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92_SB1580
LRB9211612NTpk
1 AN ACT concerning education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5 Section 21-2 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)
7 Sec. 21-2. Grades of certificates.
8 (a) (Blank). Until February 15, 2000, all certificates
9 issued under this Article shall be State certificates valid,
10 except as limited in Section 21-1, in every school district
11 coming under the provisions of this Act and shall be limited
12 in time and designated as follows: Provisional vocational
13 certificate, temporary provisional vocational certificate,
14 early childhood certificate, elementary school certificate,
15 special certificate, high school certificate, school service
16 personnel certificate, administrative certificate,
17 provisional certificate, and substitute certificate. The
18 requirement of student teaching under close and competent
19 supervision for obtaining a teaching certificate may be
20 waived by the State Teacher Certification Board upon
21 presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence of 5
22 years successful teaching experience on a valid certificate
23 and graduation from a recognized institution of higher
24 learning with a bachelor's degree with not less than 120
25 semester hours and a minimum of 16 semester hours in
26 professional education.
27 (b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Beginning February 15,
28 2000, Persons who (1) have completed an approved teacher
29 preparation program, (2) are recommended by an approved
30 teacher preparation program, (3) have successfully completed
31 the Initial Teaching Certification examinations required by
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1 the State Board of Education, and (4) have met all other
2 criteria established by the State Board of Education in
3 consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board,
4 shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid for 4
5 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code.
6 Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for categories
7 corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and
8 Special K-12, with special certification designations for
9 Special Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning
10 areas (including Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics,
11 Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health,
12 Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas designated
13 by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
14 State Teacher Certification Board.
15 (c) Standard Certificate. Beginning February 15, 2000,
16 Persons who (1) have completed 4 years of teaching, as
17 defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial
18 Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate
19 and have met all other criteria established by the State
20 Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher
21 Certification Board, (2) have completed 4 years of teaching
22 on a valid equivalent certificate in another State or
23 territory of the United States, or have completed 4 years of
24 teaching in a nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary
25 school with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative
26 Teaching Certificate, and have met all other criteria
27 established by the State Board of Education, in consultation
28 with the State Teacher Certification Board, or (3) were
29 issued teaching certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and
30 are renewing those certificates after February 15, 2000,
31 shall be issued a Standard Certificate valid for 5 years,
32 which may be renewed thereafter every 5 years by the State
33 Teacher Certification Board based on proof of continuing
34 education or professional development. Beginning July 1,
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1 2003, persons who have completed 4 years of teaching, as
2 described in clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection (c), have
3 successfully completed the Standard Teaching Certificate
4 Examinations, and have met all other criteria established by
5 the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
6 Teacher Certification Board, shall be issued Standard
7 Certificates. Standard Certificates shall be issued for
8 categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
9 Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
10 designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
11 fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
12 Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development
13 and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
14 designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
15 with the State Teacher Certification Board.
16 (d) Master Certificate. Beginning February 15, 2000,
17 Persons who have successfully achieved National Board
18 certification through the National Board for Professional
19 Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master Certificate,
20 valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years
21 through compliance with requirements set forth by the State
22 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
23 Certification Board. However, each teacher who holds a Master
24 Certificate shall be eligible for a teaching position in this
25 State in the areas for which he or she holds a Master
26 Certificate without satisfying any other requirements of this
27 Code, except for those requirements pertaining to criminal
28 background checks. A teacher who holds a Master Certificate
29 shall be deemed to meet State certification renewal
30 requirements in the area or areas for which he or she holds a
31 Master Certificate for the 10-year term of the teacher's
32 Master Certificate.
33 (Source: P.A. 91-102, eff. 7-12-99; 91-606, eff. 8-16-99;
34 91-609, eff. 1-1-00; 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)