SB1991eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1991 Engrossed LRB100 11392 MLM 21801 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 adding Section 2-3.80c as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80c new)

Sec. 2-3.80c. Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force.

(a) The General Assembly recognizes that agriculture is the most basic and singularly important industry in the State, that agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability of the State, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and qualified agriculture educators to train future generations of agriculturalists.

In 2016, to respond to the ongoing teacher shortage in agriculture education in Illinois, the General Assembly passed Public Act 99-826, which deemed agriculture education as an area of critical need in Illinois.

(b) There is created the Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force consisting of the following members:

(1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(5) the following members, who shall be appointed by the State Superintendent of Education within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly:

(A) one representative of the State Board of Education;

(B) one member representing a statewide professional teachers' association appointed with the advice of the Committee established under subsection (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;

(C) one member representing a different statewide professional teachers' association appointed with the advice of the Committee established under subsection (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;

(D) one member representing a different professional teachers' association in a city having a population of over 500,000 appointed with the advice of the Committee established under subsection (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;

(E) one member who is a community college agriculture education teacher appointed with the advice of the Committee established under subsection (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;

(F) one member who is a university agriculture education teacher appointed with the advice of the Committee established under subsection (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;

(G) one member representing a statewide association representing superintendents;

(H) one member representing a statewide association representing principals;

(I) one member representing a statewide association representing school board members;

(J) one representative of a school district in a city having a population exceeding 500,000;

(K) one member representing an education advocacy group that works with parents; and

(L) one representative of an education public policy organization.

(c) The Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall first meet at the call of the State Superintendent of Education within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, and following meetings shall be at the call of the Chairperson, who shall be elected by a majority of appointed members at the first meeting of the Task Force. The State Board of Education shall provide administrative support for the Task Force.

(d) Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel and related expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(e) The Task Force shall meet at least 3 times and shall review the following:

(1) the number of agriculture education teachers in this State and the type of license held;

(2) the number of graduates who have graduated from an approved agriculture education program of a public university in this State in each of the past 4 years;

(3) the number of agriculture education position openings at secondary education programs in this State in each of the past 4 years; and

(4) licensure standards, including national licensure standards, for the agricultural education endorsement on a professional educator license or an educator license with stipulations.

(f) The Task Force shall issue a report to the Governor and the General Assembly, which must be approved by a majority vote of appointed members and must include recommendations regarding:

(1) recruitment and retention of agriculture education teachers, including recommendations on funding for existing incentive programs;

(2) participation in federal programs that may assist in the recruitment and retention of agriculture teachers; and

(3) other subjects determined by the members of the Task Force.

(g) The Task Force shall report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly on or before January 1, 2019, and, upon filing its report, the Task Force is dissolved.

(h) This Section is repealed on February 1, 2019.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.