101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB1460

 

Introduced 2/13/2019, by Sen. Andy Manar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-70

    Amends the School Code. Provides that priority in the distribution of funds appropriated for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program must be given to a qualified educator employed by an Organizational Unit assigned to Tier 1 under the evidence-based funding formula of the Code.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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 Section
521B-70 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-70)
7    Sec. 21B-70. Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.
8    (a) As used in this Section:
9    "Poverty or low-performing school" means a school
10identified as a priority school under Section 2-3.25d-5 of this
11Code or a school in which 50% or more of its students are
12eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches.
13    "Qualified educator" means a teacher or school counselor
14currently employed in a school district who is in the process
15of obtaining certification through the National Board for
16Professional Teaching Standards or who has completed
17certification and holds a current Professional Educator
18License with a National Board for Professional Teaching
19Standards designation or a retired teacher or school counselor
20who holds a Professional Educator License with a National Board
21for Professional Teaching Standards designation.
22    (b) Beginning on July 1, 2011, any funds appropriated for
23the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program must be used to

 

 

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1provide monetary assistance and incentives for qualified
2educators who are employed by school districts and who have or
3are in the process of obtaining licensure through the National
4Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Priority in the
5distribution of those funds must be given to a qualified
6educator employed by an Organizational Unit assigned to Tier 1
7under Section 18-8.15. The goal of the program is to improve
8instruction and student performance.
9    The State Board of Education shall allocate an amount as
10annually appropriated by the General Assembly for the Illinois
11Teaching Excellence Program for (i) application fees for each
12qualified educator seeking to complete certification through
13the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, to be
14paid directly to the National Board for Professional Teaching
15Standards, and (ii) incentives for each qualified educator to
16be distributed to the respective school district. The school
17district shall distribute this payment to each eligible teacher
18or school counselor as a single payment.
19    The State Board of Education's annual budget must set out
20by separate line item the appropriation for the program. Unless
21otherwise provided by appropriation, qualified educators are
22eligible for monetary assistance and incentives outlined in
23subsection (c) of this Section.
24    (c) When there are adequate funds available, monetary
25assistance and incentives shall include the following:
26        (1) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for

 

 

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1    up to 750 teachers or school counselors in a poverty or
2    low-performing school who apply on a first-come,
3    first-serve basis for National Board certification.
4        (2) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for
5    up to 250 teachers or school counselors in a school other
6    than a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a
7    first-come, first-serve basis for National Board
8    certification. However, if there were fewer than 750
9    individuals supported in item (1) of this subsection (c),
10    then the number supported in this item (2) may be increased
11    as such that the combination of item (1) of this subsection
12    (c) and this item (2) shall equal 1,000 applicants.
13        (3) A maximum of $1,000 towards the National Board for
14    Professional Teaching Standards' renewal application fee.
15        (4) (Blank).
16        (5) An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be
17    paid to each qualified educator currently employed in a
18    school district who holds both a National Board for
19    Professional Teaching Standards designation and a current
20    corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for
21    Professional Teaching Standards and who agrees, in
22    writing, to provide at least 30 hours of mentoring or
23    National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
24    professional development or both during the school year to
25    classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable.
26    Funds must be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis,

 

 

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1    with priority given to poverty or low-performing schools.
2    Mentoring shall include, either singly or in combination,
3    the following:
4            (A) National Board for Professional Teaching
5        Standards certification candidates.
6            (B) National Board for Professional Teaching
7        Standards re-take candidates.
8            (C) National Board for Professional Teaching
9        Standards renewal candidates.
10            (D) (Blank).
11    Funds may also be used for instructional leadership
12training for qualified educators interested in supporting
13implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards or teaching
14and learning priorities of the State Board of Education or
15both.
16(Source: P.A. 99-193, eff. 7-30-15; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)