State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HJ0022

 
                                              LRB9106754NTtmA

 1                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The improvement of standards for the delivery of
 3    educational services has resulted in a recognition of a  need
 4    for programs of increased accountability, qualifications, and
 5    demonstrated  competency  of  instructional  personnel in the
 6    public schools; and

 7        WHEREAS,  Paraprofessionals  in  the  classrooms  are  an
 8    integral and necessary part of the instructional  program  of
 9    public  schools  and  must be recognized as vital partners in
10    the quest for educational excellence and reform; and

11        WHEREAS, National professional organizations representing
12    paraprofessionals have encouraged standards  to  ensure  that
13    paraprofessionals  are  well  prepared to work with children;
14    and

15        WHEREAS,  Other  states   have   studied   and   outlined
16    employment    criteria    and   training   requirements   for
17    paraprofessionals; and

18        WHEREAS, The State  of  Illinois  does  not  require  any
19    training   or  specialized  education  for  paraprofessionals
20    working in regular and special education programs; and

21        WHEREAS, The General Assembly has been a strong proponent
22    of education reform measures directed  toward  upgrading  the
23    quality  of  public  education, raising standards for teacher
24    certification,    and    increased     responsibility     and
25    accountability by instructional personnel; therefore, be it

26        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
27    NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF  ILLINOIS,  THE
28    SENATE  CONCURRING  HEREIN,  that  for  the  purposes of this
29    Resolution, "paraprofessional" means an employee, other  than
30    a   teacher,  in  a  school  (i)  whose  position  is  either
31    instructional in nature or who delivers other direct services
 
                            -2-               LRB9106754NTtmA
 1    to students or  their  parents  and  (ii)  who  serves  in  a
 2    position  for which a teacher or another professional has the
 3    ultimate responsibility for the design,  implementation,  and
 4    evaluation   of  individual  education  programs  or  related
 5    services and for student performance; and be it further

 6        RESOLVED,  That  there  is  created  the  Task  Force  on
 7    Paraprofessionals consisting of the following  members:   two
 8    members  of  the  Senate  appointed  by  the President of the
 9    Senate; two members of the House of Representatives appointed
10    by the Speaker of the House; one teacher who is a  member  of
11    the  Illinois Federation of Teachers and one teacher who is a
12    member of the Illinois Education Association, each  appointed
13    by    the    State   Superintendent   of   Education;   eight
14    paraprofessionals appointed by the  State  Superintendent  of
15    Education,  chosen  from  a  list of nominees provided by the
16    Illinois Federation of Teachers and  the  Illinois  Education
17    Association   in   proportion   to  the  membership  of  each
18    organization;  one   member   appointed   by   the   Illinois
19    Association  of  School  Boards;  one member appointed by the
20    Illinois Parent Teacher Association; one member appointed  by
21    the Illinois Association of School Administrators; one member
22    from  the  State Teacher Certification Board appointed by the
23    State Superintendent of Education;  one  member  representing
24    the   higher  education  community  appointed  by  the  State
25    Superintendent of  Education;  one  member  representing  the
26    Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association appointed by the
27    State  Superintendent  of  Education; one member representing
28    the State Board of  Education's  Staff  Development  Division
29    appointed  by  the  State  Superintendent  of  Education; one
30    member representing a statewide council of special  education
31    administrators  appointed  by  the  State  Superintendent  of
32    Education;  and  one  member  appointed  by the Governor, who
33    shall serve as chairperson of  the  Task  Force;  and  be  it
34    further
 
                            -3-               LRB9106754NTtmA
 1        RESOLVED,  That the members of the Task Force shall serve
 2    without  compensation  but  shall  be  reimbursed  for  their
 3    reasonable and necessary expenses from  funds  available  for
 4    that  purpose;  the  State  Board  of Education shall provide
 5    staff support to the Task Force; and be it further

 6        RESOLVED, That  the  Task  Force  shall  study  and  make
 7    recommendations   to   the   Governor  on  the  licensure  of
 8    paraprofessionals  who  work  with  children  in  the  public
 9    schools  of  Illinois  and  shall   determine   entry   level
10    standards,  training and experience requirements for entering
11    the  career,  guidelines   for   education   and   experience
12    requirements  for  career  advancement, appropriate roles and
13    responsibilities, and a mechanism  to  enhance  job  mobility
14    within and between school districts; and be it further

15        RESOLVED,   That   the   Task   Force  shall  report  its
16    recommendations to the Governor one year after  the  adoption
17    of  this Resolution; and that upon filing its report the Task
18    Force is dissolved.

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