101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB3816

 

Introduced 2/14/2020, by Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g  from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g
105 ILCS 5/10-17a  from Ch. 122, par. 10-17a
105 ILCS 5/21B-75
105 ILCS 5/24-9.5 new
105 ILCS 5/24-11  from Ch. 122, par. 24-11
105 ILCS 5/24-12  from Ch. 122, par. 24-12
105 ILCS 5/24-16.5
105 ILCS 5/24A-5  from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
105 ILCS 5/24A-5.5
105 ILCS 5/34-84  from Ch. 122, par. 34-84
105 ILCS 5/34-85c

    Amends the School Code. Provides that, on and after September 1, 2020, all teacher evaluation ratings on record as "excellent", "proficient", or "needs improvement" are considered "effective" and all teacher evaluation ratings on record as "unsatisfactory" are considered "ineffective" for the purposes of the Employment of Teachers Article. Makes other changes concerning the waiver or modification of mandates; school report cards; license suspension or revocation; contractual continued service; removal or dismissal of teachers; an optional alternative evaluative dismissal process; the content of evaluation plans; the appointment and promotion of teachers in Chicago; and alternative procedures for teacher evaluation, remediation, and removal in Chicago. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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 Sections
52-3.25g, 10-17a, 21B-75, 24-11, 24-12, 24-16.5, 24A-5,
624A-5.5, 34-84, and 34-85c and by adding Section 24-9.5 as
7follows:
 
8    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g)
9    Sec. 2-3.25g. Waiver or modification of mandates within the
10School Code and administrative rules and regulations.
11    (a) In this Section:
12        "Board" means a school board or the governing board or
13    administrative district, as the case may be, for a joint
14    agreement.
15        "Eligible applicant" means a school district, joint
16    agreement made up of school districts, or regional
17    superintendent of schools on behalf of schools and programs
18    operated by the regional office of education.
19        "Implementation date" has the meaning set forth in
20    Section 24A-2.5 of this Code.
21        "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
22    (b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this School
23Code or any other law of this State to the contrary, eligible

 

 

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1applicants may petition the State Board of Education for the
2waiver or modification of the mandates of this School Code or
3of the administrative rules and regulations promulgated by the
4State Board of Education. Waivers or modifications of
5administrative rules and regulations and modifications of
6mandates of this School Code may be requested when an eligible
7applicant demonstrates that it can address the intent of the
8rule or mandate in a more effective, efficient, or economical
9manner or when necessary to stimulate innovation or improve
10student performance. Waivers of mandates of the School Code may
11be requested when the waivers are necessary to stimulate
12innovation or improve student performance or when the applicant
13demonstrates that it can address the intent of the mandate of
14the School Code in a more effective, efficient, or economical
15manner. Waivers may not be requested from laws, rules, and
16regulations pertaining to special education, teacher educator
17licensure, teacher tenure and seniority, or Section 5-2.1 of
18this Code or from compliance with the Every Student Succeeds
19Act (Public Law 114-95). Eligible applicants may not seek a
20waiver or seek a modification of a mandate regarding the
21requirements for (i) student performance data to be a
22significant factor in teacher or principal evaluations or (ii)
23teachers and principals to be rated using the 4 categories of
24"excellent", "proficient", "needs improvement", or
25"unsatisfactory" or, on and after September 1, 2020, teachers
26to be rated using the 2 categories of "effective" and

 

 

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1"ineffective". On September 1, 2014, any previously authorized
2waiver or modification from such requirements shall terminate.
3    (c) Eligible applicants, as a matter of inherent managerial
4policy, and any Independent Authority established under
5Section 2-3.25f-5 of this Code may submit an application for a
6waiver or modification authorized under this Section. Each
7application must include a written request by the eligible
8applicant or Independent Authority and must demonstrate that
9the intent of the mandate can be addressed in a more effective,
10efficient, or economical manner or be based upon a specific
11plan for improved student performance and school improvement.
12Any eligible applicant requesting a waiver or modification for
13the reason that intent of the mandate can be addressed in a
14more economical manner shall include in the application a
15fiscal analysis showing current expenditures on the mandate and
16projected savings resulting from the waiver or modification.
17Applications and plans developed by eligible applicants must be
18approved by the board or regional superintendent of schools
19applying on behalf of schools or programs operated by the
20regional office of education following a public hearing on the
21application and plan and the opportunity for the board or
22regional superintendent to hear testimony from staff directly
23involved in its implementation, parents, and students. The time
24period for such testimony shall be separate from the time
25period established by the eligible applicant for public comment
26on other matters.

 

 

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1    (c-5) If the applicant is a school district, then the
2district shall post information that sets forth the time, date,
3place, and general subject matter of the public hearing on its
4Internet website at least 14 days prior to the hearing. If the
5district is requesting to increase the fee charged for driver
6education authorized pursuant to Section 27-24.2 of this Code,
7the website information shall include the proposed amount of
8the fee the district will request. All school districts must
9publish a notice of the public hearing at least 7 days prior to
10the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation within the
11school district that sets forth the time, date, place, and
12general subject matter of the hearing. Districts requesting to
13increase the fee charged for driver education shall include in
14the published notice the proposed amount of the fee the
15district will request. If the applicant is a joint agreement or
16regional superintendent, then the joint agreement or regional
17superintendent shall post information that sets forth the time,
18date, place, and general subject matter of the public hearing
19on its Internet website at least 14 days prior to the hearing.
20If the joint agreement or regional superintendent is requesting
21to increase the fee charged for driver education authorized
22pursuant to Section 27-24.2 of this Code, the website
23information shall include the proposed amount of the fee the
24applicant will request. All joint agreements and regional
25superintendents must publish a notice of the public hearing at
26least 7 days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general

 

 

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1circulation in each school district that is a member of the
2joint agreement or that is served by the educational service
3region that sets forth the time, date, place, and general
4subject matter of the hearing, provided that a notice appearing
5in a newspaper generally circulated in more than one school
6district shall be deemed to fulfill this requirement with
7respect to all of the affected districts. Joint agreements or
8regional superintendents requesting to increase the fee
9charged for driver education shall include in the published
10notice the proposed amount of the fee the applicant will
11request. The eligible applicant must notify either
12electronically or in writing the affected exclusive collective
13bargaining agent and those State legislators representing the
14eligible applicant's territory of its intent to seek approval
15of a waiver or modification and of the hearing to be held to
16take testimony from staff. The affected exclusive collective
17bargaining agents shall be notified of such public hearing at
18least 7 days prior to the date of the hearing and shall be
19allowed to attend such public hearing. The eligible applicant
20shall attest to compliance with all of the notification and
21procedural requirements set forth in this Section.
22    (d) A request for a waiver or modification of
23administrative rules and regulations or for a modification of
24mandates contained in this School Code shall be submitted to
25the State Board of Education within 15 days after approval by
26the board or regional superintendent of schools. The

 

 

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1application as submitted to the State Board of Education shall
2include a description of the public hearing. Following receipt
3of the waiver or modification request, the State Board shall
4have 45 days to review the application and request. If the
5State Board fails to disapprove the application within that
645-day period, the waiver or modification shall be deemed
7granted. The State Board may disapprove any request if it is
8not based upon sound educational practices, endangers the
9health or safety of students or staff, compromises equal
10opportunities for learning, or fails to demonstrate that the
11intent of the rule or mandate can be addressed in a more
12effective, efficient, or economical manner or have improved
13student performance as a primary goal. Any request disapproved
14by the State Board may be appealed to the General Assembly by
15the eligible applicant as outlined in this Section.
16    A request for a waiver from mandates contained in this
17School Code shall be submitted to the State Board within 15
18days after approval by the board or regional superintendent of
19schools. The application as submitted to the State Board of
20Education shall include a description of the public hearing.
21The description shall include, but need not be limited to, the
22means of notice, the number of people in attendance, the number
23of people who spoke as proponents or opponents of the waiver, a
24brief description of their comments, and whether there were any
25written statements submitted. The State Board shall review the
26applications and requests for completeness and shall compile

 

 

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1the requests in reports to be filed with the General Assembly.
2The State Board shall file reports outlining the waivers
3requested by eligible applicants and appeals by eligible
4applicants of requests disapproved by the State Board with the
5Senate and the House of Representatives before each March 1 and
6October 1.
7    The report shall be reviewed by a panel of 4 members
8consisting of:
9        (1) the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
10        (2) the Minority Leader of the House of
11    Representatives;
12        (3) the President of the Senate; and
13        (4) the Minority Leader of the Senate.
14The State Board of Education may provide the panel
15recommendations on waiver requests. The members of the panel
16shall review the report submitted by the State Board of
17Education and submit to the State Board of Education any notice
18of further consideration to any waiver request within 14 days
19after the member receives the report. If 3 or more of the panel
20members submit a notice of further consideration to any waiver
21request contained within the report, the State Board of
22Education shall submit the waiver request to the General
23Assembly for consideration. If less than 3 panel members submit
24a notice of further consideration to a waiver request, the
25waiver may be approved, denied, or modified by the State Board.
26If the State Board does not act on a waiver request within 10

 

 

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1days, then the waiver request is approved. If the waiver
2request is denied by the State Board, it shall submit the
3waiver request to the General Assembly for consideration.
4    The General Assembly may disapprove any waiver request
5submitted to the General Assembly pursuant to this subsection
6(d) in whole or in part within 60 calendar days after each
7house of the General Assembly next convenes after the waiver
8request is submitted by adoption of a resolution by a record
9vote of the majority of members elected in each house. If the
10General Assembly fails to disapprove any waiver request or
11appealed request within such 60-day period, the waiver or
12modification shall be deemed granted. Any resolution adopted by
13the General Assembly disapproving a report of the State Board
14in whole or in part shall be binding on the State Board.
15    (e) An approved waiver or modification may remain in effect
16for a period not to exceed 5 school years and may be renewed
17upon application by the eligible applicant. However, such
18waiver or modification may be changed within that 5-year period
19by a board or regional superintendent of schools applying on
20behalf of schools or programs operated by the regional office
21of education following the procedure as set forth in this
22Section for the initial waiver or modification request. If
23neither the State Board of Education nor the General Assembly
24disapproves, the change is deemed granted.
25    (f) (Blank).
26(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-782, eff. 1-1-19;

 

 

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1101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)
 
2    (105 ILCS 5/10-17a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-17a)
3    Sec. 10-17a. State, school district, and school report
4cards.
5    (1) By October 31, 2013 and October 31 of each subsequent
6school year, the State Board of Education, through the State
7Superintendent of Education, shall prepare a State report card,
8school district report cards, and school report cards, and
9shall by the most economic means provide to each school
10district in this State, including special charter districts and
11districts subject to the provisions of Article 34, the report
12cards for the school district and each of its schools.
13    (2) In addition to any information required by federal law,
14the State Superintendent shall determine the indicators and
15presentation of the school report card, which must include, at
16a minimum, the most current data collected and maintained by
17the State Board of Education related to the following:
18        (A) school characteristics and student demographics,
19    including average class size, average teaching experience,
20    student racial/ethnic breakdown, and the percentage of
21    students classified as low-income; the percentage of
22    students classified as English learners; the percentage of
23    students who have individualized education plans or 504
24    plans that provide for special education services; the
25    number and percentage of all students who have been

 

 

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1    assessed for placement in a gifted education or advanced
2    academic program and, of those students: (i) the racial and
3    ethnic breakdown, (ii) the percentage who are classified as
4    low-income, and (iii) the number and percentage of students
5    who received direct instruction from a teacher who holds a
6    gifted education endorsement and, of those students, the
7    percentage who are classified as low-income; the
8    percentage of students scoring at the "exceeds
9    expectations" level on the assessments required under
10    Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code; the percentage of students
11    who annually transferred in or out of the school district;
12    average daily attendance; the per-pupil operating
13    expenditure of the school district; and the per-pupil State
14    average operating expenditure for the district type
15    (elementary, high school, or unit);
16        (B) curriculum information, including, where
17    applicable, Advanced Placement, International
18    Baccalaureate or equivalent courses, dual enrollment
19    courses, foreign language classes, school personnel
20    resources (including Career Technical Education teachers),
21    before and after school programs, extracurricular
22    activities, subjects in which elective classes are
23    offered, health and wellness initiatives (including the
24    average number of days of Physical Education per week per
25    student), approved programs of study, awards received,
26    community partnerships, and special programs such as

 

 

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1    programming for the gifted and talented, students with
2    disabilities, and work-study students;
3        (C) student outcomes, including, where applicable, the
4    percentage of students deemed proficient on assessments of
5    State standards, the percentage of students in the eighth
6    grade who pass Algebra, the percentage of students who
7    participated in workplace learning experiences, the
8    percentage of students enrolled in post-secondary
9    institutions (including colleges, universities, community
10    colleges, trade/vocational schools, and training programs
11    leading to career certification within 2 semesters of high
12    school graduation), the percentage of students graduating
13    from high school who are college and career ready, and the
14    percentage of graduates enrolled in community colleges,
15    colleges, and universities who are in one or more courses
16    that the community college, college, or university
17    identifies as a developmental course;
18        (D) student progress, including, where applicable, the
19    percentage of students in the ninth grade who have earned 5
20    credits or more without failing more than one core class, a
21    measure of students entering kindergarten ready to learn, a
22    measure of growth, and the percentage of students who enter
23    high school on track for college and career readiness;
24        (E) the school environment, including, where
25    applicable, the percentage of students with less than 10
26    absences in a school year, the percentage of teachers with

 

 

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1    less than 10 absences in a school year for reasons other
2    than professional development, leaves taken pursuant to
3    the federal Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, long-term
4    disability, or parental leaves, the 3-year average of the
5    percentage of teachers returning to the school from the
6    previous year, the number of different principals at the
7    school in the last 6 years, the number of teachers who hold
8    a gifted education endorsement, the process and criteria
9    used by the district to determine whether a student is
10    eligible for participation in a gifted education program or
11    advanced academic program and the manner in which parents
12    and guardians are made aware of the process and criteria, 2
13    or more indicators from any school climate survey selected
14    or approved by the State and administered pursuant to
15    Section 2-3.153 of this Code, with the same or similar
16    indicators included on school report cards for all surveys
17    selected or approved by the State pursuant to Section
18    2-3.153 of this Code, and the combined percentage of
19    teachers rated as proficient or excellent or, on and after
20    September 1, 2020, the percentage of teachers rated as
21    "effective" in their most recent evaluation;
22        (F) a school district's and its individual schools'
23    balanced accountability measure, in accordance with
24    Section 2-3.25a of this Code;
25        (G) the total and per pupil normal cost amount the
26    State contributed to the Teachers' Retirement System of the

 

 

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1    State of Illinois in the prior fiscal year for the school's
2    employees, which shall be reported to the State Board of
3    Education by the Teachers' Retirement System of the State
4    of Illinois;
5        (H) for a school district organized under Article 34 of
6    this Code only, State contributions to the Public School
7    Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago and State
8    contributions for health care for employees of that school
9    district;
10        (I) a school district's Final Percent of Adequacy, as
11    defined in paragraph (4) of subsection (f) of Section
12    18-8.15 of this Code;
13        (J) a school district's Local Capacity Target, as
14    defined in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of Section
15    18-8.15 of this Code, displayed as a percentage amount;
16        (K) a school district's Real Receipts, as defined in
17    paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 18-8.15 of this
18    Code, divided by a school district's Adequacy Target, as
19    defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Section
20    18-8.15 of this Code, displayed as a percentage amount;
21        (L) a school district's administrative costs; and
22        (M) whether or not the school has participated in the
23    Illinois Youth Survey. In this paragraph (M), "Illinois
24    Youth Survey" means a self-report survey, administered in
25    school settings every 2 years, designed to gather
26    information about health and social indicators, including

 

 

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1    substance abuse patterns and the attitudes of students in
2    grades 8, 10, and 12; and
3        (N) whether the school offered its students career and
4    technical education opportunities.
5    The school report card shall also provide information that
6allows for comparing the current outcome, progress, and
7environment data to the State average, to the school data from
8the past 5 years, and to the outcomes, progress, and
9environment of similar schools based on the type of school and
10enrollment of low-income students, special education students,
11and English learners.
12    As used in this subsection (2):
13    "Administrative costs" means costs associated with
14executive, administrative, or managerial functions within the
15school district that involve planning, organizing, managing,
16or directing the school district.
17    "Advanced academic program" means a course of study to
18which students are assigned based on advanced cognitive ability
19or advanced academic achievement compared to local age peers
20and in which the curriculum is substantially differentiated
21from the general curriculum to provide appropriate challenge
22and pace.
23    "Gifted education" means educational services, including
24differentiated curricula and instructional methods, designed
25to meet the needs of gifted children as defined in Article 14A
26of this Code.

 

 

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1    For the purposes of paragraph (A) of this subsection (2),
2"average daily attendance" means the average of the actual
3number of attendance days during the previous school year for
4any enrolled student who is subject to compulsory attendance by
5Section 26-1 of this Code at each school and charter school.
6    (3) At the discretion of the State Superintendent, the
7school district report card shall include a subset of the
8information identified in paragraphs (A) through (E) of
9subsection (2) of this Section, as well as information relating
10to the operating expense per pupil and other finances of the
11school district, and the State report card shall include a
12subset of the information identified in paragraphs (A) through
13(E) and paragraph (N) of subsection (2) of this Section. The
14school district report card shall include the average daily
15attendance, as that term is defined in subsection (2) of this
16Section, of students who have individualized education
17programs and students who have 504 plans that provide for
18special education services within the school district.
19    (4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
20Section, in consultation with key education stakeholders, the
21State Superintendent shall at any time have the discretion to
22amend or update any and all metrics on the school, district, or
23State report card.
24    (5) Annually, no more than 30 calendar days after receipt
25of the school district and school report cards from the State
26Superintendent of Education, each school district, including

 

 

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1special charter districts and districts subject to the
2provisions of Article 34, shall present such report cards at a
3regular school board meeting subject to applicable notice
4requirements, post the report cards on the school district's
5Internet web site, if the district maintains an Internet web
6site, make the report cards available to a newspaper of general
7circulation serving the district, and, upon request, send the
8report cards home to a parent (unless the district does not
9maintain an Internet web site, in which case the report card
10shall be sent home to parents without request). If the district
11posts the report card on its Internet web site, the district
12shall send a written notice home to parents stating (i) that
13the report card is available on the web site, (ii) the address
14of the web site, (iii) that a printed copy of the report card
15will be sent to parents upon request, and (iv) the telephone
16number that parents may call to request a printed copy of the
17report card.
18    (6) Nothing contained in Public Act 98-648 repeals,
19supersedes, invalidates, or nullifies final decisions in
20lawsuits pending on July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public
21Act 98-648) in Illinois courts involving the interpretation of
22Public Act 97-8.
23(Source: P.A. 100-227, eff. 8-18-17; 100-364, eff. 1-1-18;
24100-448, eff. 7-1-19; 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-807, eff.
258-10-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 100-1121, eff. 1-1-19; 101-68,
26eff. 1-1-20; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; revised 9-9-19.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/21B-75)
2    Sec. 21B-75. Suspension or revocation of license.
3    (a) As used in this Section, "teacher" means any school
4district employee regularly required to be licensed, as
5provided in this Article, in order to teach or supervise in the
6public schools.
7    (b) The State Superintendent of Education has the exclusive
8authority, in accordance with this Section and any rules
9adopted by the State Board of Education, in consultation with
10the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to initiate
11the suspension of up to 5 calendar years or revocation of any
12license issued pursuant to this Article for abuse or neglect of
13a child, immorality, a condition of health detrimental to the
14welfare of pupils, incompetency, unprofessional conduct (which
15includes the failure to disclose on an employment application
16any previous conviction for a sex offense, as defined in
17Section 21B-80 of this Code, or any other offense committed in
18any other state or against the laws of the United States that,
19if committed in this State, would be punishable as a sex
20offense, as defined in Section 21B-80 of this Code), the
21neglect of any professional duty, willful or negligent failure
22to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as
23required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, or
24other just cause. Negligent failure to report an instance of
25suspected child abuse or neglect occurs when a teacher

 

 

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1personally observes an instance of suspected child abuse or
2neglect and reasonably believes, in his or her professional or
3official capacity, that the instance constitutes an act of
4child abuse or neglect under the Abused and Neglected Child
5Reporting Act, and he or she, without willful intent, fails to
6immediately report or cause a report to be made of the
7suspected abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and
8Family Services, as required by the Abused and Neglected Child
9Reporting Act. Unprofessional conduct shall include the
10refusal to attend or participate in institutes, teachers'
11meetings, or professional readings or to meet other reasonable
12requirements of the regional superintendent of schools or State
13Superintendent of Education. Unprofessional conduct also
14includes conduct that violates the standards, ethics, or rules
15applicable to the security, administration, monitoring, or
16scoring of or the reporting of scores from any assessment test
17or examination administered under Section 2-3.64a-5 of this
18Code or that is known or intended to produce or report
19manipulated or artificial, rather than actual, assessment or
20achievement results or gains from the administration of those
21tests or examinations. Unprofessional conduct shall also
22include neglect or unnecessary delay in the making of
23statistical and other reports required by school officers.
24Incompetency shall include, without limitation, 2 or more
25school terms of service for which the license holder has
26received an unsatisfactory or, on and after September 1, 2020,

 

 

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1ineffective rating on a performance evaluation conducted
2pursuant to Article 24A of this Code within a period of 7
3school terms of service. In determining whether to initiate
4action against one or more licenses based on incompetency and
5the recommended sanction for such action, the State
6Superintendent shall consider factors that include without
7limitation all of the following:
8        (1) Whether the unsatisfactory or ineffective
9    evaluation ratings occurred prior to June 13, 2011 (the
10    effective date of Public Act 97-8).
11        (2) Whether the unsatisfactory or ineffective
12    evaluation ratings occurred prior to or after the
13    implementation date, as defined in Section 24A-2.5 of this
14    Code, of an evaluation system for teachers in a school
15    district.
16        (3) Whether the evaluator or evaluators who performed
17    an unsatisfactory or ineffective evaluation met the
18    pre-licensure and training requirements set forth in
19    Section 24A-3 of this Code.
20        (4) The time between the unsatisfactory or ineffective
21    evaluation ratings.
22        (5) The quality of the remediation plans associated
23    with the unsatisfactory or ineffective evaluation ratings
24    and whether the license holder successfully completed the
25    remediation plans.
26        (6) Whether the unsatisfactory or ineffective

 

 

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1    evaluation ratings were related to the same or different
2    assignments performed by the license holder.
3        (7) Whether one or more of the unsatisfactory or
4    ineffective evaluation ratings occurred in the first year
5    of a teaching or administrative assignment.
6When initiating an action against one or more licenses, the
7State Superintendent may seek required professional
8development as a sanction in lieu of or in addition to
9suspension or revocation. Any such required professional
10development must be at the expense of the license holder, who
11may use, if available and applicable to the requirements
12established by administrative or court order, training,
13coursework, or other professional development funds in
14accordance with the terms of an applicable collective
15bargaining agreement entered into after June 13, 2011 (the
16effective date of Public Act 97-8), unless that agreement
17specifically precludes use of funds for such purpose.
18    (c) The State Superintendent of Education shall, upon
19receipt of evidence of abuse or neglect of a child, immorality,
20a condition of health detrimental to the welfare of pupils,
21incompetency (subject to subsection (b) of this Section),
22unprofessional conduct, the neglect of any professional duty,
23or other just cause, further investigate and, if and as
24appropriate, serve written notice to the individual and afford
25the individual opportunity for a hearing prior to suspension,
26revocation, or other sanction; provided that the State

 

 

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1Superintendent is under no obligation to initiate such an
2investigation if the Department of Children and Family Services
3is investigating the same or substantially similar allegations
4and its child protective service unit has not made its
5determination, as required under Section 7.12 of the Abused and
6Neglected Child Reporting Act. If the State Superintendent of
7Education does not receive from an individual a request for a
8hearing within 10 days after the individual receives notice,
9the suspension, revocation, or other sanction shall
10immediately take effect in accordance with the notice. If a
11hearing is requested within 10 days after notice of an
12opportunity for hearing, it shall act as a stay of proceedings
13until the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board issues
14a decision. Any hearing shall take place in the educational
15service region where the educator is or was last employed and
16in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of
17Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
18and Licensure Board, and such rules shall include without
19limitation provisions for discovery and the sharing of
20information between parties prior to the hearing. The standard
21of proof for any administrative hearing held pursuant to this
22Section shall be by the preponderance of the evidence. The
23decision of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
24is a final administrative decision and is subject to judicial
25review by appeal of either party.
26    The State Board of Education may refuse to issue or may

 

 

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1suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return or
2to pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return or
3to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty, or interest, as
4required by any tax Act administered by the Department of
5Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax
6Act are satisfied.
7    The exclusive authority of the State Superintendent of
8Education to initiate suspension or revocation of a license
9pursuant to this Section does not preclude a regional
10superintendent of schools from cooperating with the State
11Superintendent or a State's Attorney with respect to an
12investigation of alleged misconduct.
13    (d) The State Superintendent of Education or his or her
14designee may initiate and conduct such investigations as may be
15reasonably necessary to establish the existence of any alleged
16misconduct. At any stage of the investigation, the State
17Superintendent may issue a subpoena requiring the attendance
18and testimony of a witness, including the license holder, and
19the production of any evidence, including files, records,
20correspondence, or documents, relating to any matter in
21question in the investigation. The subpoena shall require a
22witness to appear at the State Board of Education at a
23specified date and time and shall specify any evidence to be
24produced. The license holder is not entitled to be present, but
25the State Superintendent shall provide the license holder with
26a copy of any recorded testimony prior to a hearing under this

 

 

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1Section. Such recorded testimony must not be used as evidence
2at a hearing, unless the license holder has adequate notice of
3the testimony and the opportunity to cross-examine the witness.
4Failure of a license holder to comply with a duly issued,
5investigatory subpoena may be grounds for revocation,
6suspension, or denial of a license.
7    (e) All correspondence, documentation, and other
8information so received by the regional superintendent of
9schools, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Board
10of Education, or the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
11Board under this Section is confidential and must not be
12disclosed to third parties, except (i) as necessary for the
13State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee to
14investigate and prosecute pursuant to this Article, (ii)
15pursuant to a court order, (iii) for disclosure to the license
16holder or his or her representative, or (iv) as otherwise
17required in this Article and provided that any such information
18admitted into evidence in a hearing is exempt from this
19confidentiality and non-disclosure requirement.
20    (f) The State Superintendent of Education or a person
21designated by him or her shall have the power to administer
22oaths to witnesses at any hearing conducted before the State
23Educator Preparation and Licensure Board pursuant to this
24Section. The State Superintendent of Education or a person
25designated by him or her is authorized to subpoena and bring
26before the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board any

 

 

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1person in this State and to take testimony either orally or by
2deposition or by exhibit, with the same fees and mileage and in
3the same manner as prescribed by law in judicial proceedings in
4civil cases in circuit courts of this State.
5    (g) Any circuit court, upon the application of the State
6Superintendent of Education or the license holder, may, by
7order duly entered, require the attendance of witnesses and the
8production of relevant books and papers as part of any
9investigation or at any hearing the State Educator Preparation
10and Licensure Board is authorized to conduct pursuant to this
11Section, and the court may compel obedience to its orders by
12proceedings for contempt.
13    (h) The State Board of Education shall receive an annual
14line item appropriation to cover fees associated with the
15investigation and prosecution of alleged educator misconduct
16and hearings related thereto.
17(Source: P.A. 100-872, eff. 8-14-18; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19.)
 
18    (105 ILCS 5/24-9.5 new)
19    Sec. 24-9.5. Teacher evaluation ratings on and after
20September 1, 2020. On and after September 1, 2020, pursuant to
21this Section, all teacher evaluation ratings on record as
22"excellent", "proficient", or "needs improvement" are
23considered "effective" and all teacher evaluation ratings on
24record as "unsatisfactory" are considered "ineffective" for
25the purposes of this Article.
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/24-11)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24-11)
2    Sec. 24-11. Boards of Education - Boards of School
3Inspectors - Contractual continued service.
4    (a) As used in this and the succeeding Sections of this
5Article:
6    "Teacher" means any or all school district employees
7regularly required to be certified under laws relating to the
8certification of teachers.
9    "Board" means board of directors, board of education, or
10board of school inspectors, as the case may be.
11    "School term" means that portion of the school year, July 1
12to the following June 30, when school is in actual session.
13    "Program" means a program of a special education joint
14agreement.
15    "Program of a special education joint agreement" means
16instructional, consultative, supervisory, administrative,
17diagnostic, and related services that are managed by a special
18educational joint agreement designed to service 2 or more
19school districts that are members of the joint agreement.
20    "PERA implementation date" means the implementation date
21of an evaluation system for teachers as specified by Section
2224A-2.5 of this Code for all schools within a school district
23or all programs of a special education joint agreement.
24    (b) This Section and Sections 24-12 through 24-16 of this
25Article apply only to school districts having less than 500,000

 

 

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1inhabitants.
2    (c) Any teacher who is first employed as a full-time
3teacher in a school district or program prior to the PERA
4implementation date and who is employed in that district or
5program for a probationary period of 4 consecutive school terms
6shall enter upon contractual continued service in the district
7or in all of the programs that the teacher is legally qualified
8to hold, unless the teacher is given written notice of
9dismissal by certified mail, return receipt requested, by the
10employing board at least 45 days before the end of any school
11term within such period.
12    (d) For any teacher who is first employed as a full-time
13teacher in a school district or program on or after the PERA
14implementation date, the probationary period shall be one of
15the following periods, based upon the teacher's school terms of
16service and performance, before the teacher shall enter upon
17contractual continued service in the district or in all of the
18programs that the teacher is legally qualified to hold, unless
19the teacher is given written notice of dismissal by certified
20mail, return receipt requested, by the employing board at least
2145 days before the end of any school term within such period:
22        (1) 4 consecutive school terms of service in which the
23    teacher receives overall annual evaluation ratings of at
24    least "Proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
25    "effective" in the last school term and at least
26    "Proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020, "effective"

 

 

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1    in either the second or third school term;
2        (2) (blank); or 3 consecutive school terms of service
3    in which the teacher receives 3 overall annual evaluations
4    of "Excellent"; or
5        (3) 2 consecutive school terms of service in which the
6    teacher receives 2 overall annual evaluations of
7    "Excellent" or, on or after September 1, 2020, "effective"
8    service, but only if the teacher (i) previously attained
9    contractual continued service in a different school
10    district or program in this State, (ii) voluntarily
11    departed or was honorably dismissed from that school
12    district or program in the school term immediately prior to
13    the teacher's first school term of service applicable to
14    the attainment of contractual continued service under this
15    subdivision (3), and (iii) received, in his or her 2 most
16    recent overall annual or biennial evaluations from the
17    prior school district or program, ratings of at least
18    "Proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
19    "effective", with both such ratings occurring after the
20    school district's or program's PERA implementation date.
21    For a teacher to attain contractual continued service under
22    this subdivision (3), the teacher shall provide official
23    copies of his or her 2 most recent overall annual or
24    biennial evaluations from the prior school district or
25    program to the new school district or program within 60
26    days from the teacher's first day of service with the new

 

 

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1    school district or program. The prior school district or
2    program must provide the teacher with official copies of
3    his or her 2 most recent overall annual or biennial
4    evaluations within 14 days after the teacher's request. If
5    a teacher has requested such official copies prior to 45
6    days after the teacher's first day of service with the new
7    school district or program and the teacher's prior school
8    district or program fails to provide the teacher with the
9    official copies required under this subdivision (3), then
10    the time period for the teacher to submit the official
11    copies to his or her new school district or program must be
12    extended until 14 days after receipt of such copies from
13    the prior school district or program. If the prior school
14    district or program fails to provide the teacher with the
15    official copies required under this subdivision (3) within
16    90 days from the teacher's first day of service with the
17    new school district or program, then the new school
18    district or program shall rely upon the teacher's own
19    copies of his or her evaluations for purposes of this
20    subdivision (3).
21    If the teacher does not receive overall annual evaluations
22of "Excellent" or, on or after September 1, 2020, "effective"
23in the school terms necessary for eligibility to achieve
24accelerated contractual continued service in subdivisions (2)
25and (3) of this subsection (d), the teacher shall be eligible
26for contractual continued service pursuant to subdivision (1)

 

 

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1of this subsection (d). If, at the conclusion of 4 consecutive
2school terms of service that count toward attainment of
3contractual continued service, the teacher's performance does
4not qualify the teacher for contractual continued service under
5subdivision (1) of this subsection (d), then the teacher shall
6not enter upon contractual continued service and shall be
7dismissed. If a performance evaluation is not conducted for any
8school term when such evaluation is required to be conducted
9under Section 24A-5 of this Code, then the teacher's
10performance evaluation rating for such school term for purposes
11of determining the attainment of contractual continued service
12shall be deemed "Proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
13"effective".
14    (e) For the purposes of determining contractual continued
15service, a school term shall be counted only toward attainment
16of contractual continued service if the teacher actually
17teaches or is otherwise present and participating in the
18district's or program's educational program for 120 days or
19more, provided that the days of leave under the federal Family
20Medical Leave Act that the teacher is required to take until
21the end of the school term shall be considered days of teaching
22or participation in the district's or program's educational
23program. A school term that is not counted toward attainment of
24contractual continued service shall not be considered a break
25in service for purposes of determining whether a teacher has
26been employed for 4 consecutive school terms, provided that the

 

 

SB3816- 30 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1teacher actually teaches or is otherwise present and
2participating in the district's or program's educational
3program in the following school term.
4    (f) If the employing board determines to dismiss the
5teacher in the last year of the probationary period as provided
6in subsection (c) of this Section or subdivision (1) or (2) of
7subsection (d) of this Section, but not subdivision (3) of
8subsection (d) of this Section, the written notice of dismissal
9provided by the employing board must contain specific reasons
10for dismissal. Any full-time teacher who does not receive
11written notice from the employing board at least 45 days before
12the end of any school term as provided in this Section and
13whose performance does not require dismissal after the fourth
14probationary year pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section
15shall be re-employed for the following school term.
16    (g) Contractual continued service shall continue in effect
17the terms and provisions of the contract with the teacher
18during the last school term of the probationary period, subject
19to this Act and the lawful regulations of the employing board.
20This Section and succeeding Sections do not modify any existing
21power of the board except with respect to the procedure of the
22discharge of a teacher and reductions in salary as hereinafter
23provided. Contractual continued service status shall not
24restrict the power of the board to transfer a teacher to a
25position which the teacher is qualified to fill or to make such
26salary adjustments as it deems desirable, but unless reductions

 

 

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1in salary are uniform or based upon some reasonable
2classification, any teacher whose salary is reduced shall be
3entitled to a notice and a hearing as hereinafter provided in
4the case of certain dismissals or removals.
5    (h) If, by reason of any change in the boundaries of school
6districts or by reason of the creation of a new school
7district, the position held by any teacher having a contractual
8continued service status is transferred from one board to the
9control of a new or different board, then the contractual
10continued service status of the teacher is not thereby lost,
11and such new or different board is subject to this Code with
12respect to the teacher in the same manner as if the teacher
13were its employee and had been its employee during the time the
14teacher was actually employed by the board from whose control
15the position was transferred.
16    (i) The employment of any teacher in a program of a special
17education joint agreement established under Section 3-15.14,
1810-22.31 or 10-22.31a shall be governed by this and succeeding
19Sections of this Article. For purposes of attaining and
20maintaining contractual continued service and computing length
21of continuing service as referred to in this Section and
22Section 24-12, employment in a special educational joint
23program shall be deemed a continuation of all previous
24certificated employment of such teacher for such joint
25agreement whether the employer of the teacher was the joint
26agreement, the regional superintendent, or one of the

 

 

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1participating districts in the joint agreement.
2    (j) For any teacher employed after July 1, 1987 as a
3full-time teacher in a program of a special education joint
4agreement, whether the program is operated by the joint
5agreement or a member district on behalf of the joint
6agreement, in the event of a reduction in the number of
7programs or positions in the joint agreement in which the
8notice of dismissal is provided on or before the end of the
92010-2011 school term, the teacher in contractual continued
10service is eligible for employment in the joint agreement
11programs for which the teacher is legally qualified in order of
12greater length of continuing service in the joint agreement,
13unless an alternative method of determining the sequence of
14dismissal is established in a collective bargaining agreement.
15For any teacher employed after July 1, 1987 as a full-time
16teacher in a program of a special education joint agreement,
17whether the program is operated by the joint agreement or a
18member district on behalf of the joint agreement, in the event
19of a reduction in the number of programs or positions in the
20joint agreement in which the notice of dismissal is provided
21during the 2011-2012 school term or a subsequent school term,
22the teacher shall be included on the honorable dismissal lists
23of all joint agreement programs for positions for which the
24teacher is qualified and is eligible for employment in such
25programs in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of Section
2624-12 of this Code and the applicable honorable dismissal

 

 

SB3816- 33 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1policies of the joint agreement.
2    (k) For any teacher employed after July 1, 1987 as a
3full-time teacher in a program of a special education joint
4agreement, whether the program is operated by the joint
5agreement or a member district on behalf of the joint
6agreement, in the event of the dissolution of a joint
7agreement, in which the notice to teachers of the dissolution
8is provided during the 2010-2011 school term, the teacher in
9contractual continued service who is legally qualified shall be
10assigned to any comparable position in a member district
11currently held by a teacher who has not entered upon
12contractual continued service or held by a teacher who has
13entered upon contractual continued service with a shorter
14length of contractual continued service. Any teacher employed
15after July 1, 1987 as a full-time teacher in a program of a
16special education joint agreement, whether the program is
17operated by the joint agreement or a member district on behalf
18of the joint agreement, in the event of the dissolution of a
19joint agreement in which the notice to teachers of the
20dissolution is provided during the 2011-2012 school term or a
21subsequent school term, the teacher who is qualified shall be
22included on the order of honorable dismissal lists of each
23member district and shall be assigned to any comparable
24position in any such district in accordance with subsections
25(b) and (c) of Section 24-12 of this Code and the applicable
26honorable dismissal policies of each member district.

 

 

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1    (l) The governing board of the joint agreement, or the
2administrative district, if so authorized by the articles of
3agreement of the joint agreement, rather than the board of
4education of a school district, may carry out employment and
5termination actions including dismissals under this Section
6and Section 24-12.
7    (m) The employment of any teacher in a special education
8program authorized by Section 14-1.01 through 14-14.01, or a
9joint educational program established under Section 10-22.31a,
10shall be under this and the succeeding Sections of this
11Article, and such employment shall be deemed a continuation of
12the previous employment of such teacher in any of the
13participating districts, regardless of the participation of
14other districts in the program.
15    (n) Any teacher employed as a full-time teacher in a
16special education program prior to September 23, 1987 in which
172 or more school districts participate for a probationary
18period of 2 consecutive years shall enter upon contractual
19continued service in each of the participating districts,
20subject to this and the succeeding Sections of this Article,
21and, notwithstanding Section 24-1.5 of this Code, in the event
22of the termination of the program shall be eligible for any
23vacant position in any of such districts for which such teacher
24is qualified.
25(Source: P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11; 98-513, eff. 1-1-14.)
 

 

 

SB3816- 35 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1    (105 ILCS 5/24-12)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24-12)
2    Sec. 24-12. Removal or dismissal of teachers in contractual
3continued service.
4    (a) This subsection (a) applies only to honorable
5dismissals and recalls in which the notice of dismissal is
6provided on or before the end of the 2010-2011 school term. If
7a teacher in contractual continued service is removed or
8dismissed as a result of a decision of the board to decrease
9the number of teachers employed by the board or to discontinue
10some particular type of teaching service, written notice shall
11be mailed to the teacher and also given the teacher either by
12certified mail, return receipt requested or personal delivery
13with receipt at least 60 days before the end of the school
14term, together with a statement of honorable dismissal and the
15reason therefor, and in all such cases the board shall first
16remove or dismiss all teachers who have not entered upon
17contractual continued service before removing or dismissing
18any teacher who has entered upon contractual continued service
19and who is legally qualified to hold a position currently held
20by a teacher who has not entered upon contractual continued
21service.
22    As between teachers who have entered upon contractual
23continued service, the teacher or teachers with the shorter
24length of continuing service with the district shall be
25dismissed first unless an alternative method of determining the
26sequence of dismissal is established in a collective bargaining

 

 

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1agreement or contract between the board and a professional
2faculty members' organization and except that this provision
3shall not impair the operation of any affirmative action
4program in the district, regardless of whether it exists by
5operation of law or is conducted on a voluntary basis by the
6board. Any teacher dismissed as a result of such decrease or
7discontinuance shall be paid all earned compensation on or
8before the third business day following the last day of pupil
9attendance in the regular school term.
10    If the board has any vacancies for the following school
11term or within one calendar year from the beginning of the
12following school term, the positions thereby becoming
13available shall be tendered to the teachers so removed or
14dismissed so far as they are legally qualified to hold such
15positions; provided, however, that if the number of honorable
16dismissal notices based on economic necessity exceeds 15% of
17the number of full-time equivalent positions filled by
18certified employees (excluding principals and administrative
19personnel) during the preceding school year, then if the board
20has any vacancies for the following school term or within 2
21calendar years from the beginning of the following school term,
22the positions so becoming available shall be tendered to the
23teachers who were so notified and removed or dismissed whenever
24they are legally qualified to hold such positions. Each board
25shall, in consultation with any exclusive employee
26representatives, each year establish a list, categorized by

 

 

SB3816- 37 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1positions, showing the length of continuing service of each
2teacher who is qualified to hold any such positions, unless an
3alternative method of determining a sequence of dismissal is
4established as provided for in this Section, in which case a
5list shall be made in accordance with the alternative method.
6Copies of the list shall be distributed to the exclusive
7employee representative on or before February 1 of each year.
8Whenever the number of honorable dismissal notices based upon
9economic necessity exceeds 5, or 150% of the average number of
10teachers honorably dismissed in the preceding 3 years,
11whichever is more, then the board also shall hold a public
12hearing on the question of the dismissals. Following the
13hearing and board review, the action to approve any such
14reduction shall require a majority vote of the board members.
15    (b) This subsection (b) applies only to honorable
16dismissals and recalls in which the notice of dismissal is
17provided during the 2011-2012 school term or a subsequent
18school term. If any teacher, whether or not in contractual
19continued service, is removed or dismissed as a result of a
20decision of a school board to decrease the number of teachers
21employed by the board, a decision of a school board to
22discontinue some particular type of teaching service, or a
23reduction in the number of programs or positions in a special
24education joint agreement, then written notice must be mailed
25to the teacher and also given to the teacher either by
26certified mail, return receipt requested, or personal delivery

 

 

SB3816- 38 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1with receipt at least 45 days before the end of the school
2term, together with a statement of honorable dismissal and the
3reason therefor, and in all such cases the sequence of
4dismissal shall occur in accordance with this subsection (b);
5except that this subsection (b) shall not impair the operation
6of any affirmative action program in the school district,
7regardless of whether it exists by operation of law or is
8conducted on a voluntary basis by the board.
9    Each teacher must be categorized into one or more positions
10for which the teacher is qualified to hold, based upon legal
11qualifications and any other qualifications established in a
12district or joint agreement job description, on or before the
13May 10 prior to the school year during which the sequence of
14dismissal is determined. Within each position and subject to
15agreements made by the joint committee on honorable dismissals
16that are authorized by subsection (c) of this Section, the
17school district or joint agreement must establish 4 groupings
18of teachers or, on or after September 1, 2020, 3 groupings of
19teachers qualified to hold the position as follows:
20        (1) Grouping one shall consist of each teacher who is
21    not in contractual continued service and who (i) has not
22    received a performance evaluation rating, (ii) is employed
23    for one school term or less to replace a teacher on leave,
24    or (iii) is employed on a part-time basis. "Part-time
25    basis" for the purposes of this subsection (b) means a
26    teacher who is employed to teach less than a full-day,

 

 

SB3816- 39 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1    teacher workload or less than 5 days of the normal student
2    attendance week, unless otherwise provided for in a
3    collective bargaining agreement between the district and
4    the exclusive representative of the district's teachers.
5    For the purposes of this Section, a teacher (A) who is
6    employed as a full-time teacher but who actually teaches or
7    is otherwise present and participating in the district's
8    educational program for less than a school term or (B) who,
9    in the immediately previous school term, was employed on a
10    full-time basis and actually taught or was otherwise
11    present and participated in the district's educational
12    program for 120 days or more is not considered employed on
13    a part-time basis.
14        (2) Grouping 2 shall consist of each teacher with a
15    Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory performance evaluation
16    rating on either of the teacher's last 2 performance
17    evaluation ratings. However, on and after September 1,
18    2020, grouping 2 shall consist of each teacher with an
19    "ineffective" performance evaluation rating on the
20    teacher's most recent performance evaluation rating.
21        (3) Grouping 3 shall consist of each teacher with a
22    performance evaluation rating of at least Satisfactory or
23    Proficient on both of the teacher's last 2 performance
24    evaluation ratings, if 2 ratings are available, or on the
25    teacher's last performance evaluation rating, if only one
26    rating is available, unless the teacher qualifies for

 

 

SB3816- 40 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1    placement into grouping 4. However, on and after September
2    1, 2020, grouping 3 shall consist of each teacher with a
3    performance evaluation rating of "effective" on the
4    teacher's last performance evaluation rating, provided
5    that the teacher did not have an "ineffective" performance
6    evaluation rating on the most recent performance
7    evaluation rating.
8        (4) Grouping 4 shall consist of each teacher whose last
9    2 performance evaluation ratings are Excellent and each
10    teacher with 2 Excellent performance evaluation ratings
11    out of the teacher's last 3 performance evaluation ratings
12    with a third rating of Satisfactory or Proficient. However,
13    beginning on September 1, 2020, there is no grouping 4.
14    Among teachers qualified to hold a position, teachers must
15be dismissed in the order of their groupings, with teachers in
16grouping one dismissed first and teachers in grouping 4
17dismissed last. However, on and after September 1, 2020,
18teachers in grouping one shall be dismissed first, teachers in
19grouping 2 dismissed second, and teachers in grouping 3
20dismissed last.
21    Prior to September 1, 2020 Within grouping one, the
22sequence of dismissal within grouping one must be at the
23discretion of the school district or joint agreement, and .
24Within grouping 2, the sequence of dismissal within grouping 2
25must be based upon average performance evaluation ratings, with
26the teacher or teachers with the lowest average performance

 

 

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1evaluation rating dismissed first. A teacher's average
2performance evaluation rating must be calculated using the
3average of the teacher's last 2 performance evaluation ratings,
4if 2 ratings are available, or the teacher's last performance
5evaluation rating, if only one rating is available, using the
6following numerical values: 4 for Excellent; 3 for Proficient
7or Satisfactory; 2 for Needs Improvement; and 1 for
8Unsatisfactory. As between or among teachers in grouping 2 with
9the same average performance evaluation rating and within each
10of groupings 3 and 4, the teacher or teachers with the shorter
11length of continuing service with the school district or joint
12agreement must be dismissed first unless an alternative method
13of determining the sequence of dismissal is established in a
14collective bargaining agreement or contract between the board
15and a professional faculty members' organization. On and after
16September 1, 2020, the sequence of dismissal shall be as
17follows: Within grouping one, the sequence of dismissal must be
18at the discretion of the school district or joint agreement. As
19between or among teachers in groupings 2 and 3, the teacher or
20teachers with the shorter length of continuing service with the
21school district or joint agreement must be dismissed first
22unless an alternative method of determining the sequence of
23dismissal is established in a collective bargaining agreement
24or contract between the board and a professional faculty
25members' organization.
26    Each board, including the governing board of a joint

 

 

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1agreement, shall, in consultation with any exclusive employee
2representatives, each year establish a sequence of honorable
3dismissal list categorized by positions and the groupings
4defined in this subsection (b). Copies of the list showing each
5teacher by name and categorized by positions and the groupings
6defined in this subsection (b) must be distributed to the
7exclusive bargaining representative at least 75 days before the
8end of the school term, provided that the school district or
9joint agreement may, with notice to any exclusive employee
10representatives, move teachers from grouping one into another
11grouping during the period of time from 75 days until 45 days
12before the end of the school term. Each year, each board shall
13also establish, in consultation with any exclusive employee
14representatives, a list showing the length of continuing
15service of each teacher who is qualified to hold any such
16positions, unless an alternative method of determining a
17sequence of dismissal is established as provided for in this
18Section, in which case a list must be made in accordance with
19the alternative method. Copies of the list must be distributed
20to the exclusive employee representative at least 75 days
21before the end of the school term.
22    Any teacher dismissed as a result of such decrease or
23discontinuance must be paid all earned compensation on or
24before the third business day following the last day of pupil
25attendance in the regular school term.
26    Prior to September 1, 2020, if If the board or joint

 

 

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1agreement has any vacancies for the following school term or
2within one calendar year from the beginning of the following
3school term, the positions thereby becoming available must be
4tendered to the teachers so removed or dismissed who were in
5grouping groupings 3 or 4 of the sequence of dismissal and are
6qualified to hold the positions, based upon legal
7qualifications and any other qualifications established in a
8district or joint agreement job description, on or before the
9May 10 prior to the date of the positions becoming available,
10provided that if the number of honorable dismissal notices
11based on economic necessity exceeds 15% of the number of
12full-time equivalent positions filled by certified employees
13(excluding principals and administrative personnel) during the
14preceding school year, then the recall period is for the
15following school term or within 2 calendar years from the
16beginning of the following school term. Prior to September 1,
172020, if If the board or joint agreement has any vacancies
18within the period from the beginning of the following school
19term through February 1 of the following school term (unless a
20date later than February 1, but no later than 6 months from the
21beginning of the following school term, is established in a
22collective bargaining agreement), the positions thereby
23becoming available must be tendered to the teachers so removed
24or dismissed who were in grouping 2 of the sequence of
25dismissal due to one "needs improvement" rating on either of
26the teacher's last 2 performance evaluation ratings, provided

 

 

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1that, if 2 ratings are available, the other performance
2evaluation rating used for grouping purposes is
3"satisfactory", "proficient", or "excellent", and are
4qualified to hold the positions, based upon legal
5qualifications and any other qualifications established in a
6district or joint agreement job description, on or before the
7May 10 prior to the date of the positions becoming available.
8On and after July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act
998-648) and before September 1, 2020, the preceding sentence
10shall apply to teachers removed or dismissed by honorable
11dismissal, even if notice of honorable dismissal occurred
12during the 2013-2014 school year. Among teachers eligible for
13recall pursuant to the preceding sentence, the order of recall
14must be in inverse order of dismissal, unless an alternative
15order of recall is established in a collective bargaining
16agreement or contract between the board and a professional
17faculty members' organization. Whenever the number of
18honorable dismissal notices based upon economic necessity
19exceeds 5 notices or 150% of the average number of teachers
20honorably dismissed in the preceding 3 years, whichever is
21more, then the school board or governing board of a joint
22agreement, as applicable, shall also hold a public hearing on
23the question of the dismissals. Following the hearing and board
24review, the action to approve any such reduction shall require
25a majority vote of the board members. Beginning on September 1,
262020, if the board or joint agreement has any vacancies for the

 

 

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1following school term or within one calendar year from the
2beginning of the following school term, the positions thereby
3becoming available must be tendered to the teachers so removed
4or dismissed who were in grouping 2 or 3 of the sequence of
5dismissal and are qualified to hold the positions, based upon
6legal qualifications and any other qualifications established
7in a district or joint agreement job description, on or before
8the May 10 prior to the date of the positions becoming
9available, provided that if the number of honorable dismissal
10notices based on economic necessity exceeds 15% of the number
11of full-time equivalent positions filled by licensed employees
12(excluding principals and administrative personnel) during the
13preceding school year, then the recall period is for the
14following school term or within 2 calendar years from the
15beginning of the following school term. Among teachers eligible
16for recall pursuant to the preceding sentence, the order of
17recall must be in inverse order of dismissal, unless an
18alternative order of recall is established in a collective
19bargaining agreement or contract between the board and a
20professional faculty members' organization.
21    For purposes of this subsection (b), subject to agreement
22on an alternative definition reached by the joint committee
23described in subsection (c) of this Section, a teacher's
24performance evaluation rating means the overall performance
25evaluation rating resulting from an annual or biennial
26performance evaluation conducted pursuant to Article 24A of

 

 

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1this Code by the school district or joint agreement determining
2the sequence of dismissal, not including any performance
3evaluation conducted during or at the end of a remediation
4period. No more than one evaluation rating each school term
5shall be one of the evaluation ratings used for the purpose of
6determining the sequence of dismissal. Except as otherwise
7provided in this subsection for any performance evaluations
8conducted during or at the end of a remediation period, if
9multiple performance evaluations are conducted in a school
10term, only the rating from the last evaluation conducted prior
11to establishing the sequence of honorable dismissal list in
12such school term shall be the one evaluation rating from that
13school term used for the purpose of determining the sequence of
14dismissal. Averaging ratings from multiple evaluations is not
15permitted unless otherwise agreed to in a collective bargaining
16agreement or contract between the board and a professional
17faculty members' organization. The preceding 3 sentences are
18not a legislative declaration that existing law does or does
19not already require that only one performance evaluation each
20school term shall be used for the purpose of determining the
21sequence of dismissal. For performance evaluation ratings
22determined prior to September 1, 2012, any school district or
23joint agreement with a performance evaluation rating system
24that does not use either of the rating category systems
25specified in subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of this Code for
26all teachers must establish a basis for assigning each teacher

 

 

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1a rating that complies with subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of
2this Code for all of the performance evaluation ratings that
3are to be used to determine the sequence of dismissal. A
4teacher's grouping and ranking on a sequence of honorable
5dismissal shall be deemed a part of the teacher's performance
6evaluation, and that information shall be disclosed to the
7exclusive bargaining representative as part of a sequence of
8honorable dismissal list, notwithstanding any laws prohibiting
9disclosure of such information. A performance evaluation
10rating may be used to determine the sequence of dismissal,
11notwithstanding the pendency of any grievance resolution or
12arbitration procedures relating to the performance evaluation.
13If a teacher has received at least one performance evaluation
14rating conducted by the school district or joint agreement
15determining the sequence of dismissal and a subsequent
16performance evaluation is not conducted in any school year in
17which such evaluation is required to be conducted under Section
1824A-5 of this Code, the teacher's performance evaluation rating
19for that school year for purposes of determining the sequence
20of dismissal is deemed Proficient or, on or after September 1,
212020, effective. If a performance evaluation rating is
22nullified as the result of an arbitration, administrative
23agency, or court determination, then the school district or
24joint agreement is deemed to have conducted a performance
25evaluation for that school year, but the performance evaluation
26rating may not be used in determining the sequence of

 

 

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1dismissal.
2    Nothing in this subsection (b) shall be construed as
3limiting the right of a school board or governing board of a
4joint agreement to dismiss a teacher not in contractual
5continued service in accordance with Section 24-11 of this
6Code.
7    Any provisions regarding the sequence of honorable
8dismissals and recall of honorably dismissed teachers in a
9collective bargaining agreement entered into on or before
10January 1, 2011 and in effect on June 13, 2011 (the effective
11date of Public Act 97-8) that may conflict with Public Act 97-8
12shall remain in effect through the expiration of such agreement
13or June 30, 2013, whichever is earlier.
14    (c) Each school district and special education joint
15agreement must use a joint committee composed of equal
16representation selected by the school board and its teachers
17or, if applicable, the exclusive bargaining representative of
18its teachers, to address the matters described in paragraphs
19(1) through (5) of this subsection (c) pertaining to honorable
20dismissals under subsection (b) of this Section.
21        (1) Prior to September 1, 2020, the The joint committee
22    must consider and may agree to criteria for excluding from
23    grouping 2 and placing into grouping 3 a teacher whose last
24    2 performance evaluations include a Needs Improvement and
25    either a Proficient or Excellent.
26        (2) Prior to September 1, 2020, the The joint committee

 

 

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1    must consider and may agree to an alternative definition
2    for grouping 4, which definition must take into account
3    prior performance evaluation ratings and may take into
4    account other factors that relate to the school district's
5    or program's educational objectives. An alternative
6    definition for grouping 4 may not permit the inclusion of a
7    teacher in the grouping with a Needs Improvement or
8    Unsatisfactory performance evaluation rating on either of
9    the teacher's last 2 performance evaluation ratings.
10        (3) The joint committee may agree to including within
11    the definition of a performance evaluation rating a
12    performance evaluation rating administered by a school
13    district or joint agreement other than the school district
14    or joint agreement determining the sequence of dismissal.
15        (4) For each school district or joint agreement that
16    administers performance evaluation ratings that are
17    inconsistent with either of the rating category systems
18    specified in subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of this Code,
19    the school district or joint agreement must consult with
20    the joint committee on the basis for assigning a rating
21    that complies with subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of this
22    Code to each performance evaluation rating that will be
23    used in a sequence of dismissal.
24        (5) Upon request by a joint committee member submitted
25    to the employing board by no later than 10 days after the
26    distribution of the sequence of honorable dismissal list, a

 

 

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1    representative of the employing board shall, within 5 days
2    after the request, provide to members of the joint
3    committee a list showing the most recent and prior
4    performance evaluation ratings of each teacher identified
5    only by length of continuing service in the district or
6    joint agreement and not by name. If, after review of this
7    list, a member of the joint committee has a good faith
8    belief that a disproportionate number of teachers with
9    greater length of continuing service with the district or
10    joint agreement have received a recent performance
11    evaluation rating lower than the prior rating, the member
12    may request that the joint committee review the list to
13    assess whether such a trend may exist. Following the joint
14    committee's review, but by no later than the end of the
15    applicable school term, the joint committee or any member
16    or members of the joint committee may submit a report of
17    the review to the employing board and exclusive bargaining
18    representative, if any. Nothing in this paragraph (5) shall
19    impact the order of honorable dismissal or a school
20    district's or joint agreement's authority to carry out a
21    dismissal in accordance with subsection (b) of this
22    Section.
23    Agreement by the joint committee as to a matter requires
24the majority vote of all committee members, and if the joint
25committee does not reach agreement on a matter, then the
26otherwise applicable requirements of subsection (b) of this

 

 

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1Section shall apply. Except as explicitly set forth in this
2subsection (c), a joint committee has no authority to agree to
3any further modifications to the requirements for honorable
4dismissals set forth in subsection (b) of this Section. The
5joint committee must be established, and the first meeting of
6the joint committee each school year must occur on or before
7December 1.
8    The joint committee must reach agreement on a matter on or
9before February 1 of a school year in order for the agreement
10of the joint committee to apply to the sequence of dismissal
11determined during that school year. Subject to the February 1
12deadline for agreements, the agreement of a joint committee on
13a matter shall apply to the sequence of dismissal until the
14agreement is amended or terminated by the joint committee.
15    The provisions of the Open Meetings Act shall not apply to
16meetings of a joint committee created under this subsection
17(c).
18    (d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
19subsection (d), the requirements and dismissal procedures of
20Section 24-16.5 of this Code shall apply to any dismissal
21sought under Section 24-16.5 of this Code.
22        (1) If a dismissal of a teacher in contractual
23    continued service is sought for any reason or cause other
24    than an honorable dismissal under subsections (a) or (b) of
25    this Section or a dismissal sought under Section 24-16.5 of
26    this Code, including those under Section 10-22.4, the board

 

 

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1    must first approve a motion containing specific charges by
2    a majority vote of all its members. Written notice of such
3    charges, including a bill of particulars and the teacher's
4    right to request a hearing, must be mailed to the teacher
5    and also given to the teacher either by certified mail,
6    return receipt requested, or personal delivery with
7    receipt within 5 days of the adoption of the motion. Any
8    written notice sent on or after July 1, 2012 shall inform
9    the teacher of the right to request a hearing before a
10    mutually selected hearing officer, with the cost of the
11    hearing officer split equally between the teacher and the
12    board, or a hearing before a board-selected hearing
13    officer, with the cost of the hearing officer paid by the
14    board.
15        Before setting a hearing on charges stemming from
16    causes that are considered remediable, a board must give
17    the teacher reasonable warning in writing, stating
18    specifically the causes that, if not removed, may result in
19    charges; however, no such written warning is required if
20    the causes have been the subject of a remediation plan
21    pursuant to Article 24A of this Code.
22        If, in the opinion of the board, the interests of the
23    school require it, the board may suspend the teacher
24    without pay, pending the hearing, but if the board's
25    dismissal or removal is not sustained, the teacher shall
26    not suffer the loss of any salary or benefits by reason of

 

 

SB3816- 53 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1    the suspension.
2        (2) No hearing upon the charges is required unless the
3    teacher within 17 days after receiving notice requests in
4    writing of the board that a hearing be scheduled before a
5    mutually selected hearing officer or a hearing officer
6    selected by the board. The secretary of the school board
7    shall forward a copy of the notice to the State Board of
8    Education.
9        (3) Within 5 business days after receiving a notice of
10    hearing in which either notice to the teacher was sent
11    before July 1, 2012 or, if the notice was sent on or after
12    July 1, 2012, the teacher has requested a hearing before a
13    mutually selected hearing officer, the State Board of
14    Education shall provide a list of 5 prospective, impartial
15    hearing officers from the master list of qualified,
16    impartial hearing officers maintained by the State Board of
17    Education. Each person on the master list must (i) be
18    accredited by a national arbitration organization and have
19    had a minimum of 5 years of experience directly related to
20    labor and employment relations matters between employers
21    and employees or their exclusive bargaining
22    representatives and (ii) beginning September 1, 2012, have
23    participated in training provided or approved by the State
24    Board of Education for teacher dismissal hearing officers
25    so that he or she is familiar with issues generally
26    involved in evaluative and non-evaluative dismissals.

 

 

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1        If notice to the teacher was sent before July 1, 2012
2    or, if the notice was sent on or after July 1, 2012, the
3    teacher has requested a hearing before a mutually selected
4    hearing officer, the board and the teacher or their legal
5    representatives within 3 business days shall alternately
6    strike one name from the list provided by the State Board
7    of Education until only one name remains. Unless waived by
8    the teacher, the teacher shall have the right to proceed
9    first with the striking. Within 3 business days of receipt
10    of the list provided by the State Board of Education, the
11    board and the teacher or their legal representatives shall
12    each have the right to reject all prospective hearing
13    officers named on the list and notify the State Board of
14    Education of such rejection. Within 3 business days after
15    receiving this notification, the State Board of Education
16    shall appoint a qualified person from the master list who
17    did not appear on the list sent to the parties to serve as
18    the hearing officer, unless the parties notify it that they
19    have chosen to alternatively select a hearing officer under
20    paragraph (4) of this subsection (d).
21        If the teacher has requested a hearing before a hearing
22    officer selected by the board, the board shall select one
23    name from the master list of qualified impartial hearing
24    officers maintained by the State Board of Education within
25    3 business days after receipt and shall notify the State
26    Board of Education of its selection.

 

 

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1        A hearing officer mutually selected by the parties,
2    selected by the board, or selected through an alternative
3    selection process under paragraph (4) of this subsection
4    (d) (A) must not be a resident of the school district, (B)
5    must be available to commence the hearing within 75 days
6    and conclude the hearing within 120 days after being
7    selected as the hearing officer, and (C) must issue a
8    decision as to whether the teacher must be dismissed and
9    give a copy of that decision to both the teacher and the
10    board within 30 days from the conclusion of the hearing or
11    closure of the record, whichever is later.
12        (4) In the alternative to selecting a hearing officer
13    from the list received from the State Board of Education or
14    accepting the appointment of a hearing officer by the State
15    Board of Education or if the State Board of Education
16    cannot provide a list or appoint a hearing officer that
17    meets the foregoing requirements, the board and the teacher
18    or their legal representatives may mutually agree to select
19    an impartial hearing officer who is not on the master list
20    either by direct appointment by the parties or by using
21    procedures for the appointment of an arbitrator
22    established by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation
23    Service or the American Arbitration Association. The
24    parties shall notify the State Board of Education of their
25    intent to select a hearing officer using an alternative
26    procedure within 3 business days of receipt of a list of

 

 

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1    prospective hearing officers provided by the State Board of
2    Education, notice of appointment of a hearing officer by
3    the State Board of Education, or receipt of notice from the
4    State Board of Education that it cannot provide a list that
5    meets the foregoing requirements, whichever is later.
6        (5) If the notice of dismissal was sent to the teacher
7    before July 1, 2012, the fees and costs for the hearing
8    officer must be paid by the State Board of Education. If
9    the notice of dismissal was sent to the teacher on or after
10    July 1, 2012, the hearing officer's fees and costs must be
11    paid as follows in this paragraph (5). The fees and
12    permissible costs for the hearing officer must be
13    determined by the State Board of Education. If the board
14    and the teacher or their legal representatives mutually
15    agree to select an impartial hearing officer who is not on
16    a list received from the State Board of Education, they may
17    agree to supplement the fees determined by the State Board
18    to the hearing officer, at a rate consistent with the
19    hearing officer's published professional fees. If the
20    hearing officer is mutually selected by the parties, then
21    the board and the teacher or their legal representatives
22    shall each pay 50% of the fees and costs and any
23    supplemental allowance to which they agree. If the hearing
24    officer is selected by the board, then the board shall pay
25    100% of the hearing officer's fees and costs. The fees and
26    costs must be paid to the hearing officer within 14 days

 

 

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1    after the board and the teacher or their legal
2    representatives receive the hearing officer's decision set
3    forth in paragraph (7) of this subsection (d).
4        (6) The teacher is required to answer the bill of
5    particulars and aver affirmative matters in his or her
6    defense, and the time for initially doing so and the time
7    for updating such answer and defenses after pre-hearing
8    discovery must be set by the hearing officer. The State
9    Board of Education shall promulgate rules so that each
10    party has a fair opportunity to present its case and to
11    ensure that the dismissal process proceeds in a fair and
12    expeditious manner. These rules shall address, without
13    limitation, discovery and hearing scheduling conferences;
14    the teacher's initial answer and affirmative defenses to
15    the bill of particulars and the updating of that
16    information after pre-hearing discovery; provision for
17    written interrogatories and requests for production of
18    documents; the requirement that each party initially
19    disclose to the other party and then update the disclosure
20    no later than 10 calendar days prior to the commencement of
21    the hearing, the names and addresses of persons who may be
22    called as witnesses at the hearing, a summary of the facts
23    or opinions each witness will testify to, and all other
24    documents and materials, including information maintained
25    electronically, relevant to its own as well as the other
26    party's case (the hearing officer may exclude witnesses and

 

 

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1    exhibits not identified and shared, except those offered in
2    rebuttal for which the party could not reasonably have
3    anticipated prior to the hearing); pre-hearing discovery
4    and preparation, including provision for written
5    interrogatories and requests for production of documents,
6    provided that discovery depositions are prohibited; the
7    conduct of the hearing; the right of each party to be
8    represented by counsel, the offer of evidence and witnesses
9    and the cross-examination of witnesses; the authority of
10    the hearing officer to issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces
11    tecum, provided that the hearing officer may limit the
12    number of witnesses to be subpoenaed on behalf of each
13    party to no more than 7; the length of post-hearing briefs;
14    and the form, length, and content of hearing officers'
15    decisions. The hearing officer shall hold a hearing and
16    render a final decision for dismissal pursuant to Article
17    24A of this Code or shall report to the school board
18    findings of fact and a recommendation as to whether or not
19    the teacher must be dismissed for conduct. The hearing
20    officer shall commence the hearing within 75 days and
21    conclude the hearing within 120 days after being selected
22    as the hearing officer, provided that the hearing officer
23    may modify these timelines upon the showing of good cause
24    or mutual agreement of the parties. Good cause for the
25    purpose of this subsection (d) shall mean the illness or
26    otherwise unavoidable emergency of the teacher, district

 

 

SB3816- 59 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1    representative, their legal representatives, the hearing
2    officer, or an essential witness as indicated in each
3    party's pre-hearing submission. In a dismissal hearing
4    pursuant to Article 24A of this Code in which a witness is
5    a student or is under the age of 18, the hearing officer
6    must make accommodations for the witness, as provided under
7    paragraph (6.5) of this subsection. The hearing officer
8    shall consider and give weight to all of the teacher's
9    evaluations written pursuant to Article 24A that are
10    relevant to the issues in the hearing.
11        Each party shall have no more than 3 days to present
12    its case, unless extended by the hearing officer to enable
13    a party to present adequate evidence and testimony,
14    including due to the other party's cross-examination of the
15    party's witnesses, for good cause or by mutual agreement of
16    the parties. The State Board of Education shall define in
17    rules the meaning of "day" for such purposes. All testimony
18    at the hearing shall be taken under oath administered by
19    the hearing officer. The hearing officer shall cause a
20    record of the proceedings to be kept and shall employ a
21    competent reporter to take stenographic or stenotype notes
22    of all the testimony. The costs of the reporter's
23    attendance and services at the hearing shall be paid by the
24    party or parties who are responsible for paying the fees
25    and costs of the hearing officer. Either party desiring a
26    transcript of the hearing shall pay for the cost thereof.

 

 

SB3816- 60 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1    Any post-hearing briefs must be submitted by the parties by
2    no later than 21 days after a party's receipt of the
3    transcript of the hearing, unless extended by the hearing
4    officer for good cause or by mutual agreement of the
5    parties.
6        (6.5) In the case of charges involving sexual abuse or
7    severe physical abuse of a student or a person under the
8    age of 18, the hearing officer shall make alternative
9    hearing procedures to protect a witness who is a student or
10    who is under the age of 18 from being intimidated or
11    traumatized. Alternative hearing procedures may include,
12    but are not limited to: (i) testimony made via a
13    telecommunication device in a location other than the
14    hearing room and outside the physical presence of the
15    teacher and other hearing participants, (ii) testimony
16    outside the physical presence of the teacher, or (iii)
17    non-public testimony. During a testimony described under
18    this subsection, each party must be permitted to ask a
19    witness who is a student or who is under 18 years of age
20    all relevant questions and follow-up questions. All
21    questions must exclude evidence of the witness' sexual
22    behavior or predisposition, unless the evidence is offered
23    to prove that someone other than the teacher subject to the
24    dismissal hearing engaged in the charge at issue.
25        (7) The hearing officer shall, within 30 days from the
26    conclusion of the hearing or closure of the record,

 

 

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1    whichever is later, make a decision as to whether or not
2    the teacher shall be dismissed pursuant to Article 24A of
3    this Code or report to the school board findings of fact
4    and a recommendation as to whether or not the teacher shall
5    be dismissed for cause and shall give a copy of the
6    decision or findings of fact and recommendation to both the
7    teacher and the school board. If a hearing officer fails
8    without good cause, specifically provided in writing to
9    both parties and the State Board of Education, to render a
10    decision or findings of fact and recommendation within 30
11    days after the hearing is concluded or the record is
12    closed, whichever is later, the parties may mutually agree
13    to select a hearing officer pursuant to the alternative
14    procedure, as provided in this Section, to rehear the
15    charges heard by the hearing officer who failed to render a
16    decision or findings of fact and recommendation or to
17    review the record and render a decision. If any hearing
18    officer fails without good cause, specifically provided in
19    writing to both parties and the State Board of Education,
20    to render a decision or findings of fact and recommendation
21    within 30 days after the hearing is concluded or the record
22    is closed, whichever is later, the hearing officer shall be
23    removed from the master list of hearing officers maintained
24    by the State Board of Education for not more than 24
25    months. The parties and the State Board of Education may
26    also take such other actions as it deems appropriate,

 

 

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1    including recovering, reducing, or withholding any fees
2    paid or to be paid to the hearing officer. If any hearing
3    officer repeats such failure, he or she must be permanently
4    removed from the master list maintained by the State Board
5    of Education and may not be selected by parties through the
6    alternative selection process under this paragraph (7) or
7    paragraph (4) of this subsection (d). The board shall not
8    lose jurisdiction to discharge a teacher if the hearing
9    officer fails to render a decision or findings of fact and
10    recommendation within the time specified in this Section.
11    If the decision of the hearing officer for dismissal
12    pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or of the school board
13    for dismissal for cause is in favor of the teacher, then
14    the hearing officer or school board shall order
15    reinstatement to the same or substantially equivalent
16    position and shall determine the amount for which the
17    school board is liable, including, but not limited to, loss
18    of income and benefits.
19        (8) The school board, within 45 days after receipt of
20    the hearing officer's findings of fact and recommendation
21    as to whether (i) the conduct at issue occurred, (ii) the
22    conduct that did occur was remediable, and (iii) the
23    proposed dismissal should be sustained, shall issue a
24    written order as to whether the teacher must be retained or
25    dismissed for cause from its employ. The school board's
26    written order shall incorporate the hearing officer's

 

 

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1    findings of fact, except that the school board may modify
2    or supplement the findings of fact if, in its opinion, the
3    findings of fact are against the manifest weight of the
4    evidence.
5        If the school board dismisses the teacher
6    notwithstanding the hearing officer's findings of fact and
7    recommendation, the school board shall make a conclusion in
8    its written order, giving its reasons therefor, and such
9    conclusion and reasons must be included in its written
10    order. The failure of the school board to strictly adhere
11    to the timelines contained in this Section shall not render
12    it without jurisdiction to dismiss the teacher. The school
13    board shall not lose jurisdiction to discharge the teacher
14    for cause if the hearing officer fails to render a
15    recommendation within the time specified in this Section.
16    The decision of the school board is final, unless reviewed
17    as provided in paragraph (9) of this subsection (d).
18        If the school board retains the teacher, the school
19    board shall enter a written order stating the amount of
20    back pay and lost benefits, less mitigation, to be paid to
21    the teacher, within 45 days after its retention order.
22    Should the teacher object to the amount of the back pay and
23    lost benefits or amount mitigated, the teacher shall give
24    written objections to the amount within 21 days. If the
25    parties fail to reach resolution within 7 days, the dispute
26    shall be referred to the hearing officer, who shall

 

 

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1    consider the school board's written order and teacher's
2    written objection and determine the amount to which the
3    school board is liable. The costs of the hearing officer's
4    review and determination must be paid by the board.
5        (9) The decision of the hearing officer pursuant to
6    Article 24A of this Code or of the school board's decision
7    to dismiss for cause is final unless reviewed as provided
8    in Section 24-16 of this Code. If the school board's
9    decision to dismiss for cause is contrary to the hearing
10    officer's recommendation, the court on review shall give
11    consideration to the school board's decision and its
12    supplemental findings of fact, if applicable, and the
13    hearing officer's findings of fact and recommendation in
14    making its decision. In the event such review is
15    instituted, the school board shall be responsible for
16    preparing and filing the record of proceedings, and such
17    costs associated therewith must be divided equally between
18    the parties.
19        (10) If a decision of the hearing officer for dismissal
20    pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or of the school board
21    for dismissal for cause is adjudicated upon review or
22    appeal in favor of the teacher, then the trial court shall
23    order reinstatement and shall remand the matter to the
24    school board with direction for entry of an order setting
25    the amount of back pay, lost benefits, and costs, less
26    mitigation. The teacher may challenge the school board's

 

 

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1    order setting the amount of back pay, lost benefits, and
2    costs, less mitigation, through an expedited arbitration
3    procedure, with the costs of the arbitrator borne by the
4    school board.
5        Any teacher who is reinstated by any hearing or
6    adjudication brought under this Section shall be assigned
7    by the board to a position substantially similar to the one
8    which that teacher held prior to that teacher's suspension
9    or dismissal.
10        (11) Subject to any later effective date referenced in
11    this Section for a specific aspect of the dismissal
12    process, the changes made by Public Act 97-8 shall apply to
13    dismissals instituted on or after September 1, 2011. Any
14    dismissal instituted prior to September 1, 2011 must be
15    carried out in accordance with the requirements of this
16    Section prior to amendment by Public Act 97-8.
17    (e) Nothing contained in Public Act 98-648 repeals,
18supersedes, invalidates, or nullifies final decisions in
19lawsuits pending on July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public
20Act 98-648) in Illinois courts involving the interpretation of
21Public Act 97-8.
22(Source: P.A. 100-768, eff. 1-1-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19;
23101-531, eff. 8-23-19; revised 12-3-19.)
 
24    (105 ILCS 5/24-16.5)
25    Sec. 24-16.5. Optional alternative evaluative dismissal

 

 

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1process for PERA evaluations.
2    (a) As used in this Section:
3    "Applicable hearing requirements" means (i) for any school
4district having less than 500,000 inhabitants or a program of a
5special education joint agreement, those procedures and
6requirements relating to a teacher's request for a hearing,
7selection of a hearing officer, pre-hearing and hearing
8procedures, and post-hearing briefs set forth in paragraphs (1)
9through (6) of subsection (d) of Section 24-12 of this Code or
10(ii) for a school district having 500,000 inhabitants or more,
11those procedures and requirements relating to a teacher's
12request for a hearing, selection of a hearing officer,
13pre-hearing and hearing procedures, and post-hearing briefs
14set forth in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of
15Section 34-85 of this Code.
16    "Board" means, for a school district having less than
17500,000 inhabitants or a program of a special education joint
18agreement, the board of directors, board of education, or board
19of school inspectors, as the case may be. For a school district
20having 500,000 inhabitants or more, "board" means the Chicago
21Board of Education.
22    "Evaluator" means an evaluator, as defined in Section
2324A-2.5 of this Code, who has successfully completed the
24pre-qualification program described in subsection (b) of
25Section 24A-3 of this Code.
26    "PERA-trained board member" means a member of a board that

 

 

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1has completed a training program on PERA evaluations either
2administered or approved by the State Board of Education.
3    "PERA evaluation" means a performance evaluation of a
4teacher after the implementation date of an evaluation system
5for teachers, as specified by Section 24A-2.5 of this Code,
6using a performance evaluation instrument and process that
7meets the minimum requirements for teacher evaluation
8instruments and processes set forth in rules adopted by the
9State Board of Education to implement Public Act 96-861.
10    "Remediation" means the remediation plan, mid-point and
11final evaluations, and related processes and requirements set
12forth in subdivisions (i), (j), and (k) of Section 24A-5 of
13this Code.
14    "School district" means a school district or a program of a
15special education joint agreement.
16    "Second evaluator" means an evaluator who either conducts
17the mid-point and final remediation evaluation or conducts an
18independent assessment of whether the teacher completed the
19remediation plan with a rating equal to or better than a
20"Proficient" rating or, on and after September 1, 2020, equal
21to an "effective" rating, all in accordance with subdivision
22(c) of this Section.
23    "Student growth components" means the components of a
24performance evaluation plan described in subdivision (c) of
25Section 24A-5 of this Code, as may be supplemented by
26administrative rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

 

 

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1    "Teacher practice components" means the components of a
2performance evaluation plan described in subdivisions (a) and
3(b) of Section 24A-5 of this Code, as may be supplemented by
4administrative rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
5    "Teacher representatives" means the exclusive bargaining
6representative of a school district's teachers or, if no
7exclusive bargaining representatives exists, a representative
8committee selected by teachers.
9    (b) This Section applies to all school districts, including
10those having 500,000 or more inhabitants. The optional
11dismissal process set forth in this Section is an alternative
12to those set forth in Sections 24-12 and 34-85 of this Code.
13Nothing in this Section is intended to change the existing
14practices or precedents under Section 24-12 or 34-85 of this
15Code, nor shall this Section be interpreted as implying
16standards and procedures that should or must be used as part of
17a remediation that precedes a dismissal sought under Section
1824-12 or 34-85 of this Code.
19    A board may dismiss a teacher who has entered upon
20contractual continued service under this Section if the
21following are met:
22        (1) the cause of dismissal is that the teacher has
23    failed to complete a remediation plan with a rating equal
24    to or better than a "Proficient" or, on and after September
25    1, 2020, "effective" rating;
26        (2) the "Unsatisfactory" or, on and after September 1,

 

 

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1    2020, "ineffective" performance evaluation rating that
2    preceded remediation resulted from a PERA evaluation; and
3        (3) the school district has complied with subsection
4    (c) of this Section.
5    A school district may not, through agreement with a teacher
6or its teacher representatives, waive its right to dismiss a
7teacher under this Section.
8    (c) Each school district electing to use the dismissal
9process set forth in this Section must comply with the
10pre-remediation and remediation activities and requirements
11set forth in this subsection (c).
12        (1) Before a school district's first remediation
13    relating to a dismissal under this Section, the school
14    district must create and establish a list of at least 2
15    evaluators who will be available to serve as second
16    evaluators under this Section. The school district shall
17    provide its teacher representatives with an opportunity to
18    submit additional names of teacher evaluators who will be
19    available to serve as second evaluators and who will be
20    added to the list created and established by the school
21    district, provided that, unless otherwise agreed to by the
22    school district, the teacher representatives may not
23    submit more teacher evaluators for inclusion on the list
24    than the number of evaluators submitted by the school
25    district. Each teacher evaluator must either have (i)
26    National Board of Professional Teaching Standards

 

 

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1    certification, with no "Unsatisfactory" or "Needs
2    Improvement" or, on and after September 1, 2020,
3    "ineffective" performance evaluating ratings in his or her
4    2 most recent performance evaluation ratings; or (ii)
5    "Excellent" or, on and after September 1, 2020, "effective"
6    performance evaluation ratings in 2 of his or her 3 most
7    recent performance evaluations, with no "Needs
8    Improvement" or "Unsatisfactory" or, on and after
9    September 1, 2020, "ineffective" performance evaluation
10    ratings in his or her last 3 ratings. If the teacher
11    representatives do not submit a list of teacher evaluators
12    within 21 days after the school district's request, the
13    school district may proceed with a remediation using a list
14    that includes only the school district's selections.
15    Either the school district or the teacher representatives
16    may revise or add to their selections for the list at any
17    time with notice to the other party, subject to the
18    limitations set forth in this paragraph (1).
19        (2) Before a school district's first remediation
20    relating to a dismissal under this Section, the school
21    district shall, in good faith cooperation with its teacher
22    representatives, establish a process for the selection of a
23    second evaluator from the list created pursuant to
24    paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Such process may be
25    amended at any time in good faith cooperation with the
26    teacher representatives. If the teacher representatives

 

 

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1    are given an opportunity to cooperate with the school
2    district and elect not to do so, the school district may,
3    at its discretion, establish or amend the process for
4    selection. Before the hearing officer and as part of any
5    judicial review of a dismissal under this Section, a
6    teacher may not challenge a remediation or dismissal on the
7    grounds that the process used by the school district to
8    select a second evaluator was not established in good faith
9    cooperation with its teacher representatives.
10        (3) For each remediation preceding a dismissal under
11    this Section, the school district shall select a second
12    evaluator from the list of second evaluators created
13    pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection (c), using the
14    selection process established pursuant to paragraph (2) of
15    this subsection (c). The selected second evaluator may not
16    be the same individual who determined the teacher's
17    "Unsatisfactory" or, on and after September 1, 2020,
18    "ineffective" performance evaluation rating preceding
19    remediation, and, if the second evaluator is an
20    administrator, may not be a direct report to the individual
21    who determined the teacher's "Unsatisfactory" or, on and
22    after September 1, 2020, "ineffective" performance
23    evaluation rating preceding remediation. The school
24    district's authority to select a second evaluator from the
25    list of second evaluators must not be delegated or limited
26    through any agreement with the teacher representatives,

 

 

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1    provided that nothing shall prohibit a school district and
2    its teacher representatives from agreeing to a formal peer
3    evaluation process as permitted under Article 24A of this
4    Code that could be used to meet the requirements for the
5    selection of second evaluators under this subsection (c).
6        (4) The second evaluator selected pursuant to
7    paragraph (3) of this subsection (c) must either (i)
8    conduct the mid-point and final evaluation during
9    remediation or (ii) conduct an independent assessment of
10    whether the teacher completed the remediation plan with a
11    rating equal to or better than a "Proficient" or, on and
12    after September 1, 2020, "effective" rating, which
13    independent assessment shall include, but is not limited
14    to, personal or video-recorded observations of the teacher
15    that relate to the teacher practice components of the
16    remediation plan. Nothing in this subsection (c) shall be
17    construed to limit or preclude the participation of the
18    evaluator who rated a teacher as "Unsatisfactory" or, on
19    and after September 1, 2020, "ineffective" in remediation.
20    (d) To institute a dismissal proceeding under this Section,
21the board must first provide written notice to the teacher
22within 30 days after the completion of the final remediation
23evaluation. The notice shall comply with the applicable hearing
24requirements and, in addition, must specify that dismissal is
25sought under this Section and include a copy of each
26performance evaluation relating to the scope of the hearing as

 

 

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1described in this subsection (d).
2    The applicable hearing requirements shall apply to the
3teacher's request for a hearing, the selection and
4qualifications of the hearing officer, and pre-hearing and
5hearing procedures, except that all of the following must be
6met:
7        (1) The hearing officer must, in addition to meeting
8    the qualifications set forth in the applicable hearing
9    requirements, have successfully completed the
10    pre-qualification program described in subsection (b) of
11    Section 24A-3 of this Code, unless the State Board of
12    Education waives this requirement to provide an adequate
13    pool of hearing officers for consideration.
14        (2) The scope of the hearing must be limited as
15    follows:
16            (A) The school district must demonstrate the
17        following:
18                (i) that the "Unsatisfactory" or, on and after
19            September 1, 2020, "ineffective" performance
20            evaluation rating that preceded remediation
21            applied the teacher practice components and
22            student growth components and determined an
23            overall evaluation rating of "Unsatisfactory" or,
24            on and after September 1, 2020, "ineffective" in
25            accordance with the standards and requirements of
26            the school district's evaluation plan;

 

 

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1                (ii) that the remediation plan complied with
2            the requirements of Section 24A-5 of this Code;
3                (iii) that the teacher failed to complete the
4            remediation plan with a performance evaluation
5            rating equal to or better than a "Proficient" or,
6            on and after September 1, 2020, "effective"
7            rating, based upon a final remediation evaluation
8            meeting the applicable standards and requirements
9            of the school district's evaluation plan; and
10                (iv) that if the second evaluator selected
11            pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of this
12            Section does not conduct the mid-point and final
13            evaluation and makes an independent assessment
14            that the teacher completed the remediation plan
15            with a rating equal to or better than a
16            "Proficient" or, on and after September 1, 2020,
17            "effective" rating, the school district must
18            demonstrate that the final remediation evaluation
19            is a more valid assessment of the teacher's
20            performance than the assessment made by the second
21            evaluator.
22            (B) The teacher may only challenge the substantive
23        and procedural aspects of (i) the "Unsatisfactory" or,
24        on and after September 1, 2020, "ineffective"
25        performance evaluation rating that led to the
26        remediation, (ii) the remediation plan, and (iii) the

 

 

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1        final remediation evaluation. To the extent the
2        teacher challenges procedural aspects, including any
3        in applicable collective bargaining agreement
4        provisions, of a relevant performance evaluation
5        rating or the remediation plan, the teacher must
6        demonstrate how an alleged procedural defect
7        materially affected the teacher's ability to
8        demonstrate a level of performance necessary to avoid
9        remediation or dismissal or successfully complete the
10        remediation plan. Without any such material effect, a
11        procedural defect shall not impact the assessment by
12        the hearing officer, board, or reviewing court of the
13        validity of a performance evaluation or a remediation
14        plan.
15            (C) The hearing officer shall only consider and
16        give weight to performance evaluations relevant to the
17        scope of the hearing as described in clauses (A) and
18        (B) of this subdivision (2).
19        (3) Each party shall be given only 2 days to present
20    evidence and testimony relating to the scope of the
21    hearing, unless a longer period is mutually agreed to by
22    the parties or deemed necessary by the hearing officer to
23    enable a party to present adequate evidence and testimony
24    to address the scope of the hearing, including due to the
25    other party's cross-examination of the party's witnesses.
26    (e) The provisions of Sections 24-12 and 34-85 pertaining

 

 

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1to the decision or recommendation of the hearing officer do not
2apply to dismissal proceedings under this Section. For any
3dismissal proceedings under this Section, the hearing officer
4shall not issue a decision, and shall issue only findings of
5fact and a recommendation, including the reasons therefor, to
6the board to either retain or dismiss the teacher and shall
7give a copy of the report to both the teacher and the
8superintendent of the school district. The hearing officer's
9findings of fact and recommendation must be issued within 30
10days from the close of the record of the hearing.
11    The State Board of Education shall adopt rules regarding
12the length of the hearing officer's findings of fact and
13recommendation. If a hearing officer fails without good cause,
14specifically provided in writing to both parties and the State
15Board of Education, to render a recommendation within 30 days
16after the hearing is concluded or the record is closed,
17whichever is later, the parties may mutually agree to select a
18hearing officer pursuant to the alternative procedure, as
19provided in Section 24-12 or 34-85, to rehear the charges heard
20by the hearing officer who failed to render a recommendation or
21to review the record and render a recommendation. If any
22hearing officer fails without good cause, specifically
23provided in writing to both parties and the State Board of
24Education, to render a recommendation within 30 days after the
25hearing is concluded or the record is closed, whichever is
26later, the hearing officer shall be removed from the master

 

 

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1list of hearing officers maintained by the State Board of
2Education for not more than 24 months. The parties and the
3State Board of Education may also take such other actions as it
4deems appropriate, including recovering, reducing, or
5withholding any fees paid or to be paid to the hearing officer.
6If any hearing officer repeats such failure, he or she shall be
7permanently removed from the master list of hearing officers
8maintained by the State Board of Education.
9    (f) The board, within 45 days after receipt of the hearing
10officer's findings of fact and recommendation, shall decide,
11through adoption of a written order, whether the teacher must
12be dismissed from its employ or retained, provided that only
13PERA-trained board members may participate in the vote with
14respect to the decision.
15    If the board dismisses the teacher notwithstanding the
16hearing officer's recommendation of retention, the board shall
17make a conclusion, giving its reasons therefor, and such
18conclusion and reasons must be included in its written order.
19The failure of the board to strictly adhere to the timelines
20contained in this Section does not render it without
21jurisdiction to dismiss the teacher. The board shall not lose
22jurisdiction to discharge the teacher if the hearing officer
23fails to render a recommendation within the time specified in
24this Section. The decision of the board is final, unless
25reviewed as provided in subsection (g) of this Section.
26    If the board retains the teacher, the board shall enter a

 

 

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1written order stating the amount of back pay and lost benefits,
2less mitigation, to be paid to the teacher, within 45 days of
3its retention order.
4    (g) A teacher dismissed under this Section may apply for
5and obtain judicial review of a decision of the board in
6accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Review
7Law, except as follows:
8        (1) for a teacher dismissed by a school district having
9    500,000 inhabitants or more, such judicial review must be
10    taken directly to the appellate court of the judicial
11    district in which the board maintains its primary
12    administrative office, and any direct appeal to the
13    appellate court must be filed within 35 days from the date
14    that a copy of the decision sought to be reviewed was
15    served upon the teacher;
16        (2) for a teacher dismissed by a school district having
17    less than 500,000 inhabitants after the hearing officer
18    recommended dismissal, such judicial review must be taken
19    directly to the appellate court of the judicial district in
20    which the board maintains its primary administrative
21    office, and any direct appeal to the appellate court must
22    be filed within 35 days from the date that a copy of the
23    decision sought to be reviewed was served upon the teacher;
24    and
25        (3) for all school districts, if the hearing officer
26    recommended dismissal, the decision of the board may be

 

 

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1    reversed only if it is found to be arbitrary, capricious,
2    an abuse of discretion, or not in accordance with law.
3    In the event judicial review is instituted by a teacher,
4any costs of preparing and filing the record of proceedings
5must be paid by the teacher. If a decision of the board is
6adjudicated upon judicial review in favor of the teacher, then
7the court shall remand the matter to the board with direction
8for entry of an order setting the amount of back pay, lost
9benefits, and costs, less mitigation. The teacher may challenge
10the board's order setting the amount of back pay, lost
11benefits, and costs, less mitigation, through an expedited
12arbitration procedure with the costs of the arbitrator borne by
13the board.
14(Source: P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11; 98-513, eff. 1-1-14.)
 
15    (105 ILCS 5/24A-5)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5)
16    Sec. 24A-5. Content of evaluation plans. This Section does
17not apply to teachers assigned to schools identified in an
18agreement entered into between the board of a school district
19operating under Article 34 of this Code and the exclusive
20representative of the district's teachers in accordance with
21Section 34-85c of this Code.
22    Each school district to which this Article applies shall
23establish a teacher evaluation plan which ensures that each
24teacher in contractual continued service is evaluated at least
25once in the course of every 2 school years.

 

 

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1    By no later than September 1, 2012, each school district
2shall establish a teacher evaluation plan that ensures that:
3        (1) each teacher not in contractual continued service
4    is evaluated at least once every school year; and
5        (2) each teacher in contractual continued service is
6    evaluated at least once in the course of every 2 school
7    years. However, any teacher in contractual continued
8    service whose performance is rated as either "needs
9    improvement" or "unsatisfactory" or, on or after September
10    1, 2020, "ineffective" must be evaluated at least once in
11    the school year following the receipt of such rating.
12    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section or
13any other Section of the School Code, a principal shall not be
14prohibited from evaluating any teachers within a school during
15his or her first year as principal of such school. If a
16first-year principal exercises this option in a school district
17where the evaluation plan provides for a teacher in contractual
18continued service to be evaluated once in the course of every 2
19school years, then a new 2-year evaluation plan must be
20established.
21    The evaluation plan shall comply with the requirements of
22this Section and of any rules adopted by the State Board of
23Education pursuant to this Section.
24    The plan shall include a description of each teacher's
25duties and responsibilities and of the standards to which that
26teacher is expected to conform, and shall include at least the

 

 

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1following components:
2        (a) personal observation of the teacher in the
3    classroom by the evaluator, unless the teacher has no
4    classroom duties.
5        (b) consideration of the teacher's attendance,
6    planning, instructional methods, classroom management,
7    where relevant, and competency in the subject matter
8    taught.
9        (c) by no later than the applicable implementation
10    date, consideration of student growth as a significant
11    factor in the rating of the teacher's performance.
12        (d) prior to September 1, 2012, rating of the
13    performance of teachers in contractual continued service
14    as either:
15            (i) "excellent", "satisfactory" or
16        "unsatisfactory"; or
17            (ii) "excellent", "proficient", "needs
18        improvement" or "unsatisfactory".
19        (e) on and after September 1, 2020 2012, rating of the
20    performance of all teachers as "excellent", "proficient",
21    or "needs improvement" shall be considered "effective" and
22    rating of the performance of all teachers as or
23    "unsatisfactory" shall be considered "ineffective".
24        (f) specification as to the teacher's strengths and
25    weaknesses, with supporting reasons for the comments made.
26        (g) inclusion of a copy of the evaluation in the

 

 

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1    teacher's personnel file and provision of a copy to the
2    teacher.
3        (h) prior to September 1, 2020, within 30 school days
4    after the completion of an evaluation rating a teacher in
5    contractual continued service as "needs improvement",
6    development by the evaluator, in consultation with the
7    teacher, and taking into account the teacher's on-going
8    professional responsibilities including his or her regular
9    teaching assignments, of a professional development plan
10    directed to the areas that need improvement and any
11    supports that the district will provide to address the
12    areas identified as needing improvement.
13        (i) within 30 school days after completion of an
14    evaluation rating a teacher in contractual continued
15    service as "unsatisfactory" or, on or after September 1,
16    2020, "ineffective", development and commencement by the
17    district of a remediation plan designed to correct
18    deficiencies cited, provided the deficiencies are deemed
19    remediable. In all school districts the remediation plan
20    for unsatisfactory, tenured teachers shall provide for 90
21    school days of remediation within the classroom, unless an
22    applicable collective bargaining agreement provides for a
23    shorter duration. In all school districts evaluations
24    issued pursuant to this Section shall be issued within 10
25    days after the conclusion of the respective remediation
26    plan. However, the school board or other governing

 

 

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1    authority of the district shall not lose jurisdiction to
2    discharge a teacher in the event the evaluation is not
3    issued within 10 days after the conclusion of the
4    respective remediation plan.
5        (j) participation in the remediation plan by the
6    teacher in contractual continued service rated
7    "unsatisfactory" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
8    "ineffective", an evaluator, and a consulting teacher
9    selected by the evaluator of the teacher who was rated
10    "unsatisfactory" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
11    "ineffective". The criteria for a which consulting teacher
12    shall include, but not be limited to, being is an
13    educational employee as defined in the Educational Labor
14    Relations Act, having has at least 5 years' teaching
15    experience, and a reasonable familiarity with the
16    assignment of the teacher being evaluated, and having who
17    received an "excellent" rating or, on or after September 1,
18    2020, an "effective" rating on his or her most recent
19    evaluation. Where no teachers who meet these criteria are
20    available within the district, the district shall request
21    and the applicable regional office of education shall
22    supply, to participate in the remediation process, an
23    individual who meets these criteria.
24        In a district having a population of less than 500,000
25    with an exclusive bargaining agent, the bargaining agent
26    may, if it so chooses, supply a roster of qualified

 

 

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1    teachers from whom the consulting teacher is to be
2    selected. That roster shall, however, contain the names of
3    at least 5 teachers, each of whom meets the criteria for
4    consulting teacher with regard to the teacher being
5    evaluated, or the names of all teachers so qualified if
6    that number is less than 5. The district, in consultation
7    with the joint committee referred to in subsection (b) of
8    Section 24A-4 of this Code, shall select the consulting
9    teacher from this roster. In the event of a dispute as to
10    qualification, the State Board shall determine
11    qualification.
12        (k) a mid-point and final evaluation by an evaluator
13    during and at the end of the remediation period,
14    immediately following receipt of a remediation plan
15    provided for under subsections (i) and (j) of this Section.
16    Each evaluation shall assess the teacher's performance
17    during the time period since the prior evaluation; provided
18    that the last evaluation shall also include an overall
19    evaluation of the teacher's performance during the
20    remediation period. A written copy of the evaluations and
21    ratings, in which any deficiencies in performance and
22    recommendations for correction are identified, shall be
23    provided to and discussed with the teacher within 10 school
24    days after the date of the evaluation, unless an applicable
25    collective bargaining agreement provides to the contrary.
26    These subsequent evaluations shall be conducted by an

 

 

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1    evaluator. The consulting teacher shall provide advice to
2    the teacher rated "unsatisfactory" or, on or after
3    September 1, 2020, "ineffective" on how to improve teaching
4    skills and to successfully complete the remediation plan.
5    The consulting teacher shall participate in developing the
6    remediation plan, but the final decision as to the
7    evaluation shall be done solely by the evaluator, unless an
8    applicable collective bargaining agreement provides to the
9    contrary. Evaluations at the conclusion of the remediation
10    process shall be separate and distinct from the required
11    annual evaluations of teachers and shall not be subject to
12    the guidelines and procedures relating to those annual
13    evaluations. The evaluator may but is not required to use
14    the forms provided for the annual evaluation of teachers in
15    the district's evaluation plan.
16        (l) reinstatement to the evaluation schedule set forth
17    in the district's evaluation plan for any teacher in
18    contractual continued service who achieves a rating equal
19    to or better than "satisfactory" or "proficient" in the
20    school year following a rating of "needs improvement" or,
21    on or after September 1, 2020, "effective" or
22    "unsatisfactory" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
23    "ineffective".
24        (m) dismissal in accordance with subsection (d) of
25    Section 24-12 or Section 24-16.5 or 34-85 of this Code of
26    any teacher who fails to complete any applicable

 

 

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1    remediation plan with a rating equal to or better than a
2    "satisfactory" or "proficient" or, on or after September 1,
3    2020, "effective" rating. Districts and teachers subject
4    to dismissal hearings are precluded from compelling the
5    testimony of consulting teachers at such hearings under
6    subsection (d) of Section 24-12 or Section 24-16.5 or 34-85
7    of this Code, either as to the rating process or for
8    opinions of performances by teachers under remediation.
9        (n) After the implementation date of an evaluation
10    system for teachers in a district as specified in Section
11    24A-2.5 of this Code, if a teacher in contractual continued
12    service successfully completes a remediation plan
13    following a rating of "unsatisfactory" or, on or after
14    September 1, 2020, "ineffective" in an annual or biennial
15    overall performance evaluation received after the
16    foregoing implementation date and receives a subsequent
17    rating of "unsatisfactory" or, on or after September 1,
18    2020, "ineffective" in any of the teacher's annual or
19    biennial overall performance evaluation ratings received
20    during the 36-month period following the teacher's
21    completion of the remediation plan, then the school
22    district may forego remediation and seek dismissal in
23    accordance with subsection (d) of Section 24-12 or Section
24    34-85 of this Code.
25    Nothing in this Section or Section 24A-4 shall be construed
26as preventing immediate dismissal of a teacher for deficiencies

 

 

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1which are deemed irremediable or for actions which are
2injurious to or endanger the health or person of students in
3the classroom or school, or preventing the dismissal or
4non-renewal of teachers not in contractual continued service
5for any reason not prohibited by applicable employment, labor,
6and civil rights laws. Failure to strictly comply with the time
7requirements contained in Section 24A-5 shall not invalidate
8the results of the remediation plan.
9    Nothing contained in this amendatory Act of the 98th
10General Assembly repeals, supersedes, invalidates, or
11nullifies final decisions in lawsuits pending on the effective
12date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly in
13Illinois courts involving the interpretation of Public Act
1497-8.
15(Source: P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11; 98-470, eff. 8-16-13; 98-648,
16eff. 7-1-14.)
 
17    (105 ILCS 5/24A-5.5)
18    Sec. 24A-5.5. Local appeal process for unsatisfactory or
19ineffective ratings. Beginning with the first school year
20following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
21101st General Assembly, each school district shall, in good
22faith cooperation with its teachers or, if applicable, through
23good faith bargaining with the exclusive bargaining
24representative of its teachers, develop and implement an
25appeals process for "unsatisfactory" or "ineffective" ratings

 

 

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1under Section 24A-5 that includes, but is not limited to, an
2assessment of the original rating by a panel of qualified
3evaluators agreed to by the joint committee referred to in
4subsection (b) of Section 24A-4 that has the power to revoke
5the "unsatisfactory" or "ineffective" rating it deems to be
6erroneous. The joint committee shall determine the criteria for
7successful appeals; however, the issuance of a rating to
8replace an "unsatisfactory" or "ineffective" rating must be
9determined through bargaining between the exclusive bargaining
10representative, if any, and the school district.
11(Source: P.A. 101-591, eff. 8-27-19.)
 
12    (105 ILCS 5/34-84)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-84)
13    Sec. 34-84. Appointments and promotions of teachers.
14Appointments and promotions of teachers shall be made for merit
15only, and after satisfactory service for a probationary period
16of 3 years with respect to probationary employees employed as
17full-time teachers in the public school system of the district
18before January 1, 1998 and 4 years with respect to probationary
19employees who are first employed as full-time teachers in the
20public school system of the district on or after January 1,
211998, during which period the board may dismiss or discharge
22any such probationary employee upon the recommendation,
23accompanied by the written reasons therefor, of the general
24superintendent of schools and after which period appointments
25of teachers shall become permanent, subject to removal for

 

 

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1cause in the manner provided by Section 34-85.
2    For a probationary-appointed teacher in full-time service
3who is appointed on or after July 1, 2013 and who receives
4ratings of "excellent" during his or her first 3 school terms
5of full-time service, the probationary period shall be 3 school
6terms of full-time service. For a probationary-appointed
7teacher in full-time service who is appointed on or after July
81, 2013 and who had previously entered into contractual
9continued service in another school district in this State or a
10program of a special education joint agreement in this State,
11as defined in Section 24-11 of this Code, the probationary
12period shall be 2 school terms of full-time service, provided
13that (i) the teacher voluntarily resigned or was honorably
14dismissed from the prior district or program within the 3-month
15period preceding his or her appointment date, (ii) the
16teacher's last 2 ratings in the prior district or program were
17at least "proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
18"effective" and were issued after the prior district's or
19program's PERA implementation date, as defined in Section 24-11
20of this Code, and (iii) the teacher receives ratings of
21"excellent" or, on or after September 1, 2020, "effective"
22during his or her first 2 school terms of full-time service.
23    For a probationary-appointed teacher in full-time service
24who is appointed on or after July 1, 2013 and who has not
25entered into contractual continued service after 2 or 3 school
26terms of full-time service as provided in this Section, the

 

 

SB3816- 90 -LRB101 18664 NHT 68119 b

1probationary period shall be 4 school terms of full-time
2service, provided that the teacher receives a rating of at
3least "proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020,
4"effective" in the last school term and a rating of at least
5"proficient" or, on or after September 1, 2020, "effective" in
6either the second or third school term.
7    As used in this Section, "school term" means the school
8term established by the board pursuant to Section 10-19 of this
9Code, and "full-time service" means the teacher has actually
10worked at least 150 days during the school term. As used in
11this Article, "teachers" means and includes all members of the
12teaching force excluding the general superintendent and
13principals.
14    There shall be no reduction in teachers because of a
15decrease in student membership or a change in subject
16requirements within the attendance center organization after
17the 20th day following the first day of the school year, except
18that: (1) this provision shall not apply to desegregation
19positions, special education positions, or any other positions
20funded by State or federal categorical funds, and (2) at
21attendance centers maintaining any of grades 9 through 12,
22there may be a second reduction in teachers on the first day of
23the second semester of the regular school term because of a
24decrease in student membership or a change in subject
25requirements within the attendance center organization.
26    The school principal shall make the decision in selecting

 

 

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1teachers to fill new and vacant positions consistent with
2Section 34-8.1.
3(Source: P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11.)
 
4    (105 ILCS 5/34-85c)
5    Sec. 34-85c. Alternative procedures for teacher
6evaluation, remediation, and removal for cause after
7remediation.
8    (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the board and
9the exclusive representative of the district's teachers are
10hereby authorized to negotiate and enter into an agreement to
11establish alternative procedures for teacher evaluation,
12remediation, and removal for cause after remediation,
13including an alternative system for peer evaluation and
14recommendations; provided, however, that no later than
15September 1, 2012: (i) any alternative procedures must include
16provisions whereby student performance data is a significant
17factor in teacher evaluation, except that, on and after
18September 1, 2020, such provisions may be included, and (ii)
19teachers are rated as "excellent", "proficient", "needs
20improvement" or "unsatisfactory" until September 1, 2020, on
21and after which time the ratings shall be "ineffective" and
22"effective". Pursuant exclusively to that agreement, teachers
23assigned to schools identified in that agreement shall be
24subject to an alternative performance evaluation plan and
25remediation procedures in lieu of the plan and procedures set

 

 

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1forth in Article 24A of this Code, other than subsection (d) of
2Section 24A-4, and alternative removal for cause standards and
3procedures in lieu of the removal standards and procedures set
4forth in Section 34-85 of this Code. To the extent that the
5agreement provides a teacher with an opportunity for a hearing
6on removal for cause before an independent hearing officer in
7accordance with Section 34-85 or otherwise, the hearing officer
8shall be governed by the alternative performance evaluation
9plan, remediation procedures, and removal standards and
10procedures set forth in the agreement in making findings of
11fact and a recommendation.
12    (b) The board and the exclusive representative of the
13district's teachers shall submit a certified copy of an
14agreement as provided under subsection (a) of this Section to
15the State Board of Education.
16(Source: P.A. 96-861, eff. 1-15-10; 97-8, eff. 6-13-11.)
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
18becoming law.