093_SB0891

 
                                     LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b

 1        AN ACT regarding 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)  All certificates issued under this Article shall  be
 9    State  certificates valid, except as limited in Section 21-1,
10    in every school district coming under the provisions of  this
11    Act  and  shall be limited in time and designated as follows:
12    Provisional  vocational  certificate,  temporary  provisional
13    vocational   certificate,   early   childhood    certificate,
14    elementary school certificate, special certificate, secondary
15    certificate,    school    service    personnel   certificate,
16    administrative  certificate,  provisional  certificate,   and
17    substitute  certificate.  The requirement of student teaching
18    under  close  and  competent  supervision  for  obtaining   a
19    teaching  certificate  may  be  waived  by  the State Teacher
20    Certification Board upon presentation to  the  Board  by  the
21    teacher of evidence of 5 years successful teaching experience
22    on  a  valid  certificate  and  graduation  from a recognized
23    institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree.
24        (b)  Initial Teaching Certificate.  Persons who (1)  have
25    completed  an  approved  teacher preparation program, (2) are
26    recommended by an approved teacher preparation  program,  (3)
27    have    successfully    completed    the   Initial   Teaching
28    Certification examinations required by  the  State  Board  of
29    Education, and (4) have met all other criteria established by
30    the  State  Board of Education in consultation with the State
31    Teacher Certification  Board,  shall  be  issued  an  Initial
 
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 1    Teaching  Certificate  valid  for  4  years  of  teaching, as
 2    defined in Section 21-14  of  this  Code.   Initial  Teaching
 3    Certificates  shall be issued for categories corresponding to
 4    Early Childhood, Elementary,  Secondary,  and  Special  K-12,
 5    with   special   certification   designations   for   Special
 6    Education,  Bilingual  Education,  fundamental learning areas
 7    (including  Language  Arts,  Reading,  Mathematics,  Science,
 8    Social Science, Physical Development and Health,  Fine  Arts,
 9    and  Foreign  Language, including Asian languages), and other
10    areas  designated  by  the  State  Board  of  Education,   in
11    consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.
12        (c)  Standard Certificate.
13        (1)  Persons  who (i) have completed 4 years of teaching,
14    as defined in Section 21-14 of this  Code,  with  an  Initial
15    Certificate  or  an  Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate
16    and have met all other  criteria  established  by  the  State
17    Board  of  Education  in  consultation with the State Teacher
18    Certification Board, (ii) have completed 4 years of  teaching
19    on  a  valid  equivalent  certificate  in  another  State  or
20    territory  of the United States, or have completed 4 years of
21    teaching in a  nonpublic  Illinois  elementary  or  secondary
22    school  with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative
23    Teaching  Certificate,  and  have  met  all  other   criteria
24    established  by the State Board of Education, in consultation
25    with the State Teacher Certification  Board,  or  (iii)  were
26    issued  teaching  certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and
27    are renewing those  certificates  after  February  15,  2000,
28    shall  be  issued  a  Standard Certificate valid for 5 years,
29    which may be renewed thereafter every 5 years  by  the  State
30    Teacher  Certification  Board  based  on  proof of continuing
31    education or professional  development.   Beginning  July  1,
32    2003,  persons  who  have  completed  4 years of teaching, as
33    described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this paragraph (1), have
34    successfully completed the  requirements  of  paragraphs  (2)
 
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 1    through  (4)  of  this subsection (c), and 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 Standard Certificates.  Standard Certificates
 5    shall  be  issued  for  categories  corresponding  to   Early
 6    Childhood,  Elementary,  Secondary,  and  Special  K-12, with
 7    special certification  designations  for  Special  Education,
 8    Bilingual  Education,  fundamental  learning areas (including
 9    Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Science,
10    Physical Development  and  Health,  Fine  Arts,  and  Foreign
11    Language,   including   Asian  languages),  and  other  areas
12    designated by the State Board of Education,  in  consultation
13    with the State Teacher Certification Board.
14        (2)  This  paragraph  (2)  applies  only to those persons
15    required to successfully complete the  requirements  of  this
16    paragraph  under  paragraph  (1)  of this subsection (c).  In
17    order to receive a Standard Teaching  Certificate,  a  person
18    must  satisfy  one  of  the following requirements, which the
19    person must identify, in writing, as the requirement that the
20    person  has  chosen  to  satisfy  to  the  responsible  local
21    professional development committee  established  pursuant  to
22    subsection (f) of Section 21-14 of this Code:
23             (A)  Completion   of  a  program  of  induction  and
24        mentoring for new teachers that is based upon a  specific
25        plan  approved  by  the  State  Board  of  Education,  in
26        consultation  with the State Teacher Certification Board.
27        The plan must describe the role of mentor  teachers,  the
28        criteria and process for their selection, and how all the
29        following components are to be provided:
30                  (i)  Assignment  of  a  formally trained mentor
31             teacher to each new teacher for a  specified  period
32             of time, which shall be established by the employing
33             school  or  school  district but shall be at least 2
34             school years in duration,  provided  that  a  mentor
 
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 1             teacher  may  not directly or indirectly participate
 2             in the evaluation  of  a  new  teacher  pursuant  to
 3             Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure
 4             of the school.
 5                  (ii)  Formal mentoring for each new teacher.
 6                  (iii)  Support for each new teacher in relation
 7             to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the
 8             content-area   standards   applicable   to  the  new
 9             teacher's area of certification, and any  applicable
10             local    school    improvement    and   professional
11             development plans.
12                  (iv)  Professional   development   specifically
13             designed to foster the growth of each new  teacher's
14             knowledge and skills.
15                  (v)  Formative  assessment that is based on the
16             Illinois   Professional   Teaching   Standards   and
17             designed to provide feedback to the new teacher  and
18             opportunities   for   reflection   on   his  or  her
19             performance, which must  not  be  used  directly  or
20             indirectly  in  any  evaluation  of  a  new  teacher
21             pursuant   to  Article  24A  of  this  Code  or  the
22             evaluation procedure of the school  and  which  must
23             include  the activities specified in clauses (B)(i),
24             (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of this paragraph (2).
25                  (vi)  Assignment    of    responsibility    for
26             coordination of the induction and mentoring  program
27             within  each  school  district  participating in the
28             program.
29             (B)  Successful completion of 4  semester  hours  of
30        graduate-level  coursework on the assessment of one's own
31        performance in  relation  to  the  Illinois  Professional
32        Teaching  Standards.   The coursework must be approved by
33        the State Board of Education, in  consultation  with  the
34        State Teacher Certification Board; must be offered either
 
                            -5-      LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1        by  an  institution  of  higher  education,  by  such  an
 2        institution  in  partnership with a teachers' association
 3        or union or with a regional office of  education,  or  by
 4        another  entity  authorized  to issue college credit; and
 5        must include demonstration of performance through all  of
 6        the   following  activities  for  each  of  the  Illinois
 7        Professional Teaching Standards:
 8                  (i)  Observation, by the course  instructor  or
 9             another  experienced  teacher,  of the new teacher's
10             classroom practice (the observation may be  recorded
11             for  later  viewing)  for the purpose of identifying
12             and describing how  the  new  teacher  made  content
13             meaningful  for  students; how the teacher motivated
14             individuals and the group and created an environment
15             conducive to positive  social  interactions,  active
16             learning,  and  self-motivation;  what instructional
17             strategies the teacher used to  encourage  students'
18             development  of  critical thinking, problem solving,
19             and performance; how the teacher communicated  using
20             written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication
21             techniques; and how the teacher maintained standards
22             of  professional  conduct and provided leadership to
23             improve students' learning.
24                  (ii)  Review  and  analysis,  by   the   course
25             instructor   or   another  experienced  teacher,  of
26             written   documentation   (i.e.,    lesson    plans,
27             assignments,  assessment instruments, and samples of
28             students' work) prepared by the new teacher  for  at
29             least  2  lessons.  The  documentation  must provide
30             evidence  of  classroom   performance   related   to
31             Illinois  Professional  Teaching Standards 1 through
32             9, with an emphasis on how the teacher used  his  or
33             her  understanding of students, assessment data, and
34             subject matter to decide on learning goals; how  the
 
                            -6-      LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1             teacher   designed   or   selected   activities  and
 2             instructional materials and aligned  instruction  to
 3             the  relevant  Illinois  Learning Standards; how the
 4             teacher  adapted  or  modified  curriculum  to  meet
 5             individual students'  needs;  and  how  the  teacher
 6             sequenced   instruction  and  designed  or  selected
 7             student assessment strategies.
 8                  (iii)  Demonstration of professional  expertise
 9             on  the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his
10             or her practice, which  was  observed  under  clause
11             (B)(i)  of  this  paragraph (2) and documented under
12             clause (B)(ii) of this paragraph (2),  in  terms  of
13             teaching strengths, weaknesses, and implications for
14             improvement  according  to the Illinois Professional
15             Teaching Standards.
16             (C)  Successful  completion  of  a  minimum   of   4
17        semester  hours  of  graduate-level coursework addressing
18        preparation to meet the requirements for certification by
19        the National Board for  Professional  Teaching  Standards
20        (NBPTS).   The  coursework  must be approved by the State
21        Board  of  Education,  in  consultation  with  the  State
22        Teacher Certification Board, and must be  offered  either
23        by  an  institution  of  higher  education,  by  such  an
24        institution  in  partnership with a teachers' association
25        or union or with a regional office of  education,  or  by
26        another  entity  authorized to issue college credit.  The
27        course must address the 5  NBPTS  Core  Propositions  and
28        relevant standards through such means as the following:
29                  (i)  Observation,  by  the course instructor or
30             another experienced teacher, of  the  new  teacher's
31             classroom  practice (the observation may be recorded
32             for later viewing) for the  purpose  of  identifying
33             and  describing  how  the  new  teacher made content
34             meaningful for students; how the  teacher  motivated
 
                            -7-      LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1             individuals and the group and created an environment
 2             conducive  to  positive  social interactions, active
 3             learning, and  self-motivation;  what  instructional
 4             strategies  the  teacher used to encourage students'
 5             development of critical thinking,  problem  solving,
 6             and  performance; how the teacher communicated using
 7             written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication
 8             techniques; and how the teacher maintained standards
 9             of professional conduct and provided  leadership  to
10             improve students' learning.
11                  (ii)  Review   and   analysis,  by  the  course
12             instructor  or  another  experienced   teacher,   of
13             written    documentation    (i.e.,   lesson   plans,
14             assignments, assessment instruments, and samples  of
15             students'  work)  prepared by the new teacher for at
16             least 2  lessons.  The  documentation  must  provide
17             evidence of classroom performance, including how the
18             teacher  used  his or her understanding of students,
19             assessment data, and subject  matter  to  decide  on
20             learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected
21             activities  and  instructional materials and aligned
22             instruction  to  the  relevant   Illinois   Learning
23             Standards;  how  the  teacher  adapted  or  modified
24             curriculum  to  meet individual students' needs; and
25             how the teacher sequenced instruction  and  designed
26             or selected student assessment strategies.
27                  (iii)  Demonstration  of professional expertise
28             on the part of the new teacher in reflecting on  his
29             or  her  practice,  which  was observed under clause
30             (C)(i) of this paragraph (2)  and  documented  under
31             clause  (C)(ii)  of  this paragraph (2), in terms of
32             teaching strengths, weaknesses, and implications for
33             improvement.
34             (D)  Receipt  of  an   advanced   degree   from   an
 
                            -8-      LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1        accredited   institution   of   higher  education  in  an
 2        education-related  field,  provided  that  at   least   8
 3        semester hours of the coursework completed count toward a
 4        degree, certificate, or endorsement in a teaching field.
 5             (E)  Accumulation   of  60  continuing  professional
 6        development units (CPDUs), earned by completing  selected
 7        activities  that  comply  with  paragraphs (3) and (4) of
 8        this subsection (c).   However,  for  an  individual  who
 9        holds  an  Initial  Teaching Certificate on the effective
10        date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly,
11        the number of CPDUs  shall  be  reduced  to  reflect  the
12        teaching   time   remaining   on   the  Initial  Teaching
13        Certificate.
14             (F)  Completion    of    a    nationally     normed,
15        performance-based  assessment,  if  made available by the
16        State Board of Education in consultation with  the  State
17        Teacher  Certification  Board,  provided that the cost to
18        the person shall not exceed the cost  of  the  coursework
19        described in clause (B) of this paragraph (2).
20        (3)  This  paragraph  (3)  applies  only to those persons
21    required to successfully complete the  requirements  of  this
22    paragraph  under  paragraph  (1)  of this subsection (c).  At
23    least one-half the CPDUs a person must  accrue  in  order  to
24    qualify  for  a  Standard Teaching Certificate must be earned
25    through  completion  of  coursework,   workshops,   seminars,
26    conferences,  and  other  similar  training  events  that are
27    pre-approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
28    with the State Teacher Certification Board, for  the  purpose
29    of  reflection  on teaching practices in order to address all
30    of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards necessary  to
31    obtain  a  Standard  Teaching  Certificate.  These activities
32    must meet all of the following requirements:
33             (A)  Each activity must be  designed  to  advance  a
34        person's  knowledge and skills in relation to one or more
 
                            -9-      LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1        of the Illinois Professional  Teaching  Standards  or  in
 2        relation  to the content-area standards applicable to the
 3        teacher's field of certification.
 4             (B)  Taken together, the activities  completed  must
 5        address   each  of  the  Illinois  Professional  Teaching
 6        Standards as provided in  clauses  (B)(i),  (B)(ii),  and
 7        (B)(iii) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c).
 8             (C)  Each  activity  must  be  provided by an entity
 9        approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
10        with the State  Teacher  Certification  Board,  for  this
11        purpose.
12             (D)  Each   activity,  integral  to  its  successful
13        completion, must require participants to demonstrate  the
14        degree  to  which  they  have  acquired  new knowledge or
15        skills, such as through performance, through  preparation
16        of  a  written  product,  through  assembling  samples of
17        students' or teachers' work, or by some other means  that
18        is appropriate to the subject matter of the activity.
19             (E)  One  CPDU  shall  be available for each hour of
20        direct participation by a holder of an  Initial  Teaching
21        Certificate in a qualifying activity.  An activity may be
22        attributed  to more than one of the Illinois Professional
23        Teaching Standards, but credit for any activity shall  be
24        counted only once.
25        (4)  This  paragraph  (4)  applies  only to those persons
26    required to successfully complete the  requirements  of  this
27    paragraph  under  paragraph  (1) of this subsection (c).  The
28    balance of the CPDUs a person must accrue in order to qualify
29    for a Standard  Teaching  Certificate,  in  combination  with
30    those  earned  pursuant  to  paragraph (3) of this subsection
31    (c), may be chosen from among the following, provided that an
32    activity listed in clause (C) of this paragraph (4) shall  be
33    creditable  only if its provider is approved for this purpose
34    by the State Board of Education,  in  consultation  with  the
 
                            -10-     LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1    State Teacher Certification Board:
 2             (A)  Collaboration    and   partnership   activities
 3        related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a
 4        teacher, including all of the following:
 5                  (i)  Peer review and coaching.
 6                  (ii)  Mentoring in a formal mentoring  program,
 7             including    service   as   a   consulting   teacher
 8             participating in a  remediation  process  formulated
 9             under Section 24A-5 of this Code.
10                  (iii)  Facilitating  parent  education programs
11             directly  related  to  student  achievement  for   a
12             school,  school  district,  or  regional  office  of
13             education.
14                  (iv)  Participating  in  business,  school,  or
15             community  partnerships  directly related to student
16             achievement.
17             (B)  Teaching college or university courses in areas
18        relevant to a teacher's field of certification,  provided
19        that  the  teaching  may  only be counted once during the
20        course of 4 years.
21             (C)  Conferences, workshops,  institutes,  seminars,
22        and  symposiums related to improving a person's knowledge
23        and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:
24                  (i)  Completing non-university credit  directly
25             related   to   student   achievement,  the  Illinois
26             Professional  Teaching  Standards,  or  content-area
27             standards.
28                  (ii)  Participating   in   or   presenting   at
29             workshops, seminars,  conferences,  institutes,  and
30             symposiums.
31                  (iii)  Training  as  external reviewers for the
32             State Board of Education.
33                  (iv)  Training  as  reviewers   of   university
34             teacher preparation programs.
 
                            -11-     LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1             (D)  Other   educational   experiences   related  to
 2        improving a person's knowledge and skills as  a  teacher,
 3        including all of the following:
 4                  (i)  Participating   in   action  research  and
 5             inquiry projects.
 6                  (ii)  Observing   programs   or   teaching   in
 7             schools, related businesses,  or  industry  that  is
 8             systematic,  purposeful, and relevant to a teacher's
 9             field of certification.
10                  (iii)  Participating in study groups related to
11             student  achievement,  the   Illinois   Professional
12             Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.
13                  (iv)  Participating  in  work/learn programs or
14             internships.
15                  (v)  Developing a portfolio  of  students'  and
16             teacher's work.
17             (E)  Professional  leadership experiences related to
18        improving a person's knowledge and skills as  a  teacher,
19        including all of the following:
20                  (i)  Participating in curriculum development or
21        assessment  activities  at  the  school, school district,
22        regional office of education, State, or national level.
23                  (ii)  Participating  in  team   or   department
24             leadership in a school or school district.
25                  (iii)  Participating  on  external  or internal
26             school or school district review teams.
27                  (iv)  Publishing educational articles, columns,
28             or  books  relevant  to   a   teacher's   field   of
29             certification.
30                  (v)  Participating    in   non-strike   related
31             activities of a professional  association  or  labor
32             organization   that   are  related  to  professional
33             development.
34        (5)  A person must complete his or her chosen requirement
 
                            -12-     LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1    under  paragraph  (2)  of  this  subsection  (c)  before  the
 2    expiration of his or her  Initial  Teaching  Certificate  and
 3    must   submit  evidence  of  having  done  so  to  the  local
 4    professional development committee.   Within  30  days  after
 5    receipt  of  a  person's  evidence  of  completion, the local
 6    professional development committee shall forward the evidence
 7    of completion to the responsible regional  superintendent  of
 8    schools   along   with  the  local  professional  development
 9    committee's recommendation, based on  that  evidence,  as  to
10    whether the person is eligible to receive a Standard Teaching
11    Certificate.   The  local  professional development committee
12    shall provide a copy of this recommendation to  the  affected
13    person.
14        The  regional  superintendent of schools shall review the
15    evidence of completion submitted by a person and, based  upon
16    compliance  with  all  of  the  requirements for receipt of a
17    Standard Teaching Certificate, shall  forward  to  the  State
18    Board   of   Education   a  recommendation  for  issuance  or
19    non-issuance.  The regional superintendent of  schools  shall
20    notify the affected person of the recommendation forwarded.
21        Upon  review  of  a  regional  superintendent of school's
22    recommendations, the State Board  of  Education  shall  issue
23    Standard Teaching Certificates to those who qualify and shall
24    notify a person, in writing, of a decision denying a Standard
25    Teaching  Certificate.   Any  decision  denying issuance of a
26    Standard Teaching Certificate to a person may be appealed  to
27    the State Teacher Certification Board.
28        (6)  The  State  Board of Education, in consultation with
29    the State Teacher Certification Board,  may  adopt  rules  to
30    implement  this  subsection (c) and may periodically evaluate
31    any of the methods of  qualifying  for  a  Standard  Teaching
32    Certificate described in this subsection (c).
33        (d)  Master  Certificate.   Persons who have successfully
34    achieved National Board certification  through  the  National
 
                            -13-     LRB093 10613 NHT 10899 b
 1    Board  for  Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a
 2    Master  Certificate,  valid  for  10  years   and   renewable
 3    thereafter   every   10   years   through   compliance   with
 4    requirements  set  forth  by the State Board of Education, in
 5    consultation with  the  State  Teacher  Certification  Board.
 6    However, each teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be
 7    eligible  for  a teaching position in this State in the areas
 8    for which he  or  she  holds  a  Master  Certificate  without
 9    satisfying  any  other  requirements of this Code, except for
10    those requirements pertaining to criminal background  checks.
11    A  teacher  who holds a Master Certificate shall be deemed to
12    meet State certification renewal requirements in the area  or
13    areas  for which he or she holds a Master Certificate for the
14    10-year term of the teacher's Master Certificate.
15    (Source: P.A. 91-102, eff.  7-12-99;  91-606,  eff.  8-16-99;
16    91-609,  eff.  1-1-00;  92-16,  eff.  6-28-01;  92-796,  eff.
17    8-10-02.)

18        Section  99.   Effective  date.  This Act takes effect on
19    July 1, 2003.