HB5024 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 18329 NHT 42703 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB5024

Introduced , by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/3-1

from Ch. 122, par. 3-1

Amends the Regional Superintendent of Schools Article of the School Code. Makes changes concerning the qualifications of a regional superintendent of schools, including requiring his or her master's degree to be in education, removing the licensure requirement if he or she will have on staff a qualified assistant regional superintendent, allowing the teaching experience to include any grade level, kindergarten through the university undergraduate level, and requiring employment with the regional office of education for which he or she is seeking to serve as regional superintendent for a minimum of 5 years in an administrative capacity. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section 3-1 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/3-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-1)

Sec. 3-1. Election; eligibility. Quadrennially there shall be elected in every county, except those which have been consolidated into a multicounty educational service region under Article 3A and except those having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, a regional superintendent of schools, who shall enter upon the discharge of his duties on the first Monday of August next after his election; provided, however, that the term of office of each regional superintendent of schools in office on June 30, 2003 is terminated on July 1, 2003, except that an incumbent regional superintendent of schools shall continue to serve until his successor is elected and qualified, and each regional superintendent of schools elected at the general election in 2002 and every four years thereafter shall assume office on the first day of July next after his election. No one is eligible to file his or her petition at any primary election for the nomination as candidate for the office of regional superintendent of schools nor to enter upon the duties of such office either by election or appointment unless he or she possesses the following qualifications: (1) he or she is of good character, (2) he or she has a master's degree in education, (3) he or she has earned at least 20 semester hours of credit in professional education at the graduate level, (4) he or she holds a valid all grade supervisory license, a valid State limited supervisory license, a valid state life supervisory license, or a valid administrative license or he or she will have on staff an assistant regional superintendent of schools who meets the requirements of Section 3-15.10 of this Code, (5) he or she has had at least 4 years of experience in teaching at any grade level, kindergarten through the university undergraduate level, and (6) he or she has been employed with the regional office of education for which he or she is seeking to serve as regional superintendent of schools for a minimum of 5 years in an administrative capacity he was engaged for at least 2 years of the 4 previous years in full time teaching or supervising in the common public schools or serving as a county superintendent of schools or regional superintendent of schools for an educational service region in the State of Illinois.

No petition of any candidate for nomination for the office of regional superintendent of schools may be filed and no such candidate's name may be placed on a primary or general election ballot, unless such candidate files as part of his petition a certificate from the State Board of Education certifying that from the records of its office such candidate has the qualifications required by this Section; however, any incumbent filing his petition for nomination for a succeeding term of office shall not be required to attach such certificate to his petition of candidacy.

Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid unless the candidate named therein files with the county clerk or State Board of Elections a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Such receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar year in which his nomination papers were filed or within the period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with the general election law.

The changes in qualifications made by Public Act 76-1563 do not affect the right of an incumbent to seek reelection. The changes in qualifications made by this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly do not affect the right of an incumbent to serve the remainder of his or her term.

On and after July 1, 1994, the provisions of this Section shall have no application in any educational service region having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants; provided further that no election shall be held in November of 1994 or at any other time after July 1, 1992 for the office of regional superintendent of schools in any county or educational service region having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.