SB1488 EnrolledLRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
521B-30 and 21B-50 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
7    Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
8    (a) (Blank).
9    (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
10State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
11and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
12required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
13examinations and indicators must be based on national and
14State professional teaching standards, as determined by the
15State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
16Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
17Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
18implement and administer this Section.
19    (c) (Blank).
20    (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
21paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
22applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
23paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the

 

 

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1endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
2requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
321B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
4    (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
5required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
6of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
7shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
8be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
9until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
10    (e) (Blank).
11    (f) Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act
12of the 103rd General Assembly through August 31, 2025, no
13candidate completing a teacher preparation program in this
14State or candidate subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code is
15required to pass a teacher performance assessment. Except as
16otherwise provided in this Article, beginning on September 1,
172015 until the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
18103rd General Assembly and beginning again on September 1,
192025, all candidates completing teacher preparation programs
20in this State and all candidates subject to Section 21B-35 of
21this Code are required to pass a teacher performance
22assessment approved by the State Board of Education, in
23consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
24Board. A candidate may not be required to submit test
25materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, an
26individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is

 

 

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1employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
2designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
3application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
4refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
5performance assessment under this subsection.
6    (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is
7created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective
8teacher performance assessment systems for implementation
9across all educator preparation programs in this State, with
10the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and
11supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system.
12Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial,
13ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force
14shall consist of all of the following members:
15        (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
16    President of the Senate.
17        (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
18    Minority Leader of the Senate.
19        (3) One member of the House of Representatives,
20    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
21        (4) One member of the House of Representatives,
22    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
23    Representatives.
24        (5) One member who represents a statewide professional
25    teachers' organization, appointed by the State
26    Superintendent of Education.

 

 

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1        (6) One member who represents a different statewide
2    professional teachers' organization, appointed by the
3    State Superintendent of Education.
4        (7) One member from a statewide organization
5    representing school principals, appointed by the State
6    Superintendent of Education.
7        (8) One member from a statewide organization
8    representing regional superintendents of schools,
9    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
10        (9) One member from a statewide organization
11    representing school administrators, appointed by the State
12    Superintendent of Education.
13        (10) One member representing a school district
14    organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the
15    State Superintendent of Education.
16        (11) One member of an association representing rural
17    and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent
18    of Education.
19        (12) One member representing a suburban school
20    district, appointed by the State Superintendent of
21    Education.
22        (13) One member from a statewide organization
23    representing school districts in the southern suburbs of
24    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
25    of Education.
26        (14) One member from a statewide organization

 

 

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1    representing large unit school districts, appointed by the
2    State Superintendent of Education.
3        (15) One member from a statewide organization
4    representing school districts in the collar counties of
5    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
6    of Education.
7        (16) Three members, each representing a different
8    public university in this State and each a current member
9    of the faculty of an approved educator preparation
10    program, appointed by the State Superintendent of
11    Education.
12        (17) Three members, each representing a different
13    4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and
14    each a current member of the faculty of an approved
15    educator preparation program, appointed by the State
16    Superintendent of Education.
17        (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education,
18    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
19        (19) One member representing a statewide policy
20    organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students
21    and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of
22    Education.
23        (20) One member representing a statewide organization
24    focused on research-based education policy to support a
25    school system that prepares all students for college, a
26    career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State

 

 

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1    Superintendent of Education.
2        (21) Two members representing an early childhood
3    advocacy organization, appointed by the State
4    Superintendent of Education.
5        (22) One member representing a statewide organization
6    that partners with educator preparation programs and
7    school districts to support the growth and development of
8    preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent
9    of Education.
10        (23) One member representing a statewide organization
11    that advocates for educational equity and racial justice
12    in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of
13    Education.
14        (24) One member representing a statewide organization
15    that represents school boards, appointed by the State
16    Superintendent of Education.
17        (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years,
18    served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State
19    Superintendent of Education.
20    Members of the Task Force shall serve without
21compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of
22the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent
23meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force,
24who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of
25Education. The State Board of Education shall provide
26administrative and other support to the Task Force.

 

 

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1    On or before August 1, 2024, the Task Force shall report on
2its work, including recommendations on a teacher performance
3assessment system in this State, to the State Board of
4Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is
5dissolved upon submission of this report.
6    (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
7performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
8time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
9consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
10Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
11organization or tests designed by the State Board of
12Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
13and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
14assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
15tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
16person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
17of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
18the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
19score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
20Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
21Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
22administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
23place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
24consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
25Board.
26    The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess

 

 

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1the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
2applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
3subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
4Code in the English language and in the language of the
5transitional bilingual education program requested by the
6applicant.
7    (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
8provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
9district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
10    (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
11testing requirements under this Section shall include without
12limitation provisions governing test selection, test
13validation and determination of a passing score,
14administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
15applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
16years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
17accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
18such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
19year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
20(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
21101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
 
22    (105 ILCS 5/21B-50)
23    Sec. 21B-50. Alternative Educator Licensure Program.
24    (a) There is established an alternative educator licensure
25program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure

 

 

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1Program for Teachers.
2    (b) The Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
3Teachers may be offered by a recognized institution approved
4to offer educator preparation programs by the State Board of
5Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
6and Licensure Board.
7    The program shall be comprised of 4 phases:
8        (1) A course of study that at a minimum includes
9    instructional planning; instructional strategies,
10    including special education, reading, and English language
11    learning; classroom management; and the assessment of
12    students and use of data to drive instruction.
13        (2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's
14    assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a
15    co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must
16    hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an
17    alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to
18    enter the residency and must complete additional program
19    requirements that address required State and national
20    standards, pass the State Board's teacher performance
21    assessment, if required under Section 21B-30, no later
22    than the end of the first semester of the second year of
23    residency, as required under phase (3) of this subsection
24    (b), and be recommended by the principal or qualified
25    equivalent of a principal, as required under subsection
26    (d) of this Section, and the program coordinator to

 

 

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1    continue with the second year of the residency.
2        (3) A second year of residency, which shall include
3    the candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching
4    position for one school year. The candidate must be
5    assigned an experienced teacher to act as a mentor and
6    coach the candidate through the second year of residency.
7        (4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's
8    teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or
9    qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under
10    subsection (d) of this Section, and the program
11    coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency.
12    If there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about
13    the candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may
14    complete one additional year of residency teaching under a
15    professional development plan developed by the principal
16    or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At
17    the completion of the third year, a candidate must have
18    positive evaluations and a recommendation for full
19    licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent
20    and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator
21    License shall be issued.
22    Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to
23satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content
24matter requirements established by law.
25    (c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
26Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of

 

 

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1teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a
2preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this
3Code or charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic
4school in which the chief administrator is required to have
5the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in
6this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required
7to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public
8school in this State, but may be renewed for a third year if
9needed to complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program
10for Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an
11individual who meets all of the following requirements:
12        (1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college
13    or university with a bachelor's degree or higher.
14        (2) (Blank).
15        (3) Has completed a major in the content area if
16    seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if
17    seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special
18    education endorsement, has completed a major in the
19    content area of reading, English/language arts,
20    mathematics, or one of the sciences. If the individual
21    does not have a major in a content area for any level of
22    teaching, he or she must submit transcripts to the State
23    Board of Education to be reviewed for equivalency.
24        (4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection
25    (b) of this Section.
26        (5) Has passed a content area test required for the

 

 

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1    specific endorsement for admission into the program, as
2    required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
3    A candidate possessing the alternative provisional
4educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any
5other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school
6who are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if
7any, but a school is not required to provide these benefits
8during the years of residency if the candidate is serving only
9as a co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of
10record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any
11other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be
12counted towards tenure.
13    (d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative
14Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a
15school district, including without limitation a preschool
16educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or
17charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in
18this State in which the chief administrator is required to
19have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public
20school in this State and in which a majority of the teachers
21are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors
22in a public school in this State. A recognized institution
23that partners with a public school district administering a
24preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this
25Code must require a principal to recommend or evaluate
26candidates in the program. A recognized institution that

 

 

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1partners with an eligible entity administering a preschool
2educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that
3is not a public school district must require a principal or
4qualified equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate
5candidates in the program. The program presented for approval
6by the State Board of Education must demonstrate the supports
7that are to be provided to assist the provisional teacher
8during the 2-year residency period. These supports must
9provide additional contact hours with mentors during the first
10year of residency.
11    (e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection
12(b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section
1321B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a
14Professional Educator License.
15    (f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
16State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
17rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the
18Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
19(Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-822, eff. 1-1-19;
20101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19; 101-643, eff.
216-18-20; 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.)
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.