103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1520

 

Introduced 2/8/2023, by Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

 

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

    Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions regarding the types of licenses, provides that applicants for a Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate degree (instead of a bachelor's degree) or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved educator preparation program in this State and have earned at least 90 credit hours. Effective July 1, 2023.


LRB103 27608 RJT 53984 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1520LRB103 27608 RJT 53984 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
521B-20 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
7    Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
8Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
9whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
10required to be licensed must have one of the following
11licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
12educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
13teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term
14substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
15individuals certified or certificated or required to be
16certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
17also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed
18under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
1930 following one full year of the license being issued.
20    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
22rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
23licenses and endorsements under this Section.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1            endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
2            of this Code.
3                (iv) Passed a content area test required under
4            Section 21B-30 of this Code.
5            The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
6        order to complete one full year of serving as a
7        superintendent or assistant superintendent.
8            (D) (Blank).
9            (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
10        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
11        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
12        has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
13        regionally accredited institution of higher education
14        or an accredited trade and technical institution and
15        has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
16        education in each area to be taught.
17            The career and technical educator endorsement on
18        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
19        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
20        endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
21            An individual who holds a valid career and
22        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
23        with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
24        degree may substitute teach in career and technical
25        education classrooms.
26            (F) (Blank).

 

 

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1            (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
2        transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
3        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
4        the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
5        with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
6        provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
7        all of the following requirements:
8                (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
9            writing ability in the language other than English
10            in which transitional bilingual education is
11            offered.
12                (ii) Has the ability to successfully
13            communicate in English.
14                (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
15            previous to his or her applying for a transitional
16            bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
17            comparable teaching certificate or comparable
18            authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
19            a degree from an institution of higher learning in
20            a foreign country that the State Educator
21            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
22            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
23            regionally accredited institution of higher
24            learning in the United States.
25            A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
26        shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,

 

 

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1        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
2        of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
3        renewed.
4            Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
5        endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
6        presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
7        replaced for any reason.
8            (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
9        alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
10        other than English in the public schools, an
11        individual who holds an Educator License with
12        Stipulations may also apply for a language
13        endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
14        satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
15        following requirements:
16                (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
17            endorsement.
18                (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
19            language for which the endorsement is to be issued
20            by passing the applicable language content test
21            required by the State Board of Education.
22                (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
23            a regionally accredited institution of higher
24            education or, for individuals educated in a
25            country other than the United States, holds a
26            degree from an institution of higher learning in a

 

 

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1            foreign country that the State Educator
2            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
3            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
4            regionally accredited institution of higher
5            learning in the United States.
6                (iv) (Blank).
7            A language endorsement on an Educator License with
8        Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
9        grade 12 for the same validity period as the
10        individual's transitional bilingual educator
11        endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
12        and shall not be renewed.
13            (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
14        international educator endorsement on an Educator
15        License with Stipulations may be issued to an
16        individual who is being recruited by a particular
17        school district that conducts formal recruitment
18        programs outside of the United States to secure the
19        services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
20        the following requirements:
21                (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
22            bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
23                (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
24            grade level for which he or she will be employed.
25                (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
26            subject to be taught.

 

 

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1                (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
2            language.
3            A holder of a visiting international educator
4        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
5        shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
6        programs in the language that was the medium of
7        instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
8        provided that he or she passes the English Language
9        Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
10        skills in English identified by the State Board of
11        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
12        Preparation and Licensure Board.
13            A visiting international educator endorsement on
14        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
15        years and shall not be renewed.
16            (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
17        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
18        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
19        high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
20        (i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
21        semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
22        institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
23        paraprofessional competency test under subsection
24        (c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
25        of age and will be using the Educator License with
26        Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten

 

 

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1        through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age
2        of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
3        paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
4        subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
5        endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
6        following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
7        may be renewed through application and payment of the
8        appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
9        this Code. An individual who holds only a
10        paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
11        to additional requirements in order to renew the
12        endorsement.
13            (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
14        business official endorsement on an Educator License
15        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
16        qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
17        years of full-time administrative experience in school
18        business management or 2 years of university-approved
19        practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
20        hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
21        State Board of Education for the preparation of school
22        business administrators and by passage of the
23        applicable State tests, including an applicable
24        content area test.
25            The chief school business official endorsement may
26        also be affixed to the Educator License with

 

 

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1        Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
2        master's degree in business administration, finance,
3        accounting, or public administration and who completes
4        an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
5        business management from a regionally accredited
6        institution of higher education and passes the
7        applicable State tests, including an applicable
8        content area test. This endorsement shall be required
9        for any individual employed as a chief school business
10        official.
11            The chief school business official endorsement on
12        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
13        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
14        endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
15        license holder completes renewal requirements as
16        required for individuals who hold a Professional
17        Educator License endorsed for chief school business
18        official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
19        rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
20        Education.
21            The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
22        necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
23            (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
24        in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
25        with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
26        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation

 

 

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1        program at an Illinois institution of higher education
2        and who has not successfully completed an
3        evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
4        who meets all of the following requirements:
5                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
6                (ii) Has completed an approved educator
7            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
8                (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
9            test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
10                (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
11            assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
12            minimum score on that assessment, as established
13            by the State Board of Education in consultation
14            with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
15            Board.
16            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
17        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
18        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
19        be renewed.
20            (M) (Blank).
21            (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
22        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
23        may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
24        (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
25    License may be issued to qualified applicants for
26    substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,

 

 

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1    prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
2    Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
3    a Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate a
4    bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited
5    institution of higher education or must be enrolled in an
6    approved educator preparation program in this State and
7    have earned at least 90 credit hours.
8        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
9        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
10    teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
11    has had his or her Professional Educator License or
12    Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
13    then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
14    Substitute Teaching License.
15        A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
16    licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
17    board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
18    contract because of an emergency situation, then a
19    district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
20    than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
21    district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
22    office of education within 5 business days after the
23    employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency
24    situation. An emergency situation is one in which an
25    unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is
26    unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii)

 

 

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1    teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous
2    indications, and the district is actively engaged in
3    advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
4    vacant position.
5        There is no limit on the number of days that a
6    substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
7    provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
8    than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
9    through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
10    days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
11    same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
12    Professional Educator License or Educator License with
13    Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
14    for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
15    school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
16    number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
17    apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
18    this Code.
19        A school district may not require an individual who
20    holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
21    License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
22    Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
23        (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
24    on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of
25    Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
26    License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be

 

 

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

 

 

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1    complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
2    34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
3    school. This paragraph (4) is inoperative on and after
4    July 1, 2023.
5(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
6101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-711, eff.
71-1-23; 102-712, eff. 4-27-22; 102-713, eff. 1-1-23; 102-717,
8eff. 4-29-22; 102-894, eff. 5-20-22; revised 12-13-22.)
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
102023.