
25    revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
26    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.

 

 

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1        The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
2    Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
3        An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
4    License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
5    licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
6    absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
7    is under contract, a school district may not hire an
8    individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
9    License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
10    to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
11    Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
12    holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
13    complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
14    34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
15    school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
16    Section are valid for 5 years.
17        (5) Montessori Educator License. Persons who (i) have
18    graduated from a regionally accredited institution of
19    higher education with a bachelor's degree, (ii) have a
20    Montessori certificate or credential issued by an
21    institution or program accredited by the Montessori
22    Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, by the
23    American Montessori Society, or by the Association
24    Montessori Internationale, (iii) have successfully
25    completed the required testing under Section 21B-30 of
26    this Code, (iv) have successfully completed coursework on

 

 

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1    the psychology of, the identification of, and the methods
2    of instruction for the exceptional child, including
3    without limitation children with learning disabilities,
4    (v) have successfully completed coursework in methods of
5    reading and reading in the content area, and (vi) have met
6    all other criteria established by rule of the State Board
7    of Education shall be issued a Montessori Educator License
8    for the purpose of teaching using the Montessori method in
9    public school programs that use the Montessori method as
10    the primary method of instruction. All Montessori Educator
11    Licenses are valid until June 30 immediately following 5
12    years of the license being issued.
13(Source: P.A. 102-711, eff. 1-1-23; 102-712, eff. 4-27-22;
14102-713, eff. 1-1-23; 102-717, eff. 4-29-22; 102-894, eff.
155-20-22; 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
16103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23.)
 
17    (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
18    Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
19    (a) (Blank).
20    (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
22and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
23required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
24examinations and indicators must be based on national and
25State professional teaching standards, as determined by the

 

 

SB2689- 19 -LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 b

1State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
2Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
3Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
4implement and administer this Section.
5    (c) (Blank).
6    (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
7paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
8applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
9paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
10endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
11requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
1221B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
13    (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
14required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
15of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
16shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
17be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
18until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
19    (d-5) The State Board shall consult with any applicable
20vendors within 90 days after July 28, 2023 (the effective date
21of Public Act 103-402) this amendatory Act of the 103rd
22General Assembly to develop a plan to transition the test of
23content area knowledge in the endorsement area of elementary
24education, grades one through 6, by July 1, 2026 to a content
25area test that contains testing elements that cover
26bilingualism, biliteracy, oral language development,

 

 

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1foundational literacy skills, and developmentally appropriate
2higher-order comprehension and on which a valid and reliable
3language and literacy subscore can be determined. The State
4Board shall base its rules concerning the passing subscore on
5the language and literacy portion of the test on the
6recommended cut-score determined in the formal
7standard-setting process. Candidates need not achieve a
8particular subscore in the area of language and literacy. The
9State Board shall aggregate and publish the number of
10candidates in each preparation program who take the test and
11the number who pass the language and literacy portion.
12    (e) (Blank).
13    (f) Beginning on August 4, 2023 (the effective date of
14Public Act 103-488) this amendatory Act of the 103rd General
15Assembly through August 31, 2025, no candidate completing a
16teacher preparation program in this State or candidate subject
17to Section 21B-35 of this Code is required to pass a teacher
18performance assessment. Except as otherwise provided in this
19Article, beginning on September 1, 2015 until August 4, 2023
20(the effective date of Public Act 103-488) this amendatory Act
21of the 103rd General Assembly and beginning again on September
221, 2025, all candidates completing teacher preparation
23programs in this State and all candidates subject to Section
2421B-35 of this Code are required to pass a teacher performance
25assessment approved by the State Board of Education, in
26consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure

 

 

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1Board. All candidates subject to paragraph (5) of Section
221B-20 of this Code are required to pass a teacher performance
3assessment approved by the State Board of Education, in
4consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
5Board. A candidate may not be required to submit test
6materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, an
7individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
8employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
9designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
10application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
11refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
12performance assessment under this subsection.
13    (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is
14created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective
15teacher performance assessment systems for implementation
16across all educator preparation programs in this State, with
17the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and
18supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system.
19Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial,
20ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force
21shall consist of all of the following members:
22        (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
23    President of the Senate.
24        (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
25    Minority Leader of the Senate.
26        (3) One member of the House of Representatives,

 

 

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1    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
2        (4) One member of the House of Representatives,
3    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
4    Representatives.
5        (5) One member who represents a statewide professional
6    teachers' organization, appointed by the State
7    Superintendent of Education.
8        (6) One member who represents a different statewide
9    professional teachers' organization, appointed by the
10    State Superintendent of Education.
11        (7) One member from a statewide organization
12    representing school principals, appointed by the State
13    Superintendent of Education.
14        (8) One member from a statewide organization
15    representing regional superintendents of schools,
16    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
17        (9) One member from a statewide organization
18    representing school administrators, appointed by the State
19    Superintendent of Education.
20        (10) One member representing a school district
21    organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the
22    State Superintendent of Education.
23        (11) One member of an association representing rural
24    and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent
25    of Education.
26        (12) One member representing a suburban school

 

 

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1    district, appointed by the State Superintendent of
2    Education.
3        (13) One member from a statewide organization
4    representing school districts in the southern suburbs of
5    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
6    of Education.
7        (14) One member from a statewide organization
8    representing large unit school districts, appointed by the
9    State Superintendent of Education.
10        (15) One member from a statewide organization
11    representing school districts in the collar counties of
12    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
13    of Education.
14        (16) Three members, each representing a different
15    public university in this State and each a current member
16    of the faculty of an approved educator preparation
17    program, appointed by the State Superintendent of
18    Education.
19        (17) Three members, each representing a different
20    4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and
21    each a current member of the faculty of an approved
22    educator preparation program, appointed by the State
23    Superintendent of Education.
24        (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education,
25    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
26        (19) One member representing a statewide policy

 

 

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1    organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students
2    and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of
3    Education.
4        (20) One member representing a statewide organization
5    focused on research-based education policy to support a
6    school system that prepares all students for college, a
7    career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State
8    Superintendent of Education.
9        (21) Two members representing an early childhood
10    advocacy organization, appointed by the State
11    Superintendent of Education.
12        (22) One member representing a statewide organization
13    that partners with educator preparation programs and
14    school districts to support the growth and development of
15    preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent
16    of Education.
17        (23) One member representing a statewide organization
18    that advocates for educational equity and racial justice
19    in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of
20    Education.
21        (24) One member representing a statewide organization
22    that represents school boards, appointed by the State
23    Superintendent of Education.
24        (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years,
25    served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State
26    Superintendent of Education.

 

 

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1    Members of the Task Force shall serve without
2compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of
3the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent
4meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force,
5who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of
6Education. The State Board of Education shall provide
7administrative and other support to the Task Force.
8    On or before August 1, 2024, the Task Force shall report on
9its work, including recommendations on a teacher performance
10assessment system in this State, to the State Board of
11Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is
12dissolved upon submission of this report.
13    (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
14performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
15time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
16consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
17Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
18organization or tests designed by the State Board of
19Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
20and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
21assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
22tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
23person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
24of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
25the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
26score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State

 

 

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1Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
2Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
3administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
4place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
5consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
6Board.
7    The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
8the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
9applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
10subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
11Code in the English language and in the language of the
12transitional bilingual education program requested by the
13applicant.
14    (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
15provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
16district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
17    (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
18testing requirements under this Section shall include, without
19limitation, provisions governing test selection, test
20validation, and determination of a passing score,
21administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
22applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
23years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
24accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
25such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
26year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 102-301, eff. 8-26-21; 103-402, eff. 7-28-23;
2103-488, eff. 8-4-23; revised 9-1-23.)
 
3    (105 ILCS 5/21B-40)
4    Sec. 21B-40. Fees.
5    (a) The Beginning with the start of the new licensure
6system established pursuant to this Article, the following
7fees shall be charged to applicants:
8        (1) A $100 application fee for a Professional Educator
9    License or an Educator License with Stipulations.
10        (1.5) A $50 application fee for a Substitute Teaching
11    License. If the application for a Substitute Teaching
12    License is made and granted after July 1, 2017, the
13    licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee
14    within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall
15    be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if
16    the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of
17    Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the
18    Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full school days
19    within one year of issuance.
20        (1.7) A $25 application fee for a Short-Term
21    Substitute Teaching License. The Short-Term Substitute
22    Teaching License must be registered in at least one region
23    in this State, but does not require a registration fee.
24    The licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee
25    within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall

 

 

SB2689- 28 -LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 b

1    be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if
2    the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of
3    Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the
4    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full
5    school days within one year of issuance. The application
6    fee for a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License shall be
7    waived when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a
8    public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
9    Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
10        (1.9) A $100 application fee for a Montessori Educator
11    License.
12        (2) A $150 application fee for individuals who have
13    not been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator
14    preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher
15    education and are seeking any of the licenses set forth in
16    subdivision (1) of this subsection (a).
17        (3) A $50 application fee for each endorsement or
18    approval.
19        (4) A $10 per year registration fee for the course of
20    the validity cycle to register the license, which shall be
21    paid to the regional office of education having
22    supervision and control over the school in which the
23    individual holding the license is to be employed. If the
24    individual holding the license is not yet employed, then
25    the license may be registered in any county in this State.
26    The registration fee must be paid in its entirety the

 

 

SB2689- 29 -LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 b

1    first time the individual registers the license for a
2    particular validity period in a single region. No
3    additional fee may be charged for that validity period
4    should the individual subsequently register the license in
5    additional regions. An individual must register the
6    license (i) immediately after initial issuance of the
7    license and (ii) at the beginning of each renewal cycle if
8    the individual has satisfied the renewal requirements
9    required under this Code.
10        Beginning on July 1, 2017, at the beginning of each
11    renewal cycle, individuals who hold a Substitute Teaching
12    License may apply for a reimbursement of the registration
13    fee within 18 months of renewal and shall be issued that
14    reimbursement by the State Board of Education from funds
15    appropriated for that purpose if the licensee provides
16    evidence to the State Board of Education that the licensee
17    has taught pursuant to the Substitute Teaching License at
18    least 10 full school days within one year of renewal.
19        (5) The license renewal fee for an Educator License
20    with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator
21    endorsement is $25.
22    (b) All application fees paid pursuant to subdivisions (1)
23through (3) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be
24deposited into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund and
25shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of
26Education to provide the technology and human resources

 

 

SB2689- 30 -LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 b

1necessary for the timely and efficient processing of
2applications and for the renewal of licenses. Funds available
3from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund may also be
4used by the State Board of Education to support the
5recruitment and retention of educators, to support educator
6preparation programs as they seek national accreditation, and
7to provide professional development aligned with the
8requirements set forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code. A
9majority of the funds in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving
10Fund must be dedicated to the timely and efficient processing
11of applications and for the renewal of licenses. The Teacher
12Certificate Fee Revolving Fund is not subject to
13administrative charge transfers, authorized under Section 8h
14of the State Finance Act, from the Teacher Certificate Fee
15Revolving Fund into any other fund of this State, and moneys in
16the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund shall not revert
17back to the General Revenue Fund at any time.
18    The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the
19registration fees paid pursuant to subdivision (4) of
20subsection (a) of this Section into the institute fund
21established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code.
22    (c) The State Board of Education and each regional office
23of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience
24fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of license
25fees. This service or convenience fee shall not exceed the
26amount required by the credit card processing company or

 

 

SB2689- 31 -LRB103 36249 RJT 66346 b

1vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or
2regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee
3must be paid to that company or vendor.
4    (d) If, at the time a certificate issued under Article 21
5of this Code is exchanged for a license issued under this
6Article, a person has paid registration fees for any years of
7the validity period of the certificate and these years have
8not expired when the certificate is exchanged, then those fees
9must be applied to the registration of the new license.
10(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19;
11102-867, eff. 5-13-22.)