Public Act 099-0623
 
SB2440 EnrolledLRB099 15550 NHT 39840 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by changing Section 
21B-25 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-25)
    Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued 
under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be 
specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each 
content area, school support area, and administrative area for 
which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized 
institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs 
shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to 
applicants who meet all of the requirements for the endorsement 
or endorsements, including passing any required tests. The 
State Superintendent of Education shall randomly audit 
institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are being 
followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being 
recommended.
        (1)  The State Board of Education, in consultation with 
    the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall 
    establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area 
    endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator 
    License. These rules shall outline the requirements for 
    obtaining each endorsement.
        (2) In addition to any and all grade level and content 
    area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of 
    Education, in consultation with the State Educator 
    Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the 
    requirements for the following endorsements:
            (A) General administrative endorsement.  A general 
        administrative endorsement shall be added to a 
        Professional Educator License, provided that an 
        approved program has been completed. An individual 
        holding a general administrative endorsement may work 
        only as a principal or assistant principal or in a 
        related or similar position, as determined by the State 
        Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the 
        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
            Beginning on September 1, 2014, the general 
        administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued 
        except to individuals who completed all coursework 
        requirements for the receipt of the general 
        administrative endorsement by September 1, 2014, who 
        have completed all testing requirements by June 30, 
        2016, and who apply for the endorsement on or before 
        June 30, 2016. Individuals who hold a valid and 
        registered administrative certificate with a general 
        administrative endorsement issued under Section 21-7.1 
        of this Code or a Professional Educator License with a 
        general administrative endorsement issued prior to 
        September  1, 2014 and who have served for at least one 
        full year during the 5 years prior in a position 
        requiring a general administrative endorsement shall, 
        upon request to the State Board of Education and 
        through July 1, 2015, have their respective general 
        administrative endorsement converted to a principal 
        endorsement on the Professional Educator License.  
        Candidates shall not be admitted to an approved general 
        administrative preparation program after September 1, 
        2012.
            All other individuals holding a valid and 
        registered administrative certificate with a general 
        administrative endorsement issued pursuant to Section 
        21-7.1 of this Code or a general administrative 
        endorsement on a Professional Educator License issued 
        prior to September  1, 2014 shall have the general 
        administrative endorsement converted to a principal 
        endorsement on a Professional Educator License upon 
        request to the State Board of Education and by 
        completing one of the following pathways:
                (i) Passage of the State principal assessment 
            developed by the State Board of Education.
                (ii) Through July 1, 2019, completion of an 
            Illinois Educators' Academy course designated by 
            the State Superintendent of Education.
                (iii) Completion of a principal preparation 
            program established and approved pursuant to 
            Section 21B-60 of this Code and applicable rules.
            Individuals who do not choose to convert the 
        general administrative endorsement on the 
        administrative certificate issued pursuant to Section 
        21-7.1 of this Code or on the Professional Educator 
        License shall continue to be able to serve in any 
        position previously allowed under paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code.
            The general administrative endorsement on the 
        Professional Educator License is available only to 
        individuals who, prior to September 1, 2014, had such 
        an endorsement on the administrative certificate 
        issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or who 
        already have a Professional Educator License and have 
        completed a general administrative program and who do 
        not choose to convert the general administrative 
        endorsement to a principal endorsement pursuant to the 
        options in this Section.
            (B) Principal endorsement.  A principal endorsement 
        shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of 
        any holder who qualifies by having all of the 
        following:
                (i)  Successful completion of a principal 
            preparation program approved in accordance with 
            Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable 
            rules.
                (ii) At least 4 total years of teaching or, 
            until June 30, 2021, 4 total years of , until June 
            30, 2019, working in the capacity of school support 
            personnel in an Illinois public school or 
            nonpublic school recognized by the State Board of 
            Education or in an out-of-state public school or 
            out-of-state nonpublic school meeting out-of-state 
            recognition standards comparable to those approved 
            by the State Superintendent of Education; however, 
            the State Board of Education, in consultation with 
            the State Educator Preparation and Licensure 
            Board, shall allow, by rules, for fewer than 4 
            years of experience based on meeting standards set 
            forth in such rules, including without limitation 
            a review of performance evaluations or other 
            evidence of demonstrated qualifications.
                (iii)  A master's degree or higher from a 
            regionally accredited college or university.
            (C) Chief school business official endorsement.  A 
        chief school business official endorsement shall be 
        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any 
        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or 
        higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience 
        in school business management or 2 years of 
        university-approved practical experience, and a 
        minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a 
        program approved by the State Board of Education for 
        the preparation of school business administrators and 
        by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief 
        school business official endorsement may also be 
        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any 
        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in 
        business administration, finance, or accounting and 
        who completes an additional 6 semester hours of 
        internship in school business management from a 
        regionally accredited institution of higher education 
        and passes the applicable State tests. This 
        endorsement shall be required for any individual 
        employed as a chief school business official.
            (D) Superintendent endorsement.  A superintendent 
        endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional 
        Educator License of any holder who has completed a 
        program approved by the State Board of Education for 
        the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had 
        at least 2 years of experience employed full-time in a 
        general administrative position or as a full-time 
        principal, director of special education, or chief 
        school business official in the public schools or in a 
        State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief 
        administrator is required to have the licensure 
        necessary to be a principal in a public school in this 
        State and where a majority of the teachers are required 
        to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a 
        public school in this State, and has passed the 
        required State tests; or of any holder who has 
        completed a program that is not an Illinois-approved 
        educator preparation program at an Illinois 
        institution of higher education and that has 
        recognition standards comparable to those approved by 
        the State Superintendent of Education and holds the 
        general administrative, principal, or chief school 
        business official endorsement and who has had 2 years 
        of experience as  a principal, director of special 
        education, or chief school business official while 
        holding a valid educator license or certificate 
        comparable in validity and educational and experience 
        requirements and has passed the appropriate State 
        tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The 
        superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to 
        serve only as a superintendent or assistant 
        superintendent.
            (E) Teacher leader endorsement.  It shall be the 
        policy of this State to improve the quality of 
        instructional leaders by providing a career pathway 
        for teachers interested in serving in leadership 
        roles, but not as principals. The State Board of 
        Education, in consultation with the State Educator 
        Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher 
        leader endorsement under this subdivision (E).  Persons 
        who meet and successfully complete the requirements of 
        the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader 
        endorsement on the Professional Educator License for 
        serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may 
        qualify to serve in such positions as department 
        chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction 
        leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by 
        the district. The endorsement shall be available to 
        those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator 
        License, (ii)  hold a master's degree or higher from a 
        regionally accredited institution, (iii) have 
        completed a program of study that has been approved by 
        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the 
        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and 
        (iv) have taken coursework in all of the following 
        areas:
                (I)  Leadership.
                (II)  Designing professional development to 
            meet teaching and learning needs.
                (III)  Building school culture that focuses on 
            student learning.
                (IV)  Using assessments to improve student 
            learning and foster school improvement.
                (V)  Building collaboration with teachers and 
            stakeholders.
            A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in 
        this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement may 
        evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of this 
        Code, provided that the individual has completed the 
        evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of this 
        Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate 
        personnel under the respective school district's 
        collective bargaining agreement.
            The State Board of Education, in consultation with 
        the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, 
        may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish 
        and implement the teacher leader endorsement program 
        and to specify the positions for which this endorsement 
        shall be required.
            (F)  Special education endorsement.  A special 
        education endorsement in one or more areas shall be 
        affixed to a Professional Educator License for any 
        individual that meets those requirements established 
        by the State Board of Education in rules.  Special 
        education endorsement areas shall include without 
        limitation the following:
                (i)  Learning Behavior Specialist I;
                (ii)  Learning Behavior Specialist II;
                (iii)  Speech Language Pathologist;
                (iv)  Blind or Visually Impaired;
                (v)  Deaf-Hard of Hearing; and
                (vi)  Early Childhood Special Education.
        Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary, 
        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the 
        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may 
        add additional areas of special education by rule.
            (G) School support personnel endorsement.  School 
        support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but 
        are not limited to, school counselor, marriage and 
        family therapist, school psychologist, school speech 
        and language pathologist, school nurse, and school 
        social worker.   This endorsement is for individuals who 
        are not teachers or administrators, but still require 
        licensure to work in an instructional support position 
        in a public or State-operated elementary school, 
        secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement 
        with a governing body or board of control or a charter 
        school operating in compliance with the Charter 
        Schools Law.  The school support personnel endorsement  
        shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License 
        and shall meet all of the requirements established in 
        any rules adopted to implement this subdivision (G).    
        The holder of such an endorsement is entitled to all of 
        the rights and privileges granted holders of any other 
        Professional Educator License, including teacher 
        benefits, compensation, and working conditions.

            Beginning on January  1, 2014 and ending on April 
        30, 2014, a person holding a Professional Educator 
        License with a school speech and language pathologist 
        (teaching) endorsement may exchange his or her school 
        speech and language pathologist (teaching) endorsement 
        for a school speech and language pathologist 
        (non-teaching) endorsement through application to the 
        State Board of Education. There shall be no cost for 
        this exchange. 
(Source: P.A. 98-413, eff. 8-16-13; 98-610, eff. 12-27-13; 
98-872, eff. 8-11-14; 98-917, eff. 8-15-14; 98-1147, eff. 
12-31-14; 99-58, eff. 7-16-15.)
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law. 
  


Effective Date:  7/22/2016