103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1529

 

Introduced 2/8/2023, by Sen. Jil Tracy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-45
105 ILCS 5/24A-5  from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
105 ILCS 5/24A-7  from Ch. 122, par. 24A-7
105 ILCS 5/24A-15

    Amends the School Code. Provides that for any 5-year renewal cycle that includes the 2022-2023 school year, each professional educator licensee shall complete a total of 100 hours of professional development during the 5-year renewal cycle in order to renew the license (rather than being required to complete a total of 120 hours). For the 2022-2023 school year only, provides that a licensee with an administrative endorsement who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day is not required to complete an Illinois Administrators' Academy course (rather than being required to complete one course). In provisions related to the content of evaluation plans, allows a school district to waive, for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any teacher in contractual continued service whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either "excellent" or "proficient". In regard to rules adopted by the State Board of Education concerning educator evaluations, for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, provides that factors related to methods of measuring student growth may not be used in any educator evaluation. In regard to the development of an evaluation plan for principals and assistant principals, allows a school district to waive, for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any principal or assistant principal whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either "excellent" or "proficient". Makes related changes. Effective immediately.


LRB103 29135 RJT 55521 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1529LRB103 29135 RJT 55521 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 School Code is amended by changing Sections
521B-45, 24A-5, 24A-7, and 24A-15 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-45)
7    Sec. 21B-45. Professional Educator License renewal.
8    (a) Individuals holding a Professional Educator License
9are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as
10specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this
11Code.
12    Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall
13meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section,
14unless otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds
15a license endorsed in more than one area that has different
16renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal
17requirements for the position for which he or she spends the
18majority of his or her time working.
19    (b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as
20provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that
21year. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if
22a license holder's electronic mail address is available, the
23State Board of Education shall send him or her notification

 

 

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1electronically that his or her license will lapse if not
2renewed, to be sent no more than 6 months prior to the license
3lapsing. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon
4(i) payment to the State Board of Education by the applicant of
5a $50 penalty or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by
6completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally
7accredited institution of higher education in the content area
8that most aligns with one or more of the educator's
9endorsement areas. Any and all back fees, including without
10limitation registration fees owed from the time of expiration
11of the license until the date of reinstatement, shall be paid
12and kept in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of this
13Code concerning an institute fund and the provisions in
14Article 21B of this Code concerning fees and requirements for
15registration. Licenses not registered in accordance with
16Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6
17months from the expiration of the last year of registration or
18on January 1 of the fiscal year following initial issuance of
19the license. An unregistered license is invalid after
20September 1 for employment and performance of services in an
21Illinois public or State-operated school or cooperative and in
22a charter school. Any license or endorsement may be
23voluntarily surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily
24surrendered license shall be treated as a revoked license. An
25Educator License with Stipulations with only a
26paraprofessional endorsement does not lapse.

 

 

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1    (c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to
2satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in
3this Section, each professional educator licensee with an
4administrative endorsement who is working in a position
5requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois
6Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of
7this Code, per fiscal year.
8    (c-5) All licenses issued by the State Board of Education
9under this Article that expire on June 30, 2020 and have not
10been renewed by the end of the 2020 renewal period shall be
11extended for one year and shall expire on June 30, 2021.
12    (d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the
13requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this
14Section, each professional educator licensee may create a
15professional development plan each year. The plan shall
16address one or more of the endorsements that are required of
17his or her educator position if the licensee is employed and
18performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated
19school or cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a
20charter school, the plan shall address that endorsement or
21those endorsements most closely related to his or her educator
22position. Licensees employed and performing services in any
23other Illinois schools may participate in the renewal
24requirements by adhering to the same process.
25    Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the
26licensee's professional development activities shall align

 

 

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1with one or more of the following criteria:
2        (1) activities are of a type that engages engage
3    participants over a sustained period of time allowing for
4    analysis, discovery, and application as they relate to
5    student learning, social or emotional achievement, or
6    well-being;
7        (2) professional development aligns to the licensee's
8    performance;
9        (3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student
10    growth or district improvement;
11        (4) activities align to State-approved standards; and
12        (5) higher education coursework.
13    (e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator
14licensee shall engage in professional development activities.
15Prior to renewal, the licensee shall enter electronically into
16the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name,
17date, and location of the activity, the number of professional
18development hours, and the provider's name. The following
19provisions shall apply concerning professional development
20activities:
21        (1) For any 5-year renewal cycle that does not include
22    the 2022-2023 school year, each Each licensee shall
23    complete a total of 120 hours of professional development
24    per 5-year renewal cycle in order to renew the license,
25    except as otherwise provided in this Section. For any
26    5-year renewal cycle that includes the 2022-2023 school

 

 

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1    year, each licensee shall complete a total of 100 hours of
2    professional development during the 5-year renewal cycle
3    in order to renew the license, except as otherwise
4    provided in this Section.
5        (2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle,
6    any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not
7    working in a position requiring such endorsement is not
8    required to complete Illinois Administrators' Academy
9    courses, as described in Article 2 of this Code. Such
10    licensees must complete one Illinois Administrators'
11    Academy course within one year after returning to a
12    position that requires the administrative endorsement.
13        (3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement
14    who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or
15    an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in
16    an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall
17    complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as
18    described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in
19    addition to 100 hours of professional development per
20    5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code.
21    However, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years year
22    only, a licensee under this paragraph (3) is not required
23    to complete an Illinois Administrators' Academy course.
24        (4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for
25    Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher
26    designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of

 

 

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1    professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order
2    to renew the license.
3        (5) Licensees working in a position that does not
4    require educator licensure or working in a position for
5    less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be
6    exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration
7    fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the
8    license.
9        (6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits
10    from a State of Illinois retirement system shall be listed
11    as retired, and the license shall be maintained in retired
12    status. For any renewal cycle in which a licensee retires
13    during the renewal cycle, the licensee must complete
14    professional development activities on a prorated basis
15    depending on the number of years during the renewal cycle
16    the educator held an active license. If a licensee retires
17    during a renewal cycle, the license status must be updated
18    using ELIS indicating that the licensee wishes to maintain
19    the license in retired status and the licensee must show
20    proof of completion of professional development activities
21    on a prorated basis for all years of that renewal cycle for
22    which the license was active. An individual with a license
23    in retired status shall not be required to complete
24    professional development activities until returning to a
25    position that requires educator licensure. Upon returning
26    to work in a position that requires the Professional

 

 

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1    Educator License, the license status shall immediately be
2    updated using ELIS and the licensee shall complete renewal
3    requirements for that year. A retired teacher, even if
4    returning to a position that requires educator licensure,
5    shall not be required to pay registration fees. A license
6    in retired status cannot lapse. Beginning on January 6,
7    2017 (the effective date of Public Act 99-920) through
8    December 31, 2017, any licensee who has retired and whose
9    license has lapsed for failure to renew as provided in
10    this Section may reinstate that license and maintain it in
11    retired status upon providing proof to the State Board of
12    Education using ELIS that the licensee is retired and is
13    not working in a position that requires a Professional
14    Educator License.
15        (7) For any renewal cycle in which professional
16    development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the
17    licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the
18    minimum professional development hours required in this
19    Section prior to September 1 of that year. Professional
20    development hours used to fulfill the minimum required
21    hours for a renewal cycle may be used for only one renewal
22    cycle. For any fiscal year or renewal cycle in which an
23    Illinois Administrators' Academy course was required but
24    not completed, the licensee shall complete any missed
25    Illinois Administrators' Academy courses prior to
26    September 1 of that year. The licensee may complete all

 

 

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1    deficient hours and Illinois Administrators' Academy
2    courses while continuing to work in a position that
3    requires that license until September 1 of that year.
4        (8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the
5    professional development renewal requirements set forth in
6    this Section at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is
7    ineligible to register his or her license and may submit
8    an appeal to the State Superintendent of Education for
9    reinstatement of the license.
10        (9) If professional development opportunities were
11    unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were
12    unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond
13    August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be
14    submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the
15    State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an
16    extension is approved, the license shall remain valid
17    during the extension period.
18        (10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to
19    December 27, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act
20    98-610) shall commence the annual renewal process with the
21    first scheduled registration due after December 27, 2013
22    (the effective date of Public Act 98-610).
23        (11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
24    subsection (e), if a licensee earns more than the required
25    number of professional development hours during a renewal
26    cycle, then the licensee may carry over any hours earned

 

 

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1    from April 1 through June 30 of the last year of the
2    renewal cycle. Any hours carried over in this manner must
3    be applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois
4    Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those
5    courses may not be carried over.
6    (e-5) The number of professional development hours
7required under subsection (e) is reduced by 20% for any
8renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year.
9    (f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to
10the required questions under penalty of perjury.
11    (f-5) The State Board of Education shall conduct random
12audits of licensees to verify a licensee's fulfillment of the
13professional development hours required under this Section.
14Upon completion of a random audit, if it is determined by the
15State Board of Education that the licensee did not complete
16the required number of professional development hours or did
17not provide sufficient proof of completion, the licensee shall
18be notified that his or her license has lapsed. A license that
19has lapsed under this subsection may be reinstated as provided
20in subsection (b).
21    (g) The following entities shall be designated as approved
22to provide professional development activities for the renewal
23of Professional Educator Licenses:
24        (1) The State Board of Education.
25        (2) Regional offices of education and intermediate
26    service centers.

 

 

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1        (3) Illinois professional associations representing
2    the following groups that are approved by the State
3    Superintendent of Education:
4            (A) school administrators;
5            (B) principals;
6            (C) school business officials;
7            (D) teachers, including special education
8        teachers;
9            (E) school boards;
10            (F) school districts;
11            (G) parents; and
12            (H) school service personnel.
13        (4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher
14    education that offer Illinois-approved educator
15    preparation programs and public community colleges subject
16    to the Public Community College Act.
17        (5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools
18    authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint
19    educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this
20    Code for the purposes of providing career and technical
21    education or special education services.
22        (6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of December
23    31, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-1147), has
24    had or has a grant from or a contract with the State Board
25    of Education to provide professional development services
26    in the area of English Learning to Illinois school

 

 

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1    districts, teachers, or administrators.
2        (7) State agencies, State boards, and State
3    commissions.
4        (8) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum
5    Disposition of Property Act.
6    (h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this
7Section shall make available professional development
8opportunities that satisfy at least one of the following:
9        (1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and
10    district leaders who guide continuous professional
11    development;
12        (2) improve the learning of students;
13        (3) organize adults into learning communities whose
14    goals are aligned with those of the school and district;
15        (4) deepen educator's content knowledge;
16        (5) provide educators with research-based
17    instructional strategies to assist students in meeting
18    rigorous academic standards;
19        (6) prepare educators to appropriately use various
20    types of classroom assessments;
21        (7) use learning strategies appropriate to the
22    intended goals;
23        (8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to
24    collaborate;
25        (9) prepare educators to apply research to decision
26    making;

 

 

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1        (10) provide educators with training on inclusive
2    practices in the classroom that examines instructional and
3    behavioral strategies that improve academic and
4    social-emotional outcomes for all students, with or
5    without disabilities, in a general education setting; or
6        (11) beginning on July 1, 2022, provide educators with
7    training on the physical and mental health needs of
8    students, student safety, educator ethics, professional
9    conduct, and other topics that address the well-being of
10    students and improve the academic and social-emotional
11    outcomes of students.
12    (i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this
13Section shall do the following:
14        (1) align professional development activities to the
15    State-approved national standards for professional
16    learning;
17        (2) meet the professional development criteria for
18    Illinois licensure renewal;
19        (3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains
20    how it aligns to State standards and identify the
21    assessment for determining the expected impact on student
22    learning or school improvement;
23        (4) maintain original documentation for completion of
24    activities;
25        (5) provide license holders with evidence of
26    completion of activities;

 

 

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1        (6) request an Illinois Educator Identification Number
2    (IEIN) for each educator during each professional
3    development activity; and
4        (7) beginning on July 1, 2019, register annually with
5    the State Board of Education prior to offering any
6    professional development opportunities in the current
7    fiscal year.
8    (j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual
9audits of a subset of approved providers, except for school
10districts, which shall be audited by regional offices of
11education and intermediate service centers. The State Board of
12Education shall ensure that each approved provider, except for
13a school district, is audited at least once every 5 years. The
14State Board of Education may conduct more frequent audits of
15providers if evidence suggests the requirements of this
16Section or administrative rules are not being met.
17        (1) (Blank).
18        (2) Approved providers shall comply with the
19    requirements in subsections (h) and (i) of this Section by
20    annually submitting data to the State Board of Education
21    demonstrating how the professional development activities
22    impacted one or more of the following:
23            (A) educator and student growth in regards to
24        content knowledge or skills, or both;
25            (B) educator and student social and emotional
26        growth; or

 

 

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1            (C) alignment to district or school improvement
2        plans.
3        (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review
4    the annual data collected by the State Board of Education,
5    regional offices of education, and intermediate service
6    centers in audits to determine if the approved provider
7    has met the criteria and should continue to be an approved
8    provider or if further action should be taken as provided
9    in rules.
10    (k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal
11cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each
125-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional
13development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed
14and entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the
15registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or
16debit card.
17    (l) Any professional educator licensee endorsed for school
18support personnel who is employed and performing services in
19Illinois public schools and who holds an active and current
20professional license issued by the Department of Financial and
21Professional Regulation or a national certification board, as
22approved by the State Board of Education, related to the
23endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License shall
24be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional
25development requirements provided for in this Section. Such
26individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to

 

 

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1renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who
2does not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial
3and Professional Regulation shall complete professional
4development requirements for the renewal of a Professional
5Educator License provided for in this Section.
6    (m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and
7Licensure Board must be made within 30 days after receipt of
8notice from the State Superintendent of Education that a
9license will not be renewed based upon failure to complete the
10requirements of this Section. A licensee may appeal that
11decision to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
12in a manner prescribed by rule.
13        (1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State
14    Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be
15    sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the
16    State Board of Education.
17        (2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
18    shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license
19    within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to
20    determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of
21    this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure
22    Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its
23    determination based upon the record of review, which shall
24    consist of the following:
25            (A) the regional superintendent of education's
26        rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license,

 

 

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1        if applicable;
2            (B) any evidence submitted to the State
3        Superintendent along with the individual's electronic
4        statement of assurance for renewal; and
5            (C) the State Superintendent's rationale for
6        nonrenewal of the license.
7        (3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
8    shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding
9    license renewal by certified mail, return receipt
10    requested, no later than 30 days after reaching a
11    decision. Upon receipt of notification of renewal, the
12    licensee, using ELIS, shall pay the applicable
13    registration fee for the next cycle using a form of credit
14    or debit card.
15    (n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be
16necessary to implement this Section.
17(Source: P.A. 101-85, eff. 1-1-20; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19;
18101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-676, eff. 12-3-21; 102-710, eff.
194-27-22; 102-730, eff. 5-6-22; 102-852, eff. 5-13-22; revised
208-25-22.)
 
21    (105 ILCS 5/24A-5)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5)
22    Sec. 24A-5. Content of evaluation plans. This Section
23does not apply to teachers assigned to schools identified in
24an agreement entered into between the board of a school
25district operating under Article 34 of this Code and the

 

 

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1exclusive representative of the district's teachers in
2accordance with Section 34-85c of this Code.
3    Each school district to which this Article applies shall
4establish a teacher evaluation plan which ensures that each
5teacher in contractual continued service is evaluated at least
6once in the course of every 2 or 3 school years as provided in
7this Section.
8    Each school district shall establish a teacher evaluation
9plan that ensures that:
10        (1) each teacher not in contractual continued service
11    is evaluated at least once every school year; and
12        (2) except as otherwise provided in this Section, each
13    teacher in contractual continued service is evaluated at
14    least once in the course of every 2 school years. However,
15    any teacher in contractual continued service whose
16    performance is rated as either "needs improvement" or
17    "unsatisfactory" must be evaluated at least once in the
18    school year following the receipt of such rating.
19    No later than September 1, 2022, each school district must
20establish a teacher evaluation plan that ensures that each
21teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is
22rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is evaluated at
23least once in the course of the 3 school years after receipt of
24the rating and implement an informal teacher observation plan
25established by agency rule and by agreement of the joint
26committee established under subsection (b) of Section 24A-4 of

 

 

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1this Code that ensures that each teacher in contractual
2continued service whose performance is rated as either
3"excellent" or "proficient" is informally observed at least
4once in the course of the 2 school years after receipt of the
5rating.
6    For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, a
7school district may waive the evaluation requirement of any
8teacher in contractual continued service whose performance was
9rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the last
10school year in which the teacher was evaluated under this
11Section.
12    For the 2022-2023 school year only, if the Governor has
13declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant
14to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act,
15a school district may waive the evaluation requirement of all
16teachers in contractual continued service whose performances
17were rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the
18last school year in which the teachers were evaluated under
19this Section.
20    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section
21or any other Section of this Code, a principal shall not be
22prohibited from evaluating any teachers within a school during
23his or her first year as principal of such school. If a
24first-year principal exercises this option in a school
25district where the evaluation plan provides for a teacher in
26contractual continued service to be evaluated once in the

 

 

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1course of every 2 or 3 school years, as applicable, then a new
22-year or 3-year evaluation plan must be established.
3    The evaluation plan shall comply with the requirements of
4this Section and of any rules adopted by the State Board of
5Education pursuant to this Section.
6    The plan shall include a description of each teacher's
7duties and responsibilities and of the standards to which that
8teacher is expected to conform, and shall include at least the
9following components:
10        (a) personal observation of the teacher in the
11    classroom by the evaluator, unless the teacher has no
12    classroom duties.
13        (b) consideration of the teacher's attendance,
14    planning, instructional methods, classroom management,
15    where relevant, and competency in the subject matter
16    taught.
17        (c) by no later than the applicable implementation
18    date, consideration of student growth as a significant
19    factor in the rating of the teacher's performance.
20        (d) prior to September 1, 2012, rating of the
21    performance of teachers in contractual continued service
22    as either:
23            (i) "excellent", "satisfactory" or
24        "unsatisfactory"; or
25            (ii) "excellent", "proficient", "needs
26        improvement" or "unsatisfactory".

 

 

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1        (e) on and after September 1, 2012, rating of the
2    performance of all teachers as "excellent", "proficient",
3    "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory".
4        (f) specification as to the teacher's strengths and
5    weaknesses, with supporting reasons for the comments made.
6        (g) inclusion of a copy of the evaluation in the
7    teacher's personnel file and provision of a copy to the
8    teacher.
9        (h) within 30 school days after the completion of an
10    evaluation rating a teacher in contractual continued
11    service as "needs improvement", development by the
12    evaluator, in consultation with the teacher, and taking
13    into account the teacher's on-going professional
14    responsibilities including his or her regular teaching
15    assignments, of a professional development plan directed
16    to the areas that need improvement and any supports that
17    the district will provide to address the areas identified
18    as needing improvement.
19        (i) within 30 school days after completion of an
20    evaluation rating a teacher in contractual continued
21    service as "unsatisfactory", development and commencement
22    by the district of a remediation plan designed to correct
23    deficiencies cited, provided the deficiencies are deemed
24    remediable. In all school districts the remediation plan
25    for unsatisfactory, tenured teachers shall provide for 90
26    school days of remediation within the classroom, unless an

 

 

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1    applicable collective bargaining agreement provides for a
2    shorter duration. In all school districts evaluations
3    issued pursuant to this Section shall be issued within 10
4    days after the conclusion of the respective remediation
5    plan. However, the school board or other governing
6    authority of the district shall not lose jurisdiction to
7    discharge a teacher in the event the evaluation is not
8    issued within 10 days after the conclusion of the
9    respective remediation plan.
10        (j) participation in the remediation plan by the
11    teacher in contractual continued service rated
12    "unsatisfactory", an evaluator and a consulting teacher
13    selected by the evaluator of the teacher who was rated
14    "unsatisfactory", which consulting teacher is an
15    educational employee as defined in the Educational Labor
16    Relations Act, has at least 5 years' teaching experience,
17    and a reasonable familiarity with the assignment of the
18    teacher being evaluated, and who received an "excellent"
19    rating on his or her most recent evaluation. Where no
20    teachers who meet these criteria are available within the
21    district, the district shall request and the applicable
22    regional office of education shall supply, to participate
23    in the remediation process, an individual who meets these
24    criteria.
25        In a district having a population of less than 500,000
26    with an exclusive bargaining agent, the bargaining agent

 

 

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1    may, if it so chooses, supply a roster of qualified
2    teachers from whom the consulting teacher is to be
3    selected. That roster shall, however, contain the names of
4    at least 5 teachers, each of whom meets the criteria for
5    consulting teacher with regard to the teacher being
6    evaluated, or the names of all teachers so qualified if
7    that number is less than 5. In the event of a dispute as to
8    qualification, the State Board shall determine
9    qualification.
10        (k) a mid-point and final evaluation by an evaluator
11    during and at the end of the remediation period,
12    immediately following receipt of a remediation plan
13    provided for under subsections (i) and (j) of this
14    Section. Each evaluation shall assess the teacher's
15    performance during the time period since the prior
16    evaluation; provided that the last evaluation shall also
17    include an overall evaluation of the teacher's performance
18    during the remediation period. A written copy of the
19    evaluations and ratings, in which any deficiencies in
20    performance and recommendations for correction are
21    identified, shall be provided to and discussed with the
22    teacher within 10 school days after the date of the
23    evaluation, unless an applicable collective bargaining
24    agreement provides to the contrary. These subsequent
25    evaluations shall be conducted by an evaluator. The
26    consulting teacher shall provide advice to the teacher

 

 

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1    rated "unsatisfactory" on how to improve teaching skills
2    and to successfully complete the remediation plan. The
3    consulting teacher shall participate in developing the
4    remediation plan, but the final decision as to the
5    evaluation shall be done solely by the evaluator, unless
6    an applicable collective bargaining agreement provides to
7    the contrary. Evaluations at the conclusion of the
8    remediation process shall be separate and distinct from
9    the required annual evaluations of teachers and shall not
10    be subject to the guidelines and procedures relating to
11    those annual evaluations. The evaluator may but is not
12    required to use the forms provided for the annual
13    evaluation of teachers in the district's evaluation plan.
14        (l) reinstatement to the evaluation schedule set forth
15    in the district's evaluation plan for any teacher in
16    contractual continued service who achieves a rating equal
17    to or better than "satisfactory" or "proficient" in the
18    school year following a rating of "needs improvement" or
19    "unsatisfactory".
20        (m) dismissal in accordance with subsection (d) of
21    Section 24-12 or Section 24-16.5 or 34-85 of this Code of
22    any teacher who fails to complete any applicable
23    remediation plan with a rating equal to or better than a
24    "satisfactory" or "proficient" rating. Districts and
25    teachers subject to dismissal hearings are precluded from
26    compelling the testimony of consulting teachers at such

 

 

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1    hearings under subsection (d) of Section 24-12 or Section
2    24-16.5 or 34-85 of this Code, either as to the rating
3    process or for opinions of performances by teachers under
4    remediation.
5        (n) After the implementation date of an evaluation
6    system for teachers in a district as specified in Section
7    24A-2.5 of this Code, if a teacher in contractual
8    continued service successfully completes a remediation
9    plan following a rating of "unsatisfactory" in an overall
10    performance evaluation received after the foregoing
11    implementation date and receives a subsequent rating of
12    "unsatisfactory" in any of the teacher's overall
13    performance evaluation ratings received during the
14    36-month period following the teacher's completion of the
15    remediation plan, then the school district may forego
16    remediation and seek dismissal in accordance with
17    subsection (d) of Section 24-12 or Section 34-85 of this
18    Code.
19    Nothing in this Section or Section 24A-4 shall be
20construed as preventing immediate dismissal of a teacher for
21deficiencies which are deemed irremediable or for actions
22which are injurious to or endanger the health or person of
23students in the classroom or school, or preventing the
24dismissal or non-renewal of teachers not in contractual
25continued service for any reason not prohibited by applicable
26employment, labor, and civil rights laws. Failure to strictly

 

 

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1comply with the time requirements contained in Section 24A-5
2shall not invalidate the results of the remediation plan.
3    Nothing contained in this amendatory Act of the 98th
4General Assembly repeals, supersedes, invalidates, or
5nullifies final decisions in lawsuits pending on the effective
6date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly in
7Illinois courts involving the interpretation of Public Act
897-8.
9    If the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public
10health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois
11Emergency Management Agency Act that suspends in-person
12instruction, the timelines in this Section connected to the
13commencement and completion of any remediation plan are
14waived. Except if the parties mutually agree otherwise and the
15agreement is in writing, any remediation plan that had been in
16place for more than 45 days prior to the suspension of
17in-person instruction shall resume when in-person instruction
18resumes and any remediation plan that had been in place for
19fewer than 45 days prior to the suspension of in-person
20instruction shall be discontinued and a new remediation period
21shall begin when in-person instruction resumes. The
22requirements of this paragraph apply regardless of whether
23they are included in a school district's teacher evaluation
24plan.
25(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-252, eff. 1-1-22;
26102-729, eff. 5-6-22.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/24A-7)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24A-7)
2    Sec. 24A-7. Rules. The State Board of Education is
3authorized to adopt such rules as are deemed necessary to
4implement and accomplish the purposes and provisions of this
5Article, including, but not limited to, rules:
6        (1) relating to the methods for measuring student
7    growth (including, but not limited to, limitations on the
8    age of usable data; the amount of data needed to reliably
9    and validly measure growth for the purpose of teacher and
10    principal evaluations; and whether and at what time annual
11    State assessments may be used as one of multiple measures
12    of student growth);
13        (2) defining the term "significant factor" for
14    purposes of including consideration of student growth in
15    performance ratings;
16        (3) controlling for such factors as student
17    characteristics (including, but not limited to, students
18    receiving special education and English Learner services),
19    student attendance, and student mobility so as to best
20    measure the impact that a teacher, principal, school and
21    school district has on students' academic achievement;
22        (4) establishing minimum requirements for district
23    teacher and principal evaluation instruments and
24    procedures; and
25        (5) establishing a model evaluation plan for use by

 

 

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1    school districts in which student growth shall comprise
2    50% of the performance rating.
3    Notwithstanding any other rule or law to the contrary, for
4the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, student growth
5measures described under paragraph (1) of this Section and in
6administrative rules adopted by the State Board of Education
7may not be used as a factor in any evaluation under this
8Article.
9    Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section, such
10rules shall not preclude a school district having 500,000 or
11more inhabitants from using an annual State assessment as the
12sole measure of student growth for purposes of teacher or
13principal evaluations.
14    The State Superintendent of Education shall convene a
15Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, which shall be
16staffed by the State Board of Education. Members of the
17Council shall be selected by the State Superintendent and
18include, without limitation, representatives of teacher unions
19and school district management, persons with expertise in
20performance evaluation processes and systems, as well as other
21stakeholders. The Council shall meet at least quarterly and
22may also meet at the call of the chairperson of the Council,
23following August 18, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act
24100-211) until June 30, 2024. The Council shall advise the
25State Board of Education on the ongoing implementation of
26performance evaluations in this State, which may include

 

 

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1gathering public feedback, sharing best practices, consulting
2with the State Board on any proposed rule changes regarding
3evaluations, and other subjects as determined by the
4chairperson of the Council.
5    Prior to the applicable implementation date, these rules
6shall not apply to teachers assigned to schools identified in
7an agreement entered into between the board of a school
8district operating under Article 34 of this Code and the
9exclusive representative of the district's teachers in
10accordance with Section 34-85c of this Code.
11(Source: P.A. 102-252, eff. 1-1-22; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)
 
12    (105 ILCS 5/24A-15)
13    Sec. 24A-15. Development of evaluation plan for principals
14and assistant principals.
15    (a) Each school district, except for a school district
16organized under Article 34 of this Code, shall establish a
17principal and assistant principal evaluation plan in
18accordance with this Section. The plan must ensure that each
19principal and assistant principal is evaluated as follows:
20        (1) For a principal or assistant principal on a
21    single-year contract, the evaluation must take place by
22    March 1 of each year.
23        (2) For a principal or assistant principal on a
24    multi-year contract under Section 10-23.8a of this Code,
25    the evaluation must take place by March 1 of the final year

 

 

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1    of the contract.
2    On and after September 1, 2012, the plan must:
3        (i) rate the principal's or assistant principal's
4    performance as "excellent", "proficient", "needs
5    improvement" or "unsatisfactory"; and
6        (ii) ensure that each principal and assistant
7    principal is evaluated at least once every school year.
8    Nothing in this Section prohibits a school district from
9conducting additional evaluations of principals and assistant
10principals.
11    For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, a
12school district may waive the evaluation requirement of any
13principal or assistant principal whose performance was rated
14as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the last school
15year in which the principal or assistant principal was
16evaluated under this Section.
17    For the 2022-2023 school year only, if the Governor has
18declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant
19to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act,
20a school district may waive the evaluation requirement of all
21principals or assistant principals whose performances were
22rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the last
23school year in which the principals or assistant principals
24were evaluated under this Section.
25    (b) The evaluation shall include a description of the
26principal's or assistant principal's duties and

 

 

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1responsibilities and the standards to which the principal or
2assistant principal is expected to conform.
3    (c) The evaluation for a principal must be performed by
4the district superintendent, the superintendent's designee,
5or, in the absence of the superintendent or his or her
6designee, an individual appointed by the school board who
7holds a registered Type 75 State administrative certificate.
8    Prior to September 1, 2012, the evaluation must be in
9writing and must at least do all of the following:
10        (1) Consider the principal's specific duties,
11    responsibilities, management, and competence as a
12    principal.
13        (2) Specify the principal's strengths and weaknesses,
14    with supporting reasons.
15        (3) Align with research-based standards established by
16    administrative rule.
17    On and after September 1, 2012, the evaluation must, in
18addition to the requirements in items (1), (2), and (3) of this
19subsection (c), provide for the use of data and indicators on
20student growth as a significant factor in rating performance.
21    (c-5) The evaluation of an assistant principal must be
22performed by the principal, the district superintendent, the
23superintendent's designee, or, in the absence of the
24superintendent or his or her designee, an individual appointed
25by the school board who holds a registered Type 75 State
26administrative certificate. The evaluation must be in writing

 

 

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1and must at least do all of the following:
2        (1) Consider the assistant principal's specific
3    duties, responsibilities, management, and competence as an
4    assistant principal.
5        (2) Specify the assistant principal's strengths and
6    weaknesses with supporting reasons.
7        (3) Align with the Illinois Professional Standards for
8    School Leaders or research-based district standards.
9    On and after September 1, 2012, the evaluation must, in
10addition to the requirements in items (1), (2), and (3) of this
11subsection (c-5), provide for the use of data and indicators
12on student growth as a significant factor in rating
13performance.
14    (d) One copy of the evaluation must be included in the
15principal's or assistant principal's personnel file and one
16copy of the evaluation must be provided to the principal or
17assistant principal.
18    (e) Failure by a district to evaluate a principal or
19assistant principal and to provide the principal or assistant
20principal with a copy of the evaluation at least once during
21the term of the principal's or assistant principal's contract,
22in accordance with this Section, is evidence that the
23principal or assistant principal is performing duties and
24responsibilities in at least a satisfactory manner and shall
25serve to automatically extend the principal's or assistant
26principal's contract for a period of one year after the

 

 

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1contract would otherwise expire, under the same terms and
2conditions as the prior year's contract. The requirements in
3this Section are in addition to the right of a school board to
4reclassify a principal or assistant principal pursuant to
5Section 10-23.8b of this Code.
6    (f) Nothing in this Section prohibits a school board from
7ordering lateral transfers of principals or assistant
8principals to positions of similar rank and salary.
9(Source: P.A. 102-729, eff. 5-6-22.)
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.