98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB1868

 

Introduced , by Rep. Tom Cross

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21-5c

    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning alternative teacher certification.


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A BILL FOR

 

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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 Section
521-5c as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21-5c)
7    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2015)
8    Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification.
9The The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
10State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and
11implement one or more alternative route to teacher
12certification programs under which persons who meet the
13requirements of and successfully complete the programs
14established by this Section shall be issued an initial teaching
15certificate for teaching in schools in this State. The State
16Board of Education may approve a course of study that persons
17in such programs must successfully complete in order to satisfy
18one criterion for issuance of a certificate under this Section.
19The Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs course
20of study must include content and skills which have been
21approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with
22the State Teacher Certification Board, as meeting the
23requirement for State teacher certification.

 

 

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1    Programs established under this Section shall be known as
2Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs. The
3programs may be offered by a university that offers 4-year
4baccalaureate and masters degree programs and that is a
5recognized institution as defined in Section 21B-105 of this
6Code, by one or more not-for-profit organizations in the State,
7or a combination thereof. The programs shall be comprised of
8the following 3 phases: (a) a course of study offered on an
9intensive basis in education theory, instructional methods,
10and practice teaching; (b) the person's assignment to a
11full-time teaching position for one school year, including the
12designation of a mentor teacher to advise and assist the person
13with that teaching assignment; and (c) a comprehensive
14assessment of the person's teaching performance by school
15officials and program participants and a recommendation by the
16program sponsor to the State Board of Education that the person
17be issued an initial teaching certificate. Successful
18completion of Alternative Route to Teacher Certification
19programs shall be deemed to satisfy any other practice or
20student teaching and subject matter requirements established
21by law.
22    A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
23one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
24shall be issued under this Section 21-5c to persons who at the
25time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
26certificate under this Section:

 

 

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1        (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
2    university with a bachelor's degree;
3        (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years
4    in an area requiring application of the individual's
5    education;
6        (3) have successfully completed the first phase of the
7    Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in
8    this Section; and
9        (4) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject
10    matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.
11    An initial teaching certificate, valid for teaching in the
12common schools, shall be issued under Section 21-3 or 21-5 to
13persons who first complete the requirements for the provisional
14alternative teaching certificate and who at the time of
15applying for an initial teaching certificate have successfully
16completed the second and third phases of the Alternative Route
17to Teacher Certification program as provided in this Section.
18    A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
19or an initial teaching certificate earned under this Section
20shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes
21of compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of
22employment afforded teachers in the school who are members of a
23bargaining unit represented by an exclusive bargaining
24representative, if any.
25    The State Board of Education may adopt rules and
26regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the

 

 

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1State Board deems necessary to establish and implement the
2program.
3    No one may be admitted to an alternative certification
4program under this Section after September 1, 2013, and those
5candidates who are admitted on or before September 1, 2013 must
6complete the program before January 1, 2015.
7    This Section is repealed on January 1, 2015.
8(Source: P.A. 96-862, eff. 1-15-10; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11;
997-702, eff. 6-25-12.)