Public Act 0404 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3600 Enrolled LRB096 10332 NHT 20502 b

Public Act 096-0404

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 2-3.80a as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80a)

Sec. 2-3.80a. Agricultural Agriculture science teacher education.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall develop an agricultural science teacher education training continuum beginning at the secondary level and shall provide incentive funding grants to the following:

(1) institutions of higher education that offer State-approved agricultural science teacher preparation programs; and

(2) public community colleges in this State that provide an articulated agricultural science teacher education course of study. the agriculture science teacher education programs located at Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University, the University of Illinois, and Western Illinois University. Public community colleges in this State that provide an articulated agriculture science teacher education course of study are also eligible for funding.

(b) The funds provided by the State Board of Education under subsection (a) of this Section may be used to support the following activities:

(1) Teacher education candidate recruitment and retention incentives.

(2) Having Master teachers and practitioners assist with various aspects of the recruitment of potential candidates and the preparation of those candidates as skilled and qualified teachers of agricultural education the preparation, coordination, and supervision of student teachers.

(3) Establishing, and delivering, arranging for, or providing financial support for professional development experiences for new agricultural science teachers during their first 5 years of teaching.

(4) Professional development for faculty in universities' agricultural education teacher preparation programs and for community college agriculture faculty responsible for instruction in agricultural education teacher preparation transfer programs university agriculture education teacher education staff.

(Source: P.A. 95-153, eff. 1-1-08.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.