093_HB0013eng

HB0013 Engrossed                     LRB093 02201 NHT 02209 b

 1        AN   ACT   concerning  teacher  induction  and  mentoring
 2    programs.

 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section  5.  The School Code is amended by adding Article
 6    21A as follows:

 7        (105 ILCS 5/Art. 21A heading new)
 8            ARTICLE 21A.  NEW TEACHER INDUCTION AND MENTORING

 9        (105 ILCS 5/21A-5 new)
10        Sec.  21A-5.  Findings  and  declarations.   The  General
11    Assembly finds and declares all of the following:
12             (1)  The revised  system  of  teacher  certification
13        established under subsection (g) of Section 21-1a of this
14        Code  recognizes  that  the  first  years of teaching are
15        particularly  critical  to   a   teacher's   professional
16        development  and  that teachers who hold Initial Teaching
17        Certificates need to develop their knowledge, skills, and
18        abilities   before   being   issued   Standard   Teaching
19        Certificates.
20             (2)  When new teachers  are  provided  with  focused
21        professional  development  opportunities  and support and
22        guidance from experienced teachers, a  process  known  as
23        induction  and  mentoring,  the new teachers more quickly
24        and  effectively  develop  the  knowledge,  skills,   and
25        abilities  expected of teachers holding Standard Teaching
26        Certificates.
27             (3)  To  be  effective,  induction   and   mentoring
28        programs  must  be  designed  to  enhance  the knowledge,
29        skills,  and  abilities   described   in   the   Illinois
30        Professional   Teaching   Standards   and   content  area
 
HB0013 Engrossed            -2-      LRB093 02201 NHT 02209 b
 1        standards. These programs must be based on  research  and
 2        best  practices, targeted toward a set of clearly defined
 3        purposes, and must include mentoring, continuing  support
 4        and  professional  development, and regular opportunities
 5        for formative assessment of a new teacher.
 6             (4)  In   authorizing   induction   and    mentoring
 7        programs,  it  is  the  intent of the General Assembly to
 8        create  programs  to  maximize  the  development  of  the
 9        knowledge, skills, and abilities  of  teachers  who  hold
10        Initial  Teaching  Certificates  and  to provide adequate
11        funding for these programs.

12        (105 ILCS 5/21A-10 new)
13        Sec. 21A-10.  Definitions.  In this Article:
14        "New teacher" means the holder  of  an  Initial  Teaching
15    Certificate,  as  set forth in Section 21-2 of this Code, who
16    is employed by a public school and  who  has  not  previously
17    participated in a new teacher induction and mentoring program
18    required  by  this  Article,  except  as  provided in Section
19    21A-30 of this Code.
20        "Public school" means any school  operating  pursuant  to
21    the  authority  of  this Code, including without limitation a
22    school district, a charter school,  a  cooperative  or  joint
23    agreement  with  a  governing body or board of control, and a
24    school operated by a regional office of education.

25        (105 ILCS 5/21A-15 new)
26        Sec. 21A-15.  Development of  program  required.   During
27    the  2003-2004  school  year, each public school or 2 or more
28    public schools acting jointly shall develop,  in  conjunction
29    with   its   exclusive   representative  or  their  exclusive
30    representatives,  if  any,  a  new  teacher   induction   and
31    mentoring  program  to  assist new teachers in developing the
32    skills and strategies necessary for instructional excellence,
 
HB0013 Engrossed            -3-      LRB093 02201 NHT 02209 b
 1    provided that funding is made available by the State Board of
 2    Education from an appropriation made for this purpose.

 3        (105 ILCS 5/21A-20 new)
 4        Sec. 21A-20.  When  program  is  to  be  established  and
 5    implemented.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provisions of this
 6    Code, by the beginning of the  2004-2005  school  year,  each
 7    public  school  or  2  or  more public schools acting jointly
 8    shall  establish  and  implement,  in  conjunction  with  its
 9    exclusive representative or their exclusive  representatives,
10    if  any,  the  new teacher induction and mentoring program as
11    set forth in this Article,  provided  that  funding  is  made
12    available   by   the   State  Board  of  Education,  from  an
13    appropriation made for this purpose, as described in  Section
14    21A-30  of  this  Code.  A public school may contract with an
15    institution of higher education or other independent party to
16    assist in implementing the program.

17        (105 ILCS 5/21A-25 new)
18        Sec. 21A-25.  Program  requirements.   Each  new  teacher
19    induction  and mentoring program must be based on a plan that
20    at least does all of the following:
21             (1)  Assigns a mentor teacher to  each  new  teacher
22        for  a  period  of time established by the public school,
23        which must be for a period of at least 2 school years.
24             (2)  Aligns with the Illinois Professional  Teaching
25        Standards,  content  area standards, and applicable local
26        school improvement and professional development plans, if
27        any.
28             (3)  Addresses all of the following elements and how
29        they will be provided:
30                  (A)  Mentoring of the new teacher.
31                  (B)  Professional   development    specifically
32             designed  to  ensure the growth of the new teacher's
 
HB0013 Engrossed            -4-      LRB093 02201 NHT 02209 b
 1             knowledge and skills.
 2                  (C)  Formative assessment  designed  to  ensure
 3             feedback  and  reflection, which must not be used in
 4             any evaluation of the new teacher.
 5             (4)  Describes the  role  of  mentor  teachers,  the
 6        criteria  and  process  for their selection, and how they
 7        will be trained, provided that each mentor teacher  shall
 8        demonstrate  the  best  practices  in teaching his or her
 9        respective field of practice. A mentor  teacher  may  not
10        directly or indirectly participate in the evaluation of a
11        new  teacher  pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or the
12        evaluation procedure of the public school.

13        (105 ILCS 5/21A-30 new)
14        Sec. 21A-30.  Funding.   From  a  separate  appropriation
15    made  for  the purposes of this Article, for each new teacher
16    participating  in  a  new  teacher  induction  and  mentoring
17    program, the State Board of Education shall  pay  the  public
18    school  $1,200  annually  for  each of 2 school years for the
19    purpose of providing one or more of the following:
20             (1)  Mentor teacher compensation.
21             (2)  Mentor teacher training or new teacher training
22        or both.
23             (3)  Release time.
24    However, if a new teacher, after  participating  in  the  new
25    teacher  induction and mentoring program for one school year,
26    becomes employed by another public school, the State Board of
27    Education shall pay the teacher's new school $1,200  for  the
28    second  school  year  and the  teacher shall continue to be a
29    new teacher as defined in this Article.  Each  public  school
30    shall   determine,   in   conjunction   with   its  exclusive
31    representative, if any, how the $1,200 per  school  year  for
32    each  new  teacher  shall  be used, provided that if a mentor
33    teacher receives additional release time  to  support  a  new
 
HB0013 Engrossed            -5-      LRB093 02201 NHT 02209 b
 1    teacher,  the  total  workload  of  other  teachers regularly
 2    employed by the public  school  shall  not  increase  in  any
 3    substantial  manner.  The State Board of Education may retain
 4    up  to  $1,000,000  of  the  appropriation  for  new  teacher
 5    induction and mentoring programs to  train  mentor  teachers,
 6    administrators,   and   other   personnel,  to  provide  best
 7    practices information, and to conduct an evaluation of  these
 8    programs' impact and effectiveness.

 9        (105 ILCS 5/21A-35 new)
10        Sec. 21A-35.  Evaluation of programs.  The State Board of
11    Education  and  the  State  Teacher Certification Board shall
12    jointly contract with  an  independent  party  to  conduct  a
13    comprehensive   evaluation   of  new  teacher  induction  and
14    mentoring programs established pursuant to this Article.  The
15    first report of this evaluation shall  be  presented  to  the
16    General  Assembly  on  or before January 1, 2009.  Subsequent
17    evaluations shall be conducted and reports presented  to  the
18    General  Assembly  on or before January 1 of every third year
19    thereafter.

20        (105 ILCS 5/21A-40 new)
21        Sec. 21A-40.  Rules.  The State Board  of  Education,  in
22    consultation  with  the  State  Teacher  Certification Board,
23    shall adopt rules for the implementation of this Article.

24        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
25    becoming law.