96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB2908


 
Introduced 2/24/2009, by Rep. Tom Cross
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













105 ILCS 5/21-5c









    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning
alternative teacher certification.
















LRB096 06084 NHT 16166 b

















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











HB2908

LRB096 06084 NHT 16166 b






1
    AN ACT concerning education.

 
2
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3
represented in the General Assembly: 

 
4
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section 
5
21-5c as follows:
 



6
    (105 ILCS 5/21-5c)



7
    Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification. 
8
The
The State Board
of Education, in consultation with the 
9
State Teacher Certification Board, shall
establish and 
10
implement an alternative route to teacher certification 
11
program
under which persons who meet the requirements of and 
12
successfully complete the
program established by this Section 
13
shall be issued an initial teaching
certificate for teaching in 
14
schools in this State.
The State Board of Education shall

15
approve a course of study
that persons in the program must 
16
successfully complete in order to
satisfy one criterion for 
17
issuance of a certificate under this Section.  The
Alternative 
18
Route to Teacher Certification program course of study must 
19
include
the current content and skills contained in a 
20
university's current courses
for State certification which 
21
have been approved by the State Board of
Education, in 
22
consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, as the

23
requirement for State teacher certification.
 


 






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1
    The program established under this Section shall be
known 
2
as the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program.  The 
3
program
may be offered in conjunction with one or more 
4
not-for-profit
organizations in the State.  The program shall be 
5
comprised of the following 3
phases: (a) a
course of study 
6
offered on an intensive basis in education theory,

7
instructional methods, and
practice teaching; (b) the person's 
8
assignment to a full-time
teaching position for one school 
9
year, including the designation of a
mentor teacher to advise 
10
and assist the person with that
teaching assignment; and (c) a 
11
comprehensive assessment of the person's
teaching performance 
12
by school officials and program participants
and a 
13
recommendation by the institution of higher education to the

14
State Board of Education that the person be issued an initial

15
teaching certificate.  Successful completion of the Alternative 
16
Route to
Teacher
Certification program shall be deemed to 
17
satisfy any other
practice or student teaching and subject 
18
matter requirements established by
law.

19
    A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for 
20
one year of
teaching
in the common schools and not renewable, 
21
shall be issued under this Section
21-5c to persons who at the 
22
time of applying for the provisional alternative
teaching 
23
certificate under this Section:


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        (1) have graduated from an accredited college or 
25
    university with a
bachelor's degree;


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        (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years 
 


 






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1
    in an area
requiring application of the individual's 
2
    education;


3
        (3) have successfully completed the first phase of the 
4
    Alternative Teacher
Certification program as provided in 
5
    this Section; and


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        (4) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject 
7
    matter knowledge
required by Section 21-1a.

8
    An initial teaching certificate, valid for teaching
in the 
9
common schools,
shall be
issued under Section 21-3 or 21-5 to 
10
persons who first complete the
requirements
for the provisional 
11
alternative teaching certificate
and who at the time of 
12
applying for an initial teaching certificate
have successfully 
13
completed the second and third phases of
the Alternative Route 
14
to Teacher Certification program as provided in this
Section.

15
    A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate 
16
or an initial
teaching certificate earned under this Section

17
shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes 
18
of compensation,
benefits, and other terms and conditions of 
19
employment afforded teachers in the
school who are members of a 
20
bargaining unit represented by an exclusive
bargaining 
21
representative, if any.

22
    The State Board of Education may adopt rules
and 
23
regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the 
24
State Board
deems necessary to establish and implement the 
25
program.

26
(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)