103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB3328

 

Introduced 2/17/2023, by Rep. Jackie Haas

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 805/3-80 new

    Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate-level early childhood education program and confer a bachelor of applied science degree in early childhood education and a Professional Educator License with endorsements in early childhood education and early childhood special education under certain conditions. Provides for an application for approval from the Illinois Community College Board. Sets forth college requirements and prohibitions. Provides that a candidate for educator licensure must successfully complete applicable testing requirements prior to the issuance of an educator license and any endorsements. Provides for a statewide evaluation of such programs. To prevent the duplication of services and programs, requires the board of trustees to describe how the proposed program fills a gap in the early childhood education degree programs offered by other institutions of higher education. Allows other institutions of higher education to comment on the proposed program, and offers the community college the opportunity to respond to the comments. Prohibits the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board from authorizing a community college baccalaureate-level degree program in any additional field of study prior to the publication of the statewide evaluation of community college baccalaureate programs in early childhood education. Makes other changes.


LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3328LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Community College Act is amended by
5adding Section 3-80 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 805/3-80 new)
7    Sec. 3-80. Early childhood education bachelor of applied
8science degree.
9    (a) Illinois faces a shortage of qualified early childhood
10educators, with high vacancy rates in child care centers,
11community-based early childhood programs, and school-based
12classrooms across the State. Beyond addressing the current
13need, growing federal and State commitments to expanding early
14childhood services, including the recommendations put forth in
15the Governor's Illinois Commission on Equitable Early
16Childhood Education and Care Funding report in March 2021,
17suggests that Illinois must be prepared to meet the growing
18demand for a qualified workforce to deliver these services in
19the coming years.
20    To meet this growing demand, the Illinois higher education
21system must support our incumbent early childhood workforce
22through credential and degree attainment. The workforce is
23overwhelmingly made up of women and women of color, and many

 

 

HB3328- 2 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1are balancing full-time employment, family needs, and other
2responsibilities. Often, traditional bachelor degree programs
3are not accessible to place-bound, full-time working parents.
4    In Illinois, there is a history of partnership among early
5childhood providers, stakeholders, and higher education to
6identify workforce needs and strategies to help promote access
7to higher education and degree completion among the workforce.
8Illinois institutions of higher education have taken steps to
9demonstrate a commitment to the early childhood field, as well
10as underserved student populations. Hybrid program models,
11cohort program models, and scholarships and financial
12incentives for students help to promote access to many early
13childhood degree programs in Illinois.
14    Over the past 2 decades, Illinois has attempted numerous
15strategies to develop and support partnerships among
16institutions of higher education that are focused on the
17State's early childhood workforce. Through these broader
18initiatives, as well as many individual local partnerships,
19community colleges and public and private universities have
20worked to implement articulation agreements, credit transfer
21agreements, and program delivery models, although not all
22partnerships have been maintained. Such initiatives include
23all of the following:
24        (1) In 2004, Illinois developed the Associate of Arts
25    in Teaching (AAT) degree model to promote articulation
26    among 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education.

 

 

HB3328- 3 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1    However, with the challenges in credit transfer
2    contributing to the limited viability and success of the
3    degree model, the State Board stopped approving the AAT
4    degree model and has worked across the higher education
5    system to discontinue these programs.
6        (2) In 2013, Illinois dedicated federal Race to the
7    Top funds to create the Early Childhood Educator
8    Preparation Program Innovation (EPPI) Grant program. Among
9    other goals, the EPPI Grant program aimed to foster the
10    creation or further development of partnerships between
11    2-year and 4-year preparation programs between
12    institutions of higher education, promote articulation and
13    alignment of curriculum between 2-year and 4-year
14    programs, and support early childhood educator preparation
15    programs in designing curriculum to incorporate new State
16    standards and program requirements. While the EPPI Grant
17    program led to some effective partnerships that still
18    remain intact today, program evaluations found varying
19    levels of partnership and that, in many cases, successful
20    agreements were contingent upon individual relationships
21    or individual leaders within institutions.
22        (3) Through the Illinois Articulation Initiative
23    (IAI), there are 3 early childhood courses approved for
24    articulation among participating institutions. More than
25    100 Illinois colleges and universities participate in the
26    IAI, though challenges with inconsistent participation and

 

 

HB3328- 4 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1    recognition do exist.
2        (4) Most recently, the creation of competency-based
3    education components for early childhood education will
4    help ensure that higher education and credential programs
5    are designed to prepare early childhood educators to
6    demonstrate the same critical core competencies. The
7    emphasis on core competencies could improve educator
8    preparedness and could ease credit transfer and
9    articulation processes moving forward.
10    These programs and partnerships continue to benefit many
11early childhood education students across the State, but
12overall, these efforts have not produced adequate early
13childhood degrees to meet the demands in the field. These
14types of initiatives are highly contingent upon relationships
15and partnerships between specific institutions and are often
16impacted if an institution experiences turnover or program
17changes. Furthermore, these partnerships often do not address
18the geographic, structural, and economic barriers the
19incumbent workforce often faces in accessing bachelor's degree
20programs while working full-time in the field. These ongoing
21challenges are not new and have been noted in the development
22of these previous efforts.
23    As noted in the provisions of Public Act 101-654, the
24General Assembly recognizes the critical role of the early
25childhood workforce and, in response to challenges, including
26staffing shortages and barriers to higher education, calls

 

 

HB3328- 5 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1upon the Board of Higher Education to better meet the needs of
2the early childhood workforce.
3    Illinois must seek evidence-based, systemic solutions to
4expand access to and completion of early childhood bachelor
5degrees, including the community college baccalaureate degree
6pathway pursuant to this Section. This pathway would
7complement existing and future innovations in higher
8education, including potential statewide consortium efforts,
9all aimed at expanding access to degree pathways and
10completion.
11    (b) A board of trustees may establish and offer a
12baccalaureate-level early childhood education program and
13confer a bachelor of applied science degree in early childhood
14education and a Professional Educator License with
15endorsements in early childhood education and early childhood
16special education if all of the following conditions are met:
17        (1) The board meets all of the requirements as set
18    forth in subsection (c) of this Section and has been
19    approved by the State Board to offer a bachelor of applied
20    science degree in early childhood education.
21        (2) After the program has been approved by the State
22    Board, the Board of Higher Education shall consider the
23    program for approval in a manner consistent with new
24    bachelor's degree programs at public and private
25    universities in this State.
26        (3) The program has been approved by the State Board

 

 

HB3328- 6 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1    of Education, pursuant to Section 21B-105 of the School
2    Code and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.Subpart C.
3        (4) The board has identified and documented, in
4    writing, unmet early childhood workforce needs. The State
5    Board may develop guidance on documentation, which may
6    include traditional labor market data, employer surveys,
7    community needs assessments, or additional available data
8    sources. The board shall publish on its Internet website
9    and make publicly available the documentation and shall
10    present the documentation to the State Board.
11        (5) The board meets all applicable accreditation
12    requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.
13        (6) The State Board has declared a shortage pursuant
14    to subsection (k).
15    (c) The board shall demonstrate that the community college
16district has the expertise, resources, and student interest to
17establish and offer a baccalaureate-level early childhood
18education program. An application for approval from the State
19Board shall include, but is not limited to, all of the
20following:
21        (1) The board shall describe the labor market need as
22    specified in paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of this
23    Section.
24        (2) The board shall describe the program's purpose,
25    its target population, related occupations, and career
26    paths. The board shall describe how the program aligns

 

 

HB3328- 7 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1    with any relevant State or local strategic plans and
2    initiatives.
3        (3) To prevent the duplication of services and
4    programs, the board shall describe how the proposed
5    program fills a gap in the early childhood education
6    degree programs offered by other institutions of higher
7    education by addressing all of the following:
8            (A) If there are any existing early childhood
9        education bachelor degree programs offered in the
10        surrounding region.
11            (B) If a similar bachelor's degree program is
12        offered in the surrounding region, how the proposed
13        program would complement rather than duplicate any
14        existing programs in order to meet additional, unmet
15        needs.
16            (C) If there are any current partnerships with
17        other institutions of higher education created to
18        promote access and transfer for early childhood
19        education students. If there are current partnerships
20        with other institutions of higher education, the board
21        shall describe the partnership and how the proposed
22        program will complement the efforts of its existing
23        partnerships and transfer agreements.
24            (D) How the proposed program will fill a gap in
25        services for the target population. This may include
26        program design, student support, affordability, or

 

 

HB3328- 8 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1        other relevant information.
2        (4) The board shall demonstrate student interest in
3    the proposed program.
4        (5) The board shall demonstrate that the community
5    college has developed quality curricula that align with
6    federal, State, and local requirements and will prepare
7    graduates with the appropriate level of skill to meet
8    their educational goals.
9        (6) The board shall verify the community college has
10    the fiscal resources in place or has budgeted for
11    financial support for the program in a cost-effective
12    manner.
13        (7) The board shall (i) identify and document the
14    faculty available at the community college for teaching
15    the degree program and, if applicable, (ii) provide proof
16    of an agreement that the board has entered into with an
17    institution of higher education to share faculty to
18    support the degree program at the community college. The
19    board shall include the number of full-time faculty
20    anticipated to teach in the program and a description of
21    their qualifications (including highest degree earned),
22    teaching experience, professional experience, and licenses
23    held. The board must also indicate how faculty are to be
24    evaluated.
25    (d) All institutions of higher education that offer
26associate degrees or bachelor's degrees shall be informed of

 

 

HB3328- 9 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1the proposed community college baccalaureate-level degree
2program and shall be given the opportunity to comment on the
3proposed program. The State Board shall develop the process
4for notification and comment regarding the proposed program.
5This process shall allow for the community college proposing
6the program to be provided with the comments received. The
7community college shall be given the opportunity to respond to
8comments by providing clarification or proposed changes to the
9State Board and the Board of Higher Education.
10    (e) A community college district is prohibited from using
11semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree
12program for grants received pursuant to Section 2-16.02 of
13this Act.
14    (f) A community college offering educator licensure must
15establish standards and procedures for the denial of
16recommendation for licensure, in compliance with Section
1721B-95 of the School Code.
18    (g) A candidate for educator licensure must successfully
19complete the applicable testing requirements under Section
2021B-30 of the School Code and any corresponding administrative
21rules prior to the issuance of an educator license and any
22endorsements.
23    (h) The community college district shall offer and
24maintain an associate degree in early childhood education or a
25related field.
26    (i) The State Board shall conduct a statewide evaluation

 

 

HB3328- 10 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1of all programs established under this Section. The results of
2the evaluation shall be reported, in writing, on or before
3July 1, 2030 to all of the following:
4        (1) The Board of Higher Education.
5        (2) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
6        (3) The Minority Leader of the House of
7    Representatives.
8        (4) The President of the Senate.
9        (5) The Minority Leader of the Senate.
10        (6) The Governor's Office of Management and Budget.
11    The evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, all
12of the following:
13        (A) The number of new programs established under this
14    Section, including information identifying applicants,
15    admissions, enrollments, demographic characteristics of
16    students, and degree recipients.
17        (B) The extent to which the programs established under
18    this Section fulfill identified workforce needs.
19        (C) Which community college districts applied for a
20    program but were denied and why were they denied.
21        (D) The cost of each program, the funding sources that
22    were used to finance the program, and the average cost to
23    attain a bachelor's degree under the program.
24        (E) Time-to-degree rates and completion rates for each
25    new program established under this Section.
26        (F) The extent to which the programs established under

 

 

HB3328- 11 -LRB103 05266 RJT 50284 b

1    this Section are in compliance with the requirements of
2    this Section.
3    Boards of trustees shall submit the information necessary
4to conduct the evaluation required under this subsection (i),
5as determined by the evaluators, to the State Board.
6    (j) Prior to the publication of the statewide evaluation
7of community college baccalaureate programs in early childhood
8education as described in subsection (i) of this Section, the
9Board of Higher Education and the State Board may not
10authorize a community college baccalaureate-level degree
11program in any additional field of study.
12    (k) The State Board shall annually investigate and
13determine whether there is a shortage in qualified early
14childhood educators.
15    (l) If the State Board determines that there is not a
16shortage in qualified early childhood educators, then a
17community college offering a baccalaureate-level degree
18program under this Section shall continue to operate the
19degree program until all previously enrolled students have
20either graduated or withdrawn from the degree program and may
21not accept new students into the degree program.