101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB2997

 

Introduced 2/5/2020, by Sen. Jil Tracy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-20

    Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for a specialized educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has (i) graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with an associate degree or higher, (ii) completed at least 6 semester hours of coursework from an Illinois-approved educator preparation program, and (iii) passed a content area test in the content area in which he or she completed a major at the regionally accredited college or university. Allows the holder of a specialized educator endorsement to teach in an elementary or secondary school in the content area in which he or she completed a major at the regionally accredited college or university.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2997LRB101 16501 NHT 65882 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
521B-20 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
7    Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
8Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
9whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
10required to be licensed must have one of the following
11licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an educator
12license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute teaching
13license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term substitute
14teaching license. References in law regarding individuals
15certified or certificated or required to be certified or
16certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall also include
17individuals licensed or required to be licensed under this
18Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June 30
19following one full year of the license being issued.
20    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
22rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
23licenses and endorsements under this Section.

 

 

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1        (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
2    have successfully completed an approved educator
3    preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
4    the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
5    program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
6    testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
7    successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
8    the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
9    the exceptional child, including without limitation
10    children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
11    successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
12    and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
13    criteria established by rule of the State Board of
14    Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
15    All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30
16    immediately following 5 years of the license being issued.
17    The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
18    specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is
19    eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
20    endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
21    teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
22    preparation program through placement in a setting with
23    children from birth through grade 2, and the individual may
24    be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
25    student teaching experience must meet the requirements of
26    and be approved by the individual's early childhood teacher

 

 

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1    preparation program.
2        Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
3    Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
4    shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
5    in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
6    content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
7        (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
8    License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
9    that limits the license holder to one particular position
10    or does not require completion of an approved educator
11    program or both.
12        An individual with an Educator License with
13    Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
14    any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
15    who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
16        An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
17    with the following endorsements:
18            (A) (Blank).
19            (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
20        alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
21        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
22        applicant who, at the time of applying for the
23        endorsement, has done all of the following:
24                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
25            college or university with a minimum of a
26            bachelor's degree.

 

 

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1                (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
2            the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
3            Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
4            Code.
5                (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
6            under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
7        The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
8    valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
9    third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
10    forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
11            (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
12        alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
13        an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
14        holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
15        superintendent in a school district's central office.
16        This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
17        who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
18        done all of the following:
19                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
20            college or university with a minimum of a master's
21            degree in a management field other than education.
22                (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
23            years in a management level position in a field
24            other than education.
25                (iii) Successfully completed the first phase
26            of an alternative route to superintendent

 

 

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1            endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
2            of this Code.
3                (iv) Passed a content area test required under
4            Section 21B-30 of this Code.
5            The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
6        order to complete one full year of serving as a
7        superintendent or assistant superintendent.
8            (D) (Blank).
9            (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
10        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
11        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has
12        a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
13        regionally accredited institution of higher education
14        or an accredited trade and technical institution and
15        has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
16        education in each area to be taught.
17            The career and technical educator endorsement on
18        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
19        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
20        endorsement being issued and may be renewed. For
21        individuals who were issued the career and technical
22        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
23        Stipulations on or after January 1, 2015, the license
24        may be renewed if the individual passes a test of work
25        proficiency, as required under Section 21B-30 of this
26        Code.

 

 

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1            An individual who holds a valid career and
2        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
3        with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's degree
4        may substitute teach in career and technical education
5        classrooms.
6            (F) Part-time provisional career and technical
7        educator or provisional career and technical educator.
8        A part-time provisional career and technical educator
9        endorsement or a provisional career and technical
10        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
11        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a
12        minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill
13        for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It
14        is the responsibility of each employing school board
15        and regional office of education to provide
16        verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
17        of Education at the time the application is submitted
18        that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
19        Educator License or an Educator License with
20        Stipulations with a career and technical educator
21        endorsement is available and that actual circumstances
22        require such issuance.
23            The provisional career and technical educator
24        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
25        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of
26        the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for 5

 

 

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1        years. For individuals who were issued the provisional
2        career and technical educator endorsement on an
3        Educator License with Stipulations on or after January
4        1, 2015, the license may be renewed if the individual
5        passes a test of work proficiency, as required under
6        Section 21B-30 of this Code.
7            A part-time provisional career and technical
8        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
9        Stipulations may be issued for teaching no more than 2
10        courses of study for grades 6 through 12. The part-time
11        provisional career and technical educator endorsement
12        on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
13        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
14        endorsement being issued and may be renewed for 5 years
15        if the individual makes application for renewal.
16            An individual who holds a provisional or part-time
17        provisional career and technical educator endorsement
18        on an Educator License with Stipulations but does not
19        hold a bachelor's degree may substitute teach in career
20        and technical education classrooms.
21            (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
22        transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
23        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
24        the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
25        with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
26        provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all

 

 

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1        of the following requirements:
2                (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
3            writing ability in the language other than English
4            in which transitional bilingual education is
5            offered.
6                (ii) Has the ability to successfully
7            communicate in English.
8                (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
9            previous to his or her applying for a transitional
10            bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
11            comparable teaching certificate or comparable
12            authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
13            a degree from an institution of higher learning in
14            a foreign country that the State Educator
15            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
16            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
17            regionally accredited institution of higher
18            learning in the United States.
19            A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
20        shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, is
21        valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of
22        the endorsement being issued, and shall not be renewed.
23            Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
24        endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
25        presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
26        replaced for any reason.

 

 

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1            (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
2        alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
3        other than English in the public schools, an individual
4        who holds an Educator License with Stipulations may
5        also apply for a language endorsement, provided that
6        the applicant provides satisfactory evidence that he
7        or she meets all of the following requirements:
8                (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
9            endorsement.
10                (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
11            language for which the endorsement is to be issued
12            by passing the applicable language content test
13            required by the State Board of Education.
14                (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
15            a regionally accredited institution of higher
16            education or, for individuals educated in a
17            country other than the United States, holds a
18            degree from an institution of higher learning in a
19            foreign country that the State Educator
20            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
21            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
22            regionally accredited institution of higher
23            learning in the United States.
24                (iv) (Blank).
25            A language endorsement on an Educator License with
26        Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through

 

 

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1        grade 12 for the same validity period as the
2        individual's transitional bilingual educator
3        endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
4        and shall not be renewed.
5            (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
6        international educator endorsement on an Educator
7        License with Stipulations may be issued to an
8        individual who is being recruited by a particular
9        school district that conducts formal recruitment
10        programs outside of the United States to secure the
11        services of qualified teachers and who meets all of the
12        following requirements:
13                (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
14            bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
15                (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
16            grade level for which he or she will be employed.
17                (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
18            subject to be taught.
19                (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
20            language.
21            A holder of a visiting international educator
22        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
23        shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
24        programs in the language that was the medium of
25        instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
26        provided that he or she passes the English Language

 

 

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1        Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
2        skills in English identified by the State Board of
3        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
4        Preparation and Licensure Board.
5            A visiting international educator endorsement on
6        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 3
7        years and shall not be renewed.
8            (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
9        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
10        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
11        high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
12        either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
13        semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
14        institution of higher education or has passed a
15        paraprofessional competency test under subsection
16        (c-5) of Section 21B-30. The paraprofessional educator
17        endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
18        following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
19        may be renewed through application and payment of the
20        appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
21        this Code. An individual who holds only a
22        paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
23        to additional requirements in order to renew the
24        endorsement.
25            (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
26        business official endorsement on an Educator License

 

 

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1        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
2        qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
3        years of full-time administrative experience in school
4        business management or 2 years of university-approved
5        practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
6        hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
7        State Board of Education for the preparation of school
8        business administrators and by passage of the
9        applicable State tests, including an applicable
10        content area test.
11            The chief school business official endorsement may
12        also be affixed to the Educator License with
13        Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
14        master's degree in business administration, finance,
15        accounting, or public administration and who completes
16        an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
17        business management from a regionally accredited
18        institution of higher education and passes the
19        applicable State tests, including an applicable
20        content area test. This endorsement shall be required
21        for any individual employed as a chief school business
22        official.
23            The chief school business official endorsement on
24        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
25        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
26        endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the

 

 

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1        license holder completes renewal requirements as
2        required for individuals who hold a Professional
3        Educator License endorsed for chief school business
4        official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
5        rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
6        Education.
7            The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
8        necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
9            (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
10        in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
11        with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
12        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
13        program at an Illinois institution of higher education
14        and who has not successfully completed an
15        evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
16        who meets all of the following requirements:
17                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
18                (ii) Has completed an approved educator
19            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
20                (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
21            test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
22                (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
23            assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
24            minimum score on that assessment, as established
25            by the State Board of Education in consultation
26            with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure

 

 

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1            Board.
2            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
3        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
4        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
5        be renewed.
6            (M) School support personnel intern. A school
7        support personnel intern endorsement on an Educator
8        License with Stipulations may be issued as specified by
9        rule.
10            (N) Special education area. A special education
11        area endorsement on an Educator License with
12        Stipulations may be issued as defined and specified by
13        rule.
14            (O) Specialized educator. A specialized educator
15        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
16        may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of
17        applying for the endorsement, has done all of the
18        following:
19                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
20            college or university with an associate degree or
21            higher.
22                (ii) Completed at least 6 semester hours of
23            coursework from an Illinois-approved educator
24            preparation program.
25                (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
26            under Section 21B-30 of this Code, in the content

 

 

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1            area in which he or she completed a major at the
2            regionally accredited college or university.
3            The specialized educator endorsement is valid for
4        2 years of teaching and may be renewed. The holder of a
5        specialized educator endorsement shall be permitted to
6        teach in an elementary or secondary school in the
7        content area in which he or she completed a major at
8        the regionally accredited college or university.
9        (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
10    License may be issued to qualified applicants for
11    substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
12    prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
13    Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
14    a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree
15    or higher from a regionally accredited institution of
16    higher education.
17        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
18        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
19    teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
20    has had his or her Professional Educator License or
21    Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
22    then that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute
23    Teaching License.
24        A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
25    licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
26    board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under

 

 

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1    contract because of an emergency situation, then a district
2    may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30
3    calendar days per each vacant position in the district if
4    the district notifies the appropriate regional office of
5    education within 5 business days after the employment of
6    the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An
7    emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
8    has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or
9    her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of
10    the district exceed previous indications, and the district
11    is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed
12    teacher for the vacant position.
13        There is no limit on the number of days that a
14    substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
15    provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
16    than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under
17    contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who
18    holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License
19    with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school
20    days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
21    same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on
22    the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do
23    not apply to any school district operating under Article 34
24    of this Code.
25        A school district may not require an individual who
26    holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator

 

 

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1    License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
2    Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
3        (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
4    on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of
5    Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
6    License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be
7    issued to a qualified applicant for substitute teaching in
8    all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through
9    grade 12. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not
10    eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term
11    Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate's
12    degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a
13    regionally accredited institution of higher education.
14        Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
15    substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
16    individual has had his or her Professional Educator License
17    or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
18    revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
19    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
20        The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
21    Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
22        An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
23    License may teach no more than 5 consecutive days per
24    licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
25    absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who is
26    under contract, a school district may not hire an

 

 

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1    individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
2    License. An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute
3    Teaching License must complete the training program under
4    Section 10-20.67 or 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to
5    teach at a public school. This paragraph (4) is inoperative
6    on and after July 1, 2023.
7(Source: P.A. 100-8, eff. 7-1-17; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17; 100-288,
8eff. 8-24-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-821, eff. 9-3-18;
9100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff.
108-7-19; 101-594, eff. 12-5-19.)