Public Act 100-0822
 
SB3536 EnrolledLRB100 19134 AXK 34399 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
21B-50 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-50)
    Sec. 21B-50. Alternative educator licensure program.
    (a) There is established an alternative educator licensure
program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure
Program for Teachers.
    (b) The Beginning on January 1, 2013, the Alternative
Educator Licensure Program for Teachers may be offered by a
recognized institution approved to offer educator preparation
programs by the State Board of Education, in consultation with
the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
    The program shall be comprised of 4 phases:
        (1) A course of study that at a minimum includes
    instructional planning; instructional strategies,
    including special education, reading, and English language
    learning; classroom management; and the assessment of
    students and use of data to drive instruction.
        (2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's
    assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a
    co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must
    hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an
    alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to
    enter the residency and must complete additional program
    requirements that address required State and national
    standards, pass the assessment of professional teaching
    before entering the second residency year, as required
    under phase (3) of this subsection (b), and be recommended
    by the principal or qualified equivalent of a principal, as
    required under subsection (d) of this Section, and the
    program coordinator to continue with the second year of the
    residency.
        (3) A second year of residency, which shall include the
    candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position
    for one school year. The candidate must be assigned an
    experienced teacher to act as a mentor and coach the
    candidate through the second year of residency.
        (4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's
    teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or
    qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under
    subsection (d) of this Section, and the program
    coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency. If
    there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about the
    candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may
    complete one additional year of residency teaching under a
    professional development plan developed by the principal
    or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At the
    completion of the third year, a candidate must have
    positive evaluations and a recommendation for full
    licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent
    and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator
    License shall be issued.
    Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to
satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content
matter requirements established by law.
    (c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of
teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a
preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code
or charter school, 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 in which a majority of the teachers are required to have
the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in
this State, but may be renewed for a third year if needed to
complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an
individual who meets all of the following requirements:
        (1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college
    or university with a bachelor's degree or higher.
        (2) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or
    greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another scale.
        (3) Has completed a major in the content area if
    seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if
    seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special
    education endorsement, has completed a major in the content
    area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics, or
    one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a
    major in a content area for any level of teaching, he or
    she must submit transcripts to the State Board
    Superintendent of Education to be reviewed for
    equivalency.
        (4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection
    (b) of this Section.
        (5) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area
    test required for the specific endorsement for admission
    into the program, as required under Section 21B-30 of this
    Code.
    A candidate possessing the alternative provisional
educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any
other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school who
are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if any,
but a school is not required to provide these benefits during
the years of residency if the candidate is serving only as a
co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of
record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any
other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be
counted towards tenure.
    (d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative
Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a
school district, including without limitation a preschool
educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or
charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in this
State in which the chief administrator is required to have the
licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in
this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required
to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public
school in this State. A recognized institution that partners
with a public school district administering a preschool
educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code must
require a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates in the
program. A recognized institution that partners with an
eligible entity administering a preschool educational program
under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that is not a public
school district must require a principal or qualified
equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates
in the program. The program presented for approval by the State
Board of Education must demonstrate the supports that are to be
provided to assist the provisional teacher during the 2-year
residency period. These supports must provide additional
contact hours with mentors during the first year of residency.
    (e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection
(b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section
21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a Professional
Educator License.
    (f) 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
Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
(Source: P.A. 99-58, eff. 7-16-15.)