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90_SB0557sam001
SRS90SB0557KSsaam02
1 AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 557
2 AMENDMENT NO. . Amend Senate Bill 557, by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
4 "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
5 21-5c as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21-5c new)
7 Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification.
8 The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
9 Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement an
10 alternative route to teacher certification program under
11 which persons who meet the requirements of and successfully
12 complete the program established by this Section shall be
13 issued a standard teaching certificate for teaching in
14 schools in this State. The program shall be limited to not
15 more than 1,000 new participants during each year that the
16 program is in effect. The State Board of Education, in
17 cooperation with one or more partnerships formed with
18 universities that offer 4-year baccalaureate and masters
19 degree programs and that are recognized teacher training
20 institutions as defined in Section 21-21 and one or more
21 not-for-profit organizations in the State that support
22 excellence in teaching, shall within 30 days after submission
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1 by a partnership approve a course of study developed by the
2 partnership that persons in the program must successfully
3 complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of a
4 certificate under this Section. The Alternative Route to
5 Teacher Certification program course of study must include
6 the current content and skills contained in the university's
7 current courses for State certification which have been
8 approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
9 with the State Teacher Certification Board, as the
10 requirement for State teacher certification.
11 The alternative route to teacher certification program
12 established under this Section shall be known as the
13 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program. The
14 Program shall be offered by the submitting partnership and
15 may be offered in conjunction with one or more not-for-profit
16 organizations in the State. The program shall be comprised
17 of the following 3 phases: (a) a course of study offered on
18 an intensive basis in education theory, instructional
19 methods, and practice teaching; (b) the person's assignment
20 to a full-time teaching position for one school year that
21 shall include the designation of a mentor teacher to advise
22 and assist the person in such teaching assignment; and (c) a
23 comprehensive assessment of the person's teaching performance
24 by school officials and the partnership participants and a
25 recommendation by the partner institution of higher education
26 to the State Board of Education that the person be issued a
27 standard teaching certificate. Successful completion of the
28 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program shall be
29 deemed to satisfy any other practice or student teaching and
30 subject matter requirements established by law.
31 A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
32 one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
33 shall be issued under this Section 21-5c to persons who at
34 the time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
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1 certificate under this Section:
2 (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
3 university with a bachelor's degree;
4 (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5
5 years in an area requiring application of the
6 individual's education;
7 (3) have successfully completed the first phase of
8 the Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided
9 in this Section; and
10 (4) have passed the tests of basic skills and
11 subject matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.
12 A standard teaching certificate, valid for teaching in
13 the common schools and renewable as provided in Section
14 21-14, shall be issued under Sections 21-3 or 21-5 to persons
15 who first complete the requirements for the provisional
16 alternative teaching certificate and who at the time of
17 applying for a standard teaching certificate have
18 successfully completed the second and third phases of the
19 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program as
20 provided in this Section.
21 A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
22 or a standard teaching certificate earned under this Section
23 shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for
24 purposes of compensation, benefits, and other terms and
25 conditions of employment afforded teachers in the school who
26 are members of a bargaining unit represented by an exclusive
27 bargaining representative, if any.
28 The State Board of Education may adopt rules and
29 regulations that are consistent with this Section and that
30 the State Board deems necessary to establish and implement
31 the program.
32 (105 ILCS 5/21-5b rep.)
33 Section 10. Section 21-5b of the School Code is repealed.
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1 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2 becoming law.".
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