96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB3488

 

Introduced 2/10/2010, by Sen. Dan Cronin

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21-2   from Ch. 122, par. 21-2

    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning teacher certification.


LRB096 20531 MJR 36217 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3488 LRB096 20531 MJR 36217 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 21-2 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/21-2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)
7     Sec. 21-2. Grades of certificates.
8     (a) All certificates issued under this Article shall be
9 State certificates valid, except as limited in Section 21-1, in
10 every school district coming under the the provisions of this
11 Act and shall be limited in time and designated as follows:
12 Provisional vocational certificate, temporary provisional
13 vocational certificate, early childhood certificate,
14 elementary school certificate, special certificate, secondary
15 certificate, school service personnel certificate,
16 administrative certificate, provisional certificate, and
17 substitute certificate. The requirement of student teaching
18 under close and competent supervision for obtaining a teaching
19 certificate may be waived by the State Teacher Certification
20 Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence
21 of 5 years successful teaching experience on a valid
22 certificate and graduation from a recognized institution of
23 higher learning with a bachelor's degree.

 

 

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1     (b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Persons who (1) have
2 completed an approved teacher preparation program, (2) are
3 recommended by an approved teacher preparation program, (3)
4 have successfully completed the Initial Teaching Certification
5 examinations required by the State Board of Education, and (4)
6 have met all other criteria established by the State Board of
7 Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification
8 Board, shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid
9 for 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this
10 Code. Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for
11 categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
12 Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
13 designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
14 fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
15 Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and
16 Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
17 designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
18 with the State Teacher Certification Board. Notwithstanding
19 any other provision of this Article, an Initial Teaching
20 Certificate shall be automatically extended for one year for
21 all persons who (i) have been issued an Initial Teaching
22 Certificate that expires on June 30, 2004 and (ii) have not
23 met, prior to July 1, 2004, the Standard Certificate
24 requirements under paragraph (c) of this Section. An
25 application and fee shall not be required for this extension.
26     (b-5) A person who holds an out-of-state certificate and

 

 

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1 who is otherwise eligible for a comparable Illinois certificate
2 may be issued an Initial Certificate if that person has not
3 completed 4 years of teaching. Upon completion of 4 years of
4 teaching, the person is eligible for a Standard Certificate.
5 Beginning July 1, 2004, an out-of-state candidate who has
6 already earned a second-tier certificate in another state is
7 not subject to any Standard Certificate eligibility
8 requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this
9 Section other than completion of the 4 years of teaching. An
10 out-of-state candidate who has completed less than 4 years of
11 teaching and does not hold a second-tier certificate from
12 another state must meet the requirements stated in paragraph
13 (2) of subsection (c) of this Section, proportionately reduced
14 by the amount of time remaining to complete the 4 years of
15 teaching.
16     (c) Standard Certificate.
17     (1) Persons who (i) have completed 4 years of teaching, as
18 defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial
19 Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate and
20 have met all other criteria established by the State Board of
21 Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification
22 Board, (ii) have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid
23 equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the
24 United States, or have completed 4 years of teaching in a
25 nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary school with an
26 Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching

 

 

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1 Certificate, and have met all other criteria established by the
2 State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
3 Teacher Certification Board, or (iii) were issued teaching
4 certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and are renewing those
5 certificates after February 15, 2000, shall be issued a
6 Standard Certificate valid for 5 years, which may be renewed
7 thereafter every 5 years by the State Teacher Certification
8 Board based on proof of continuing education or professional
9 development. Beginning July 1, 2003, persons who have completed
10 4 years of teaching, as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of
11 this paragraph (1), have successfully completed the
12 requirements of paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection
13 (c), and have met all other criteria established by the State
14 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
15 Certification Board, shall be issued Standard Certificates.
16 Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section,
17 beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid out-of-state
18 certificates and have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid
19 equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the
20 United States shall be issued comparable Standard
21 Certificates. Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid
22 out-of-state certificates as described in subsection (b-5) of
23 this Section are subject to the requirements of paragraphs (2)
24 through (4) of this subsection (c), as required in subsection
25 (b-5) of this Section, in order to receive a Standard
26 Certificate. Standard Certificates shall be issued for

 

 

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1 categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
2 Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
3 designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
4 fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
5 Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and
6 Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
7 designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
8 with the State Teacher Certification Board.
9     (2) This paragraph (2) applies only to those persons
10 required to successfully complete the requirements of this
11 paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). In order
12 to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate, a person must
13 satisfy one of the following requirements:
14         (A) Completion of a program of induction and mentoring
15     for new teachers that is based upon a specific plan
16     approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
17     with the State Teacher Certification Board. Nothing in this
18     Section, however, prohibits an induction or mentoring
19     program from operating prior to approval. Holders of
20     Initial Certificates issued before September 1, 2007 must
21     complete, at a minimum, an approved one-year induction and
22     mentoring program. Holders of Initial Certificates issued
23     on or after September 1, 2007 must complete an approved
24     2-year induction and mentoring program. The plan must
25     describe the role of mentor teachers, the criteria and
26     process for their selection, and how all the following

 

 

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1     components are to be provided:
2             (i) Assignment of a formally trained mentor
3         teacher to each new teacher for a specified period of
4         time, which shall be established by the employing
5         school or school district, provided that a mentor
6         teacher may not directly or indirectly participate in
7         the evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A
8         of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the school.
9             (ii) Formal mentoring for each new teacher.
10             (iii) Support for each new teacher in relation to
11         the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the
12         content-area standards applicable to the new teacher's
13         area of certification, and any applicable local school
14         improvement and professional development plans.
15             (iv) Professional development specifically
16         designed to foster the growth of each new teacher's
17         knowledge and skills.
18             (v) Formative assessment that is based on the
19         Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and designed
20         to provide feedback to the new teacher and
21         opportunities for reflection on his or her
22         performance, which must not be used directly or
23         indirectly in any evaluation of a new teacher pursuant
24         to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure
25         of the school and which must include the activities
26         specified in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of

 

 

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1         this paragraph (2).
2             (vi) Assignment of responsibility for coordination
3         of the induction and mentoring program within each
4         school district participating in the program.
5         (B) Successful completion of 4 semester hours of
6     graduate-level coursework on the assessment of one's own
7     performance in relation to the Illinois Professional
8     Teaching Standards. The coursework must be approved by the
9     State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
10     Teacher Certification Board; must be offered either by an
11     institution of higher education, by such an institution in
12     partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a
13     regional office of education, or by another entity
14     authorized to issue college credit; and must include
15     demonstration of performance through all of the following
16     activities for each of the Illinois Professional Teaching
17     Standards:
18             (i) Observation, by the course instructor or
19         another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's
20         classroom practice (the observation may be recorded
21         for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and
22         describing how the new teacher made content meaningful
23         for students; how the teacher motivated individuals
24         and the group and created an environment conducive to
25         positive social interactions, active learning, and
26         self-motivation; what instructional strategies the

 

 

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1         teacher used to encourage students' development of
2         critical thinking, problem solving, and performance;
3         how the teacher communicated using written, verbal,
4         nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and
5         how the teacher maintained standards of professional
6         conduct and provided leadership to improve students'
7         learning.
8             (ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor
9         or another experienced teacher, of written
10         documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments,
11         assessment instruments, and samples of students' work)
12         prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The
13         documentation must provide evidence of classroom
14         performance related to Illinois Professional Teaching
15         Standards 1 through 9, with an emphasis on how the
16         teacher used his or her understanding of students,
17         assessment data, and subject matter to decide on
18         learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected
19         activities and instructional materials and aligned
20         instruction to the relevant Illinois Learning
21         Standards; how the teacher adapted or modified
22         curriculum to meet individual students' needs; and how
23         the teacher sequenced instruction and designed or
24         selected student assessment strategies.
25             (iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on
26         the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her

 

 

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1         practice, which was observed under clause (B)(i) of
2         this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (B)(ii)
3         of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths,
4         weaknesses, and implications for improvement according
5         to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.
6         (C) Successful completion of a minimum of 4 semester
7     hours of graduate-level coursework addressing preparation
8     to meet the requirements for certification by the National
9     Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The
10     coursework must be approved by the State Board of
11     Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
12     Certification Board, and must be offered either by an
13     institution of higher education, by such an institution in
14     partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a
15     regional office of education, or by another entity
16     authorized to issue college credit. The course must address
17     the 5 NBPTS Core Propositions and relevant standards
18     through such means as the following:
19             (i) Observation, by the course instructor or
20         another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's
21         classroom practice (the observation may be recorded
22         for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and
23         describing how the new teacher made content meaningful
24         for students; how the teacher motivated individuals
25         and the group and created an environment conducive to
26         positive social interactions, active learning, and

 

 

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1         self-motivation; what instructional strategies the
2         teacher used to encourage students' development of
3         critical thinking, problem solving, and performance;
4         how the teacher communicated using written, verbal,
5         nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and
6         how the teacher maintained standards of professional
7         conduct and provided leadership to improve students'
8         learning.
9             (ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor
10         or another experienced teacher, of written
11         documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments,
12         assessment instruments, and samples of students' work)
13         prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The
14         documentation must provide evidence of classroom
15         performance, including how the teacher used his or her
16         understanding of students, assessment data, and
17         subject matter to decide on learning goals; how the
18         teacher designed or selected activities and
19         instructional materials and aligned instruction to the
20         relevant Illinois Learning Standards; how the teacher
21         adapted or modified curriculum to meet individual
22         students' needs; and how the teacher sequenced
23         instruction and designed or selected student
24         assessment strategies.
25             (iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on
26         the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her

 

 

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1         practice, which was observed under clause (C)(i) of
2         this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (C)(ii)
3         of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths,
4         weaknesses, and implications for improvement.
5         (C-5) Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 12
6     semester hours of graduate credit towards an advanced
7     degree in an education-related field from an accredited
8     institution of higher education.
9         (D) Receipt of an advanced degree from an accredited
10     institution of higher education in an education-related
11     field that is earned by a person either while he or she
12     holds an Initial Teaching Certificate or prior to his or
13     her receipt of that certificate.
14         (E) Accumulation of 60 continuing professional
15     development units (CPDUs), earned by completing selected
16     activities that comply with paragraphs (3) and (4) of this
17     subsection (c). However, for an individual who holds an
18     Initial Teaching Certificate on the effective date of this
19     amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, the number of
20     CPDUs shall be reduced to reflect the teaching time
21     remaining on the Initial Teaching Certificate.
22         (F) Completion of a nationally normed,
23     performance-based assessment, if made available by the
24     State Board of Education in consultation with the State
25     Teacher Certification Board, provided that the cost to the
26     person shall not exceed the cost of the coursework

 

 

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1     described in clause (B) of this paragraph (2).
2         (G) Completion of requirements for meeting the
3     Illinois criteria for becoming "highly qualified" (for
4     purposes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public
5     Law 107-110) in an additional teaching area.
6         (H) Receipt of a minimum 12-hour, post-baccalaureate,
7     education-related professional development certificate
8     issued by an Illinois institution of higher education and
9     developed in accordance with rules adopted by the State
10     Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher
11     Certification Board.
12         (I) Completion of the National Board for Professional
13     Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process.
14         (J) Receipt of a subsequent Illinois certificate or
15     endorsement pursuant to Article 21 of this Code.
16     (3) This paragraph (3) applies only to those persons
17 required to successfully complete the requirements of this
18 paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons
19 who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph
20 (2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may
21 earn credit through completion of coursework, workshops,
22 seminars, conferences, and other similar training events that
23 are pre-approved by the State Board of Education, in
24 consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for
25 the purpose of reflection on teaching practices in order to
26 address all of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards

 

 

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1 necessary to obtain a Standard Teaching Certificate. These
2 activities must meet all of the following requirements:
3         (A) Each activity must be designed to advance a
4     person's knowledge and skills in relation to one or more of
5     the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or in
6     relation to the content-area standards applicable to the
7     teacher's field of certification.
8         (B) Taken together, the activities completed must
9     address each of the Illinois Professional Teaching
10     Standards as provided in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and
11     (B)(iii) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c).
12         (C) Each activity must be provided by an entity
13     approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
14     with the State Teacher Certification Board, for this
15     purpose.
16         (D) Each activity, integral to its successful
17     completion, must require participants to demonstrate the
18     degree to which they have acquired new knowledge or skills,
19     such as through performance, through preparation of a
20     written product, through assembling samples of students'
21     or teachers' work, or by some other means that is
22     appropriate to the subject matter of the activity.
23         (E) One CPDU shall be available for each hour of direct
24     participation by a holder of an Initial Teaching
25     Certificate in a qualifying activity. An activity may be
26     attributed to more than one of the Illinois Professional

 

 

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1     Teaching Standards, but credit for any activity shall be
2     counted only once.
3     (4) This paragraph (4) applies only to those persons
4 required to successfully complete the requirements of this
5 paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons
6 who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph
7 (2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may
8 earn credit from the following, provided that each activity is
9 designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation
10 to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
11 or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the
12 person's field or fields of certification:
13         (A) Collaboration and partnership activities related
14     to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher,
15     including all of the following:
16             (i) Peer review and coaching.
17             (ii) Mentoring in a formal mentoring program,
18         including service as a consulting teacher
19         participating in a remediation process formulated
20         under Section 24A-5 of this Code.
21             (iii) Facilitating parent education programs
22         directly related to student achievement for a school,
23         school district, or regional office of education.
24             (iv) Participating in business, school, or
25         community partnerships directly related to student
26         achievement.

 

 

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1         (B) Teaching college or university courses in areas
2     relevant to a teacher's field of certification, provided
3     that the teaching may only be counted once during the
4     course of 4 years.
5         (C) Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, and
6     symposiums related to improving a person's knowledge and
7     skills as a teacher, including all of the following:
8             (i) Completing non-university credit directly
9         related to student achievement, the Illinois
10         Professional Teaching Standards, or content-area
11         standards.
12             (ii) Participating in or presenting at workshops,
13         seminars, conferences, institutes, and symposiums.
14             (iii) (Blank).
15             (iv) Training as reviewers of university teacher
16         preparation programs.
17         An activity listed in this clause (C) is creditable
18     only if its provider is approved for this purpose by the
19     State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
20     Teacher Certification Board.
21         (D) Other educational experiences related to improving
22     a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all
23     of the following:
24             (i) Participating in action research and inquiry
25         projects.
26             (ii) Observing programs or teaching in schools,

 

 

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1         related businesses, or industry that is systematic,
2         purposeful, and relevant to a teacher's field of
3         certification.
4             (iii) Participating in study groups related to
5         student achievement, the Illinois Professional
6         Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.
7             (iv) Participating in work/learn programs or
8         internships.
9             (v) Developing a portfolio of students' and
10         teacher's work.
11         (E) Professional leadership experiences related to
12     improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher,
13     including all of the following:
14             (i) Participating in curriculum development or
15     assessment activities at the school, school district,
16     regional office of education, State, or national level.
17             (ii) Participating in team or department
18         leadership in a school or school district.
19             (iii) (Blank).
20             (iv) Publishing educational articles, columns, or
21         books relevant to a teacher's field of certification.
22             (v) Participating in non-strike related activities
23         of a professional association or labor organization
24         that are related to professional development.
25     (5) A person must complete the requirements of this
26 subsection (c) before the expiration of his or her Initial

 

 

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1 Teaching Certificate and must submit assurance of having done
2 so to the regional superintendent of schools or a local
3 professional development committee authorized by the regional
4 superintendent to submit recommendations to him or her for this
5 purpose.
6     Within 30 days after receipt, the regional superintendent
7 of schools shall review the assurance of completion submitted
8 by a person and, based upon compliance with all of the
9 requirements for receipt of a Standard Teaching Certificate,
10 shall forward to the State Board of Education a recommendation
11 for issuance of the Standard Certificate or non-issuance. The
12 regional superintendent of schools shall notify the affected
13 person if the recommendation is for non-issuance of the
14 Standard Certificate. A person who is considered not to be
15 eligible for a Standard Certificate and who has received the
16 notice of non-issuance may appeal this determination to the
17 Regional Professional Development Review Committee (RPDRC).
18 The recommendation of the regional superintendent and the
19 RPDRC, along with all supporting materials, must then be
20 forwarded to the State Board of Education for a final
21 determination.
22     Upon review of a regional superintendent of school's
23 recommendations, the State Board of Education shall issue
24 Standard Teaching Certificates to those who qualify and shall
25 notify a person, in writing, of a decision denying a Standard
26 Teaching Certificate. Any decision denying issuance of a

 

 

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1 Standard Teaching Certificate to a person may be appealed to
2 the State Teacher Certification Board.
3     (6) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
4 State Teacher Certification Board, may adopt rules to implement
5 this subsection (c) and may periodically evaluate any of the
6 methods of qualifying for a Standard Teaching Certificate
7 described in this subsection (c).
8     (7) The changes made to paragraphs (1) through (5) of this
9 subsection (c) by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
10 Assembly shall apply to those persons who hold or are eligible
11 to hold an Initial Certificate on or after the effective date
12 of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and shall
13 be given effect upon their application for a Standard
14 Certificate.
15     (8) Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold a Standard
16 Certificate and have acquired one master's degree in an
17 education-related field are eligible for certificate renewal
18 upon completion of two-thirds of the continuing professional
19 development units specified in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3)
20 of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code. Persons who
21 hold a Standard Certificate and have acquired a second master's
22 degree, an education specialist, or a doctorate in an
23 education-related field or hold a Master Certificate are
24 eligible for certificate renewal upon completion of one-third
25 of the continuing professional development units specified in
26 subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section

 

 

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1 21-14 of this Code.
2     (d) Master Certificate. Persons who have successfully
3 achieved National Board certification through the National
4 Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a
5 Master Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter
6 every 10 years through compliance with requirements set forth
7 by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
8 Teacher Certification Board. However, each teacher who holds a
9 Master Certificate shall be eligible for a teaching position in
10 this State in the areas for which he or she holds a Master
11 Certificate without satisfying any other requirements of this
12 Code, except for those requirements pertaining to criminal
13 background checks. A holder of a Master Certificate in an area
14 of science or social science is eligible to teach in any of the
15 subject areas within those fields, including those taught at
16 the advanced level, as defined by the State Board of Education
17 in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A
18 teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be deemed to meet
19 State certification renewal requirements in the area or areas
20 for which he or she holds a Master Certificate for the 10-year
21 term of the teacher's Master Certificate.
22 (Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)