Section 51.260  Qualifications and Selection of Hearing Officers

a)         School districts not organized under Article 34 of the School Code shall select a hearing officer in accordance with the requirements of Section 51.40(a) of this Part.

b)         School districts organized under Article 34 of the School Code shall select a hearing officer in accordance with the requirements of Section 51.40(b) of this Part.

c)         In addition to the applicable qualifications of Section 51.40 of this Part, each hearing officer shall have successfully completed the prequalification process required under Section 24A-3 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/24A-3] before conducting a hearing under the optional alternative evaluative dismissal process.

d)         In accordance with Section 24-16.5(d)(1) of the School Code, the State Board may waive the prequalification process requirements in order to provide an adequate pool of hearing officers for consideration.

(Source:  Added at 36 Ill. Reg. 12829, effective July 25, 2012)