SB0860eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0860 Engrossed LRB094 04494 NHT 34523 b

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 2-3.53a, 21-5e, 21-7.5, 21-7.10, 21-7.15, 24A-15, and 34-18.33 and by changing Sections 10-23.8a and 21-7.1 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.53a new)

Sec. 2-3.53a. New principal mentoring program.

(a) Beginning on July 1, 2007, and subject to an annual appropriation by the General Assembly, to establish a new principal mentoring program for new principals. Any individual who is hired as a principal in the State of Illinois on or after July 1, 2007 must participate in the new principal mentoring program for the duration of his or her first year as a principal and must complete the program in accordance with the requirements established by the State Board of Education by rule or, for a school district created by Article 34 of this Code, in accordance with the provisions of Section 34-18.27 of this Code. School districts created by Article 34 are not subject to the requirements of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this Section. The new principal mentoring program shall match an experienced principal who meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section with each new principal in his or her first year in that position in order to assist the new principal in the development of his or her professional practice and to provide guidance during the new principal's first year of service.

(b) Any individual who has been a principal in Illinois for 3 or more years and who has demonstrated success as an instructional leader, as determined by the State Board by rule, is eligible to apply to be a mentor under the new principal mentoring program. Mentors must complete mentoring training by an entity approved by the State Board, attend an annual training session, and meet any other requirements set forth by the State Board and by the school district employing the mentor.

(c) The State Board shall certify an entity approved to provide training of mentors.

(d) A mentor shall be assigned to a new principal based on (i) similarity of grade level or type of school, (ii) learning needs of the new principal, and (iii) geographical proximity of the mentor to the new principal. A mentor must identify areas for improvement of the new principal's professional practice, including, but not limited to, each of the following:

(1) Analyzing data and applying it to practice.

(2) Aligning professional development and instructional programs.

(3) Building a professional learning community.

(4) Observing classroom practices and providing feedback.

(5) Facilitating effective meetings.

(6) Developing distributive leadership practices.

(7) Facilitating organizational change. The mentor shall not be required to provide an evaluation of the new principal on the basis of the mentoring relationship.

(e) On or after January 1, 2008 and on or after January 1 of each year thereafter, each mentor and each new principal must complete a survey of progress on a form developed by their respective school districts. On or after July 1, 2008 and on or after July 1 of each year thereafter, the State Board must review and evaluate the mentoring training program. Each new principal and his or her mentor must complete a verification form developed by the State Board in order to certify their completion of the new principal mentoring program.

(f) The requirements of this Section do not apply to any individual who has previously served as an assistant principal in Illinois acting under an administrative certificate for 5 or more years and who is hired, on or after July 1, 2007, as a principal by the school district in which the individual last served as an assistant principal, although such an individual may choose to participate in this program or may be required to participate by the school district.

(g) The State Board may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this Section.

(105 ILCS 5/10-23.8a) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.8a)

Sec. 10-23.8a. Principal and other administrator contracts. After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 and the expiration of contracts in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act, school districts may only employ principals and other school administrators under either a contract for a period not to exceed one year or a performance-based contract for a period not to exceed 5 years, unless the provisions of Section 10-23.8b of this Code or subsection (e) of Section 24A-15 of this Code otherwise apply.

Performance-based contracts shall be linked to student performance and academic improvement attributable to the responsibilities and duties of the principal or administrator. No performance-based contract shall be extended or rolled-over prior to its scheduled expiration unless all the performance and improvement goals contained in the contract have been met. Each performance-based contract shall include the goals and indicators of student performance and academic improvement determined and used by the local school board to measure the performance and effectiveness of the principal or other administrator and such other information as the local school board may determine.

By accepting the terms of a multi-year contract, the principal or administrator waives all rights granted him or her under Sections 24-11 through 24-16 of this Act only for the term of the multi-year contract. Upon acceptance of a multi-year contract, the principal or administrator shall not lose any previously acquired tenure credit with the district.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 91-314, eff. 1-1-00.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-5e new)

Sec. 21-5e. Alternative Route to Administrative Certification for National Board Certified Teachers.

(a) It shall be the policy of the State of Illinois to improve the recruitment and preparation of instructional leaders.

(b) On or before July 1, 2007, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement an alternative route to administrative certification for teacher leaders, to be known as the Alternative Route to an Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified Teachers. "Teacher leader" means a certified teacher who has already received National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who has a teacher leader endorsement under Section 21-7.5 of this Code. Persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete the program established by this Section shall be issued a standard administrative certificate for serving in schools in this State. The State Board shall approve a course of study that persons must successfully complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of the administrative certificate under this Section. The Alternative Route to an Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified Teachers must include the current content and skills contained in a college's or university's courses and the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards for State certification, with the exception of courses that contain the competency areas and the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards that a candidate has already met through National Board certification or through a teacher leadership master's degree program.

(c) The Alternative Route to an Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified Teachers shall be comprised of the following 4 phases:

(1) National Board certification and an endorsement in teacher leadership in accordance with Section 21-7.5 of this Code;

(2) a master's degree in a teacher leader program;

(3) 15 hours of coursework in which the candidate must show evidence of meeting competencies for organizational management and development, finance, supervision and evaluation, policy and legal issues, and leadership, as stated in the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards for principals; and

(4) a passing score on the Illinois Administrator Assessment.

(d) Successful completion of the Alternative Route to an Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified Teachers shall be deemed to satisfy all requirements to receive an administrative certificate established by law. The State Board may adopt rules that are consistent with this Section and that the State Board deems necessary for the establishment and implementation of the program.

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-7.1)

Sec. 21-7.1. Administrative certificate.

(a) After July 1, 1999, an administrative certificate valid for 5 years of supervising and administering in the public common schools (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section) may be issued to persons who have graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning with a master's degree and who have been recommended by a recognized institution of higher learning as having completed a program of preparation for one or more of these endorsements. Such programs of academic and professional preparation required for endorsement shall be administered by the institution in accordance with standards set forth by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(a-5) Beginning July 1, 2003, if an administrative certificate holder holds a Standard Teaching Certificate, the validity period of the administrative certificate shall be changed, if necessary, so that the validity period of the administrative certificate coincides with the validity period of the Standard Teaching Certificate. Beginning July 1, 2003, if an administrative certificate holder holds a Master Teaching Certificate, the validity period of the administrative certificate shall be changed so that the validity period of the administrative certificate coincides with the validity period of the Master Teaching Certificate.

(b) No administrative certificate shall be issued for the first time after June 30, 1987 and no endorsement provided for by this Section shall be made or affixed to an administrative certificate for the first time after June 30, 1987 unless the person to whom such administrative certificate is to be issued or to whose administrative certificate such endorsement is to be affixed has been required to demonstrate as a part of a program of academic or professional preparation for such certification or endorsement: (i) an understanding of the knowledge called for in establishing productive parent-school relationships and of the procedures fostering the involvement which such relationships demand; and (ii) an understanding of the knowledge required for establishing a high quality school climate and promoting good classroom organization and management, including rules of conduct and instructional procedures appropriate to accomplishing the tasks of schooling; and (iii) a demonstration of the knowledge and skills called for in providing instructional leadership. The standards for demonstrating an understanding of such knowledge shall be set forth by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and shall be administered by the recognized institutions of higher learning as part of the programs of academic and professional preparation required for certification and endorsement under this Section. As used in this subsection: "establishing productive parent-school relationships" means the ability to maintain effective communication between parents and school personnel, to encourage parental involvement in schooling, and to motivate school personnel to engage parents in encouraging student achievement, including the development of programs and policies which serve to accomplish this purpose; and "establishing a high quality school climate" means the ability to promote academic achievement, to maintain discipline, to recognize substance abuse problems among students and utilize appropriate law enforcement and other community resources to address these problems, to support teachers and students in their education endeavors, to establish learning objectives and to provide instructional leadership, including the development of policies and programs which serve to accomplish this purpose; and "providing instructional leadership" means the ability to effectively evaluate school personnel, to possess general communication and interpersonal skills, and to establish and maintain appropriate classroom learning environments. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to or affect the initial issuance or making on or before June 30, 1987 of any administrative certificate or endorsement provided for under this Section, nor shall such provisions apply to or affect the renewal after June 30, 1987 of any such certificate or endorsement initially issued or made on or before June 30, 1987.

(c) Administrative certificates shall be renewed every 5 years with the first renewal being 5 years following the initial receipt of an administrative certificate, unless the validity period for the administrative certificate has been changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section, in which case the certificate shall be renewed at the same time that the Standard or Master Teaching Certificate is renewed.

(c-5) Before July 1, 2003, renewal requirements for administrators whose positions require certification shall be based upon evidence of continuing professional education which promotes the following goals: (1) improving administrators' knowledge of instructional practices and administrative procedures; (2) maintaining the basic level of competence required for initial certification; and (3) improving the mastery of skills and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching performance in clinical settings and assessment of the levels of student performance in their schools. Evidence of continuing professional education must include verification of biennial attendance in a program developed by the Illinois Administrators' Academy and verification of annual participation in a school district approved activity which contributes to continuing professional education.

(c-10) Beginning July 1, 2003, except as otherwise provided in subsection (c-15) of this Section, persons holding administrative certificates must follow the certificate renewal procedure set forth in this subsection (c-10), provided that those persons holding administrative certificates on June 30, 2003 who are renewing those certificates on or after July 1, 2003 shall be issued new administrative certificates valid for 5 years (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section), which may be renewed thereafter as set forth in this subsection (c-10).

A person holding an administrative certificate and employed in a position requiring administrative certification, including a regional superintendent of schools, must satisfy the continuing professional development requirements of this Section to renew his or her administrative certificate. The continuing professional development must include without limitation the following continuing professional development purposes:

(1) To improve the administrator's knowledge of instructional practices and administrative procedures in accordance with the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards.

(2) To maintain the basic level of competence required for initial certification.

(3) To improve the administrator's mastery of skills and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching performance in clinical settings and assessment of the levels of student performance in the schools.

The continuing professional development must include the following in order for the certificate to be renewed:

(A) Participation in continuing professional development activities, which must total a minimum of 100 hours of continuing professional development. The participation must consist of a minimum of 5 activities per validity period of the certificate, and the certificate holder must maintain documentation of completion of each activity.

(B) Participation every year in an Illinois Administrators' Academy course, which participation must total a minimum of 30 continuing professional development hours during the period of the certificate's validity and which must include completion of applicable required coursework, including completion of a communication, dissemination, or application component, as defined by the State Board of Education. A certificate holder first employed as an administrator on or after July 1, 2007 must complete the required Administrators' Academy course in each of the 6 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standard areas within the first 5 years of service as an administrator in a position that requires certification.

(C) In addition to the 30 continuing professional development hours, certificate holders who evaluate certified staff must complete a one-day teacher evaluation course and participate in an additional 6 hours of Administrators' Academy-approved coursework, which may be part of a multi-day Administrators' Academy.

The certificate holder must complete a verification form developed by the State Board of Education and certify that 100 hours of continuing professional development activities and 5 Administrators' Academy courses have been completed. The regional superintendent of schools shall review and validate the verification form for a certificate holder. Based on compliance with all of the requirements for renewal, the regional superintendent of schools shall forward a recommendation for renewal or non-renewal to the State Superintendent of Education and shall notify the certificate holder of the recommendation. The State Superintendent of Education shall review the recommendation to renew or non-renew and shall notify, in writing, the certificate holder of a decision denying renewal of his or her certificate. Any decision regarding non-renewal of an administrative certificate may be appealed to the State Teacher Certification Board.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall adopt rules to implement this subsection (c-10).

The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor the process for renewal of administrative certificates established in this subsection (c-10).

(c-15) This subsection (c-15) applies to the first period of an administrative certificate's validity during which the holder becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (c-10) of this Section if the certificate has less than 5 years' validity or has less than 5 years' validity remaining when the certificate holder becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (c-10) of this Section. With respect to this period, the 100 hours of continuing professional development and 5 activities per validity period specified in clause (A) of subsection (c-10) of this Section shall instead be deemed to mean 20 hours of continuing professional development and one activity per year of the certificate's validity or remaining validity and the 30 continuing professional development hours specified in clause (B) of subsection (c-10) of this Section shall instead be deemed to mean completion of at least one course per year of the certificate's validity or remaining validity. Certificate holders who evaluate certified staff must complete a 2-day teacher evaluation course, in addition to the 30 continuing professional development hours.

(c-20) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall develop procedures for implementing this Section and shall administer the renewal of administrative certificates. Failure to submit satisfactory evidence of continuing professional education which contributes to promoting the goals of this Section shall result in a loss of administrative certification.

(d) Any limited or life supervisory certificate issued prior to July 1, 1968 shall continue to be valid for all administrative and supervisory positions in the public schools for which it is valid as of that date as long as its holder meets the requirements for registration or renewal as set forth in the statutes or until revoked according to law.

(e) The administrative or supervisory positions for which the certificate shall be valid shall be determined by one or more of 3 endorsements: general supervisory, general administrative and superintendent.

Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, endorsements shall be made under conditions set forth in this Section. The State Board of Education shall, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, adopt rules pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, establishing requirements for obtaining administrative certificates where the minimum administrative or supervisory requirements surpass those set forth in this Section.

The State Teacher Certification Board shall file with the State Board of Education a written recommendation when considering additional administrative or supervisory requirements. All additional requirements shall be based upon the requisite knowledge necessary to perform those tasks required by the certificate. The State Board of Education shall in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, establish standards within its rules which shall include the academic and professional requirements necessary for certification. These standards shall at a minimum contain, but not be limited to, those used by the State Board of Education in determining whether additional knowledge will be required. Additionally, the State Board of Education shall in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, establish provisions within its rules whereby any member of the educational community or the public may file a formal written recommendation or inquiry regarding requirements.

(1) Until July 1, 2003, the general supervisory endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who has at least 16 semester hours of graduate credit in professional education including 8 semester hours of graduate credit in curriculum and research and who has at least 2 years of full-time teaching experience or school service personnel experience in public schools, schools under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, schools under the administration of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards established by the State Superintendent of Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by the State Superintendent of Education.

Such endorsement shall be required for supervisors, curriculum directors and for such similar and related positions as determined by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(2) The general administrative endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who has at least 20 semester hours of graduate credit in educational administration and supervision and who has at least 2 years of full-time teaching experience or school service personnel experience in public schools, schools under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, schools under the administration of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards established by the State Superintendent of Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by the State Superintendent of Education.

Such endorsement shall be required for principal, assistant principal, assistant or associate superintendent, junior college dean and for related or similar positions as determined by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, after January 1, 1990 and until January 1, 1991, any teacher employed by a district subject to Article 34 shall be entitled to receive an administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement affixed thereto if he or she: (i) had at least 3 years of experience as a certified teacher for such district prior to August 1, 1985; (ii) obtained a Master's degree prior to August 1, 1985; (iii) completed at least 20 hours of graduate credit in education courses (including at least 12 hours in educational administration and supervision) prior to September 1, 1987; and (iv) has received a rating of superior for at least each of the last 5 years. Any person who obtains an administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement affixed thereto under this paragraph shall not be qualified to serve in any administrative position except assistant principal.

(3) The chief school business official endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies by having a Master's degree, two years of administrative experience in school business management, and a minimum of 20 semester hours of graduate credit in a program established by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board for the preparation of school business administrators. Such endorsement shall also be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies by having a Master's Degree in Business Administration, Finance or Accounting from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

After June 30, 1977, such endorsement shall be required for any individual first employed as a chief school business official.

(4) The superintendent endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who has completed 30 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree in a program for the preparation of superintendents of schools including 16 semester hours of graduate credit in professional education and who has at least 2 years experience as an administrator or supervisor in the public schools or the State Board of Education or education service regions or in nonpublic schools meeting the standards established by the State Superintendent of Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by the State Superintendent of Education and holds general supervisory or general administrative endorsement, or who has had 2 years of experience as a supervisor or administrator while holding an all-grade supervisory certificate or a certificate comparable in validity and educational and experience requirements.

After June 30, 1968, such endorsement shall be required for a superintendent of schools, except as provided in the second paragraph of this Section and in Section 34-6.

Any person appointed to the position of superintendent between the effective date of this Act and June 30, 1993 in a school district organized pursuant to Article 32 with an enrollment of at least 20,000 pupils shall be exempt from the provisions of this paragraph (4) until June 30, 1996.

(f) All official interpretations or acts of issuing or denying administrative certificates or endorsements by the State Teacher's Certification Board, State Board of Education or the State Superintendent of Education, from the passage of P.A. 81-1208 on November 8, 1979 through September 24, 1981 are hereby declared valid and legal acts in all respects and further that the purported repeal of the provisions of this Section by P.A. 81-1208 and P.A. 81-1509 is declared null and void.

(Source: P.A. 92-796, eff. 8-10-02; 93-679, eff. 6-30-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.5 new)

Sec. 21-7.5. Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the policy of the State of Illinois to improve the quality of instructional leaders by providing a career pathway for teachers interested in serving in leadership roles. Beginning on July 1, 2007, the State Board, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement a teacher leader endorsement, to be known as a teacher leader endorsement. Persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete the requirements of the endorsement established under this Section shall be issued a teacher leader endorsement for serving in schools in this State. The endorsement shall be a career path endorsement but not a restrictive endorsement available to: (i) teachers who are certified through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and complete a specially designed strand of teacher leadership courses; (ii) teachers who have completed a master's degree program in teacher leadership; and (iii) proven teacher leaders with a master's degree who complete a specially designed strand of teacher leadership courses. Colleges and universities shall have the authority to qualify the proficiency of proven teacher leaders under clause (iii) of this Section. A teacher who meets any of clauses (i) through (iii) of this Section shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements for the teacher leader endorsement. The State Board may adopt rules that are consistent with this Section and that the State Board deems necessary to establish and implement this teacher leadership endorsement program.

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.10 new)

Sec. 21-7.10. Master principal designation program.

(a) The General Assembly recognizes the important role a principal serves as a school's instructional leader and believes it is in the best interest of the State to establish a mechanism for training and recognizing master level principals.

(b) One statewide organization representing principals, with input from institutions of higher education, and one school district or organization representing principals in a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, with input from institutions of higher education, shall be certified by the State Board of Education to establish a master principal designation program. The State Board shall adopt rules, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for entities seeking to provide a program under this Section, including an approval process and other criteria. A master principal designation program shall include at least the following components:

(1) Expansion of the principal's knowledge base and leadership.

(2) Application of strategies and collection of evidence of student learning and school processes.

(3) Demonstration of the ability and skills necessary to lead sustained academic improvement in a school or district.

(c) An individual serving as a principal for at least 3 years is eligible for participation in a master principal designation program. Each year, those entities approved to offer a master principal designation program must submit to the State Board a report indicating the number of individuals enrolled in the program, the progress of candidates, anticipated changes to the program, and any other relevant information requested by the State Board. All substantive changes to an entity's master principal designation program shall require prior written approval from the State Board. An entity that fails to meet the requirements of this Section or any other criteria established by the State Board by rule shall have its authority to offer a master principal designation program revoked pursuant to procedures established by rule by the State Board.

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.15 new)

Sec. 21-7.15. Illinois Administrators' Academy Review Task Force. The State Board of Education shall create a task force to review the Illinois Administrators' Academy and recommend revisions to the program. The goal of the task force shall be to revise the Illinois Administrators' Academy so that it offers professional development opportunities tailored to the individual and collective needs of principals. The task force shall consist of members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. The task force shall file a report of its findings with the General Assembly, the Governor, and the State Board by July 1, 2007. A copy of the report shall also be delivered to the Executive Committee of the Illinois State Action for Education Leadership Project. This Section is repealed on July 2, 2007.

(105 ILCS 5/24A-15 new)

Sec. 24A-15. Development and submission of evaluation plan for principals.

(a) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year and each school year thereafter, each school district, except for a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, must establish a principal evaluation plan in accordance with this Section. The plan must ensure that each principal is evaluated as follows:

(1) For a principal on a single-year contract, the evaluation must take place by February 1 of each year.

(2) For a principal on a multi-year contract under Section 10-23.8a of this Code, the evaluation must take place by February 1 of the final year of the contract. Nothing in this Section prohibits a school district from conducting additional evaluations of principals.

(b) The evaluation must include a description of the principal's duties and responsibilities and the standards to which the principal is expected to conform.

(c) The evaluation must be performed by the district superintendent, the superintendent's designee, or an individual appointed by the school board. The evaluation must be in writing and must at least do all of the following:

(1) Consider the principal's specific duties, responsibilities, management, and competence as a principal.

(2) Align to State or district research-based standards.

(3) Rate the principal's performance based on criteria established by the State Board of Education.

(4) Specify the principal's strengths and weaknesses, with supporting reasons.

(d) One copy of the evaluation must be included in the principal's personnel file and one copy of the evaluation must be provided to the principal.

(e) Failure by a district to evaluate a principal at least once during the term of the principal's contract, in accordance with this Section, is evidence that the principal is performing duties and responsibilities in at least a satisfactory manner and shall serve to automatically extend the principal's contract for a period of one year after the contract would otherwise expire, under the same terms and conditions as the prior year's contract. The requirements in this Section are in addition to the right of a school board to reclassify a principal pursuant to Section 10-23.8b of this Code.

(f) Nothing in this Section prohibits a school board from ordering lateral transfers of principals to positions of similar rank and salary.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.33 new)

Sec. 34-18.33. Principal mentoring program. Beginning on July 1, 2007, and subject to an annual appropriation by the General Assembly, the school district shall develop a principal mentoring program. The school district shall submit a copy of its principal mentoring program to the State Board of Education for its review and public comment. Whenever a substantive change has been made by the school district to its principal mentoring program, these changes must be submitted to the State Board of Education for review and comment.

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