Public Act 101-0333
 
SB1460 EnrolledLRB101 08878 AXK 53968 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
    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 
21B-70 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-70)
    Sec. 21B-70. Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.
    (a)  As used in this Section:
    "Poverty or low-performing school" means  a school 
identified as a priority school under Section 2-3.25d-5 of this 
Code or a school in which 50% or more of its students are 
eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches.
    "National Board certified teacher rural or remote 
candidate cohort facilitator" means a National Board certified 
teacher who collaborates to advance the goal of supporting 
rural or remote candidates through the Illinois National Board 
for Professional Teaching Standards Comprehensive Support 
System. 
    "National Board certified teacher rural or remote liaison" 
means an individual who supports the National Board certified 
teacher leading a rural or remote candidate cohort. 
    "Qualified educator" means a teacher or school counselor 
currently employed in a school district who is in the process 
of obtaining certification through the National Board for 
Professional Teaching Standards or who has completed 
certification and holds a current Professional Educator 
License with a National Board for Professional Teaching 
Standards designation or a retired teacher or school counselor 
who holds a Professional Educator License with a National Board 
for Professional Teaching Standards designation.
    "Rural or remote" means local codes 33, 41, 42, and 43 of 
the New Urban-Centric Locale Codes, as defined by the National 
Center for Education Statistics. 
    "Tier 1" has the meaning given to that term under Section 
18-8.15. 
    (b) Any  Beginning on July 1, 2011, any funds appropriated 
for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program must be used to 
provide monetary assistance and incentives for qualified 
educators who are employed by or retired from school districts 
and who have or are in the process of obtaining licensure 
through the National Board for Professional Teaching 
Standards.  The goal of the program is to improve instruction 
and student performance.
    The State Board of Education shall allocate an amount as 
annually appropriated by the General Assembly for the Illinois 
Teaching Excellence Program for (i) application or re-take fees 
for each qualified educator seeking to complete certification 
through the National Board for Professional Teaching 
Standards, to be paid directly to the National Board for 
Professional Teaching Standards, and (ii) incentives under 
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (c) for each 
qualified educator, to be distributed to the respective school 
district, and incentives under paragraph (5) of subsection (c), 
to be distributed to the respective school district or directly 
to the qualified educator. The school district shall distribute 
this payment to each eligible teacher or school counselor as a 
single payment.
    The State Board of Education's annual budget must set out 
by separate line item the appropriation for the program. Unless 
otherwise provided by appropriation, qualified educators are 
eligible for monetary assistance and incentives outlined in 
subsections subsection (c) and (d) of this Section.
    (c) When there are adequate funds available, monetary 
assistance and incentives shall include the following:
        (1) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application or 
    re-take fee for up to 750 teachers or school counselors in 
    a Tier 1 poverty or low-performing school district who 
    apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board 
    certification.
        (2) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application or 
    re-take fee for up to 250 teachers or school counselors in 
    a school district other than a Tier 1 poverty or 
    low-performing school district who apply on a first-come, 
    first-serve basis for National Board certification. 
    However, if there were fewer than 750 individuals supported 
    in item (1) of this subsection (c), then the number 
    supported in this item (2) may be increased as such that 
    the combination of item (1) of this subsection (c) and this 
    item (2) shall equal 1,000 applicants.
        (3) A maximum of $1,000 towards the National Board for 
    Professional Teaching Standards' renewal application fee.
        (4) (Blank).
        (5) An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be 
    paid to each qualified educator currently employed in a 
    school district who holds both a National Board for 
    Professional Teaching Standards designation and a current 
    corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for 
    Professional Teaching Standards and who agrees, in 
    writing, to provide at least 30 hours of mentoring or 
    National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 
    professional development or both during the school year to 
    classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable. 
    Funds must be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis, 
    with priority given to Tier 1 school districts poverty or 
    low-performing schools. Mentoring shall include, either 
    singly or in combination, the following:
            (A) National Board for Professional Teaching 
        Standards certification candidates.
            (B) National Board for Professional Teaching 
        Standards re-take candidates.
            (C) National Board for Professional Teaching 
        Standards renewal candidates.
            (D) (Blank).

    Funds may also be used for instructional leadership 
training for qualified educators interested in supporting 
implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards or teaching 
and learning priorities of the State Board of Education or 
both. 
    (d) In addition to the monetary assistance and incentives 
provided under subsection (c), if adequate funds are available, 
incentives shall include the following incentives for the 
program in rural or remote school districts, to be distributed 
to the respective school district or directly to the qualified 
educator: 
        (1) A one-time incentive of $3,000 payable to National 
    Board certified teachers teaching in Tier 1 rural or remote 
    school districts. 
        (2) An annual incentive of $3,200 for National Board 
    certified teacher rural or remote candidate cohort 
    facilitators. 
        (3) An annual incentive of $2,500 for National Board 
    certified teacher rural or remote liaisons. 
(Source: P.A. 99-193, eff. 7-30-15; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)