HB5863eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5863 Engrossed LRB096 18304 NHT 33679 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 21-9 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/21-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-9)

Sec. 21-9. Substitute certificates and substitute teaching.

(a) A substitute teacher's certificate may be issued for teaching in all grades of the common schools. Such certificate may be issued upon request of the regional superintendent of schools of any region in which the teacher is to teach. A substitute teacher's certificate is valid for teaching in the public schools of any county. Such certificate may be issued to persons who either (a) hold a certificate valid for teaching in the common schools as shown on the face of the certificate, (b) hold a bachelor of arts degree from an institution of higher learning accredited by the North Central Association or other comparable regional accrediting association or have been graduated from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree, or (c) have had 2 years of teaching experience and meet such other rules and regulations as may be adopted by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Such certificate shall expire on June 30 in the fourth year from date of issue. Substitute teacher's certificates are not subject to endorsement as described in Section 21-1b of this Code.

(b) A teacher holding a substitute teacher's certificate may teach only in the place of a certified teacher who is under contract with the employing board and may teach only when no appropriate fully certified teacher is available to teach in a substitute capacity. A teacher holding an early childhood certificate, an elementary certificate, a high school certificate, or a special certificate may also substitute teach in grades K-12 but only in the place of a certified teacher who is under contract with the employing board. A substitute teacher may teach only for a period not to exceed 90 paid school days or 450 paid school hours in any one school district in any one school term. However, a teacher holding an early childhood, elementary, high school, or special certificate may substitute teach for a period not to exceed 120 paid school days or 600 paid school hours in any one school district in any one school term. Where such teaching is partly on a daily and partly on an hourly basis, a school day shall be considered as 5 hours. The teaching limitations imposed by this subsection upon teachers holding substitute certificates shall not apply in any school district operating under Article 34.

(c) In order to substitute teach in the public schools, a person holding a valid substitute teacher's certificate or a person holding a valid early childhood certificate, a valid elementary certificate, a valid high school certificate, or a valid special certificate shall register as a substitute teacher with the regional superintendent of schools in each educational service region where the person will be employed. A person who registers as a substitute teacher with the regional superintendent of schools is responsible for (1) the payment of fees to register the certificate for its period of validity, (2) authorization of a criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, as provided in Section 10-21.9 of this Code, (3) payment of the cost of the criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, and (4) providing evidence of physical fitness and freedom from communicable disease, including tuberculosis, which may consist of a physical examination and a tuberculin skin test as required by Section 24-5 of this Code.

The regional superintendent of schools shall maintain a file for each registered substitute teacher in the educational service region that includes a copy of the person's certificate, the results from the criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, a copy of the physical examination, and a copy of the tuberculin skin test. The regional superintendent of schools shall issue a signed and sealed certificate of authorization to the substitute teacher that verifies that the substitute teacher has completed the registration process and criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database and has a physical examination and negative tuberculin test on file with the regional superintendent of schools and is thereby approved to substitute teach in the public schools of the educational service region. This certificate must be presented to all prospective employing school districts in the educational service region, who shall photocopy the certificate and keep a copy of the certificate with employment records for the substitute teacher.

Persons wishing to substitute teach in more than one educational service region shall register as a substitute teacher with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. The registration process shall include all items listed in the first paragraph of this subsection (b), with the exception of the authorization of a criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database and the accompanying payment of associated fees. If the substitute teacher has been issued a signed and sealed certificate of authorization from another regional superintendent of schools, the registering entity may photocopy the certificate for its files and verify the substitute teacher's registration status using a centralized electronic database of substitute teacher registrations.

(Source: P.A. 92-184, eff. 7-27-01; 93-679, eff. 6-30-04.)