105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(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 (Repealed).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 Repealed by P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)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)

Sec. 21-24. (Repealed).

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 Repealed by P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

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

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2013)

Sec. 21-25. School service personnel certificate.

(a) For purposes of this Section, "school service personnel" means persons employed and performing appropriate services in an Illinois 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 in a position requiring a school service personnel certificate.

Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, a school service personnel certificate shall be issued to those applicants of good character, good health, a citizen of the United States and at least 19 years of age who have a Bachelor's degree with not fewer than 120 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and who meets the requirements established by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A school service personnel certificate with a school nurse endorsement may be issued to a person who holds a bachelor of science degree from an institution of higher learning accredited by the North Central Association or other comparable regional accrediting association. Persons seeking any other endorsement on the school service personnel certificate shall be recommended for the endorsement by a recognized teacher education institution as having completed a program of preparation approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) Until August 30, 2002, a school service personnel certificate endorsed for school social work may be issued to a student who has completed a school social work program that has not been approved by the State Superintendent of Education, provided that each of the following conditions is met:

(1) The program was offered by a recognized, public teacher education institution that first enrolled students in its master's degree program in social work in 1998;

(2) The student applying for the school service personnel certificate was enrolled in the institution's master's degree program in social work on or after May 11, 1998;

(3) The State Superintendent verifies that the student has completed coursework that is substantially similar to that required in approved school social work programs, including (i) not fewer than 600 clock hours of a supervised internship in a school setting or (ii) if the student has completed part of a supervised internship in a school setting prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly and receives the prior approval of the State Superintendent, not fewer than 300 additional clock hours of supervised work in a public school setting under the supervision of a certified school social worker who certifies that the supervised work was completed in a satisfactory manner; and

(4) The student has passed a test of basic skills and the test of subject matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.

This subsection (b) does not apply after August 29, 2002.

(c) A school service personnel certificate shall be endorsed with the area of Service as determined by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

The holder of such certificate shall be entitled to all of the rights and privileges granted holders of a valid teaching certificate, including teacher benefits, compensation and working conditions.

When the holder of such certificate has earned a master's degree, including 8 semester hours of graduate professional education from a recognized institution of higher learning, and has at least 2 years of successful school experience while holding such certificate, the certificate may be endorsed for supervision.

(d) Persons who have successfully achieved National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master School Service Personnel Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years through compliance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. However, each holder of a Master School Service Personnel Certificate shall be eligible for a corresponding position in this State in the areas for which he or she holds a Master Certificate without satisfying any other requirements of this Code, except for those requirements pertaining to criminal background checks.

(e) School service personnel certificates are renewable every 5 years and may be renewed as provided in this Section. Requests for renewals must be submitted, in a format prescribed by the State Board of Education, to the regional office of education responsible for the school where the holder is employed.

Upon completion of at least 80 hours of continuing professional development as provided in this subsection (e), a person who holds a valid school service personnel certificate shall have his or her certificate renewed for a period of 5 years. A person who (i) holds an active license issued by the State as a clinical professional counselor, a professional counselor, a clinical social worker, a social worker, or a speech-language pathologist; (ii) holds national certification as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist from the National School Psychology Certification Board; (iii) is nationally certified as a National Certified School Nurse from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses; (iv) is nationally certified as a National Certified Counselor or National Certified School Counselor from the National Board for Certified Counselors; or (v) holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional development requirements established by the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board to renew a school service personnel certificate.

School service personnel certificates may be renewed by the State Teacher Certification Board based upon proof of continuing professional development. The State Board of Education shall (i) establish a procedure for renewing school service personnel certificates, which shall include without limitation annual timelines for the renewal process and the components set forth in this Section; (ii) approve or disapprove the providers of continuing professional development activities; and (iii) provide, on a timely basis to all school service personnel certificate holders, regional superintendents of schools, school districts, and others with an interest in continuing professional development, information about the standards and requirements established pursuant to this subsection (e).

Any school service personnel certificate held by an individual employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated school service personnel position or in a charter school in compliance with the Charter Schools Law must be maintained Valid and Active through certificate renewal activities specified in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to this Section, provided that a holder of a Valid and Active certificate who is only employed on either a part-time basis or day-to-day basis as a substitute shall pay only the required registration fee to renew his or her certificate and maintain it as Valid and Active. All other school service personnel certificates held may be maintained as Valid and Exempt through the registration process provided for in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to Section 21-14 of this Code. A Valid and Exempt certificate must be immediately activated, through procedures developed by the State Board of Education upon the certificate holder becoming employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated school service personnel position or in a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law. A holder of a Valid and Exempt certificate may activate his or her certificate through procedures provided for in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to this Section.

A school service personnel certificate that has been maintained as Valid and Active for the 5 years of the certificate's validity shall be renewed as Valid and Active upon the certificate holder (i) completing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process in an area of concentration comparable to the holder's school service personnel certificate of endorsement or (ii) earning 80 continuing professional development units as described in this Section. If, however, the certificate holder has maintained the certificate as Valid and Exempt for a portion of the 5-year period of validity, the number of continuing professional development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and Active must be proportionately reduced by the amount of time the certificate was Valid and Exempt. If a certificate holder is employed and performs services requiring the holder's school service personnel certificate on a part-time basis for all or a portion of the certificate's 5-year period of validity, the number of continuing professional development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and Active shall be reduced by 50% for the amount of time the certificate holder has been employed and performing such services on a part-time basis. "Part-time" means less than 50% of the school day or school term.

Beginning July 1, 2008, in order to satisfy the requirements for continuing professional development provided for in this Section, each Valid and Active school service personnel certificate holder shall complete professional development activities that address the certificate or those certificates that are required of his or her certificated position, if the certificate holder is employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, or that certificate or those certificates most closely related to his or her teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed in a charter school. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (e), the certificate holder's activities must address and must reflect the following continuing professional development purposes:

(1) Advance both the certificate holder's knowledge and skills consistent with the Illinois Standards for the service area in which the certificate is endorsed in order to keep the certificate holder current in that area.

(2) Develop the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in areas determined by the State Board of Education to be critical for all school service personnel.

(3) Address the knowledge, skills, and goals of the certificate holder's local school improvement plan, if the certificate holder is employed in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control.

(4) Address the needs of serving students with disabilities, including adapting and modifying clinical or professional practices to meet the needs of students with disabilities and serving such students in the least restrictive environment.

(5) Address the needs of serving students who are the children of immigrants, including, if the certificate holder is employed as a counselor in an Illinois public or State-operated secondary school, opportunities for higher education for students who are undocumented immigrants.

The coursework or continuing professional development units ("CPDU") required under this subsection (e) must total 80 CPDUs or the equivalent and must address 4 of the 5 purposes described in items (1) through (5) of this subsection (e). Holders of school service personnel certificates may fulfill this obligation with any combination of semester hours or CPDUs as follows:

(A) Collaboration and partnership activities related to improving the school service personnel certificate holder's knowledge and skills, including (i) participating on collaborative planning and professional improvement teams and committees; (ii) peer review and coaching; (iii) mentoring in a formal mentoring program, including service as a consulting teacher participating in a remediation process formulated under Section 24A-5 of this Code; (iv) participating in site-based management or decision-making teams, relevant committees, boards, or task forces directly related to school improvement plans; (v) coordinating community resources in schools, if the project is a specific goal of the school improvement plan; (vi) facilitating parent education programs for a school, school district, or regional office of education directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans; (vii) participating in business, school, or community partnerships directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans; or (viii) supervising a student teacher (student services personnel) or teacher education candidate in clinical supervision, provided that the supervision may be counted only once during the course of 5 years.

(B) Coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning related to one of the purposes listed in items (1) through (4) of this subsection (e), which shall apply at the rate of 15 continuing professional development units per semester hour of credit earned during the previous 5-year period when the status of the holder's school service personnel certificate was Valid and Active. Proportionate reductions shall apply when the holder's status was Valid and Active for less than the 5-year period preceding the renewal.

(C) Teaching college or university courses in areas relevant to the certificate area being renewed, provided that the teaching may be counted only once during the course of 5 years.

(D) Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, or symposiums designed to improve the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in the service area and applicable to the purposes listed in items (1) through (5) of this subsection (e). One CPDU shall be awarded for each hour of attendance. No one shall receive credit for conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, or symposiums that are designed for entertainment, promotional, or commercial purposes or that are solely inspirational or motivational. The State Superintendent of Education and regional superintendents of schools are authorized to review the activities and events provided or to be provided under this subdivision (D) and to investigate complaints regarding those activities and events. Either the State Superintendent of Education or a regional superintendent of schools may recommend that the State Board of Education disapprove those activities and events considered to be inconsistent with this subdivision (D).

(E) Completing non-university credit directly related to student achievement, school improvement plans, or State priorities.

(F) Participating in or presenting at workshops, seminars, conferences, institutes, or symposiums.

(G) Training as external reviewers for quality assurance.

(H) Training as reviewers of university teacher preparation programs.

(I) Other educational experiences related to improving the school service personnel's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including (i) participating in action research and inquiry projects; (ii) traveling related to one's assignment and directly related to school service personnel achievement or school improvement plans and approved by the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee at least 30 days prior to the travel experience, provided that the traveling shall not include time spent commuting to destinations where the learning experience will occur; (iii) participating in study groups related to student achievement or school improvement plans; (iv) serving on a statewide education-related committee, including without limitation the State Teacher Certification Board, State Board of Education strategic agenda teams, or the State Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities; (v) participating in work/learn programs or internships; or (vi) developing a portfolio of student and teacher work.

(J) Professional leadership experiences related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including (i) participating in curriculum development or assessment activities at the school, school district, regional office of education, State, or national level; (ii) participating in team or department leadership in a school or school district; (iii) participating on external or internal school or school district review teams; (iv) publishing educational articles, columns, or books relevant to the certificate area being renewed; or (v) participating in non-strike-related professional association or labor organization service or activities related to professional development.

(f) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 97-233, eff. 8-1-11; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

(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)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2013)

Sec. 21-27. The Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.

(a) The Illinois Teaching Excellence Program is hereby established. As used in this Section:

"Poverty or low-performing school" means a school in academic early warning status or academic watch status or a school in which 50% or more of its students are eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches.

"Qualified educator" means a teacher or school counselor currently employed in a school district who is in the process of obtaining certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or who has completed certification and holds a Master Certificate or a retired teacher or school counselor who holds a Master Certificate.

(b) Beginning on July 1, 2011, any funds appropriated for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program must be used to provide monetary assistance and incentives for qualified educators who are employed by school districts and who have or are in the process of obtaining licensure through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The goal of the program is to improve instruction and student performance.

The State Board of Education shall allocate an amount as annually appropriated by the General Assembly for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program for (i) application fees for each qualified educator seeking to complete certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, to be paid directly to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and (ii) incentives for each qualified educator to be distributed to the respective school district. The school district shall distribute this payment to each eligible teacher or school counselor as a single payment.

The State Board of Education's annual budget must set out by separate line item the appropriation for the program. Unless otherwise provided by appropriation, qualified educators are eligible for monetary assistance and incentives based on the priorities outlined in subsection (c) of this Section.

(c) When there are adequate funds available, priorities (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5), as outlined in this subsection (c), must be funded. If full funding to meet all priorities as outlined in this subsection (c) is not available, funding must be distributed in the order of the priorities listed in this subsection (c). If funding is insufficient to fund a priority in full, then funding for that priority must be prorated and no further priorities shall be funded.

Priorities for monetary assistance and incentives shall be as follows:

(1) Priority 1: A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for up to 750 teachers or school counselors in a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board certification.

(2) Priority 2: A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for up to 250 teachers or school counselors in a school other than a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board certification. However, if there were fewer than 750 individuals supported in priority (1), then the number supported in priority (2) may be increased as such that the combination of priority (1) and priority (2) shall equal 1,000 applicants.

(3) Priority 3: The fee for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' Take One! (the test for National Board certification) for up to 500 qualified educators who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis.

(4) Priority 4: An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be paid to each qualified educator who holds both a Master Certificate and a current corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, who is employed in a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide 30 hours of mentoring or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards professional development or both during the school year to teachers or school counselors in a poverty or low-performing school, as applicable.

(5) Priority 5: An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be paid to each qualified educator currently employed in a school district who holds both a Master Certificate and a current corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who agrees, in writing, to provide at least 30 hours of mentoring or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards professional development or both during the school year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable.

Mentoring for all priorities shall include, either singly or in combination, mentoring of the following:

(A) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification candidates.

(B) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards re-take candidates.

(C) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards renewal candidates.

(D) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Take One! participants.

(d) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(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)

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 heading) ARTICLE 21A. NEW TEACHER INDUCTION AND MENTORING

(105 ILCS 5/21A-5)

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

"New teacher" means the holder of an Initial Teaching Certificate, as set forth in Section 21-2 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.

"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. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21A-10)

Sec. 21A-10. Development of program required. During the 2003-2004 school year, each public school or 2 or more public schools acting jointly shall develop, in conjunction with its exclusive representative or their exclusive representatives, if any, a new teacher induction and mentoring program that meets the requirements set forth in Section 21A-20 of this Code 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. A public school that has an existing induction and mentoring program that does not meet the requirements set forth in Section 21A-20 of this Code may have school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 to develop a program that does meet those requirements and may receive funding as described in Section 21A-25 of this Code, provided that the funding is made available by the State Board of Education from an appropriation made for this purpose. A public school with such an existing induction and mentoring program may receive funding for the 2005-2006 school year for each new teacher in the second year of a 2-year program that does not meet the requirements set forth in Section 21A-20, as long as the public school has established the required new program by the beginning of that school year as described in Section 21A-15 and provided that funding is made available by the State Board of Education from an appropriation made for this purpose as described in Section 21A-25.

(Source: P.A. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21A-15)

Sec. 21A-15. When program is to be established and implemented. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, by the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year (or by the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year for a public school that has been given an extension of time to develop a program under Section 21A-10 of this Code), each public school or 2 or more public schools acting jointly shall establish and implement, in conjunction with its exclusive representative or their exclusive representatives, if any, the new teacher induction and mentoring program required to be developed under Section 21A-10 of this Code, provided that funding is made available by the State Board of Education, from an appropriation made for this purpose, as described in Section 21A-25 of this Code. A public school may contract with an institution of higher education or other independent party to assist in implementing the program.

(Source: P.A. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21A-20)

Sec. 21A-20. Program requirements. Each new teacher induction and mentoring program must 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 Professional Teaching Standards, content area standards, and applicable local school improvement and professional development plans, if any.

(3) Addresses all of the following elements and how they will be provided:

(A) Mentoring and support of the new teacher.

(B) Professional development specifically designed to ensure the growth of the new teacher's knowledge and skills.

(C) Formative assessment designed to ensure feedback and reflection, which must not be used in any evaluation of the new teacher.

(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.

(Source: P.A. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21A-25)

Sec. 21A-25. Funding. From a separate appropriation made for the purposes of this Article, for each new teacher participating in a new teacher induction and mentoring program that meets the requirements set forth in Section 21A-20 of this Code or in an existing program that is in the process of transition to a program that meets those requirements, the State Board of Education shall pay the public school $1,200 annually for each of 2 school years for the purpose of providing one or more of the following:

(1) Mentor teacher compensation.

(2) Mentor teacher training or new teacher training or both.

(3) Release time.

However, if a new teacher, after participating in the new teacher induction and mentoring program for one school year, becomes employed by another public school, the State Board of Education shall pay the teacher's new school $1,200 for the second school year and the teacher shall continue to be a new teacher as defined in this Article. Each public school shall determine, in conjunction with its exclusive representative, if any, how the $1,200 per school year for each new teacher shall be used, provided that if a mentor teacher receives additional release time to support a new teacher, the total workload of other teachers regularly employed by the public school shall not increase in any substantial manner. If the appropriation is insufficient to cover the $1,200 per school year for each new teacher, public schools are not required to develop or implement the program established by this Article. In the event of an insufficient appropriation, a public school or 2 or more schools acting jointly may submit an application for a grant administered by the State Board of Education and awarded on a competitive basis to establish a new teacher induction and mentoring program that meets the criteria set forth in Section 21A-20 of this Code. The State Board of Education may retain up to $1,000,000 of the appropriation for new teacher induction and mentoring programs to train mentor teachers, administrators, and other personnel, to provide best practices information, and to conduct an evaluation of these programs' impact and effectiveness.

(Source: P.A. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21A-30)

Sec. 21A-30. Evaluation of programs. The State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board shall jointly contract with an independent party to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of new teacher induction and mentoring programs established pursuant to this Article. The first report of this evaluation shall be presented to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2009. Subsequent evaluations shall be conducted and reports presented to the General Assembly on or before January 1 of every third year thereafter.

(Source: P.A. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21A-35)

Sec. 21A-35. Rules. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall adopt rules for the implementation of this Article.

(Source: P.A. 93-355, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 21B heading) ARTICLE 21B. EDUCATOR LICENSURE (Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-5)

Sec. 21B-5. Licensure powers of the State Board of Education.

(a) Recognizing that the education of our citizens is the single most important influence on the prosperity and success of this State and recognizing that new developments in education require a flexible approach to our educational system, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall have the power and authority to do all of the following:

(1) Set standards for teaching, supervising, or otherwise holding licensed employment in the public schools of this State and administer the licensure process as provided in this Article.

(2) Approve, evaluate, and sanction educator preparation programs.

(3) Enter into agreements with other states relative to reciprocal approval of educator preparation programs.

(4) Establish standards for the issuance of new types of educator licenses.

(5) Establish a code of ethics for all educators.

(6) Maintain a system of licensure examination aligned with standards determined by the State Board of Education.

(7) Take such other action relating to the improvement of instruction in the public schools as is appropriate and consistent with applicable laws.

(b) Only the State Superintendent of Education, acting in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Article and rules, shall have the authority to issue or endorse any license required for teaching, supervising, or otherwise holding licensed employment in the public schools; and no other State agency shall have any power or authority (i) to establish or prescribe any qualifications or other requirements applicable to the issuance or endorsement of any such license or (ii) to establish or prescribe any licensure or equivalent requirement that must be satisfied in order to teach, supervise, or hold licensed employment in the public schools.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-10)

Sec. 21B-10. State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(a) The State Teacher Certification Board, which had been established under Section 21-13 of the School Code prior to this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, shall be renamed the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. References in law to the State Teacher Certification Board shall mean the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall consist of the State Superintendent of Education or a representative appointed by him or her, who shall be ex-officio chairperson, 5 administrative or faculty members of public or private colleges or universities located in this State, 3 administrators and 10 classroom teachers employed in the public schools (5 of whom must be members of and nominated by a statewide professional teachers' organization and 5 of whom must be members of and nominated by a different statewide professional teachers' organization), and one regional superintendent of schools, all of whom shall be appointed by the State Board of Education; provided that at least one of the administrators and at least 3 of the classroom teachers so appointed must be employees of a school district that is subject to the provisions of Article 34 of this Code. A statewide professional teachers' organization and a different statewide professional teachers' organization shall submit to the State Board of Education for consideration at least 3 names of accomplished teachers for every one vacancy or expiring term in a classroom teacher position. The nominations submitted to the State Board of Education under this Section to fill a vacancy or an expiring term shall be advisory. Nomination for State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board members must be submitted to the State Board of Education within 30 days after the vacancy or vacancies occur. Nominations to fill an expiring term must be submitted to the State Board of Education at least 30 days before the expiration of that term. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if a sufficient number of nominations are not received by the State Board of Education for a vacancy or expiring term within the 30-day period, then the State Board of Education may appoint any qualified person, in the same manner as the original appointment, to fill the vacancy or expiring term. The regular term of each member is 3 years, and an individual may be appointed for no more than 2 consecutive terms. The term of an appointed member of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall expire on June 30 of his or her final year.

(b) The State Board of Education shall appoint a secretary of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(c) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall hold regular meetings at least quarterly and such other special meetings as may be necessary.

(d) The necessary expenses of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall be provided through the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary for the administration of this Article.

(e) Individuals serving on the State Teacher Certification Board on June 30, 2011 under Section 21-13 of this Code shall continue to serve on the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board until the scheduled expiration of their respective terms.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-15)

Sec. 21B-15. Qualifications of educators.

(a) No one may be licensed to teach or supervise or be otherwise employed in the public schools of this State who is not of good character and at least 20 years of age.

In determining good character under this Section, the State Superintendent of Education shall take into consideration the disciplinary actions of other states or national entities against certificates or licenses issued by those states and held by individuals from those states. In addition, any felony conviction of the applicant may be taken into consideration; however, no one may be licensed to teach or supervise in the public schools of this State who has been convicted of an offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of this Code. Unless the conviction is for an offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of this Code, an applicant must be permitted to submit character references or other written material before such a conviction or other information regarding the applicant's character may be used by the State Superintendent of Education as a basis for denying the application.

(b) No person otherwise qualified shall be denied the right to be licensed or to receive training for the purpose of becoming an educator because of a physical disability, including, but not limited to, visual and hearing disabilities; nor shall any school district refuse to employ a teacher on such grounds, provided that the person is able to carry out the duties of the position for which he or she applies.

(c) No person may be granted or continue to hold an educator license who has knowingly altered or misrepresented his or her qualifications, in this State or any other state, in order to acquire or renew the license. Any other license issued under this Article held by the person may be suspended or revoked by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, depending upon the severity of the alteration or misrepresentation.

(d) No one may teach or supervise in the public schools nor receive for teaching or supervising any part of any public school fund who does not hold an educator license granted by the State Superintendent of Education as provided in this Article. However, the provisions of this Article do not apply to a member of the armed forces who is employed as a teacher of subjects in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of any school, nor to an individual teaching a dual credit course as provided for in the Dual Credit Quality Act.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the school board of a school district may grant to a teacher of the district a leave of absence with full pay for a period of not more than one year to permit the teacher to teach in a foreign state under the provisions of the Exchange Teacher Program established under Public Law 584, 79th Congress, and Public Law 402, 80th Congress, as amended. The school board granting the leave of absence may employ, with or without pay, a national of the foreign state wherein the teacher on the leave of absence is to teach if the national is qualified to teach in that foreign state and if that national is to teach in a grade level similar to the one that was taught in the foreign state. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt rules as may be necessary to implement this subsection (e).

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-20)

Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. Before July 1, 2013, the State Board of Education shall implement a system of educator licensure, whereby individuals employed in school districts who are required to be licensed must have one of the following licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) a professional educator license with stipulations; or (iii) a substitute teaching license. References in law regarding individuals certified or certificated or required to be certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June 30 following one full year of the license being issued.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for licenses and endorsements under this Section.

(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i) have successfully completed an approved educator preparation program and are recommended for licensure by the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation program, (ii) have successfully completed the required testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have successfully completed coursework on the psychology of, the identification of, and the methods of instruction for the exceptional child, including without limitation the learning disabled, (iv) have successfully completed coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other criteria established by rule of the State Board of Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License. All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued. The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is eligible to practice.

Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework in the endorsement area, unless otherwise specified by rule, and passage of the applicable content area test.

(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement that (i) is non-renewable, (ii) limits the license holder to one particular position, or (iii) does not require completion of an approved educator program or any combination of items (i) through (iii) of this paragraph (2).

An individual with an Educator License with Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued with the following endorsements:

(A) Provisional educator. A provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds an educator license with a minimum of 15 semester hours in content coursework from another state, U.S. territory, or foreign country and who, at the time of applying for an Illinois license, does not meet the minimum requirements under Section 21B-35 of this Code, but does, at a minimum, meet both of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement, from a regionally accredited college or university or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement.

(ii) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.

However, a provisional educator endorsement for principals may not be issued, nor may any person with a provisional educator endorsement serve as a principal in a public school in this State. In addition, out-of-state applicants shall not receive a provisional educator endorsement if the person completed an alternative licensure program in another state, unless the program has been determined to be equivalent to Illinois program requirements.

Notwithstanding any other requirements of this Section, a service member or spouse of a service member may obtain a Professional Educator License with Stipulations, and a provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas, if he or she holds a valid teaching certificate or license in good standing from another state, meets the qualifications of educators outlined in Section 21B-15 of this Code, and has not engaged in any misconduct that would prohibit an individual from obtaining a license pursuant to Illinois law, including without limitation any administrative rules of the State Board of Education; however, the service member or spouse may not serve as a principal under the Professional Educator License with Stipulations or provisional educator endorsement.

In this Section, "service member" means any person who, at the time of application under this Section, is an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces or any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard of any state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

A provisional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 2 years of the license being issued, during which time any remaining testing and coursework deficiencies must be met. Failure to satisfy all stated deficiencies shall mean the individual, including any service member or spouse who has obtained a Professional Educator License with Stipulations and a provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas, is ineligible to receive a Professional Educator License at that time. A provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall not be renewed.

(B) Alternative provisional educator. An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The alternative provisional educator endorsement is valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a third year by an individual meeting the requirements set forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in a school district's central office. This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a master's degree in a management field other than education.

(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5 years in a management level position in a field other than education.

(iii) Successfully completed the first phase of an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55 of this Code.

(iv) Passed a test of basic skills and content area tests required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The endorsement may be registered for 2 fiscal years in order to complete one full year of serving as a superintendent or assistant superintendent.

(D) Resident teacher endorsement. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Enrolled in an approved Illinois educator preparation program.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 4 years of teaching and shall not be renewed.

A resident teacher may teach only under the direction of a licensed teacher, who shall act as the resident mentor teacher, and may not teach in place of a licensed teacher. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall no longer be valid after June 30, 2017.

(E) Career and technical educator. A career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience in the last 10 years outside of education in each area to be taught.

The career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued.

(F) Provisional career and technical educator. A Provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It is the responsibility of each employing school board and regional office of education to provide verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent of Education at the time the application is submitted that no qualified teacher holding a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations with a career and technical educator endorsement is available and that actual circumstances require such issuance.

The provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed only one time for 5 years if the individual passes a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has completed a minimum of 20 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution.

(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for the purpose of providing instruction in accordance with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and writing ability in the language other than English in which transitional bilingual education is offered.

(ii) Has the ability to successfully communicate in English.

(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years previous to his or her applying for a transitional bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and comparable teaching certificate or comparable authorization issued by a foreign country or holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

A transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be renewed.

Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall not be employed to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language other than English in the public schools, an individual who holds an Educator License with Stipulations may also apply for a language endorsement, provided that the applicant provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds a transitional bilingual endorsement.

(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the language for which the endorsement is to be issued by passing the applicable language content test required by the State Board of Education.

(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

(iv) Has passed a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

A language endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through grade 12 for the same validity period as the individual's transitional bilingual educator endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations and shall not be renewed.

(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an individual who is being recruited by a particular school district that conducts formal recruitment programs outside of the United States to secure the services of qualified teachers and who meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States.

(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the grade level for which he or she will be employed.

(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the subject to be taught.

(iv) Has an adequate command of the English language.

A holder of a visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education programs in the language that was the medium of instruction in his or her teacher preparation program, provided that he or she passes the English Language Proficiency Examination or another test of writing skills in English identified by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 3 years and shall not be renewed.

(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. The paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed through application and payment of the appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject to additional requirements in order to renew the endorsement.

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching License may be issued to qualified applicants for substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years and may be renewed if the individual has passed a test of basic skills, as authorized under Section 21B-30 of this Code. An individual who has passed a test of basic skills for the first licensure renewal is not required to retake the test again for further renewals.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an individual has had his or her Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked or has not met the renewal requirements for licensure, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute Teaching License.

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under contract because of an emergency situation, then a district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the district if the district notifies the appropriate regional office of education within 5 business days after the employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the vacant position.

There is no limit on the number of days that a substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; 97-710, eff. 1-1-13.)

(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. 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) Four years of teaching in a public school or nonpublic school recognized by the State Board 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 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 from out-of-state that has a program with 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, 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.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-30)

Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.

(a) This Section applies beginning on July 1, 2012.

(b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design and implement a system of examinations, which shall be required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These examinations and indicators must be based on national and State professional teaching standards, as determined by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement and administer this Section. No score on a test required under this Section, other than a test of basic skills, shall be more than 5 years old at the time that an individual makes application for an educator license or endorsement.

(c) Applicants seeking a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations shall be required to pass a test of basic skills, unless the endorsement the individual is seeking does not require passage of the test.

No candidate may be fully admitted into an educator preparation program at a recognized Illinois institution until he or she has passed a test of basic skills. An individual who passes a test of basic skills does not need to do so again for subsequent endorsements or other educator licenses.

(d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall be allowed to student teach, serve as the teacher of record, or begin an internship or residency required for licensure until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.

(e) All applicants seeking a State license endorsed in a teaching field shall pass the assessment of professional teaching (APT). Passage of the APT is required for completion of an approved Illinois educator preparation program.

(f) Beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing teacher preparation programs in this State are required to pass an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. All recognized institutions offering approved teacher preparation programs must begin phasing in the approved teacher performance assessment no later than July 1, 2013.

(g) Tests of basic skills and content area knowledge and the assessment of professional teaching shall be the tests that from time to time are designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing organization or tests designed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The areas to be covered by a test of basic skills shall include reading, language arts, and mathematics. The test of content area knowledge shall assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this Code in the English language and in the language of the transitional bilingual education program requested by the applicant.

(h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school district subject to Article 34 of this Code.

(i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the testing requirements under this Section shall include provisions governing test selection, test validation and determination of a passing score, administration of the tests, frequency of administration, applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-35)

Sec. 21B-35. Minimum requirements for educators trained in other states or countries.

(a) All out-of-state applicants applying for a Professional Educator License must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Have completed a comparable state-approved education program, as defined by the State Superintendent of Education.

(2) Have a degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and the degreed major or a constructed major must directly correspond to the license or endorsement sought.

(3) Have completed a minimum of one course in the methods of instruction of the exceptional child.

(4) Have completed a minimum of 6 semester hours of coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area.

(5) Have completed a minimum of one course in instructional strategies for English language learners.

(6) Have successfully met all Illinois examination requirements.

(7) Have completed student teaching or an equivalent experience.

If one or more of the criteria in subsection (a) of this Section are not met, then out-of-state applicants who hold a valid, comparable certificate from another state and have passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-20 of this Code, may qualify for a provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, in accordance with Section 21B-20 of this Code, with the exception that an individual shall not serve as a principal or assistant principal while holding the provisional educator endorsement.

(b) In order to receive a Professional Educator License, applicants trained in another country must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Have completed a comparable education program in another country.

(2) Have had transcripts evaluated by an evaluation service approved by the State Superintendent of Education.

(3) Hold a degreed major that must directly correspond to the license or endorsement sought.

(4) Have completed a minimum of one course in the methods of instruction of the exceptional child.

(5) Have completed a minimum of 6 semester hours of coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area.

(6) Have completed a minimum of one course in instructional strategies for English language learners.

(7) Have successfully met all State licensure examination requirements.

(8) Have completed student teaching or an equivalent experience.

If one or more of these criteria are not met, then an applicant trained in another country who has passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-20 of this Code, may qualify for a provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, with the exception that an individual shall not serve as a principal or assistant principal while holding the provisional educator endorsement.

(c) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)