Section 65.5  Definitions

"Anti-Bias" means to acknowledge and actively work against your own biases while also actively challenging biases, stereotyping, and all forms of discrimination in schools and communities.  It is a recognition that everyone has biases that we are culturally socialized to internalize.  Biases are learned beginning with early childhood and are messages that children receive about their identities and the identities of others.  These messages can be subtle or explicit and come from multiple sources, including family members, news media, books, and entertainment media.  Our biases influence our judgments, decisions, and actions.  Anti-bias work provides teachers a way to examine and transform their understanding of their students' lives and do self-reflective work to more deeply understand their own lives.

"Anti-Racist" means a recognition that disparities exist between white people and Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) due to inherently racist policies, practices, procedures, guidelines and beliefs (both written and unwritten) and is based on the outcomes, not the intended goal or purpose.  To be antiracist means to actively disrupt racist policies, practices, procedures, and guidelines and push for alternatives that promote positive outcomes for BIPOC and marginalized groups.  Antiracism is intersectional in that it also works against classism, sexism, trans- and homophobia, etc.

"Dedicated Time" means time set aside specifically for mentors to become mentors, in order to allow them to learn about, develop, and plan their mentoring roles, processes, and procedures.  This process is continuous, allowing for sustained growth for the mentor.

"Eligible Applicant" or “Eligible Entity” means a regional office of education, an intermediate service center, an Illinois institution of higher education, a statewide organization representing teachers, a local education agency, or a public or private not-for-profit entity with experience providing professional learning, including mentoring, to early childhood educators.  [105 ILCS 5/21A-5]

"Equity" means an equitable educational system that values and embraces students and adults of diverse racial, ethnic, ability, linguistic, socioeconomic status, and gender identities.  This system acknowledges the impact of systemic and historical inequities that have limited progress, opportunity, and access.  Systems, policies, and practices that have perpetuated systemic and historical inequities are dismantled and redesigned to promote educational justice for students from diverse backgrounds.  Resources, opportunities, rewards, and burdens are fairly distributed across groups and communities so that those with the greatest challenges are adequately supported and not further disadvantaged. 

"Evidence-Based Practices" or "Evidence-Based Programs" means practices or programs that have evidence to show that they are effective at producing results and improving outcomes when implemented.  The kind of evidence described in ESSA has generally been produced through formal studies and research. 

"Induction" means a distinct phase of teacher development that occurs upon an individual's entry into the profession, a period of socialization and enculturation into the norms and practices of the teaching profession, or a formal program for beginning teachers of guided entry into the profession of teaching.

"Induction Program" means a locally developed comprehensive and systemic program aimed to accelerate the effectiveness of beginning teachers (or those new to the district) through ongoing, job-embedded mentoring and professional learning.

"New Teacher" means the holder of a professional educator license who is employed by a public school and who has not previously participated in a new teacher induction and mentoring program required by Article 21A of the School Code, except as provided in Section 21A-25 of the School Code.

"Protected Time" means time set aside specifically for the interaction of mentors with beginning teachers.  It means the explicit creation of spaces, within or beyond the confines of the school day, that allow for the teaching and learning relationship between the mentor and the beginning teacher to actually happen. 

"Public School" means any school operating pursuant to the authority of the School Code, including, but not limited to, a school district, charter school, cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, or a school operated by a regional office of education or State agency.

"Resources" include assets or materials that support induction and mentoring program goals, such as people, time, training, money, or technology.  This Part specifically is concerned with the equitable allocation of resources to program participants.

"School Code" means 105 ILCS 5.

"Teacher Leadership" means the development of teachers so they can have an influence that extends beyond their own classrooms to others within their own school community and elsewhere.  This includes developing teachers to serve as catalysts to build the profession, mobilize, and energize others in support of the critical responsibilities of strengthened teaching and learning, both formally and informally, and developing teachers to have specific expertise and skill in engaging others in complex work and confronting obstacles within the school context.  Within a school structure, a teacher leader may or may not be a formalized role or position. 

(Source:  Added at 46 Ill. Reg. 13208, effective July 13, 2022)