102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB3619

 

Introduced 2/22/2021, by Rep. Fred Crespo

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 805/3-80 new

    Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate-level early childhood education program and confer a bachelor of applied science degree in early childhood education and a Professional Educator License with endorsements in early childhood education and early childhood special education under certain conditions. Provides for an application for approval from the Illinois Community College Board. Sets forth college requirements and prohibitions. Provides that a candidate for educator licensure must successfully complete applicable testing requirements prior to the issuance of an educator license and any endorsements. Provides for a statewide evaluation of such programs.


LRB102 14210 CMG 19562 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3619LRB102 14210 CMG 19562 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 Public Community College Act is amended by
5adding Section 3-80 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 805/3-80 new)
7    Sec. 3-80. Early childhood education bachelor of applied
8science degree.
9    (a) A board of trustees may establish and offer a
10baccalaureate-level early childhood education program and
11confer a bachelor of applied science degree in early childhood
12education and a Professional Educator License with
13endorsements in early childhood education and early childhood
14special education if all of the following conditions are met:
15        (1) The board meets all of the requirements as set
16    forth in subsection (b) of this Section and has been
17    approved by the State Board to offer a bachelor of applied
18    science degree in early childhood education.
19        (2) After the program has been approved by the State
20    Board, the Board of Higher Education shall consider the
21    program for approval in a manner consistent with new
22    bachelor's degree programs at public and private
23    universities in this State.

 

 

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1        (3) The program has been approved by the State Board
2    of Education, pursuant to Section 21B-105 of the School
3    Code and administrative rules.
4        (4) The board has identified and documented, in
5    writing, unmet workforce needs in the subject area of the
6    baccalaureate degree to be offered. The board shall
7    publish on its Internet website and make publicly
8    available the documentation and shall present the
9    documentation to the State Board.
10        (5) The board meets all applicable accreditation
11    requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.
12        (6) The community college district shall offer and
13    maintain an associate degree in early childhood education
14    or a related field.
15    (b) The board shall demonstrate that the community college
16district has the expertise, resources, and student interest to
17establish and offer a baccalaureate-level early childhood
18education program. An application for approval from the State
19Board shall include, but is not limited to, all of the
20following:
21        (1) The board shall describe the labor market need as
22    specified in paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this
23    Section.
24        (2) The board shall describe the program's purpose,
25    its target population, related occupations, and career
26    paths.

 

 

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1        (3) The board shall demonstrate the community college
2    has developed quality curricula that aligns with federal,
3    State, and local requirements and will prepare graduates
4    with the appropriate level of skill to meet their
5    educational goals.
6        (4) The board shall verify the community college has
7    the fiscal resources in place or has budgeted for
8    financial support for the program in a cost-effective
9    manner.
10        (5) The board shall identify and document the faculty
11    available for teaching the program, including the number
12    of full-time faculty anticipated to teach in the program,
13    and a description of their qualifications (including
14    highest degree earned), teaching experience, professional
15    experience, and licenses held. The board must also
16    indicate how faculty are to be evaluated.
17    (c) A community college district is prohibited from using
18semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree
19program for grants received pursuant to Section 2-16.02 of
20this Act.
21     (d) A community college offering educator licensure must
22establish standards and procedures for the denial of
23recommendation for licensure, in compliance with Section
2421B-95 of the School Code.
25     (e) A candidate for educator licensure must successfully
26complete the applicable testing requirements under Section

 

 

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121B-30 of the School Code and any corresponding administrative
2rules prior to the issuance of an educator license and any
3endorsements.
4    (f) The State Board shall conduct a statewide evaluation
5of all programs established under this Section. The results of
6the evaluation shall be reported, in writing, on or before
7July 1, 2028 to all of the following:
8        (1) The Board of Higher Education.
9        (2) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
10        (3) The Minority Leader of the House of
11    Representatives.
12        (4) The President of the Senate.
13        (5) The Minority Leader of the Senate.
14        (6) The Governor's Office of Management and Budget.
15    The evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, all
16of the following:
17        (A) The number of new programs established under this
18    Section, including information identifying applicants,
19    admissions, enrollments, demographic characteristics of
20    students, and degree recipients.
21        (B) The extent to which the programs established under
22    this Section fulfill identified workforce needs.
23        (C) Which community college districts applied for a
24    program but were denied and why were they denied.
25        (D) The cost of each program and the funding sources
26    that were used to finance the programs.

 

 

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1        (E) Time-to-degree rates and completion rates for each
2    new program established under this Section.
3        (F) The extent to which the programs established under
4    this Section are in compliance with the requirements of
5    this Section.
6    Boards of trustees shall submit the information necessary
7to conduct the evaluation required under this subsection (f),
8as determined by the evaluators, to the State Board.