Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 3/28/2023

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1872

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1872 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5Sections 24-11, 24-12, and 34-84 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/24-11)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24-11)
7    Sec. 24-11. Boards of Education - Boards of School
8Inspectors - Contractual continued service.
9    (a) As used in this and the succeeding Sections of this
10Article:
11    "Teacher" means any or all school district employees
12regularly required to be licensed under laws relating to the
13licensure of teachers.
14    "Board" means board of directors, board of education, or
15board of school inspectors, as the case may be.
16    "School term" means that portion of the school year, July

 

 

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11 to the following June 30, when school is in actual session.
2    "Program" means a program of a special education joint
3agreement.
4    "Program of a special education joint agreement" means
5instructional, consultative, supervisory, administrative,
6diagnostic, and related services that are managed by a special
7educational joint agreement designed to service 2 or more
8school districts that are members of the joint agreement.
9    "PERA implementation date" means the implementation date
10of an evaluation system for teachers as specified by Section
1124A-2.5 of this Code for all schools within a school district
12or all programs of a special education joint agreement.
13    (b) This Section and Sections 24-12 through 24-16 of this
14Article apply only to school districts having less than
15500,000 inhabitants.
16    (c) Any teacher who is first employed as a full-time
17teacher in a school district or program prior to the PERA
18implementation date and who is employed in that district or
19program for a probationary period of 4 consecutive school
20terms shall enter upon contractual continued service in the
21district or in all of the programs that the teacher is legally
22qualified to hold, unless the teacher is given written notice
23of dismissal by certified mail, return receipt requested, by
24the employing board at least 45 days before the end of any
25school term within such period.
26    (d) For any teacher who is first employed as a full-time

 

 

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1teacher in a school district or program on or after the PERA
2implementation date, the probationary period shall be one of
3the following periods, based upon the teacher's school terms
4of service and performance, before the teacher shall enter
5upon contractual continued service in the district or in all
6of the programs that the teacher is legally qualified to hold,
7unless the teacher is given written notice of dismissal by
8certified mail, return receipt requested, by the employing
9board on or before April 15 at least 45 days before the end of
10any school term within such period:
11        (1) 3 4 consecutive school terms of service in which
12    the teacher holds a Professional Educator License and
13    receives overall annual evaluation ratings of at least
14    "Proficient" in the last school term and at least
15    "Proficient" in either the second and or third school
16    terms term;
17        (2) 2 3 consecutive school terms of service in which
18    the teacher holds a Professional Educator License and
19    receives 2 3 overall annual evaluations of "Excellent"; or
20        (3) 2 consecutive school terms of service in which the
21    teacher holds a Professional Educator License and receives
22    2 overall annual evaluations of "Excellent" service, but
23    only if the teacher (i) previously attained contractual
24    continued service in a different school district or
25    program in this State, (ii) voluntarily departed or was
26    honorably dismissed from that school district or program

 

 

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1    in the school term immediately prior to the teacher's
2    first school term of service applicable to the attainment
3    of contractual continued service under this subdivision
4    (3), and (iii) received, in his or her 2 most recent
5    overall annual or biennial evaluations from the prior
6    school district or program, ratings of at least
7    "Proficient", with both such ratings occurring after the
8    school district's or program's PERA implementation date.
9    For a teacher to attain contractual continued service
10    under this subdivision (3), the teacher shall provide
11    official copies of his or her 2 most recent overall annual
12    or biennial evaluations from the prior school district or
13    program to the new school district or program within 60
14    days from the teacher's first day of service with the new
15    school district or program. The prior school district or
16    program must provide the teacher with official copies of
17    his or her 2 most recent overall annual or biennial
18    evaluations within 14 days after the teacher's request. If
19    a teacher has requested such official copies prior to 45
20    days after the teacher's first day of service with the new
21    school district or program and the teacher's prior school
22    district or program fails to provide the teacher with the
23    official copies required under this subdivision (3), then
24    the time period for the teacher to submit the official
25    copies to his or her new school district or program must be
26    extended until 14 days after receipt of such copies from

 

 

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1    the prior school district or program. If the prior school
2    district or program fails to provide the teacher with the
3    official copies required under this subdivision (3) within
4    90 days from the teacher's first day of service with the
5    new school district or program, then the new school
6    district or program shall rely upon the teacher's own
7    copies of his or her evaluations for purposes of this
8    subdivision (3).
9    If the teacher does not receive overall annual evaluations
10of "Excellent" in the school terms necessary for eligibility
11to achieve accelerated contractual continued service in
12subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection (d), the teacher
13shall be eligible for contractual continued service pursuant
14to subdivision (1) of this subsection (d). If, at the
15conclusion of 3 4 consecutive school terms of service that
16count toward attainment of contractual continued service, the
17teacher's performance does not qualify the teacher for
18contractual continued service under subdivision (1) of this
19subsection (d), then the teacher shall not enter upon
20contractual continued service and shall be dismissed. If a
21performance evaluation is not conducted for any school term
22when such evaluation is required to be conducted under Section
2324A-5 of this Code, then the teacher's performance evaluation
24rating for such school term for purposes of determining the
25attainment of contractual continued service shall be deemed
26"Proficient", except that, during any time in which the

 

 

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1Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health
2emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency
3Management Agency Act, this default to "Proficient" does not
4apply to any teacher who has entered into contractual
5continued service and who was deemed "Excellent" on his or her
6most recent evaluation. During any time in which the Governor
7has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency
8pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management
9Agency Act and unless the school board and any exclusive
10bargaining representative have completed the performance
11rating for teachers or mutually agreed to an alternate
12performance rating, any teacher who has entered into
13contractual continued service, whose most recent evaluation
14was deemed "Excellent", and whose performance evaluation is
15not conducted when the evaluation is required to be conducted
16shall receive a teacher's performance rating deemed
17"Excellent". A school board and any exclusive bargaining
18representative may mutually agree to an alternate performance
19rating for teachers not in contractual continued service
20during any time in which the Governor has declared a disaster
21due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
22Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, as long as the
23agreement is in writing.
24    (e) For the purposes of determining contractual continued
25service, a school term shall be counted only toward attainment
26of contractual continued service if the teacher actually

 

 

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1teaches or is otherwise present and participating in the
2district's or program's educational program for 120 days or
3more, provided that the days of leave under the federal Family
4Medical Leave Act that the teacher is required to take until
5the end of the school term shall be considered days of teaching
6or participation in the district's or program's educational
7program. A school term that is not counted toward attainment
8of contractual continued service shall not be considered a
9break in service for purposes of determining whether a teacher
10has been employed for 3 4 consecutive school terms, provided
11that the teacher actually teaches or is otherwise present and
12participating in the district's or program's educational
13program in the following school term.
14    (f) If the employing board determines to dismiss the
15teacher in the last year of the probationary period as
16provided in subsection (c) of this Section or subdivision (1)
17or (2) of subsection (d) of this Section, but not subdivision
18(3) of subsection (d) of this Section, the written notice of
19dismissal provided by the employing board must contain
20specific reasons for dismissal. Any full-time teacher who does
21not receive written notice from the employing board at least
2245 days before the end of any school term as provided in this
23Section and whose performance does not require dismissal after
24the third fourth probationary year pursuant to subsection (d)
25of this Section shall be re-employed for the following school
26term.

 

 

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1    (g) Contractual continued service shall continue in effect
2the terms and provisions of the contract with the teacher
3during the last school term of the probationary period,
4subject to this Act and the lawful regulations of the
5employing board. This Section and succeeding Sections do not
6modify any existing power of the board except with respect to
7the procedure of the discharge of a teacher and reductions in
8salary as hereinafter provided. Contractual continued service
9status shall not restrict the power of the board to transfer a
10teacher to a position which the teacher is qualified to fill or
11to make such salary adjustments as it deems desirable, but
12unless reductions in salary are uniform or based upon some
13reasonable classification, any teacher whose salary is reduced
14shall be entitled to a notice and a hearing as hereinafter
15provided in the case of certain dismissals or removals.
16    (h) If, by reason of any change in the boundaries of school
17districts, by reason of a special education cooperative
18reorganization or dissolution in accordance with Section
1910-22.31 of this Code, or by reason of the creation of a new
20school district, the position held by any teacher having a
21contractual continued service status is transferred from one
22board to the control of a new or different board, then the
23contractual continued service status of the teacher is not
24thereby lost, and such new or different board is subject to
25this Code with respect to the teacher in the same manner as if
26the teacher were its employee and had been its employee during

 

 

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1the time the teacher was actually employed by the board from
2whose control the position was transferred.
3    (i) The employment of any teacher in a program of a special
4education joint agreement established under Section 3-15.14,
510-22.31 or 10-22.31a shall be governed by this and succeeding
6Sections of this Article. For purposes of attaining and
7maintaining contractual continued service and computing length
8of continuing service as referred to in this Section and
9Section 24-12, employment in a special educational joint
10program shall be deemed a continuation of all previous
11licensed employment of such teacher for such joint agreement
12whether the employer of the teacher was the joint agreement,
13the regional superintendent, or one of the participating
14districts in the joint agreement.
15    (j) For any teacher employed after July 1, 1987 as a
16full-time teacher in a program of a special education joint
17agreement, whether the program is operated by the joint
18agreement or a member district on behalf of the joint
19agreement, in the event of a reduction in the number of
20programs or positions in the joint agreement in which the
21notice of dismissal is provided on or before the end of the
222010-2011 school term, the teacher in contractual continued
23service is eligible for employment in the joint agreement
24programs for which the teacher is legally qualified in order
25of greater length of continuing service in the joint
26agreement, unless an alternative method of determining the

 

 

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1sequence of dismissal is established in a collective
2bargaining agreement. For any teacher employed after July 1,
31987 as a full-time teacher in a program of a special education
4joint agreement, 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 during the 2011-2012 school
9term or a subsequent school term, the teacher shall be
10included on the honorable dismissal lists of all joint
11agreement programs for positions for which the teacher is
12qualified and is eligible for employment in such programs in
13accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of Section 24-12 of
14this Code and the applicable honorable dismissal policies of
15the joint agreement.
16    (k) For any teacher employed after July 1, 1987 as a
17full-time teacher in a program of a special education joint
18agreement, whether the program is operated by the joint
19agreement or a member district on behalf of the joint
20agreement, in the event of the dissolution of a joint
21agreement, in which the notice to teachers of the dissolution
22is provided during the 2010-2011 school term, the teacher in
23contractual continued service who is legally qualified shall
24be assigned to any comparable position in a member district
25currently held by a teacher who has not entered upon
26contractual continued service or held by a teacher who has

 

 

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1entered upon contractual continued service with a shorter
2length of contractual continued service. Any teacher employed
3after July 1, 1987 as a full-time teacher in a program of a
4special education joint agreement, whether the program is
5operated by the joint agreement or a member district on behalf
6of the joint agreement, in the event of the dissolution of a
7joint agreement in which the notice to teachers of the
8dissolution is provided during the 2011-2012 school term or a
9subsequent school term, the teacher who is qualified shall be
10included on the order of honorable dismissal lists of each
11member district and shall be assigned to any comparable
12position in any such district in accordance with subsections
13(b) and (c) of Section 24-12 of this Code and the applicable
14honorable dismissal policies of each member district.
15    (l) The governing board of the joint agreement, or the
16administrative district, if so authorized by the articles of
17agreement of the joint agreement, rather than the board of
18education of a school district, may carry out employment and
19termination actions including dismissals under this Section
20and Section 24-12.
21    (m) The employment of any teacher in a special education
22program authorized by Section 14-1.01 through 14-14.01, or a
23joint educational program established under Section 10-22.31a,
24shall be under this and the succeeding Sections of this
25Article, and such employment shall be deemed a continuation of
26the previous employment of such teacher in any of the

 

 

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1participating districts, regardless of the participation of
2other districts in the program.
3    (n) Any teacher employed as a full-time teacher in a
4special education program prior to September 23, 1987 in which
52 or more school districts participate for a probationary
6period of 2 consecutive years shall enter upon contractual
7continued service in each of the participating districts,
8subject to this and the succeeding Sections of this Article,
9and, notwithstanding Section 24-1.5 of this Code, in the event
10of the termination of the program shall be eligible for any
11vacant position in any of such districts for which such
12teacher is qualified.
13(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-552, eff. 1-1-22;
14102-854, eff. 5-13-22.)
 
15    (105 ILCS 5/24-12)  (from Ch. 122, par. 24-12)
16    Sec. 24-12. Removal or dismissal of teachers in
17contractual continued service.
18    (a) This subsection (a) applies only to honorable
19dismissals and recalls in which the notice of dismissal is
20provided on or before the end of the 2010-2011 school term. If
21a teacher in contractual continued service is removed or
22dismissed as a result of a decision of the board to decrease
23the number of teachers employed by the board or to discontinue
24some particular type of teaching service, written notice shall
25be mailed to the teacher and also given the teacher either by

 

 

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1certified mail, return receipt requested or personal delivery
2with receipt at least 60 days before the end of the school
3term, together with a statement of honorable dismissal and the
4reason therefor, and in all such cases the board shall first
5remove or dismiss all teachers who have not entered upon
6contractual continued service before removing or dismissing
7any teacher who has entered upon contractual continued service
8and who is legally qualified to hold a position currently held
9by a teacher who has not entered upon contractual continued
10service.
11    As between teachers who have entered upon contractual
12continued service, the teacher or teachers with the shorter
13length of continuing service with the district shall be
14dismissed first unless an alternative method of determining
15the sequence of dismissal is established in a collective
16bargaining agreement or contract between the board and a
17professional faculty members' organization and except that
18this provision shall not impair the operation of any
19affirmative action program in the district, regardless of
20whether it exists by operation of law or is conducted on a
21voluntary basis by the board. Any teacher dismissed as a
22result of such decrease or discontinuance shall be paid all
23earned compensation on or before the third business day
24following the last day of pupil attendance in the regular
25school term.
26    If the board has any vacancies for the following school

 

 

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1term or within one calendar year from the beginning of the
2following school term, the positions thereby becoming
3available shall be tendered to the teachers so removed or
4dismissed so far as they are legally qualified to hold such
5positions; provided, however, that if the number of honorable
6dismissal notices based on economic necessity exceeds 15% of
7the number of full-time equivalent positions filled by
8certified employees (excluding principals and administrative
9personnel) during the preceding school year, then if the board
10has any vacancies for the following school term or within 2
11calendar years from the beginning of the following school
12term, the positions so becoming available shall be tendered to
13the teachers who were so notified and removed or dismissed
14whenever they are legally qualified to hold such positions.
15Each board shall, in consultation with any exclusive employee
16representatives, each year establish a list, categorized by
17positions, showing the length of continuing service of each
18teacher who is qualified to hold any such positions, unless an
19alternative method of determining a sequence of dismissal is
20established as provided for in this Section, in which case a
21list shall be made in accordance with the alternative method.
22Copies of the list shall be distributed to the exclusive
23employee representative on or before February 1 of each year.
24Whenever the number of honorable dismissal notices based upon
25economic necessity exceeds 5, or 150% of the average number of
26teachers honorably dismissed in the preceding 3 years,

 

 

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1whichever is more, then the board also shall hold a public
2hearing on the question of the dismissals. Following the
3hearing and board review, the action to approve any such
4reduction shall require a majority vote of the board members.
5    (b) This subsection (b) applies only to honorable
6dismissals and recalls in which the notice of dismissal is
7provided during the 2011-2012 school term or a subsequent
8school term. If any teacher, whether or not in contractual
9continued service, is removed or dismissed as a result of a
10decision of a school board to decrease the number of teachers
11employed by the board, a decision of a school board to
12discontinue some particular type of teaching service, or a
13reduction in the number of programs or positions in a special
14education joint agreement, then written notice must be mailed
15to the teacher and also given to the teacher either by
16electronic mail, certified mail, return receipt requested, or
17personal delivery with receipt on or before April 15 at least
1845 days before the end of the school term, together with a
19statement of honorable dismissal and the reason therefor, and
20in all such cases the sequence of dismissal shall occur in
21accordance with this subsection (b); except that this
22subsection (b) shall not impair the operation of any
23affirmative action program in the school district, regardless
24of whether it exists by operation of law or is conducted on a
25voluntary basis by the board.
26    Each teacher must be categorized into one or more

 

 

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1positions for which the teacher is qualified to hold, based
2upon legal qualifications and any other qualifications
3established in a district or joint agreement job description,
4on or before the May 10 prior to the school year during which
5the sequence of dismissal is determined. Within each position
6and subject to agreements made by the joint committee on
7honorable dismissals that are authorized by subsection (c) of
8this Section, the school district or joint agreement must
9establish 4 groupings of teachers qualified to hold the
10position as follows:
11        (1) Grouping one shall consist of each teacher who is
12    not in contractual continued service and who (i) has not
13    received a performance evaluation rating, (ii) is employed
14    for one school term or less to replace a teacher on leave,
15    or (iii) is employed on a part-time basis. "Part-time
16    basis" for the purposes of this subsection (b) means a
17    teacher who is employed to teach less than a full-day,
18    teacher workload or less than 5 days of the normal student
19    attendance week, unless otherwise provided for in a
20    collective bargaining agreement between the district and
21    the exclusive representative of the district's teachers.
22    For the purposes of this Section, a teacher (A) who is
23    employed as a full-time teacher but who actually teaches
24    or is otherwise present and participating in the
25    district's educational program for less than a school term
26    or (B) who, in the immediately previous school term, was

 

 

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1    employed on a full-time basis and actually taught or was
2    otherwise present and participated in the district's
3    educational program for 120 days or more is not considered
4    employed on a part-time basis.
5        (2) Grouping 2 shall consist of each teacher with a
6    Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory performance evaluation
7    rating on either of the teacher's last 2 performance
8    evaluation ratings.
9        (3) Grouping 3 shall consist of each teacher with a
10    performance evaluation rating of at least Satisfactory or
11    Proficient on both of the teacher's last 2 performance
12    evaluation ratings, if 2 ratings are available, or on the
13    teacher's last performance evaluation rating, if only one
14    rating is available, unless the teacher qualifies for
15    placement into grouping 4.
16        (4) Grouping 4 shall consist of each teacher whose
17    last 2 performance evaluation ratings are Excellent and
18    each teacher with 2 Excellent performance evaluation
19    ratings out of the teacher's last 3 performance evaluation
20    ratings with a third rating of Satisfactory or Proficient.
21    Among teachers qualified to hold a position, teachers must
22be dismissed in the order of their groupings, with teachers in
23grouping one dismissed first and teachers in grouping 4
24dismissed last.
25    Within grouping one, the sequence of dismissal must be at
26the discretion of the school district or joint agreement.

 

 

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1Within grouping 2, the sequence of dismissal must be based
2upon average performance evaluation ratings, with the teacher
3or teachers with the lowest average performance evaluation
4rating dismissed first. A teacher's average performance
5evaluation rating must be calculated using the average of the
6teacher's last 2 performance evaluation ratings, if 2 ratings
7are available, or the teacher's last performance evaluation
8rating, if only one rating is available, using the following
9numerical values: 4 for Excellent; 3 for Proficient or
10Satisfactory; 2 for Needs Improvement; and 1 for
11Unsatisfactory. As between or among teachers in grouping 2
12with the same average performance evaluation rating and within
13each of groupings 3 and 4, the teacher or teachers with the
14shorter length of continuing service with the school district
15or joint agreement must be dismissed first unless an
16alternative method of determining the sequence of dismissal is
17established in a collective bargaining agreement or contract
18between the board and a professional faculty members'
19organization.
20    Each board, including the governing board of a joint
21agreement, shall, in consultation with any exclusive employee
22representatives, each year establish a sequence of honorable
23dismissal list categorized by positions and the groupings
24defined in this subsection (b). Copies of the list showing
25each teacher by name and categorized by positions and the
26groupings defined in this subsection (b) must be distributed

 

 

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1to the exclusive bargaining representative at least 75 days
2before the end of the school term, provided that the school
3district or joint agreement may, with notice to any exclusive
4employee representatives, move teachers from grouping one into
5another grouping during the period of time from 75 days until
645 days before the end of the school term. Each year, each
7board shall also establish, in consultation with any exclusive
8employee representatives, a list showing the length of
9continuing service of each teacher who is qualified to hold
10any such positions, unless an alternative method of
11determining a sequence of dismissal is established as provided
12for in this Section, in which case a list must be made in
13accordance with the alternative method. Copies of the list
14must be distributed to the exclusive employee representative
15at least 75 days before the end of the school term.
16    Any teacher dismissed as a result of such decrease or
17discontinuance must be paid all earned compensation on or
18before the third business day following the last day of pupil
19attendance in the regular school term.
20    If the board or joint agreement has any vacancies for the
21following school term or within one calendar year from the
22beginning of the following school term, the positions thereby
23becoming available must be tendered to the teachers so removed
24or dismissed who were in grouping 3 or 4 of the sequence of
25dismissal and are qualified to hold the positions, based upon
26legal qualifications and any other qualifications established

 

 

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1in a district or joint agreement job description, on or before
2the May 10 prior to the date of the positions becoming
3available, provided that if the number of honorable dismissal
4notices based on economic necessity exceeds 15% of the number
5of full-time equivalent positions filled by certified
6employees (excluding principals and administrative personnel)
7during the preceding school year, then the recall period is
8for the following school term or within 2 calendar years from
9the beginning of the following school term. If the board or
10joint agreement has any vacancies within the period from the
11beginning of the following school term through February 1 of
12the following school term (unless a date later than February
131, but no later than 6 months from the beginning of the
14following school term, is established in a collective
15bargaining agreement), the positions thereby becoming
16available must be tendered to the teachers so removed or
17dismissed who were in grouping 2 of the sequence of dismissal
18due to one "needs improvement" rating on either of the
19teacher's last 2 performance evaluation ratings, provided
20that, if 2 ratings are available, the other performance
21evaluation rating used for grouping purposes is
22"satisfactory", "proficient", or "excellent", and are
23qualified to hold the positions, based upon legal
24qualifications and any other qualifications established in a
25district or joint agreement job description, on or before the
26May 10 prior to the date of the positions becoming available.

 

 

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1On and after July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act
298-648), the preceding sentence shall apply to teachers
3removed or dismissed by honorable dismissal, even if notice of
4honorable dismissal occurred during the 2013-2014 school year.
5Among teachers eligible for recall pursuant to the preceding
6sentence, the order of recall must be in inverse order of
7dismissal, unless an alternative order of recall is
8established in a collective bargaining agreement or contract
9between the board and a professional faculty members'
10organization. Whenever the number of honorable dismissal
11notices based upon economic necessity exceeds 5 notices or
12150% of the average number of teachers honorably dismissed in
13the preceding 3 years, whichever is more, then the school
14board or governing board of a joint agreement, as applicable,
15shall also hold a public hearing on the question of the
16dismissals. Following the hearing and board review, the action
17to approve any such reduction shall require a majority vote of
18the board members.
19    For purposes of this subsection (b), subject to agreement
20on an alternative definition reached by the joint committee
21described in subsection (c) of this Section, a teacher's
22performance evaluation rating means the overall performance
23evaluation rating resulting from an annual or biennial
24performance evaluation conducted pursuant to Article 24A of
25this Code by the school district or joint agreement
26determining the sequence of dismissal, not including any

 

 

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1performance evaluation conducted during or at the end of a
2remediation period. No more than one evaluation rating each
3school term shall be one of the evaluation ratings used for the
4purpose of determining the sequence of dismissal. Except as
5otherwise provided in this subsection for any performance
6evaluations conducted during or at the end of a remediation
7period, if multiple performance evaluations are conducted in a
8school term, only the rating from the last evaluation
9conducted prior to establishing the sequence of honorable
10dismissal list in such school term shall be the one evaluation
11rating from that school term used for the purpose of
12determining the sequence of dismissal. Averaging ratings from
13multiple evaluations is not permitted unless otherwise agreed
14to in a collective bargaining agreement or contract between
15the board and a professional faculty members' organization.
16The preceding 3 sentences are not a legislative declaration
17that existing law does or does not already require that only
18one performance evaluation each school term shall be used for
19the purpose of determining the sequence of dismissal. For
20performance evaluation ratings determined prior to September
211, 2012, any school district or joint agreement with a
22performance evaluation rating system that does not use either
23of the rating category systems specified in subsection (d) of
24Section 24A-5 of this Code for all teachers must establish a
25basis for assigning each teacher a rating that complies with
26subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of this Code for all of the

 

 

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1performance evaluation ratings that are to be used to
2determine the sequence of dismissal. A teacher's grouping and
3ranking on a sequence of honorable dismissal shall be deemed a
4part of the teacher's performance evaluation, and that
5information shall be disclosed to the exclusive bargaining
6representative as part of a sequence of honorable dismissal
7list, notwithstanding any laws prohibiting disclosure of such
8information. A performance evaluation rating may be used to
9determine the sequence of dismissal, notwithstanding the
10pendency of any grievance resolution or arbitration procedures
11relating to the performance evaluation. If a teacher has
12received at least one performance evaluation rating conducted
13by the school district or joint agreement determining the
14sequence of dismissal and a subsequent performance evaluation
15is not conducted in any school year in which such evaluation is
16required to be conducted under Section 24A-5 of this Code, the
17teacher's performance evaluation rating for that school year
18for purposes of determining the sequence of dismissal is
19deemed Proficient, except that, during any time in which the
20Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health
21emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency
22Management Agency Act, this default to Proficient does not
23apply to any teacher who has entered into contractual
24continued service and who was deemed Excellent on his or her
25most recent evaluation. During any time in which the Governor
26has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency

 

 

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1pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management
2Agency Act and unless the school board and any exclusive
3bargaining representative have completed the performance
4rating for teachers or have mutually agreed to an alternate
5performance rating, any teacher who has entered into
6contractual continued service, whose most recent evaluation
7was deemed Excellent, and whose performance evaluation is not
8conducted when the evaluation is required to be conducted
9shall receive a teacher's performance rating deemed Excellent.
10A school board and any exclusive bargaining representative may
11mutually agree to an alternate performance rating for teachers
12not in contractual continued service during any time in which
13the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health
14emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency
15Management Agency Act, as long as the agreement is in writing.
16If a performance evaluation rating is nullified as the result
17of an arbitration, administrative agency, or court
18determination, then the school district or joint agreement is
19deemed to have conducted a performance evaluation for that
20school year, but the performance evaluation rating may not be
21used in determining the sequence of dismissal.
22    Nothing in this subsection (b) shall be construed as
23limiting the right of a school board or governing board of a
24joint agreement to dismiss a teacher not in contractual
25continued service in accordance with Section 24-11 of this
26Code.

 

 

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1    Any provisions regarding the sequence of honorable
2dismissals and recall of honorably dismissed teachers in a
3collective bargaining agreement entered into on or before
4January 1, 2011 and in effect on June 13, 2011 (the effective
5date of Public Act 97-8) that may conflict with Public Act 97-8
6shall remain in effect through the expiration of such
7agreement or June 30, 2013, whichever is earlier.
8    (c) Each school district and special education joint
9agreement must use a joint committee composed of equal
10representation selected by the school board and its teachers
11or, if applicable, the exclusive bargaining representative of
12its teachers, to address the matters described in paragraphs
13(1) through (5) of this subsection (c) pertaining to honorable
14dismissals under subsection (b) of this Section.
15        (1) The joint committee must consider and may agree to
16    criteria for excluding from grouping 2 and placing into
17    grouping 3 a teacher whose last 2 performance evaluations
18    include a Needs Improvement and either a Proficient or
19    Excellent.
20        (2) The joint committee must consider and may agree to
21    an alternative definition for grouping 4, which definition
22    must take into account prior performance evaluation
23    ratings and may take into account other factors that
24    relate to the school district's or program's educational
25    objectives. An alternative definition for grouping 4 may
26    not permit the inclusion of a teacher in the grouping with

 

 

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1    a Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory performance
2    evaluation rating on either of the teacher's last 2
3    performance evaluation ratings.
4        (3) The joint committee may agree to including within
5    the definition of a performance evaluation rating a
6    performance evaluation rating administered by a school
7    district or joint agreement other than the school district
8    or joint agreement determining the sequence of dismissal.
9        (4) For each school district or joint agreement that
10    administers performance evaluation ratings that are
11    inconsistent with either of the rating category systems
12    specified in subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of this Code,
13    the school district or joint agreement must consult with
14    the joint committee on the basis for assigning a rating
15    that complies with subsection (d) of Section 24A-5 of this
16    Code to each performance evaluation rating that will be
17    used in a sequence of dismissal.
18        (5) Upon request by a joint committee member submitted
19    to the employing board by no later than 10 days after the
20    distribution of the sequence of honorable dismissal list,
21    a representative of the employing board shall, within 5
22    days after the request, provide to members of the joint
23    committee a list showing the most recent and prior
24    performance evaluation ratings of each teacher identified
25    only by length of continuing service in the district or
26    joint agreement and not by name. If, after review of this

 

 

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1    list, a member of the joint committee has a good faith
2    belief that a disproportionate number of teachers with
3    greater length of continuing service with the district or
4    joint agreement have received a recent performance
5    evaluation rating lower than the prior rating, the member
6    may request that the joint committee review the list to
7    assess whether such a trend may exist. Following the joint
8    committee's review, but by no later than the end of the
9    applicable school term, the joint committee or any member
10    or members of the joint committee may submit a report of
11    the review to the employing board and exclusive bargaining
12    representative, if any. Nothing in this paragraph (5)
13    shall impact the order of honorable dismissal or a school
14    district's or joint agreement's authority to carry out a
15    dismissal in accordance with subsection (b) of this
16    Section.
17    Agreement by the joint committee as to a matter requires
18the majority vote of all committee members, and if the joint
19committee does not reach agreement on a matter, then the
20otherwise applicable requirements of subsection (b) of this
21Section shall apply. Except as explicitly set forth in this
22subsection (c), a joint committee has no authority to agree to
23any further modifications to the requirements for honorable
24dismissals set forth in subsection (b) of this Section. The
25joint committee must be established, and the first meeting of
26the joint committee each school year must occur on or before

 

 

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1December 1.
2    The joint committee must reach agreement on a matter on or
3before February 1 of a school year in order for the agreement
4of the joint committee to apply to the sequence of dismissal
5determined during that school year. Subject to the February 1
6deadline for agreements, the agreement of a joint committee on
7a matter shall apply to the sequence of dismissal until the
8agreement is amended or terminated by the joint committee.
9    The provisions of the Open Meetings Act shall not apply to
10meetings of a joint committee created under this subsection
11(c).
12    (d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
13subsection (d), the requirements and dismissal procedures of
14Section 24-16.5 of this Code shall apply to any dismissal
15sought under Section 24-16.5 of this Code.
16        (1) If a dismissal of a teacher in contractual
17    continued service is sought for any reason or cause other
18    than an honorable dismissal under subsections (a) or (b)
19    of this Section or a dismissal sought under Section
20    24-16.5 of this Code, including those under Section
21    10-22.4, the board must first approve a motion containing
22    specific charges by a majority vote of all its members.
23    Written notice of such charges, including a bill of
24    particulars and the teacher's right to request a hearing,
25    must be mailed to the teacher and also given to the teacher
26    either by electronic mail, certified mail, return receipt

 

 

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

 

 

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1    shall forward a copy of the notice to the State Board of
2    Education.
3        (3) Within 5 business days after receiving a notice of
4    hearing in which either notice to the teacher was sent
5    before July 1, 2012 or, if the notice was sent on or after
6    July 1, 2012, the teacher has requested a hearing before a
7    mutually selected hearing officer, the State Board of
8    Education shall provide a list of 5 prospective, impartial
9    hearing officers from the master list of qualified,
10    impartial hearing officers maintained by the State Board
11    of Education. Each person on the master list must (i) be
12    accredited by a national arbitration organization and have
13    had a minimum of 5 years of experience directly related to
14    labor and employment relations matters between employers
15    and employees or their exclusive bargaining
16    representatives and (ii) beginning September 1, 2012, have
17    participated in training provided or approved by the State
18    Board of Education for teacher dismissal hearing officers
19    so that he or she is familiar with issues generally
20    involved in evaluative and non-evaluative dismissals.
21        If notice to the teacher was sent before July 1, 2012
22    or, if the notice was sent on or after July 1, 2012, the
23    teacher has requested a hearing before a mutually selected
24    hearing officer, the board and the teacher or their legal
25    representatives within 3 business days shall alternately
26    strike one name from the list provided by the State Board

 

 

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1    of Education until only one name remains. Unless waived by
2    the teacher, the teacher shall have the right to proceed
3    first with the striking. Within 3 business days of receipt
4    of the list provided by the State Board of Education, the
5    board and the teacher or their legal representatives shall
6    each have the right to reject all prospective hearing
7    officers named on the list and notify the State Board of
8    Education of such rejection. Within 3 business days after
9    receiving this notification, the State Board of Education
10    shall appoint a qualified person from the master list who
11    did not appear on the list sent to the parties to serve as
12    the hearing officer, unless the parties notify it that
13    they have chosen to alternatively select a hearing officer
14    under paragraph (4) of this subsection (d).
15        If the teacher has requested a hearing before a
16    hearing officer selected by the board, the board shall
17    select one name from the master list of qualified
18    impartial hearing officers maintained by the State Board
19    of Education within 3 business days after receipt and
20    shall notify the State Board of Education of its
21    selection.
22        A hearing officer mutually selected by the parties,
23    selected by the board, or selected through an alternative
24    selection process under paragraph (4) of this subsection
25    (d) (A) must not be a resident of the school district, (B)
26    must be available to commence the hearing within 75 days

 

 

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1    and conclude the hearing within 120 days after being
2    selected as the hearing officer, and (C) must issue a
3    decision as to whether the teacher must be dismissed and
4    give a copy of that decision to both the teacher and the
5    board within 30 days from the conclusion of the hearing or
6    closure of the record, whichever is later.
7        Any hearing convened during a public health emergency
8    pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management
9    Agency Act may be convened remotely. Any hearing officer
10    for a hearing convened during a public health emergency
11    pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management
12    Agency Act may voluntarily withdraw from the hearing and
13    another hearing officer shall be selected or appointed
14    pursuant to this Section.
15        In this paragraph, "pre-hearing procedures" refers to
16    the pre-hearing procedures under Section 51.55 of Title 23
17    of the Illinois Administrative Code and "hearing" refers
18    to the hearing under Section 51.60 of Title 23 of the
19    Illinois Administrative Code. Any teacher who has been
20    charged with engaging in acts of corporal punishment,
21    physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct and who
22    previously paused pre-hearing procedures or a hearing
23    pursuant to Public Act 101-643 must proceed with selection
24    of a hearing officer or hearing date, or both, within the
25    timeframes established by this paragraph (3) and
26    paragraphs (4) through (6) of this subsection (d), unless

 

 

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1    the timeframes are mutually waived in writing by both
2    parties, and all timelines set forth in this Section in
3    cases concerning corporal punishment, physical abuse,
4    grooming, or sexual misconduct shall be reset to begin the
5    day after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
6    102nd General Assembly. Any teacher charged with engaging
7    in acts of corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming,
8    or sexual misconduct on or after the effective date of
9    this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly may not
10    pause pre-hearing procedures or a hearing.
11        (4) In the alternative to selecting a hearing officer
12    from the list received from the State Board of Education
13    or accepting the appointment of a hearing officer by the
14    State Board of Education or if the State Board of
15    Education cannot provide a list or appoint a hearing
16    officer that meets the foregoing requirements, the board
17    and the teacher or their legal representatives may
18    mutually agree to select an impartial hearing officer who
19    is not on the master list either by direct appointment by
20    the parties or by using procedures for the appointment of
21    an arbitrator established by the Federal Mediation and
22    Conciliation Service or the American Arbitration
23    Association. The parties shall notify the State Board of
24    Education of their intent to select a hearing officer
25    using an alternative procedure within 3 business days of
26    receipt of a list of prospective hearing officers provided

 

 

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1    by the State Board of Education, notice of appointment of
2    a hearing officer by the State Board of Education, or
3    receipt of notice from the State Board of Education that
4    it cannot provide a list that meets the foregoing
5    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
17    may agree to supplement the fees determined by the State
18    Board to the hearing officer, at a rate consistent with
19    the 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
21    of the hearing, the names and addresses of persons who may
22    be called as witnesses at the hearing, a summary of the
23    facts or opinions each witness will testify to, and all
24    other documents and materials, including information
25    maintained electronically, relevant to its own as well as
26    the other party's case (the hearing officer may exclude

 

 

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

 

 

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1    district representative, their legal representatives, the
2    hearing officer, or an essential witness as indicated in
3    each party's pre-hearing submission. In a dismissal
4    hearing pursuant to Article 24A of this Code in which a
5    witness is a student or is under the age of 18, the hearing
6    officer must make accommodations for the witness, as
7    provided under paragraph (6.5) of this subsection. The
8    hearing officer shall consider and give weight to all of
9    the teacher's evaluations written pursuant to Article 24A
10    that are 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
15    the party's witnesses, for good cause or by mutual
16    agreement of the parties. The State Board of Education
17    shall define in rules the meaning of "day" for such
18    purposes. All testimony at the hearing shall be taken
19    under oath administered by the hearing officer. The
20    hearing officer shall cause a record of the proceedings to
21    be kept and shall employ a competent reporter to take
22    stenographic or stenotype notes of all the testimony. The
23    costs of the reporter's attendance and services at the
24    hearing shall be paid by the party or parties who are
25    responsible for paying the fees and costs of the hearing
26    officer. Either party desiring a transcript of the hearing

 

 

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1    shall pay for the cost thereof. Any post-hearing briefs
2    must be submitted by the parties by no later than 21 days
3    after a party's receipt of the transcript of the hearing,
4    unless extended by the hearing officer for good cause or
5    by mutual agreement of the 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
10    or 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
24    the 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
5    shall be dismissed for cause and shall give a copy of the
6    decision or findings of fact and recommendation to both
7    the teacher and the school board. If a hearing officer
8    fails without good cause, specifically provided in writing
9    to both parties and the State Board of Education, to
10    render a decision or findings of fact and recommendation
11    within 30 days after the hearing is concluded or the
12    record is closed, whichever is later, the parties may
13    mutually agree to select a hearing officer pursuant to the
14    alternative procedure, as provided in this Section, to
15    rehear the charges heard by the hearing officer who failed
16    to render a decision or findings of fact and
17    recommendation or to review the record and render a
18    decision. If any hearing officer fails without good cause,
19    specifically provided in writing to both parties and the
20    State Board of Education, to render a decision or findings
21    of fact and recommendation within 30 days after the
22    hearing is concluded or the record is closed, whichever is
23    later, the hearing officer shall be removed from the
24    master list of hearing officers maintained by the State
25    Board of Education for not more than 24 months. The
26    parties and the State Board of Education may also take

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1    matter to the school board with direction for entry of an
2    order setting the amount of back pay, lost benefits, and
3    costs, less mitigation. The teacher may challenge the
4    school board's order setting the amount of back pay, lost
5    benefits, and costs, less mitigation, through an expedited
6    arbitration procedure, with the costs of the arbitrator
7    borne by the school board.
8        Any teacher who is reinstated by any hearing or
9    adjudication brought under this Section shall be assigned
10    by the board to a position substantially similar to the
11    one which that teacher held prior to that teacher's
12    suspension or dismissal.
13        (11) Subject to any later effective date referenced in
14    this Section for a specific aspect of the dismissal
15    process, the changes made by Public Act 97-8 shall apply
16    to dismissals instituted on or after September 1, 2011.
17    Any dismissal instituted prior to September 1, 2011 must
18    be carried out in accordance with the requirements of this
19    Section prior to amendment by Public Act 97-8.
20    (e) Nothing contained in Public Act 98-648 repeals,
21supersedes, invalidates, or nullifies final decisions in
22lawsuits pending on July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public
23Act 98-648) in Illinois courts involving the interpretation of
24Public Act 97-8.
25(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19;
26101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-708, eff. 4-22-22.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/34-84)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-84)
2    Sec. 34-84. Appointments and promotions of teachers.
3Appointments and promotions of teachers shall be made for
4merit only, and after satisfactory service for a probationary
5period of 3 years with respect to probationary employees
6employed as full-time teachers in the public school system of
7the district before January 1, 1998 or on or after January 1,
82024 and 4 years with respect to probationary employees who
9are first employed as full-time teachers in the public school
10system of the district on or after January 1, 1998 but before
11January 1, 2024, during which period the board may dismiss or
12discharge any such probationary employee upon the
13recommendation, accompanied by the written reasons therefor,
14of the general superintendent of schools and after which
15period appointments of teachers shall become permanent,
16subject to removal for cause in the manner provided by Section
1734-85.
18    For a probationary-appointed teacher in full-time service
19who is appointed on or after July 1, 2013 and who receives
20ratings of "excellent" during his or her first 3 school terms
21of full-time service, the probationary period shall be 3
22school terms of full-time service. For a
23probationary-appointed teacher in full-time service who is
24appointed on or after July 1, 2013 and who had previously
25entered into contractual continued service in another school

 

 

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1district in this State or a program of a special education
2joint agreement in this State, as defined in Section 24-11 of
3this Code, the probationary period shall be 2 school terms of
4full-time service, provided that (i) the teacher voluntarily
5resigned or was honorably dismissed from the prior district or
6program within the 3-month period preceding his or her
7appointment date, (ii) the teacher's last 2 ratings in the
8prior district or program were at least "proficient" and were
9issued after the prior district's or program's PERA
10implementation date, as defined in Section 24-11 of this Code,
11and (iii) the teacher receives ratings of "excellent" during
12his or her first 2 school terms of full-time service.
13    For a probationary-appointed teacher in full-time service
14who is appointed on or after July 1, 2013 and who has not
15entered into contractual continued service after 2 or 3 school
16terms of full-time service as provided in this Section, the
17probationary period shall be 3 4 school terms of full-time
18service, provided that the teacher holds a Professional
19Educator License and receives a rating of at least
20"proficient" in the last school term and a rating of at least
21"proficient" in either the second or third school term.
22    As used in this Section, "school term" means the school
23term established by the board pursuant to Section 10-19 of
24this Code, and "full-time service" means the teacher has
25actually worked at least 150 days during the school term. As
26used in this Article, "teachers" means and includes all

 

 

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1members of the teaching force excluding the general
2superintendent and principals.
3    There shall be no reduction in teachers because of a
4decrease in student membership or a change in subject
5requirements within the attendance center organization after
6the 20th day following the first day of the school year, except
7that: (1) this provision shall not apply to desegregation
8positions, special education positions, or any other positions
9funded by State or federal categorical funds, and (2) at
10attendance centers maintaining any of grades 9 through 12,
11there may be a second reduction in teachers on the first day of
12the second semester of the regular school term because of a
13decrease in student membership or a change in subject
14requirements within the attendance center organization.
15    The school principal shall make the decision in selecting
16teachers to fill new and vacant positions consistent with
17Section 34-8.1.
18(Source: P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11.)
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
202023.".