105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

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Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

105 ILCS 5/21-23b

(105 ILCS 5/21-23b)

Sec. 21-23b. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 87-1001. Repealed by P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

105 ILCS 5/21-24

(105 ILCS 5/21-24)

Sec. 21-24. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 84-551. Repealed by P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

105 ILCS 5/21-25

(105 ILCS 5/21-25) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-25)

Sec. 21-25. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 98-413, eff. 8-16-13. Repealed internally, eff. 6-30-13.)

105 ILCS 5/21-26

(105 ILCS 5/21-26)

Sec. 21-26. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 84-126. Repealed by P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)

105 ILCS 5/21-27

(105 ILCS 5/21-27)

Sec. 21-27. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11. Repealed internally, eff. 6-30-13.)

105 ILCS 5/21-28

(105 ILCS 5/21-28)

Sec. 21-28. Special education teachers; certification.

(a) In order to create a special education workforce with the broad-based knowledge necessary to educate students with a variety of disabilities, the State Board of Education and State Teacher Certification Board shall certify a special education teacher under one of the following:

        (1) Learning behavior specialist I.
        (2) Learning behavior specialist II.
        (3) Teacher of students who are blind or visually

impaired.

(4) Teacher of students who are deaf or hard of

hearing.

        (5) Speech-language pathologist.
        (6) Early childhood special education teacher.

(b) The State Board of Education is authorized to provide for the assignment of individuals to special education positions by short-term, emergency certification.  Short-term, emergency certification shall not be renewed.

(c) The State Board of Education is authorized to use peremptory rulemaking, in accordance with Section 5-50 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, to place into the Illinois Administrative Code the certification policies and standards related to special education, as authorized under this Section, that the State Board has been required to implement pursuant to federal court orders dated February 27, 2001, August 15, 2001, and September 11, 2002 in the matter of Corey H., et al. v. Board of Education of the City of Chicago, et al.

(Source: P.A. 97-227, eff. 1-1-12; 97-461, eff. 8-19-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

105 ILCS 5/21-29

(105 ILCS 5/21-29)

Sec. 21-29. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 95-938, eff. 8-29-08. Repealed by P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

105 ILCS 5/Art. 21A

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 21A heading)

ARTICLE 21A.

NEW TEACHER INDUCTION AND MENTORING

105 ILCS 5/21A-5

(105 ILCS 5/21A-5)

Sec. 21A-5. Definitions. In this Article:

"New teacher" means the holder of a professional educator license, as set
forth in Section 21B-20 of this Code, who is employed by a public school and who
has not previously participated in a new teacher induction and mentoring
program required by this Article, except as provided in Section 21A-25 of this
Code.

"Eligible applicant" or "eligible entity" means a regional office of education, an intermediate service center, an Illinois institution of higher education, a statewide organization representing teachers, a local education agency, or a public or private not-for-profit entity with experience providing professional learning, including mentoring, to early childhood educators.

"Public school" means any school operating pursuant to the authority of
this Code, including without limitation a school district, a charter school, a
cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, and a
school operated by a regional office of education or State agency.

(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-521, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/21A-10

(105 ILCS 5/21A-10)

Sec. 21A-10. Development of program required.

(a) Each eligible applicant shall develop a new teacher induction and mentoring program for first and second-year teachers that meets the requirements set forth in Section 21A-20 to assist new teachers in developing the skills and strategies necessary for instructional excellence, provided that funding is made available by the State Board of Education from an appropriation made for this purpose.

(b) A public school that has a new teacher induction and mentoring program in existence before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly that does not meet the requirements set forth in Section 21A-20 may modify the program to meet the requirements of Section 21A-20 and may receive funding as described in Section 21A-25, provided that funding is made available by the State Board of Education from an appropriation made for this purpose.

(c) Each school district shall decide, in conjunction with its exclusive bargaining representative, if any, whether to forgo modifications to a new teacher induction and mentoring program in existence before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

If a district does not have a new teacher induction and mentoring program in existence before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly or if a district and the exclusive bargaining representative, if any, agree that an eligible entity would better serve the district's needs, the district and the exclusive bargaining representative, if any, shall jointly decide which eligible entity offers the most suitable program. The eligible entity shall include representatives from both the district and the exclusive bargaining representative in the program development discussions to ensure the program captures local need.

(Source: P.A. 102-521, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/21A-15

(105 ILCS 5/21A-15)

Sec. 21A-15. Program establishment and implementation.

(a) The State Board of Education shall establish a competitive State grant program to support  new teacher induction and mentoring programs. The program shall be available to eligible entities not less than every 3 years, subject to appropriation. The State Board shall prioritize funding based on the needs of students and school districts as it relates to teacher retention.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, by no later than the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year or by no later than the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year for eligible applicants that have been given an extension of time to develop a program under Section 21A-10, each eligible entity or 2 or more eligible entities acting jointly shall establish and implement a new teacher induction and mentoring program required to be developed under Section 21A-10.

(Source: P.A. 102-521, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/21A-20

(105 ILCS 5/21A-20)

Sec. 21A-20. Program requirements.

Each new teacher induction and
mentoring program must align with the standards established under Section 21A-20.5 and shall be based on a plan that at least does all of the
following:

(1) Assigns a mentor teacher to each new teacher for

a period of at least 2 school years.

(2) Aligns with the Illinois Culturally Responsive

Teaching and Leading Standards in Part 24 of Title 23 of the Illinois Administrative Code, content area standards, and applicable local school improvement and professional development plans, if any.

(3) (Blank).

(4) Describes the role of mentor teachers, the

criteria and process for their selection, and how they will be trained, provided that each mentor teacher shall demonstrate the best practices in teaching his or her respective field of practice. A mentor teacher may not directly or indirectly participate in the evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the public school.

(5) Is designed to be available for both in-person

and virtual participation.

(Source: P.A. 102-521, eff. 8-20-21.)