HB2470 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 08416 MLM 18530 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB2470

Introduced , by Rep. Lawrence Walsh, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/21B-20
105 ILCS 5/21B-30

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a career and technical educator or a part-time provisional career and technical educator endorsement may be issued to an applicant who, among other requires, has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an accredited trade and technical institution (rather than just a regionally accredited institution of higher education). Allows individuals seeking these endorsements to pass a test of basic skills or a test of work proficiency. Allows individuals holding a provisional career and technical educator endorsement to renew their endorsement more than one time. Reduces the semester hour requirement for a provisional career and technical educator endorsement from 20 to 15. Effective July 1, 2017.

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 Sections 21B-20 and 21B-30 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/21B-20)

Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. Before July 1, 2013, the State Board of Education shall implement a system of educator licensure, whereby individuals employed in school districts who are required to be licensed must have one of the following licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) a professional educator license with stipulations; or (iii) a substitute teaching license. References in law regarding individuals certified or certificated or required to be certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June 30 following one full year of the license being issued.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for licenses and endorsements under this Section.

(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i) have successfully completed an approved educator preparation program and are recommended for licensure by the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation program, (ii) have successfully completed the required testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have successfully completed coursework on the psychology of, the identification of, and the methods of instruction for the exceptional child, including without limitation children with learning disabilities, (iv) have successfully completed coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other criteria established by rule of the State Board of Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License. All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued. The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is eligible to practice.

Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework in the endorsement area, unless otherwise specified by rule, and passage of the applicable content area test.

(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement that limits the license holder to one particular position or does not require completion of an approved educator program or both.

An individual with an Educator License with Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued with the following endorsements:

(A) Provisional educator. A provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds an educator license from another state, U.S. territory, or foreign country and who, at the time of applying for an Illinois license, does not meet the minimum requirements under Section 21B-35 of this Code, but does, at a minimum, meet the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement, from a regionally accredited college or university or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement.

(ii) Has passed or passes a test of basic skills and content area test prior to or within one year after issuance of the provisional educator endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations. If an individual who holds an Educator License with Stipulations endorsed for provisional educator has not passed a test of basic skills and applicable content area test or tests within one year after issuance of the endorsement, the endorsement shall expire on June 30 following one full year of the endorsement being issued. If such an individual has passed the test of basic skills and applicable content area test or tests either prior to issuance of the endorsement or within one year after issuance of the endorsement, the endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 2 years of the license being issued, during which time any and all coursework deficiencies must be met and any and all additional testing deficiencies must be met.

In addition, a provisional educator endorsement for principals or superintendents may be issued if the individual meets the requirements set forth in subdivisions (1) and (3) of subsection (b-5) of Section 21B-35 of this Code. Applicants who have not been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education shall not receive a provisional educator endorsement if the person completed an alternative licensure program in another state, unless the program has been determined to be equivalent to Illinois program requirements.

Notwithstanding any other requirements of this Section, a service member or spouse of a service member may obtain a Professional Educator License with Stipulations, and a provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas, if he or she holds a valid teaching certificate or license in good standing from another state, meets the qualifications of educators outlined in Section 21B-15 of this Code, and has not engaged in any misconduct that would prohibit an individual from obtaining a license pursuant to Illinois law, including without limitation any administrative rules of the State Board of Education.

In this Section, "service member" means any person who, at the time of application under this Section, is an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces or any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard of any state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

A provisional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 2 years of the license being issued, provided that any remaining testing and coursework deficiencies are met as set forth in this Section. Failure to satisfy all stated deficiencies shall mean the individual, including any service member or spouse who has obtained a Professional Educator License with Stipulations and a provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas, is ineligible to receive a Professional Educator License at that time. An Educator License with Stipulations endorsed for provisional educator shall not be renewed for individuals who hold an Educator License with Stipulations and who have held a position in a public school or non-public school recognized by the State Board of Education.

(B) Alternative provisional educator. An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The alternative provisional educator endorsement is valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a third year by an individual meeting the requirements set forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in a school district's central office. This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a master's degree in a management field other than education.

(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5 years in a management level position in a field other than education.

(iii) Successfully completed the first phase of an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55 of this Code.

(iv) Passed a test of basic skills and content area tests required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The endorsement may be registered for 2 fiscal years in order to complete one full year of serving as a superintendent or assistant superintendent.

(D) Resident teacher endorsement. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Enrolled in an approved Illinois educator preparation program.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 4 years of teaching and shall not be renewed.

A resident teacher may teach only under the direction of a licensed teacher, who shall act as the resident mentor teacher, and may not teach in place of a licensed teacher. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall no longer be valid after June 30, 2017.

(E) Career and technical educator. A career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an accredited trade and technical institution and has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of education in each area to be taught.

The career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed. For individuals who were issued the career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations on or after January 1, 2015, the license may be renewed if the individual passes a test of basic skills or test of work proficiency, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

(F) Part-time provisional career and technical educator or provisional career and technical educator. A part-time provisional career and technical educator endorsement or a provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It is the responsibility of each employing school board and regional office of education to provide verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent of Education at the time the application is submitted that no qualified teacher holding a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations with a career and technical educator endorsement is available and that actual circumstances require such issuance.

The provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed only one time for 5 years. For individuals who were issued the provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations on or after January 1, 2015, the license may be renewed one time if the individual passes a test of basic skills or test of work proficiency, or test of work proficiency, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has completed a minimum of 15 20 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution or an accredited trade and technical school.

A part-time provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for teaching no more than 2 courses of study for grades 6 through 12. The part-time provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for 5 years if the individual makes application for renewal.

(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for the purpose of providing instruction in accordance with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and writing ability in the language other than English in which transitional bilingual education is offered.

(ii) Has the ability to successfully communicate in English.

(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years previous to his or her applying for a transitional bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and comparable teaching certificate or comparable authorization issued by a foreign country or holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

A transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be renewed.

Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall not be employed to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language other than English in the public schools, an individual who holds an Educator License with Stipulations may also apply for a language endorsement, provided that the applicant provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds a transitional bilingual endorsement.

(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the language for which the endorsement is to be issued by passing the applicable language content test required by the State Board of Education.

(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

(iv) Has passed a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

A language endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through grade 12 for the same validity period as the individual's transitional bilingual educator endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations and shall not be renewed.

(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an individual who is being recruited by a particular school district that conducts formal recruitment programs outside of the United States to secure the services of qualified teachers and who meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States.

(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the grade level for which he or she will be employed.

(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the subject to be taught.

(iv) Has an adequate command of the English language.

A holder of a visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education programs in the language that was the medium of instruction in his or her teacher preparation program, provided that he or she passes the English Language Proficiency Examination or another test of writing skills in English identified by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 3 years and shall not be renewed.

(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. The paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed through application and payment of the appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject to additional requirements in order to renew the endorsement.

(K) Chief school business official. A chief school business official endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience in school business management or 2 years of university-approved practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of school business administrators and by passage of the applicable State tests, including a test of basic skills and applicable content area test.

The chief school business official endorsement may also be affixed to the Educator License with Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in business administration, finance, or accounting and who completes an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school business management from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and passes the applicable State tests, including a test of basic skills and applicable content area test. This endorsement shall be required for any individual employed as a chief school business official.

The chief school business official endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the license holder completes renewal requirements as required for individuals who hold a Professional Educator License endorsed for chief school business official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such rules as may be adopted by the State Board of Education.

(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but who meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution.

(iii) Has passed a test of basic skills and applicable content area test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.

(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a minimum score on that assessment, as established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not be renewed.

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching License may be issued to qualified applicants for substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an individual has had his or her Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked or has not met the renewal requirements for licensure, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute Teaching License.

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under contract because of an emergency situation, then a district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the district if the district notifies the appropriate regional office of education within 5 business days after the employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the vacant position.

There is no limit on the number of days that a substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 98-28, eff. 7-1-13; 98-751, eff. 1-1-15; 99-35, eff. 1-1-16; 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16; 99-920, eff. 1-6-17.)

(105 ILCS 5/21B-30)

Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.

(a) This Section applies beginning on July 1, 2012.

(b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design and implement a system of examinations, which shall be required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These examinations and indicators must be based on national and State professional teaching standards, as determined by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement and administer this Section.

(c) Applicants seeking a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations shall be required to pass a test of basic skills before the license is issued, unless the endorsement the individual is seeking does not require passage of the test. For a career and technical educator and a part-time provisional career and technical educator, the basic skills test may consist of a test of work proficiency. All applicants completing Illinois-approved, teacher education or school service personnel preparation programs shall be required to pass the State Board of Education's recognized test of basic skills prior to starting their student teaching or starting the final semester of their internship, unless required earlier at the discretion of the recognized, Illinois institution in which they are completing their approved program. An individual who passes a test of basic skills does not need to do so again for subsequent endorsements or other educator licenses.

(d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.

(e) (Blank). and completing their student teaching experience no later than August 31, 2015 Prior to September 1, 2015, passage The APT shall be available through August 31, 2020.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. All recognized institutions offering approved teacher preparation programs must begin phasing in the approved teacher performance assessment no later than July 1, 2013.

(g) Tests of basic skills and content area knowledge and the assessment of professional teaching shall be the tests that from time to time are designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing organization or tests designed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The areas to be covered by a test of basic skills shall include reading, language arts, and mathematics. The test of content area knowledge shall assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this Code in the English language and in the language of the transitional bilingual education program requested by the applicant.

(h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school district subject to Article 34 of this Code.

(i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the testing requirements under this Section shall include without limitation provisions governing test selection, test validation and determination of a passing score, administration of the tests, frequency of administration, applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.

(Source: P.A. 98-361, eff. 1-1-14; 98-581, eff. 8-27-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14; 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 99-657, eff. 7-28-16; 99-920, eff. 1-6-17; revised 1-23-17.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2017.