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