Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 2/7/2022

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 3900

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 3900 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Right
5to Read Act.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative findings.
7    (a) The General Assembly makes all of he following
8findings:
9        (1) The 2019 Illinois Assessment of Readiness found
10    that, among 3rd grade students, just 37% met or exceeded
11    learning standards in English language arts.
12        (2) The 2019 National Assessment of Educational
13    Progress similarly showed that just 35% of fourth grade
14    students in Illinois are proficient or advanced in English
15    language arts.
16        (3) Research from the Annie E. Casey Institute found

 

 

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1    that students who are not proficient readers in 3rd grade
2    are 4 times more likely not to finish high school, while
3    students from low-income families who are non-proficient
4    readers in 3rd grade are more than 6 times more likely not
5    to finish high school.
6        (4) The Literacy Project Foundation estimates that 60%
7    of all prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of juvenile
8    offenders struggle with reading.
9        (5) Twenty-one states require elementary teacher
10    candidates to pass a licensure test that is well-grounded
11    in the science of reading and fully measures knowledge in
12    reading foundations for all elementary candidates yet
13    Illinois does not measure the competencies of the science
14    of reading in the current licensure exam.
15        (6) Reading comprehension is the ability to extract
16    and construct literal and inferred meaning from linguistic
17    discourse represented in printed text; the "Simple View of
18    Reading" states that reading comprehension is the product
19    of language comprehension (the ability to extract and
20    construct literal and inferred meaning from linguistic
21    discourse represented in speech) and word recognition (the
22    ability to decode words through a foundation of
23    phonological, orthographic, and morphological awareness).
24        (7) A structured literacy instructional approach
25    supports all learners, including those with linguistic
26    differences, such as English learners and speakers of

 

 

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1    English language variations, for whom both English
2    literacy and English oral language proficiency are
3    critical priorities.
4        (8) Teachers must be knowledgeable about the cultural
5    practices and language system of the children they serve,
6    including those children who speak language variations of
7    English, such as African-American English (AAE), which has
8    a linguistic structure that is a systematic and
9    rule-governed variation of General American English (GAE).
10    Differences among common language variations must be
11    understood by those teaching bidialectal children to read,
12    write, and spell in order to provide them with culturally
13    relevant and effective instruction. In particular,
14    teachers need to understand the differences between GAE
15    and English language variations in phonology, syntax, and
16    morphology and how they impact the acquisition of literacy
17    skills. Furthermore, language variations of English must
18    be recognized and respected in order to support students
19    in bridging the 2 variations for development of strong
20    literacy skills.
21        (9) English learners benefit from a structured
22    literacy approach that recognizes the value of
23    multilingualism by explicitly focusing on English phonemes
24    that are not found in the student's home language;
25    integrating explicit instruction in vocabulary, grammar,
26    syntax, and pragmatics into phonics and phonemic awareness

 

 

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1    instruction; and encouraging students to make connections
2    between English and their home language.
3        (10) Reading and writing have a reciprocal
4    relationship; each strengthens the other, and students
5    benefit when their instruction is closely intertwined.
6        (11) Research shows that direct, systematic,
7    cumulative, sequential, and explicit reading instruction
8    that is focused on the foundational reading skills of
9    phonemic awareness, phonics (decoding), spelling
10    (encoding), vocabulary development, including morphology,
11    oral language development, reading fluency, and reading
12    comprehension, including syntax and building background
13    (content) knowledge, is highly effective in teaching young
14    children to read.
15        (12) Ensuring that every child has access to
16    high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction
17    implemented using a structured literacy approach is a
18    foundational component of Illinois' public education
19    system and a responsibility shared among federal, State,
20    and local education agencies.
21        (13) Strengthening early literacy instruction and
22    supports for students in Illinois will pay dividends in
23    the future, empowering students by providing the skills
24    they will need to graduate, find fulfilling careers, and
25    be productive members of their communities and of our
26    democracy.
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
2    "Board" means the State Board of Education.
3    "Cueing" means an instructional strategy in which students
4are encouraged to infer what words say by looking at picture
5clues or guessing or predicting words from repeated text
6patterns or context, rather than encouraging them to decode
7text as the primary method for recognizing a word while
8reading.
9    "Evidence-based practice" refers to methodologies that
10have been shown, through externally-validated research, to
11effectuate positive educational results in a predictable
12manner on a particular population. Evidence-based practices
13meet a higher standard of evidence than research-based
14practices.
15    "Explicit" refers to a specific, direct, intentional, and
16highly-structured manner of presentation in which topics are
17broken down into small parts and taught individually,
18involving direct demonstration, guidance, and practice.
19    "MTSS" means a multi-tiered system of support, which is an
20educational intervention system, focused on
21continuous-improvement using data-based problem solving and
22decision-making at all levels of the educational system.
23    "Phonemic awareness" means the ability to identify and
24manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.
25    "Phonics" means a method that demonstrates relationships

 

 

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1between letters or groups of letters of the alphabet
2(graphemes) and sounds of spoken language (phonemes).
3    "Phonological awareness" means the ability to identify and
4manipulate the spoken word parts, including syllables and
5individual sounds.
6    "Reading comprehension" means the ability to decode words
7in printed text and accurately understand and interpret their
8meaning, making connections and drawing conclusions from what
9they read.
10    "Reading fluency" means the ability to read with
11appropriate speed, automaticity, accuracy, and expression.
12    "Research-based practice" refers to methodologies
13suspected to affect a desired change. "Research-based
14practices" represent a lower standard of evidence when
15compared to evidence-based practices.
16    "Structured literacy" is an approach to reading
17instruction where teachers carefully structure important
18literacy skills, concepts, and the sequence of instruction, to
19facilitate children's literacy learning and progress.
20"Structured literacy" is characterized by the provision of
21systematic, explicit instruction that integrates listening,
22speaking, reading, and writing and emphasizes the structure of
23language across the speech sound system (phonology), the
24writing system (orthography), the structure of sentences
25(syntax), the meaningful parts of words (morphology), the
26relationships among words (semantics), and the organization of

 

 

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1spoken and written discourse.
2    "Systematic" means an approach to content delivery that
3builds sequentially upon prior learning in a strategic manner,
4that is, building from simple to complex.
 
5    Section 15. Local education provider procedures, plan, and
6training.
7    (a) The Board shall offer support to each public school
8district to select evidence-based core reading instruction
9programs and implement them using structured literacy
10instruction. The curricula shall include phonemic awareness, a
11systematic approach to phonics, explicit spelling instruction,
12vocabulary development, including morphology, oral language
13development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension,
14including syntax and building background (content) knowledge.
15Word recognition strategies shall rely on orthographic and
16phonological processes rather than cueing. The core reading
17instruction must include connected text, such as texts
18intended to reinforce words with the phonetic patterns
19previously taught in sequence. This support shall include:
20        (1) creation of a specific set of criteria that core
21    curricula must meet, as well as a list of evidence-based
22    literacy core curricula based on the given criteria, with
23    dissemination of the list to school districts by February
24    1, 2023; and
25        (2) establishment of a pilot program to award Early

 

 

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1    Literacy Grants to districts that commit to comprehensive
2    reform of core literacy curriculum and support for
3    teachers implementing instruction of the new material by
4    September 1, 2025. At a minimum, grantees of the program
5    must commit to:
6            (A) comprehensive professional development or
7    training ensuring that each teacher employed to teach
8    kindergarten or any of grades 1 through 3 and each
9    administrator in an elementary school successfully
10    completes or has successfully completed evidence-based
11    training in teaching reading; and
12            (B) adoption and implementation of core and
13    supplemental reading curricula at each grade level from
14    kindergarten through grade 2 that is designed around
15    teaching the foundational reading skills.
16    (b) The Board shall offer support to each early childhood,
17elementary, and special education teacher, reading specialist,
18literacy coach, higher education faculty member, and
19administrator to complete evidence-based training in teaching
20reading. Such training shall focus on systematic and explicit
21instruction in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics,
22orthography, vocabulary development, including morphology,
23oral language development, reading fluency, and reading
24comprehension, including syntax and building background
25(content) knowledge, and include rigorous evaluations of
26learning throughout and at the end of the course. This support

 

 

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1may include:
2        (1) development of a microcredential in the Science of
3    Reading to be affixed to professional educator licenses
4    upon completion of the required coursework, assessment, or
5    both;
6        (2) creation of a tool that school districts and the
7    public may use to evaluate professional development and
8    training programs related to structured literacy and
9    dissemination of the tool to school districts and regional
10    offices of education;
11        (3) evaluation of current, pending, and future
12    professional development and training providers approved
13    as learning partners with IL-EMPOWER to ensure that
14    training aligns with evidence-based literacy instruction
15    practices;
16        (4) completion of a review of current professional
17    development and training mandates required by federal or
18    state law or administrative rules and recommendations of
19    requirements that could be streamlined, eliminated, or
20    modified to accommodate more time for professional
21    development and training in literacy; and
22        (5) in partnership with one or more high-quality
23    providers of evidence-based professional development or
24    training in the content and principles of effective
25    language and literacy instruction, development of online
26    training modules on evidence-based literacy instruction

 

 

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1    available statewide to districts and educators free of
2    charge through December 31, 2026 and accepted for
3    continuing professional development units.
4    (c) The Board shall annually compile and post on its
5website information on the steps it has undertaken to support
6school districts to deliver high-quality, evidence-based
7literacy instruction, including a list of any Early Literacy
8Grant recipients, documentation of how the recipient allocated
9the funding to support improved literacy, and what
10evidence-based literacy curricula the recipient is utilizing.
 
11    Section 20. The School Code is amended by changing
12Sections 21B-20, 21B-30, and 21B-35 as follows:
 
13    (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
14    Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
15Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
16whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
17required to be licensed must have one of the following
18licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
19educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
20teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term
21substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
22individuals certified or certificated or required to be
23certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
24also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed

 

 

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1under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
230 following one full year of the license being issued.
3    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
4State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
5rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
6licenses and endorsements under this Section.
7        (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
8    have successfully completed an approved educator
9    preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
10    the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
11    program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
12    testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
13    successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
14    the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
15    the exceptional child, including without limitation
16    children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
17    successfully completed coursework in evidence-based
18    methods of reading that include explicit and repeated
19    focus on phonemic awareness, a systematic approach to
20    phonics (decoding), spelling instruction (encoding),
21    vocabulary development, including morphology, reading
22    fluency, oral language development, and reading
23    comprehension, including syntax and background (content)
24    knowledge, and reading in the content area, and (v) have
25    met all other criteria established by rule of the State
26    Board of Education shall be issued a Professional Educator

 

 

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1    License. All Professional Educator Licenses are valid
2    until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license
3    being issued. The Professional Educator License shall be
4    endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in which the
5    individual is eligible to practice. For an early childhood
6    education endorsement, an individual may satisfy the
7    student teaching requirement of his or her early childhood
8    teacher preparation program through placement in a setting
9    with children from birth through grade 2, and the
10    individual may be paid and receive credit while student
11    teaching. The student teaching experience must meet the
12    requirements of and be approved by the individual's early
13    childhood teacher preparation program.
14        Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
15    Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
16    shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
17    in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
18    content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
19        (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
20    License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
21    that limits the license holder to one particular position
22    or does not require completion of an approved educator
23    program or both.
24        An individual with an Educator License with
25    Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
26    any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher

 

 

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1    who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
2        An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
3    with the following endorsements:
4            (A) (Blank).
5            (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
6        alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
7        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
8        applicant who, at the time of applying for the
9        endorsement, has done all of the following:
10                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
11            college or university with a minimum of a
12            bachelor's degree.
13                (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
14            the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
15            Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
16            Code.
17                (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
18            under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
19        The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
20    valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
21    third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
22    forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
23            (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
24        alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
25        an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
26        holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant

 

 

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1        superintendent in a school district's central office.
2        This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
3        who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
4        done all of the following:
5                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
6            college or university with a minimum of a master's
7            degree in a management field other than education.
8                (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
9            years in a management level position in a field
10            other than education.
11                (iii) Successfully completed the first phase
12            of an alternative route to superintendent
13            endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
14            of this Code.
15                (iv) Passed a content area test required under
16            Section 21B-30 of this Code.
17            The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
18        order to complete one full year of serving as a
19        superintendent or assistant superintendent.
20            (D) (Blank).
21            (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
22        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
23        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
24        has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
25        regionally accredited institution of higher education
26        or an accredited trade and technical institution and

 

 

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1        has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
2        education in each area to be taught.
3            The career and technical educator endorsement on
4        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
5        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
6        endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
7            An individual who holds a valid career and
8        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
9        with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
10        degree may substitute teach in career and technical
11        education classrooms.
12            (F) Part-time provisional career and technical
13        educator or provisional career and technical educator.
14        A part-time provisional career and technical educator
15        endorsement or a provisional career and technical
16        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
17        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a
18        minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill
19        for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It
20        is the responsibility of each employing school board
21        and regional office of education to provide
22        verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
23        of Education at the time the application is submitted
24        that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
25        Educator License or an Educator License with
26        Stipulations with a career and technical educator

 

 

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1        endorsement is available and that actual circumstances
2        require such issuance.
3            The provisional career and technical educator
4        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
5        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
6        of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for
7        5 years.
8            A part-time provisional career and technical
9        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
10        Stipulations may be issued for teaching no more than 2
11        courses of study for grades 6 through 12. The
12        part-time provisional career and technical educator
13        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
14        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
15        of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for
16        5 years if the individual makes application for
17        renewal.
18            An individual who holds a provisional or part-time
19        provisional career and technical educator endorsement
20        on an Educator License with Stipulations but does not
21        hold a bachelor's degree may substitute teach in
22        career and technical education classrooms.
23            (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
24        transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
25        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
26        the purpose of providing instruction in accordance

 

 

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1        with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
2        provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
3        all of the following requirements:
4                (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
5            writing ability in the language other than English
6            in which transitional bilingual education is
7            offered.
8                (ii) Has the ability to successfully
9            communicate in English.
10                (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
11            previous to his or her applying for a transitional
12            bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
13            comparable teaching certificate or comparable
14            authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
15            a degree from an institution of higher learning in
16            a foreign country that the State Educator
17            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
18            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
19            regionally accredited institution of higher
20            learning in the United States.
21            A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
22        shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
23        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
24        of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
25        renewed.
26            Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator

 

 

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1        endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
2        presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
3        replaced for any reason.
4            (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
5        alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
6        other than English in the public schools, an
7        individual who holds an Educator License with
8        Stipulations may also apply for a language
9        endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
10        satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
11        following requirements:
12                (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
13            endorsement.
14                (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
15            language for which the endorsement is to be issued
16            by passing the applicable language content test
17            required by the State Board of Education.
18                (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
19            a regionally accredited institution of higher
20            education or, for individuals educated in a
21            country other than the United States, holds a
22            degree from an institution of higher learning in a
23            foreign country that the State Educator
24            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
25            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
26            regionally accredited institution of higher

 

 

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1            learning in the United States.
2                (iv) (Blank).
3            A language endorsement on an Educator License with
4        Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
5        grade 12 for the same validity period as the
6        individual's transitional bilingual educator
7        endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
8        and shall not be renewed.
9            (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
10        international educator endorsement on an Educator
11        License with Stipulations may be issued to an
12        individual who is being recruited by a particular
13        school district that conducts formal recruitment
14        programs outside of the United States to secure the
15        services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
16        the following requirements:
17                (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
18            bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
19                (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
20            grade level for which he or she will be employed.
21                (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
22            subject to be taught.
23                (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
24            language.
25            A holder of a visiting international educator
26        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations

 

 

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1        shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
2        programs in the language that was the medium of
3        instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
4        provided that he or she passes the English Language
5        Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
6        skills in English identified by the State Board of
7        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
8        Preparation and Licensure Board.
9            A visiting international educator endorsement on
10        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
11        years and shall not be renewed.
12            (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
13        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
14        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
15        high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
16        either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
17        semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
18        institution of higher education or has passed a
19        paraprofessional competency test under subsection
20        (c-5) of Section 21B-30. The paraprofessional educator
21        endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
22        following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
23        may be renewed through application and payment of the
24        appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
25        this Code. An individual who holds only a
26        paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject

 

 

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1        to additional requirements in order to renew the
2        endorsement.
3            (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
4        business official endorsement on an Educator License
5        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
6        qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
7        years of full-time administrative experience in school
8        business management or 2 years of university-approved
9        practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
10        hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
11        State Board of Education for the preparation of school
12        business administrators and by passage of the
13        applicable State tests, including an applicable
14        content area test.
15            The chief school business official endorsement may
16        also be affixed to the Educator License with
17        Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
18        master's degree in business administration, finance,
19        accounting, or public administration and who completes
20        an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
21        business management from a regionally accredited
22        institution of higher education and passes the
23        applicable State tests, including an applicable
24        content area test. This endorsement shall be required
25        for any individual employed as a chief school business
26        official.

 

 

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1            The chief school business official endorsement on
2        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
3        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
4        endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
5        license holder completes renewal requirements as
6        required for individuals who hold a Professional
7        Educator License endorsed for chief school business
8        official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
9        rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
10        Education.
11            The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
12        necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
13            (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
14        in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
15        with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
16        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
17        program at an Illinois institution of higher education
18        and who has not successfully completed an
19        evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
20        who meets all of the following requirements:
21                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
22                (ii) Has completed an approved educator
23            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
24                (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
25            test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
26                (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based

 

 

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1            assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
2            minimum score on that assessment, as established
3            by the State Board of Education in consultation
4            with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
5            Board.
6            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
7        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
8        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
9        be renewed.
10            (M) (Blank).
11            (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
12        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
13        may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
14        (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
15    License may be issued to qualified applicants for
16    substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
17    prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
18    Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
19    a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
20    degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
21    of higher education.
22        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
23        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
24    teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
25    has had his or her Professional Educator License or
26    Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 24 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1    then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
2    Substitute Teaching License.
3        A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
4    licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
5    board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
6    contract because of an emergency situation, then a
7    district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
8    than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
9    district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
10    office of education within 5 business days after the
11    employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency
12    situation. An emergency situation is one in which an
13    unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is
14    unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii)
15    teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous
16    indications, and the district is actively engaged in
17    advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
18    vacant position.
19        There is no limit on the number of days that a
20    substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
21    provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
22    than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under
23    contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who
24    holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License
25    with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school
26    days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 25 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1    same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on
2    the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do
3    not apply to any school district operating under Article
4    34 of this Code.
5        A school district may not require an individual who
6    holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
7    License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
8    Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
9        (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
10    on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of
11    Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
12    License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be
13    issued to a qualified applicant for substitute teaching in
14    all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through
15    grade 12. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not
16    eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term
17    Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate's
18    degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a
19    regionally accredited institution of higher education.
20        Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
21    substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
22    individual has had his or her Professional Educator
23    License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
24    revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
25    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
26        The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this

 

 

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1    Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
2        An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
3    License may teach no more than 5 consecutive days per
4    licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
5    absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
6    is under contract, a school district may not hire an
7    individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
8    License. An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute
9    Teaching License must complete the training program under
10    Section 10-20.67 or 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible
11    to teach at a public school. This paragraph (4) is
12    inoperative on and after July 1, 2023.
13(Source: P.A. 100-8, eff. 7-1-17; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17;
14100-288, eff. 8-24-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-821, eff.
159-3-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220,
16eff. 8-7-19; 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
17    (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
18    Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
19    (a) (Blank).
20    (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
22and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
23required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
24examinations and indicators must be based on national and
25State professional teaching standards, as determined by the

 

 

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1State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
2Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Before October 1,
32023, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
4State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall review
5and, as needed, amend its professional licensure standards to
6align with the principles of evidence-based literacy
7instruction, as measured on the reading foundations
8assessment. The State Board of Education may adopt such rules
9as may be necessary to implement and administer this Section.
10    (c) (Blank).
11    (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
12paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
13applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
14paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
15endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
16requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
1721B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
18    (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
19required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
20of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
21shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
22be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
23until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
24    (d-5) All applicants seeking a State license after October
251, 2025, in the areas of early childhood education, early
26childhood special education, elementary education, English

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 28 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1language arts, middle grades language arts, reading
2specialist, reading teacher, special education, speech
3language pathologist, and English language learner teacher
4shall be required to pass a test in reading foundations, which
5shall include assessment of the applicant's understanding of
6phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print and the
7alphabetic principle, the role of phonics in promoting reading
8development, word analysis skills and strategies, vocabulary
9development, linguistics, morphology, application of reading
10comprehension skills and strategies, and methods for assessing
11reading development. The reading foundations test must also
12assess applicants' knowledge of assessment, differentiation,
13and intervention with respect to each component of reading for
14English learners, students with disabilities, and students
15with advanced skills in some areas of reading.
16    (e) (Blank).
17    (f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article,
18beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing
19teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates
20subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a
21teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of
22Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
23and Licensure Board. A candidate may not be required to submit
24test materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation,
25an individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
26employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 29 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
2application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
3refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
4performance assessment under this subsection.
5    (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
6performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
7time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
8consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
9Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
10organization or tests designed by the State Board of
11Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
12and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
13assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
14tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
15person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
16of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
17the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
18score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
19Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
20Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
21administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
22place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
23consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
24Board.
25    The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
26the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 30 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
2subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
3Code in the English language and in the language of the
4transitional bilingual education program requested by the
5applicant.
6    (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
7provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
8district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
9    (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
10testing requirements under this Section shall include without
11limitation provisions governing test selection, test
12validation and determination of a passing score for all tests
13except the reading foundations test, administration of the
14tests, frequency of administration, applicant fees, frequency
15of applicants taking the tests, the years for which a score is
16valid, and appropriate special accommodations. The State Board
17of Education shall develop such rules as may be needed to
18ensure uniformity from year to year in the level of difficulty
19for each form of an assessment. The State Board shall base its
20rules concerning the passing score of the reading foundations
21test upon the recommended cut-score determined in the formal
22standard-setting process.
23(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
24101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
 
25    (105 ILCS 5/21B-35)

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 31 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1    Sec. 21B-35. Minimum requirements for educators trained in
2other states or countries.
3    (a) Any applicant who has not been entitled by an
4Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
5institution of higher education applying for a Professional
6Educator License endorsed in a teaching field or school
7support personnel area must meet the following requirements:
8        (1) the applicant must:
9            (A) hold a comparable and valid educator license
10        or certificate, as defined by rule, with similar grade
11        level, reading foundations, and content area
12        credentials from another state, with the State Board
13        of Education having the authority to determine what
14        constitutes similar grade level and content area
15        credentials from another state;
16            (B) have a bachelor's degree from a regionally
17        accredited institution of higher education; and
18            (C) (blank); or
19        (2) the applicant must:
20            (A) have completed a state-approved program for
21        the licensure area sought, including coursework
22        concerning (i) methods of instruction of the
23        exceptional child, (ii) evidence-based methods of
24        reading that include explicit and repeated focus on
25        phonemic awareness, a systematic approach to phonics
26        (decoding), spelling instruction (encoding),

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 32 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1        vocabulary development, including morphology, reading
2        fluency, oral language development, and reading
3        comprehension, including syntax and background
4        (content) knowledge, and reading in the content area,
5        and (iii) instructional strategies for English
6        learners;
7            (B) have a bachelor's degree from a regionally
8        accredited institution of higher education;
9            (C) have successfully met all Illinois examination
10        requirements, except that:
11                (i) (blank);
12                (ii) an applicant who has successfully
13            completed a test of content, as defined by rules,
14            at the time of initial licensure in another state
15            is not required to complete a test of content; and
16                (iii) an applicant for a teaching endorsement
17            who has successfully completed an evidence-based
18            assessment of teacher effectiveness, as defined by
19            rules, at the time of initial licensure in another
20            state is not required to complete an
21            evidence-based assessment of teacher
22            effectiveness; and
23                (iv) after October 1, 2025, an applicant who
24            has successfully completed a reading foundations
25            test of at least comparable rigor to the Illinois
26            reading foundations test is not required to

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 33 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1            complete a reading foundations test; and
2            (D) for an applicant for a teaching endorsement,
3        have completed student teaching or an equivalent
4        experience or, for an applicant for a school service
5        personnel endorsement, have completed an internship or
6        an equivalent experience.
7    (b) In order to receive a Professional Educator License
8endorsed in a teaching field or school support personnel area,
9applicants trained in another country must meet all of the
10following requirements:
11        (1) Have completed a comparable education program in
12    another country.
13        (2) Have had transcripts evaluated by an evaluation
14    service approved by the State Superintendent of Education.
15        (3) Have a degree comparable to a degree from a
16    regionally accredited institution of higher education.
17        (4) Have completed coursework aligned to standards
18    concerning (i) methods of instruction of the exceptional
19    child, (ii) evidence-based methods of reading that include
20    explicit and repeated focus on phonemic awareness, a
21    systematic approach to phonics (decoding), spelling
22    instruction (encoding), vocabulary development. including
23    morphology, reading fluency, oral language development,
24    and reading comprehension. including syntax and background
25    (content) knowledge. and reading in the content area, and
26    (iii) instructional strategies for English learners.

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 34 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1        (5) (Blank).
2        (6) (Blank).
3        (7) Have successfully met all State licensure
4    examination requirements. Applicants who have successfully
5    completed a test of content, as defined by rules, at the
6    time of initial licensure in another country shall not be
7    required to complete a test of content. Applicants for a
8    teaching endorsement who have successfully completed an
9    evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness, as
10    defined by rules, at the time of initial licensure in
11    another country shall not be required to complete an
12    evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness. After
13    October 1, 2025, applicants who have successfully
14    completed a reading foundations test of at least
15    comparable rigor to the Illinois reading foundations test
16    shall not be required to complete a reading foundations
17    test.
18        (8) Have completed student teaching or an equivalent
19    experience.
20        (9) (Blank).
21    (b-5) All applicants who have not been entitled by an
22Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
23institution of higher education and applicants trained in
24another country applying for a Professional Educator License
25endorsed for principal or superintendent must hold a master's
26degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 35 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1education and hold a comparable and valid educator license or
2certificate with similar grade level and subject matter
3credentials, with the State Board of Education having the
4authority to determine what constitutes similar grade level
5and subject matter credentials from another state, or must
6meet all of the following requirements:
7        (1) Have completed an educator preparation program
8    approved by another state or comparable educator program
9    in another country leading to the receipt of a license or
10    certificate for the Illinois endorsement sought.
11        (2) Have successfully met all State licensure
12    examination requirements, as required by Section 21B-30 of
13    this Code. Applicants who have successfully completed a
14    test of content, as defined by rules, at the time of
15    initial licensure in another state or country shall not be
16    required to complete a test of content.
17        (2.5) Have completed an internship, as defined by
18    rule.
19        (3) (Blank).
20        (4) Have completed coursework aligned to standards
21    concerning (i) methods of instruction of the exceptional
22    child, (ii) evidence-based methods of reading that include
23    explicit and repeated focus on phonemic awareness, a
24    systematic approach to phonics (decoding), spelling
25    instruction (encoding), vocabulary development, including
26    morphology, reading fluency, oral language development,

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 36 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1    and reading comprehension, including syntax and background
2    (content) knowledge, and reading in the content area, and
3    (iii) instructional strategies for English learners.
4        (4.5) (Blank).
5        (5) Have completed a master's degree.
6        (6) Have successfully completed teaching, school
7    support, or administrative experience as defined by rule.
8    (b-7) All applicants who have not been entitled by an
9Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
10institution of higher education applying for a Professional
11Educator License endorsed for Director of Special Education
12must hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited
13institution of higher education and must hold a comparable and
14valid educator license or certificate with similar grade level
15and subject matter credentials, with the State Board of
16Education having the authority to determine what constitutes
17similar grade level and subject matter credentials from
18another state, or must meet all of the following requirements:
19        (1) Have completed a master's degree.
20        (2) Have 2 years of full-time experience providing
21    special education services.
22        (3) Have successfully completed all examination
23    requirements, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
24    Applicants who have successfully completed a test of
25    content, as identified by rules, at the time of initial
26    licensure in another state or country shall not be

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 37 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1    required to complete a test of content.
2        (4) Have completed coursework aligned to standards
3    concerning (i) methods of instruction of the exceptional
4    child, (ii) evidence-based methods of reading that include
5    explicit and repeated focus on phonemic awareness, a
6    systematic approach to phonics (decoding), spelling
7    instruction (encoding), vocabulary development, including
8    morphology, reading fluency, oral language development,
9    and reading comprehension, including syntax and background
10    (content) knowledge, and reading in the content area, and
11    (iii) instructional strategies for English learners.
12    (b-10) All applicants who have not been entitled by an
13Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
14institution of higher education applying for a Professional
15Educator License endorsed for chief school business official
16must hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited
17institution of higher education and must hold a comparable and
18valid educator license or certificate with similar grade level
19and subject matter credentials, with the State Board of
20Education having the authority to determine what constitutes
21similar grade level and subject matter credentials from
22another state, or must meet all of the following requirements:
23        (1) Have completed a master's degree in school
24    business management, finance, or accounting.
25        (2) Have successfully completed an internship in
26    school business management or have 2 years of experience

 

 

10200SB3900sam001- 38 -LRB102 24388 NLB 35735 a

1    as a school business administrator.
2        (3) Have successfully met all State examination
3    requirements, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
4    Applicants who have successfully completed a test of
5    content, as identified by rules, at the time of initial
6    licensure in another state or country shall not be
7    required to complete a test of content.
8        (4) Have completed modules aligned to standards
9    concerning methods of instruction of the exceptional
10    child, methods of reading and reading in the content area,
11    and instructional strategies for English learners.
12    (c) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
13State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
14rules as may be necessary to implement this Section.
15(Source: P.A. 101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20;
16102-539, eff. 8-20-21.)
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
18becoming law.".