HB5374 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 19618 NHT 64872 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5374

Introduced 2/15/2012, by Rep. Michael W. Tryon

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/21-2	from Ch. 122, par. 21-2
105 ILCS 5/21B-20

Amends the Certification of Teachers Article and the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Authorizes the waiver of the student teaching requirement if the person seeking certification or licensure presents evidence of 100 hours or more of successful teaching experience on a valid substitute certificate or valid substitute teaching license. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 changing Sections 21-2 and 21B-20 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/21-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2013)

Sec. 21-2. Grades of certificates.

(a) All certificates issued under this Article shall be State certificates valid in every school district coming under the provisions of this Act and shall be limited in time and designated as follows: Provisional vocational certificate, temporary provisional vocational certificate, early childhood certificate, elementary school certificate, special certificate, secondary certificate, school service personnel certificate, administrative certificate, provisional certificate, and substitute certificate. The requirement of student teaching under close and competent supervision for obtaining a teaching certificate may be waived by the State Teacher Certification Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence of one year or more of successful teaching experience on a valid certificate and graduation from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree or higher. The requirement of student teaching under close and competent supervision for obtaining a teaching certificate shall be waived by the State Teacher Certification Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence of 100 hours or more of successful teaching experience on a valid substitute certificate.

(b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Persons who (1) have completed an approved teacher preparation program, (2) are recommended by an approved teacher preparation program, (3) have successfully completed the Initial Teaching Certification examinations required by the State Board of Education, and (4) have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid for 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code. Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, an Initial Teaching Certificate shall be automatically extended for one year for all persons who (i) have been issued an Initial Teaching Certificate that expires on June 30, 2004 and (ii) have not met, prior to July 1, 2004, the Standard Certificate requirements under paragraph (c) of this Section. An application and fee shall not be required for this extension.

(b-5) A person who holds an out-of-state certificate and who is otherwise eligible for a comparable Illinois certificate may be issued an Initial Certificate if that person has not completed 4 years of teaching. Upon completion of 4 years of teaching, the person is eligible for a Standard Certificate. Beginning July 1, 2004, an out-of-state candidate who has already earned a second-tier certificate in another state is not subject to any Standard Certificate eligibility requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this Section other than completion of the 4 years of teaching. An out-of-state candidate who has completed less than 4 years of teaching and does not hold a second-tier certificate from another state must meet the requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this Section, proportionately reduced by the amount of time remaining to complete the 4 years of teaching.

(c) Standard Certificate.

(1) Persons who (i) have completed 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate and have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, (ii) have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the United States, or have completed 4 years of teaching in a nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary school with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate, and have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, or (iii) were issued teaching certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and are renewing those certificates after February 15, 2000, shall be issued a Standard Certificate valid for 5 years, which may be renewed thereafter every 5 years by the State Teacher Certification Board based on proof of continuing education or professional development. Beginning July 1, 2003, persons who have completed 4 years of teaching, as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this paragraph (1), have successfully completed the requirements of paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection (c), and have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall be issued Standard Certificates. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid out-of-state certificates and have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the United States shall be issued comparable Standard Certificates. Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid out-of-state certificates as described in subsection (b-5) of this Section are subject to the requirements of paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection (c), as required in subsection (b-5) of this Section, in order to receive a Standard Certificate. Standard Certificates shall be issued for categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(2) This paragraph (2) applies only to those persons required to successfully complete the requirements of this paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). In order to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate, a person must satisfy one of the following requirements:

(A) Completion of a program of induction and mentoring for new teachers that is based upon a specific plan approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Nothing in this Section, however, prohibits an induction or mentoring program from operating prior to approval. Holders of Initial Certificates issued before September 1, 2007 must complete, at a minimum, an approved one-year induction and mentoring program. Holders of Initial Certificates issued on or after September 1, 2007 must complete an approved 2-year induction and mentoring program. The plan must describe the role of mentor teachers, the criteria and process for their selection, and how all the following components are to be provided:

(i) Assignment of a formally trained mentor teacher to each new teacher for a specified period of time, which shall be established by the employing school or school district, provided that a mentor teacher may not directly or indirectly participate in the evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the school.

(ii) Formal mentoring for each new teacher.

(iii) Support for each new teacher in relation to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the content-area standards applicable to the new teacher's area of certification, and any applicable local school improvement and professional development plans.

(iv) Professional development specifically designed to foster the growth of each new teacher's knowledge and skills.

(v) Formative assessment that is based on the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and designed to provide feedback to the new teacher and opportunities for reflection on his or her performance, which must not be used directly or indirectly in any evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the school and which must include the activities specified in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of this paragraph (2).

(vi) Assignment of responsibility for coordination of the induction and mentoring program within each school district participating in the program.

(B) Successful completion of 4 semester hours of graduate-level coursework on the assessment of one's own performance in relation to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. The coursework must be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board; must be offered either by an institution of higher education, by such an institution in partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a regional office of education, or by another entity authorized to issue college credit; and must include demonstration of performance through all of the following activities for each of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards:

(i) Observation, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's classroom practice (the observation may be recorded for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and describing how the new teacher made content meaningful for students; how the teacher motivated individuals and the group and created an environment conducive to positive social interactions, active learning, and self-motivation; what instructional strategies the teacher used to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance; how the teacher communicated using written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and how the teacher maintained standards of professional conduct and provided leadership to improve students' learning.

(ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of written documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments, assessment instruments, and samples of students' work) prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The documentation must provide evidence of classroom performance related to Illinois Professional Teaching Standards 1 through 9, with an emphasis on how the teacher used his or her understanding of students, assessment data, and subject matter to decide on learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected activities and instructional materials and aligned instruction to the relevant Illinois Learning Standards; how the teacher adapted or modified curriculum to meet individual students' needs; and how the teacher sequenced instruction and designed or selected student assessment strategies.

(iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her practice, which was observed under clause (B)(i) of this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (B)(ii) of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths, weaknesses, and implications for improvement according to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.

(C) Successful completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of graduate-level coursework addressing preparation to meet the requirements for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The coursework must be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and must be offered either by an institution of higher education, by such an institution in partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a regional office of education, or by another entity authorized to issue college credit. The course must address the 5 NBPTS Core Propositions and relevant standards through such means as the following:

(i) Observation, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's classroom practice (the observation may be recorded for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and describing how the new teacher made content meaningful for students; how the teacher motivated individuals and the group and created an environment conducive to positive social interactions, active learning, and self-motivation; what instructional strategies the teacher used to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance; how the teacher communicated using written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and how the teacher maintained standards of professional conduct and provided leadership to improve students' learning.

(ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of written documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments, assessment instruments, and samples of students' work) prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The documentation must provide evidence of classroom performance, including how the teacher used his or her understanding of students, assessment data, and subject matter to decide on learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected activities and instructional materials and aligned instruction to the relevant Illinois Learning Standards; how the teacher adapted or modified curriculum to meet individual students' needs; and how the teacher sequenced instruction and designed or selected student assessment strategies.

(iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her practice, which was observed under clause (C)(i) of this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (C)(ii) of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths, weaknesses, and implications for improvement.

(C-5) Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit towards an advanced degree in an education-related field from an accredited institution of higher education.

(D) Receipt of an advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in an education-related field that is earned by a person either while he or she holds an Initial Teaching Certificate or prior to his or her receipt of that certificate.

(E) Accumulation of 60 continuing professional development units (CPDUs), earned by completing selected activities that comply with paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection (c). However, for an individual who holds an Initial Teaching Certificate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, the number of CPDUs shall be reduced to reflect the teaching time remaining on the Initial Teaching Certificate.

(F) Completion of a nationally normed, performance-based assessment, if made available by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, provided that the cost to the person shall not exceed the cost of the coursework described in clause (B) of this paragraph (2).

(G) Completion of requirements for meeting the Illinois criteria for becoming "highly qualified" (for purposes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law 107-110) in an additional teaching area.

(H) Receipt of a minimum 12-hour, post-baccalaureate, education-related professional development certificate issued by an Illinois institution of higher education and developed in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(I) Completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process.

(J) Receipt of a subsequent Illinois certificate or endorsement pursuant to Article 21 of this Code.

(3) This paragraph (3) applies only to those persons required to successfully complete the requirements of this paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may earn credit through completion of coursework, workshops, seminars, conferences, and other similar training events that are pre-approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for the purpose of reflection on teaching practices in order to address all of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards necessary to obtain a Standard Teaching Certificate. These activities must meet all of the following requirements:

(A) Each activity must be designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the teacher's field of certification.

(B) Taken together, the activities completed must address each of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards as provided in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c).

(C) Each activity must be provided by an entity approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for this purpose.

(D) Each activity, integral to its successful completion, must require participants to demonstrate the degree to which they have acquired new knowledge or skills, such as through performance, through preparation of a written product, through assembling samples of students' or teachers' work, or by some other means that is appropriate to the subject matter of the activity.

(E) One CPDU shall be available for each hour of direct participation by a holder of an Initial Teaching Certificate in a qualifying activity. An activity may be attributed to more than one of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, but credit for any activity shall be counted only once.

(4) This paragraph (4) applies only to those persons required to successfully complete the requirements of this paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may earn credit from the following, provided that each activity is designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the person's field or fields of certification:

(A) Collaboration and partnership activities related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Peer review and coaching.

(ii) Mentoring in a formal mentoring program, including service as a consulting teacher participating in a remediation process formulated under Section 24A-5 of this Code.

(iii) Facilitating parent education programs directly related to student achievement for a school, school district, or regional office of education.

(iv) Participating in business, school, or community partnerships directly related to student achievement.

(B) Teaching college or university courses in areas relevant to a teacher's field of certification, provided that the teaching may only be counted once during the course of 4 years.

(C) Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, and symposiums related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Completing non-university credit directly related to student achievement, the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.

(ii) Participating in or presenting at workshops, seminars, conferences, institutes, and symposiums.

(iii) (Blank).

(iv) Training as reviewers of university teacher preparation programs.

An activity listed in this clause (C) is creditable only if its provider is approved for this purpose by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(D) Other educational experiences related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Participating in action research and inquiry projects.

(ii) Observing programs or teaching in schools, related businesses, or industry that is systematic, purposeful, and relevant to a teacher's field of certification.

(iii) Participating in study groups related to student achievement, the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.

(iv) Participating in work/learn programs or internships.

(v) Developing a portfolio of students' and teacher's work.

(E) Professional leadership experiences related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Participating in curriculum development or assessment activities at the school, school district, regional office of education, State, or national level.

(ii) Participating in team or department leadership in a school or school district.

(iii) (Blank).

(iv) Publishing educational articles, columns, or books relevant to a teacher's field of certification.

(v) Participating in non-strike related activities of a professional association or labor organization that are related to professional development.

(5) A person must complete the requirements of this subsection (c) before the expiration of his or her Initial Teaching Certificate and must submit assurance of having done so to the regional superintendent of schools or a local professional development committee authorized by the regional superintendent to submit recommendations to him or her for this purpose.

Within 30 days after receipt, the regional superintendent of schools shall review the assurance of completion submitted by a person and, based upon compliance with all of the requirements for receipt of a Standard Teaching Certificate, shall forward to the State Board of Education a recommendation for issuance of the Standard Certificate or non-issuance. The regional superintendent of schools shall notify the affected person if the recommendation is for non-issuance of the Standard Certificate. A person who is considered not to be eligible for a Standard Certificate and who has received the notice of non-issuance may appeal this determination to the Regional Professional Development Review Committee (RPDRC). The recommendation of the regional superintendent and the RPDRC, along with all supporting materials, must then be forwarded to the State Board of Education for a final determination.

Upon review of a regional superintendent of school's recommendations, the State Board of Education shall issue Standard Teaching Certificates to those who qualify and shall notify a person, in writing, of a decision denying a Standard Teaching Certificate. Any decision denying issuance of a Standard Teaching Certificate to a person may be appealed to the State Teacher Certification Board.

(6) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, may adopt rules to implement this subsection (c) and may periodically evaluate any of the methods of qualifying for a Standard Teaching Certificate described in this subsection (c).

(7) The changes made to paragraphs (1) through (5) of this subsection (c) by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly shall apply to those persons who hold or are eligible to hold an Initial Certificate on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and shall be given effect upon their application for a Standard Certificate.

(8) Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold a Standard Certificate and have acquired one master's degree in an education-related field are eligible for certificate renewal upon completion of two-thirds of the continuing professional development units specified in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code. Persons who hold a Standard Certificate and have acquired a second master's degree, an education specialist, or a doctorate in an education-related field or hold a Master Certificate are eligible for certificate renewal upon completion of one-third of the continuing professional development units specified in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code.

(d) Master Certificate. Persons who have successfully achieved National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years through compliance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Beginning on July 1, 2012, individuals holding a Master's Certificate in specific areas may work only in an area in which they have a comparable Illinois endorsement or only if the individual has an Illinois National Board for Professional Teaching Standards endorsement issued prior to June 30, 2012. A holder of a Master Certificate in an area of science or social science is eligible to teach in any of the subject areas within those fields, including those taught at the advanced level, as defined by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be deemed to meet State certification renewal requirements in the area or areas for which he or she holds a Master Certificate for the 10-year term of the teacher's Master Certificate.

(e) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-20)

Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. Before July 1, 2013, the State Board of Education shall implement a system of educator licensure, whereby individuals employed in school districts who are required to be licensed must have one of the following licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) a professional educator license with stipulations; or (iii) a substitute teaching license. References in law regarding individuals certified or certificated or required to be certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June 30 following one full year of the license being issued.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for licenses and endorsements under this Section.

(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i) have successfully completed an approved educator preparation program and are recommended for licensure by the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation program, (ii) have successfully completed the required testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have successfully completed coursework on the psychology of, the identification of, and the methods of instruction for the exceptional child, including without limitation the learning disabled, (iv) have successfully completed coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other criteria established by rule of the State Board of Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License. All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued. The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is eligible to practice.

The requirement of student teaching under close and competent supervision for obtaining a Professional Educator License shall be waived by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence of 100 hours or more of successful teaching experience on a valid substitute certificate or valid substitute teaching license.

Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework in the endorsement area, unless otherwise specified by rule, and passage of the applicable content area test.

(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement that (i) is non-renewable, (ii) limits the license holder to one particular position, or (iii) does not require completion of an approved educator program or any combination of items (i) through (iii) of this paragraph (2).

An individual with an Educator License with Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued with the following endorsements:

(A) Provisional educator. A provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds an educator license with a minimum of 15 semester hours in content coursework from another state, U.S. territory, or foreign country and who, at the time of applying for an Illinois license, does not meet the minimum requirements under Section 21B-35 of this Code, but does, at a minimum, meet both of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement, from a regionally accredited college or university or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement.

(ii) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.

However, a provisional educator endorsement for principals may not be issued, nor may any person with a provisional educator endorsement serve as a principal in a public school in this State. In addition, out-of-state applicants shall not receive a provisional educator endorsement if the person completed an alternative licensure program in another state, unless the program has been determined to be equivalent to Illinois program requirements.

A provisional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 2 years of the license being issued, during which time any remaining testing and coursework deficiencies must be met. Failure to satisfy all stated deficiencies shall mean the individual is ineligible to receive a Professional Educator License at that time. A provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall not be renewed.

(B) Alternative provisional educator. An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The alternative provisional educator endorsement is valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a third year by an individual meeting the requirements set forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in a school district's central office. This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a master's degree in a management field other than education.

(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5 years in a management level position in a field other than education.

(iii) Successfully completed the first phase of an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55 of this Code.

(iv) Passed a test of basic skills and content area tests required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The endorsement may be registered for 2 fiscal years in order to complete one full year of serving as a superintendent or assistant superintendent.

(D) Resident teacher endorsement. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Enrolled in an approved Illinois educator preparation program.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 4 years of teaching and shall not be renewed.

A resident teacher may teach only under the direction of a licensed teacher, who shall act as the resident mentor teacher, and may not teach in place of a licensed teacher. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall no longer be valid after June 30, 2017.

(E) Career and technical educator. A career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience in the last 10 years outside of education in each area to be taught.

The career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued.

(F) Provisional career and technical educator. A Provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It is the responsibility of each employing school board and regional office of education to provide verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent of Education at the time the application is submitted that no qualified teacher holding a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations with a career and technical educator endorsement is available and that actual circumstances require such issuance.

The provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed only one time for 5 years if the individual passes a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has completed a minimum of 20 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution.

(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for the purpose of providing instruction in accordance with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and writing ability in the language other than English in which transitional bilingual education is offered.

(ii) Has the ability to successfully communicate in English.

(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years previous to his or her applying for a transitional bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and comparable teaching certificate or comparable authorization issued by a foreign country or holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

A transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be renewed.

Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall not be employed to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language other than English in the public schools, an individual who holds an Educator License with Stipulations may also apply for a language endorsement, provided that the applicant provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds a transitional bilingual endorsement.

(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the language for which the endorsement is to be issued by passing the applicable language content test required by the State Board of Education.

(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

(iv) Has passed a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

A language endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through grade 12 for the same validity period as the individual's transitional bilingual educator endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations and shall not be renewed.

(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an individual who is being recruited by a particular school district that conducts formal recruitment programs outside of the United States to secure the services of qualified teachers and who meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States.

(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the grade level for which he or she will be employed.

(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the subject to be taught.

(iv) Has an adequate command of the English language.

A holder of a visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education programs in the language that was the medium of instruction in his or her teacher preparation program, provided that he or she passes the English Language Proficiency Examination or another test of writing skills in English identified by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 3 years and shall not be renewed.

(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. The paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed through application and payment of the appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject to additional requirements in order to renew the endorsement.

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching License may be issued to qualified applicants for substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years and may be renewed if the individual has passed a test of basic skills, as authorized under Section 21B-30 of this Code. An individual who has passed a test of basic skills for the first licensure renewal is not required to retake the test again for further renewals.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an individual has had his or her Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked or has not met the renewal requirements for licensure, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute Teaching License.

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under contract because of an emergency situation, then a district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the district if the district notifies the appropriate regional office of education within 5 business days after the employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the vacant position.

There is no limit on the number of days that a substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

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