97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB1489

 

Introduced 2/9/2011, by Sen. Christine Radogno

 

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.


LRB097 06941 NHT 47034 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1489LRB097 06941 NHT 47034 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
521-2 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
9State certificates valid, except as limited in Section 21-1, in
10every school district coming under the the provisions of this
11Act and shall be limited in time and designated as follows:
12Provisional vocational certificate, temporary provisional
13vocational certificate, early childhood certificate,
14elementary school certificate, special certificate, secondary
15certificate, school service personnel certificate,
16administrative certificate, provisional certificate, and
17substitute certificate. The requirement of student teaching
18under close and competent supervision for obtaining a teaching
19certificate may be waived by the State Teacher Certification
20Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence
21of 5 years successful teaching experience on a valid
22certificate and graduation from a recognized institution of
23higher learning with a bachelor's degree.

 

 

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1    (b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Persons who (1) have
2completed an approved teacher preparation program, (2) are
3recommended by an approved teacher preparation program, (3)
4have successfully completed the Initial Teaching Certification
5examinations required by the State Board of Education, and (4)
6have met all other criteria established by the State Board of
7Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification
8Board, shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid
9for 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this
10Code. Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for
11categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
12Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
13designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
14fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
15Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and
16Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
17designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
18with the State Teacher Certification Board. Notwithstanding
19any other provision of this Article, an Initial Teaching
20Certificate shall be automatically extended for one year for
21all persons who (i) have been issued an Initial Teaching
22Certificate that expires on June 30, 2004 and (ii) have not
23met, prior to July 1, 2004, the Standard Certificate
24requirements under paragraph (c) of this Section. An
25application 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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1who is otherwise eligible for a comparable Illinois certificate
2may be issued an Initial Certificate if that person has not
3completed 4 years of teaching. Upon completion of 4 years of
4teaching, the person is eligible for a Standard Certificate.
5Beginning July 1, 2004, an out-of-state candidate who has
6already earned a second-tier certificate in another state is
7not subject to any Standard Certificate eligibility
8requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this
9Section other than completion of the 4 years of teaching. An
10out-of-state candidate who has completed less than 4 years of
11teaching and does not hold a second-tier certificate from
12another state must meet the requirements stated in paragraph
13(2) of subsection (c) of this Section, proportionately reduced
14by the amount of time remaining to complete the 4 years of
15teaching.
16    (c) Standard Certificate.
17    (1) Persons who (i) have completed 4 years of teaching, as
18defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial
19Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate and
20have met all other criteria established by the State Board of
21Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification
22Board, (ii) have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid
23equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the
24United States, or have completed 4 years of teaching in a
25nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary school with an
26Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching

 

 

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

 

 

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1categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
2Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
3designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
4fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
5Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and
6Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
7designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
8with the State Teacher Certification Board.
9    (2) This paragraph (2) applies only to those persons
10required to successfully complete the requirements of this
11paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). In order
12to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate, a person must
13satisfy 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
17required to successfully complete the requirements of this
18paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons
19who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph
20(2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may
21earn credit through completion of coursework, workshops,
22seminars, conferences, and other similar training events that
23are pre-approved by the State Board of Education, in
24consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for
25the purpose of reflection on teaching practices in order to
26address all of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards

 

 

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1necessary to obtain a Standard Teaching Certificate. These
2activities 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
4required to successfully complete the requirements of this
5paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons
6who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph
7(2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may
8earn credit from the following, provided that each activity is
9designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation
10to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
11or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the
12person'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
26subsection (c) before the expiration of his or her Initial

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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121-14 of this Code.
2    (d) Master Certificate. Persons who have successfully
3achieved National Board certification through the National
4Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a
5Master Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter
6every 10 years through compliance with requirements set forth
7by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
8Teacher Certification Board. However, each teacher who holds a
9Master Certificate shall be eligible for a teaching position in
10this State in the areas for which he or she holds a Master
11Certificate without satisfying any other requirements of this
12Code, except for those requirements pertaining to criminal
13background checks. A holder of a Master Certificate in an area
14of science or social science is eligible to teach in any of the
15subject areas within those fields, including those taught at
16the advanced level, as defined by the State Board of Education
17in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A
18teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be deemed to meet
19State certification renewal requirements in the area or areas
20for which he or she holds a Master Certificate for the 10-year
21term of the teacher's Master Certificate.
22(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)