Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 097-0255
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Public Act 097-0255


 

Public Act 0255 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
Public Act 097-0255
 
HB3222 EnrolledLRB097 06002 NHT 46073 b

    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
21-7.1 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21-7.1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-7.1)
    Sec. 21-7.1. Administrative certificate.
    (a) After July 1, 1999, an administrative certificate valid
for 5 years of supervising and administering in the public
common schools (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this
Section) may be issued to persons who have graduated from a
regionally accredited institution of higher learning with a
master's degree or its equivalent and who have been recommended
by a recognized institution of higher learning, a
not-for-profit entity, or a combination thereof, as having
completed a program of preparation for one or more of these
endorsements. Such programs of academic and professional
preparation required for endorsement shall be administered by
an institution or not-for-profit entity approved to offer such
programs by the State Board of Education, in consultation with
the State Teacher Certification Board, and shall be operated in
accordance with this Article and the standards set forth by the
State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the
State Teacher Certification Board. Any program offered in whole
or in part by a not-for-profit entity must also be approved by
the Board of Higher Education.
    (a-5) Beginning July 1, 2003, if an administrative
certificate holder holds a Standard Teaching Certificate, the
validity period of the administrative certificate shall be
changed, if necessary, so that the validity period of the
administrative certificate coincides with the validity period
of the Standard Teaching Certificate. Beginning July 1, 2003,
if an administrative certificate holder holds a Master Teaching
Certificate, the validity period of the administrative
certificate shall be changed so that the validity period of the
administrative certificate coincides with the validity period
of the Master Teaching Certificate.
    (b) No administrative certificate shall be issued for the
first time after June 30, 1987 and no endorsement provided for
by this Section shall be made or affixed to an administrative
certificate for the first time after June 30, 1987 unless the
person to whom such administrative certificate is to be issued
or to whose administrative certificate such endorsement is to
be affixed has been required to demonstrate as a part of a
program of academic or professional preparation for such
certification or endorsement: (i) an understanding of the
knowledge called for in establishing productive parent-school
relationships and of the procedures fostering the involvement
which such relationships demand; and (ii) an understanding of
the knowledge required for establishing a high quality school
climate and promoting good classroom organization and
management, including rules of conduct and instructional
procedures appropriate to accomplishing the tasks of
schooling; and (iii) a demonstration of the knowledge and
skills called for in providing instructional leadership. The
standards for demonstrating an understanding of such knowledge
shall be set forth by the State Board of Education in
consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and
shall be administered by the recognized institutions of higher
learning as part of the programs of academic and professional
preparation required for certification and endorsement under
this Section. As used in this subsection: "establishing
productive parent-school relationships" means the ability to
maintain effective communication between parents and school
personnel, to encourage parental involvement in schooling, and
to motivate school personnel to engage parents in encouraging
student achievement, including the development of programs and
policies which serve to accomplish this purpose; and
"establishing a high quality school climate" means the ability
to promote academic achievement, to maintain discipline, to
recognize substance abuse problems among students and utilize
appropriate law enforcement and other community resources to
address these problems, to support teachers and students in
their education endeavors, to establish learning objectives
and to provide instructional leadership, including the
development of policies and programs which serve to accomplish
this purpose; and "providing instructional leadership" means
the ability to effectively evaluate school personnel, to
possess general communication and interpersonal skills, and to
establish and maintain appropriate classroom learning
environments. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply
to or affect the initial issuance or making on or before June
30, 1987 of any administrative certificate or endorsement
provided for under this Section, nor shall such provisions
apply to or affect the renewal after June 30, 1987 of any such
certificate or endorsement initially issued or made on or
before June 30, 1987.
    (c) Administrative certificates shall be renewed every 5
years with the first renewal being 5 years following the
initial receipt of an administrative certificate, unless the
validity period for the administrative certificate has been
changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section, in which case
the certificate shall be renewed at the same time that the
Standard or Master Teaching Certificate is renewed.
    (c-5) (Blank).
    (c-10) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c-15) of
this Section, persons holding administrative certificates must
follow the certificate renewal procedure set forth in this
subsection (c-10), provided that those persons holding
administrative certificates on June 30, 2003 who are renewing
those certificates on or after July 1, 2003 shall be issued new
administrative certificates valid for 5 years (unless changed
under subsection (a-5) of this Section), which may be renewed
thereafter as set forth in this subsection (c-10).
    A person holding an administrative certificate and
employed in a position requiring administrative certification,
including a regional superintendent of schools, must satisfy
the continuing professional development requirements of this
Section to renew his or her administrative certificate. The
continuing professional development must include without
limitation the following continuing professional development
purposes:
        (1) To improve the administrator's knowledge of
    instructional practices and administrative procedures in
    accordance with the Illinois Professional School Leader
    Standards.
        (2) To maintain the basic level of competence required
    for initial certification.
        (3) To improve the administrator's mastery of skills
    and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching
    performance in clinical settings and assessment of the
    levels of student performance in the schools.
    The continuing professional development must include the
following in order for the certificate to be renewed:
        (A) Participation in continuing professional
    development activities, which must total a minimum of 100
    hours of continuing professional development. The
    participation must consist of a minimum of 5 activities per
    validity period of the certificate, and the certificate
    holder must maintain documentation of completion of each
    activity.
        (B) Participation every year in an Illinois
    Administrators' Academy course, which participation must
    total a minimum of 30 continuing professional development
    hours during the period of the certificate's validity and
    which must include completion of applicable required
    coursework, including completion of a communication,
    dissemination, or application component, as defined by the
    State Board of Education.
    The certificate holder must complete a verification form
developed by the State Board of Education and certify that 100
hours of continuing professional development activities and 5
Administrators' Academy courses have been completed. The
regional superintendent of schools shall review and validate
the verification form for a certificate holder. Based on
compliance with all of the requirements for renewal, the
regional superintendent of schools shall forward a
recommendation for renewal or non-renewal to the State
Superintendent of Education and shall notify the certificate
holder of the recommendation. The State Superintendent of
Education shall review the recommendation to renew or non-renew
and shall notify, in writing, the certificate holder of a
decision denying renewal of his or her certificate. Any
decision regarding non-renewal of an administrative
certificate may be appealed to the State Teacher Certification
Board.
    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Teacher Certification Board, shall adopt rules to
implement this subsection (c-10).
    The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor the
process for renewal of administrative certificates established
in this subsection (c-10).
    (c-15) This subsection (c-15) applies to the first period
of an administrative certificate's validity during which the
holder becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (c-10)
of this Section if the certificate has less than 5 years'
validity or has less than 5 years' validity remaining when the
certificate holder becomes subject to the requirements of
subsection (c-10) of this Section. With respect to this period,
the 100 hours of continuing professional development and 5
activities per validity period specified in clause (A) of
subsection (c-10) of this Section shall instead be deemed to
mean 20 hours of continuing professional development and one
activity per year of the certificate's validity or remaining
validity and the 30 continuing professional development hours
specified in clause (B) of subsection (c-10) of this Section
shall instead be deemed to mean completion of at least one
course per year of the certificate's validity or remaining
validity. Certificate holders who evaluate certified staff
must complete a 2-day teacher evaluation course, in addition to
the 30 continuing professional development hours.
    (c-20) The State Board of Education, in consultation with
the State Teacher Certification Board, shall develop
procedures for implementing this Section and shall administer
the renewal of administrative certificates. Failure to submit
satisfactory evidence of continuing professional education
which contributes to promoting the goals of this Section shall
result in a loss of administrative certification.
    (d) Any limited or life supervisory certificate issued
prior to July 1, 1968 shall continue to be valid for all
administrative and supervisory positions in the public schools
for which it is valid as of that date as long as its holder
meets the requirements for registration or renewal as set forth
in the statutes or until revoked according to law.
    (e) The administrative or supervisory positions for which
the certificate shall be valid shall be determined by one or
more of the following endorsements: general supervisory,
general administrative, principal, chief school business
official, and superintendent.
    Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, endorsements
shall be made under conditions set forth in this Section. The
State Board of Education shall, in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board, adopt rules pursuant to the
Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, establishing
requirements for obtaining administrative certificates where
the minimum administrative or supervisory requirements surpass
those set forth in this Section.
    The State Teacher Certification Board shall file with the
State Board of Education a written recommendation when
considering additional administrative or supervisory
requirements. All additional requirements shall be based upon
the requisite knowledge necessary to perform those tasks
required by the certificate. The State Board of Education shall
in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board,
establish standards within its rules which shall include the
academic and professional requirements necessary for
certification. These standards shall at a minimum contain, but
not be limited to, those used by the State Board of Education
in determining whether additional knowledge will be required.
Additionally, the State Board of Education shall in
consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board,
establish provisions within its rules whereby any member of the
educational community or the public may file a formal written
recommendation or inquiry regarding requirements.
        (1) Until July 1, 2003, the general supervisory
    endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative
    certificate of any holder who has at least 16 semester
    hours of graduate credit in professional education
    including 8 semester hours of graduate credit in curriculum
    and research and who has at least 2 years of full-time
    teaching experience or school service personnel experience
    in public schools, schools under the supervision of the
    Department of Corrections, schools under the
    administration of the Department of Rehabilitation
    Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards
    established by the State Superintendent of Education or
    comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by
    the State Superintendent of Education.
        Such endorsement shall be required for supervisors,
    curriculum directors and for such similar and related
    positions as determined by the State Superintendent of
    Education in consultation with the State Teacher
    Certification Board.
        (2) Until June 30, 2014, the general administrative
    endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative
    certificate of any holder who has at least 20 semester
    hours of graduate credit in educational administration and
    supervision and who has at least 2 years of full-time
    teaching experience or school service personnel experience
    in public schools, schools under the supervision of the
    Department of Corrections, schools under the
    administration of the Department of Rehabilitation
    Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards
    established by the State Superintendent of Education or
    comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by
    the State Superintendent of Education.
        Such endorsement or a principal endorsement shall be
    required for principal, assistant principal, assistant or
    associate superintendent, and junior college dean and for
    related or similar positions as determined by the State
    Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State
    Teacher Certification Board.
        (2.5) The principal endorsement shall be affixed to the
    administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies by:
            (A) successfully completing a principal
        preparation program approved in accordance with
        Section 21-7.6 of this Code and any applicable rules;
            (B) having 4 years of teaching experience;
        however, the State Board of Education shall allow, by
        rules, for fewer than 4 years of experience based on
        meeting standards set forth in such rules, including
        without limitation a review of performance evaluations
        or other evidence of demonstrated qualifications; and
            (C) having a master's degree.
        (3) The chief school business official endorsement
    shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any
    holder who qualifies by having a Master's degree, 2 years
    of administrative experience in school business management
    or 2 years of university-approved practical experience,
    and a minimum of 20 semester hours of graduate credit in a
    program established by the State Superintendent of
    Education in consultation with the State Teacher
    Certification Board for the preparation of school business
    administrators. Such endorsement shall also be affixed to
    the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies
    by having a Master's Degree in Public Administration,
    Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting and 6
    semester hours of internship in school business management
    from a regionally accredited institution of higher
    education.
        After June 30, 1977, such endorsement shall be required
    for any individual first employed as a chief school
    business official.
        (4) The superintendent endorsement shall be affixed to
    the administrative certificate of any holder who has
    completed 30 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the
    master's degree in a program for the preparation of
    superintendents of schools including 16 semester hours of
    graduate credit in professional education and who has at
    least 2 years experience as an administrator or supervisor
    in the public schools or the State Board of Education or
    education service regions or in nonpublic schools meeting
    the standards established by the State Superintendent of
    Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards
    approved by the State Superintendent of Education and holds
    general supervisory or general administrative endorsement,
    or who has had 2 years of experience as a supervisor, chief
    school business official, or administrator while holding
    an all-grade supervisory certificate or a certificate
    comparable in validity and educational and experience
    requirements.
        After June 30, 1968, such endorsement shall be required
    for a superintendent of schools, except as provided in the
    second paragraph of this Section and in Section 34-6.
        Any person appointed to the position of superintendent
    between the effective date of this Act and June 30, 1993 in
    a school district organized pursuant to Article 32 with an
    enrollment of at least 20,000 pupils shall be exempt from
    the provisions of this paragraph (4) until June 30, 1996.
    (f) All official interpretations or acts of issuing or
denying administrative certificates or endorsements by the
State Teacher's Certification Board, State Board of Education
or the State Superintendent of Education, from the passage of
P.A. 81-1208 on November 8, 1979 through September 24, 1981 are
hereby declared valid and legal acts in all respects and
further that the purported repeal of the provisions of this
Section by P.A. 81-1208 and P.A. 81-1509 is declared null and
void.
(Source: P.A. 96-56, eff. 1-1-10; 96-903, eff. 7-1-10; 96-982,
eff. 1-1-11; 96-1423, eff. 8-3-10; revised 9-2-10.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/4/2011