State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
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Public Act 91-0609

HB1670 Enrolled                                LRB9103489NTsb

    AN ACT to amend the School Code.

    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 21-5b as follows:

    (105 ILCS 5/21-5b)
    Sec. 21-5b.  Alternative certification.  The State  Board
of   Education,   in  consultation  with  the  State  Teacher
Certification  Board,  shall  establish  and   implement   an
alternative  certification  program  under  which persons who
meet  the  requirements  of  and  successfully  complete  the
program established  by  this  Section  shall  be  issued  an
alternative  teaching certificate for teaching in the schools
situated in a school district  that  is  located  in  a  city
having  a  population  in  excess of 500,000 inhabitants. The
program  shall  be  limited  to  not  more   than   260   new
participants  during each year that the program is in effect.
In establishing an alternative  certification  program  under
this  Section,  the  State Board of Education shall designate
the City of Chicago as  the  area  in  the  State  where  the
program  shall  be  made  available.  In addition,  The State
Board of Education, in cooperation with a partnership  formed
with  a  university  that  offers  4-year  baccalaureate  and
masters  degree programs and that is a recognized institution
as defined in Section 21-21 and one  or  more  not-for-profit
organizations  in  the  State  which  support  excellence  in
teaching,  shall  within  30  days  after  submission  by the
partnership approve  a  course  of  study  developed  by  the
partnership  that  persons  in  the program must successfully
complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of an
alternative certificate under this Section.  The  Alternative
Teacher  Certification  program  course of study must include
the current content and skills contained in the  university's
current  courses  for  State  certification  which  have been
approved by the State Board  of  Education,  in  consultation
with   the   State   Teacher   Certification  Board,  as  the
requirement for State teacher certification.
    The alternative certification program  established  under
this  Section  shall  be  known  as  the  Alternative Teacher
Certification program.  The Alternative Teacher Certification
Program shall be offered by the  submitting  partnership  and
may be offered in conjunction with one or more not-for-profit
organizations  in  the  State  which  support  excellence  in
teaching.   The program shall be comprised of the following 3
phases: (a) the first phase is the course of study offered on
an  intensive  basis  in  education   theory,   instructional
methods,  and  practice teaching; (b) the second phase is the
person's assignment to a full-time teaching position for  one
school  year;  and  (c)  the  third  phase is a comprehensive
assessment of the person's  teaching  performance  by  school
officials    and   the   partnership   participants   and   a
recommendation by the partner institution of higher education
to the State Board of Education that the person be  issued  a
standard   alternative   teaching   certificate.   Successful
completion of the Alternative Teacher  Certification  program
shall  be  deemed  to  satisfy  any other practice or student
teaching and subject matter requirements established by law.
    A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
shall be issued under this Section 21-5b to  persons  who  at
the time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
certificate under this Section:
         (1)  have  graduated  from  an accredited college or
    university with a bachelor's degree;
         (2)  have successfully completed the first phase  of
    the Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided
    in this Section; and
         (3)  have  passed  the  tests  of  basic  skills and
    subject matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a; and
         (4)  have been employed for a period of at  least  5
    years   in   an   area   requiring   application  of  the
    individual's education; however,  this  requirement  does
    not  apply  with  respect  to  a  provisional alternative
    teaching certificate for teaching in schools situated  in
    a  school  district  that  is  located in a city having a
    population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.
    A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
under this Section shall be treated as a regularly  certified
teacher  for  purposes  of  compensation, benefits, and other
terms and conditions of employment afforded teachers  in  the
school who are members of a bargaining unit represented by an
exclusive bargaining representative, if any.
    Until  February 15, 2000, a standard alternative teaching
certificate, valid for 4 years for teaching  in  the  schools
situated  in  a  school  district  that  is located in a city
having a population in  excess  of  500,000  inhabitants  and
renewable as provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under
this   Section  21-5b  to  persons  who  first  complete  the
requirements  for  the   provisional   alternative   teaching
certificate  and  who  at the time of applying for a standard
alternative teaching  certificate  under  this  Section  have
successfully  completed  the  second  and third phases of the
Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in this
Section. Alternatively, beginning February 15, 2000,  at  the
end of the 4-year validity period,  persons who were issued a
standard  alternative teaching certificate shall be eligible,
on   the  same  basis  as  holders  of  an  Initial  Teaching
Certificate  issued  under subsection (b) of  Section 21-2 of
this Code, to apply  for  a  Standard  Teaching  Certificate,
provided  they    meet  the requirements of subsection (c) of
Section 21-2 of this Code and further provided that a  person
who  does  not  apply  for  and  receive  a Standard Teaching
Certificate shall be able to teach only in  schools  situated
in  a  school  district  that  is  located in a city having a
population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.
    Beginning February 15, 2000, persons who  have  completed
the   requirements   for   a  standard  alternative  teaching
certificate under this Section shall  be  issued  an  Initial
Alternative   Teaching  Certificate  valid  for  4  years  of
teaching and  not  renewable.   At  the  end  of  the  4-year
validity period, these persons shall be eligible, on the same
basis  as   holders of an Initial Teaching Certificate issued
under subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of  this Code, to  apply
for  a  Standard Teaching Certificate, provided they meet the
requirements of subsection (c) of Section 21-2.
    This   alternative   certification   program   shall   be
implemented  so  that  the  first   provisional   alternative
teaching certificates issued under this Section are effective
upon  the commencement of the 1997-1998 academic year and the
first standard alternative teaching certificates issued under
this Section are  effective  upon  the  commencement  of  the
1998-1999 academic year.
    The  State  Board  of  Education, in cooperation with the
partnership    establishing    the    Alternative     Teacher
Certification program, shall adopt rules and regulations that
are  consistent with this Section and that the State Board of
Education deems necessary  to  establish  and  implement  the
program.
(Source: P.A. 89-708, eff. 2-14-97.)

    Section  10.  If  and only if Senate Bill 556 of the 91st
General Assembly becomes law, the School Code is  amended  by
changing Section 21-2 as follows:
    (105 ILCS 5/21-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)
    Sec. 21-2.  Grades of certificates.
    (a)  Until  February  15,  2000,  all certificates issued
under this Article shall be State certificates valid,  except
as  limited  in Section 21-1, in every school district coming
under the provisions of this Act and shall be limited in time
and   designated   as   follows:    Provisional    vocational
certificate,  temporary  provisional  vocational certificate,
early childhood certificate, elementary  school  certificate,
special  certificate, high school certificate, school service
personnel    certificate,     administrative     certificate,
provisional  certificate,  and  substitute  certificate.  The
requirement of student teaching  under  close  and  competent
supervision  for  obtaining  a  teaching  certificate  may be
waived  by  the  State  Teacher  Certification   Board   upon
presentation  to  the  Board  by the teacher of evidence of 5
years successful teaching experience on a  valid  certificate
and  graduation  from  a  recognized  institution  of  higher
learning  with  a  bachelor's  degree  with not less than 120
semester  hours  and  a  minimum  of  16  semester  hours  in
professional education.
    (b)  Initial Teaching  Certificate.   Beginning  February
15,  2000, persons who (1) have completed an approved teacher
preparation program,  (2)  are  recommended  by  an  approved
teacher  preparation program, (3) have successfully completed
the Initial Teaching Certification examinations  required  by
the  State  Board  of  Education,  and (4) have met all other
criteria established by  the  State  Board  of  Education  in
consultation  with  the  State  Teacher  Certification Board,
shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid  for  4
years  of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code.
Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for  categories
corresponding  to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and
Special K-12, with  special  certification  designations  for
Special  Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning
areas  (including  Language   Arts,   Reading,   Mathematics,
Science,  Social  Science,  Physical  Development and Health,
Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas  designated
by  the  State  Board  of Education, in consultation with the
State Teacher Certification Board.
    (c)  Standard Certificate.  Beginning February 15,  2000,
persons  who  (1)  have  completed  4  years  of teaching, as
defined in Section  21-14  of  this  Code,  with  an  Initial
Certificate  or  an  Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate
and have met all other  criteria  established  by  the  State
Board  of  Education  in  consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board, (2) have completed 4 years  of  teaching
on  a  valid  equivalent  certificate  in  another  State  or
territory  of the United States, or have completed 4 years of
teaching in a  nonpublic  Illinois  elementary  or  secondary
school  with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative
Teaching  Certificate,  and  have  met  all  other   criteria
established  by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State  Teacher  Certification  Board,  or  (3)  were
issued  teaching  certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and
are renewing those  certificates  after  February  15,  2000,
shall  be  issued  a  Standard Certificate valid for 5 years,
which may be renewed thereafter every 5 years  by  the  State
Teacher  Certification  Board  based  on  proof of continuing
education or  professional  development.  Beginning  July  1,
2003,  persons  who  have  completed  4 years of teaching, as
described in clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection (c), have
successfully  completed  the  Standard  Teaching  Certificate
Examinations, and have met all other criteria established  by
the  State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
Teacher  Certification  Board,  shall  be   issued   Standard
Certificates.    Standard  Certificates  shall  be issued for
categories  corresponding  to  Early  Childhood,  Elementary,
Secondary,  and  Special  K-12,  with  special  certification
designations  for  Special  Education,  Bilingual  Education,
fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
Mathematics, Science, Social  Science,  Physical  Development
and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
designated  by  the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board.
    (d)  Master Certificate.  Beginning  February  15,  2000,
persons   who   have  successfully  achieved  National  Board
certification through the  National  Board  for  Professional
Teaching  Standards  shall  be  issued  a Master Certificate,
valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter  every  10  years
through  compliance  with requirements set forth by the State
Board of Education, in consultation with  the  State  Teacher
Certification Board.
(Source:  P.A.  90-548,  eff.  1-1-98;  90-653, eff. 7-29-98;
90-811, eff. 1-26-99; 91SB0556enrolled.)

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