093_HB2797

 
                                     LRB093 06800 NHT 06941 b

 1        AN ACT regarding schools.

 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 adding Section
 5    21-25.5 as follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/21-25.5 new)
 7        Sec.  21-25.5.  Speech  and  language   pathologist   not
 8    "teacher".
 9        (a)  The   General  Assembly  recognizes  that  for  some
10    purposes of this Code, the term "teacher" is broadly  defined
11    to  include  all school district employees regularly required
12    to be certified under laws relating to the  certification  of
13    teachers.  The General Assembly also recognizes that (i) some
14    school district employees regularly required to be  certified
15    by  law  do not "teach" in the more narrow sense of imparting
16    information  in  a  classroom   or   classroom-like   setting
17    involving  one  or  more  students  and (ii) the professional
18    services performed and offered in  school  settings  by  some
19    speech  and language pathologists are not reasonably regarded
20    as falling within this more narrow understanding of the  term
21    "teach".
22        (b)  Notwithstanding  any other provision of this Code or
23    any  other  law  to  the  contrary,  a  speech  and  language
24    pathologist who possesses a certificate under Article  21  of
25    this  Code shall neither be required to have an employment or
26    contractual relationship directly with the school district he
27    or she serves nor be prohibited  from  serving  in  a  school
28    setting  while  employed  by  a person or entity other than a
29    school  district  if  the  speech  and  language  pathologist
30    neither performs nor offers to perform any functions  in  the
31    school  setting  that  are within the narrow understanding of
 
                            -2-      LRB093 06800 NHT 06941 b
 1    the term "teach" as  described  in  subsection  (a)  of  this
 2    Section.
 3        (c)  The State Board of Education may, in its discretion,
 4    adopt rules with respect to this Section.

 5        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 6    becoming law.