Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SJR0055
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Full Text of SJR0055  96th General Assembly

SJ0055 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


 


 
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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, School leadership is second only to classroom
3 instruction among school-related factors influencing student
4 learning; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The 95th General Assembly adopted House Joint
6 Resolution 66, which directed the State Board of Education, the
7 Board of Higher Education, and the Office of the Governor to
8 jointly appoint a task force to recommend a sequence of
9 strategic steps to implement improvements in school leadership
10 preparation in this State; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The Illinois School Leader Task Force submitted a
12 report to the General Assembly in February of 2008 outlining
13 specific strategic steps to reform Illinois school leader
14 preparation programs with the goal of increasing school
15 improvement through instructional leadership; therefore, be it
 
16     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
17 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18 CONCURRING HEREIN, that based upon the recommendations set
19 forth by the Illinois School Leader Task Force report, the
20 State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Board of
21 Higher Education, shall prepare legislative recommendations to
22 restructure school leader preparation and certification

 

 

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1 programs in this State; and be it further
 
2     RESOLVED, That that these recommendations may include, but
3 not be limited to, the following:
4         (1) reviewing the educator certification structure to
5     more accurately include a professional educator license to
6     reflect essential skills required of school leaders,
7     specifically those of pre-kindergarten through secondary
8     school principals (PK-12);
9         (2) aligning redesigned programs with national
10     principal preparation standards;
11         (3) increasing certification and licensure
12     requirements to include 4 years of teaching or school
13     service personnel experience on a valid and appropriate
14     certificate;
15         (4) ensuring appropriate faculty resources;
16         (5) establishing quality partnerships with PK-12
17     school districts;
18         (6) strengthening candidates' internships and
19     residencies;
20         (7) revising formative and summative assessments;
21         (8) designating principal candidates graduating from
22     redesigned school leader preparation programs and
23     successfully passing the State performance-based
24     assessment to receive an endorsement specific to PK-12
25     principalship;

 

 

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1         (9) enabling educators currently holding a general
2     administrative endorsement to retain the endorsement and
3     continue to serve as a principal;
4         (10) directing all institutions of higher education
5     that prepare principals to submit their redesigned
6     programs for State Teacher Certification Board approval no
7     later than July of 2011; and
8         (11) stipulating that all principal candidates must
9     complete a redesigned and approved principal preparation
10     program and pass the State performance-based assessment
11     beginning in 2013 to receive a State principal endorsement;
12     and be it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That work will already be underway to begin the
14 redesign; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall present
16 its legislative recommendations to the General Assembly by
17 February of 2010; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19 delivered to the Chairperson of the State Board of Education
20 and the Chairperson of the Board of Higher Education.