SB1799enr 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1799 Enrolled LRB097 07217 NHT 47324 b

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 10. The Counties Code is amended by changing Section 3-9005 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/3-9005) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-9005)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 96-1551)

Sec. 3-9005. Powers and duties of State's attorney.

(a) The duty of each State's attorney shall be:

(1) To commence and prosecute all actions, suits, indictments and prosecutions, civil and criminal, in the circuit court for his county, in which the people of the State or county may be concerned.

(2) To prosecute all forfeited bonds and recognizances, and all actions and proceedings for the recovery of debts, revenues, moneys, fines, penalties and forfeitures accruing to the State or his county, or to any school district or road district in his county; also, to prosecute all suits in his county against railroad or transportation companies, which may be prosecuted in the name of the People of the State of Illinois.

(3) To commence and prosecute all actions and proceedings brought by any county officer in his official capacity.

(4) To defend all actions and proceedings brought against his county, or against any county or State officer, in his official capacity, within his county.

(5) To attend the examination of all persons brought before any judge on habeas corpus, when the prosecution is in his county.

(6) To attend before judges and prosecute charges of felony or misdemeanor, for which the offender is required to be recognized to appear before the circuit court, when in his power so to do.

(7) To give his opinion, without fee or reward, to any county officer in his county, upon any question or law relating to any criminal or other matter, in which the people or the county may be concerned.

(8) To assist the attorney general whenever it may be necessary, and in cases of appeal from his county to the Supreme Court, to which it is the duty of the attorney general to attend, he shall furnish the attorney general at least 10 days before such is due to be filed, a manuscript of a proposed statement, brief and argument to be printed and filed on behalf of the people, prepared in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court. However, if such brief, argument or other document is due to be filed by law or order of court within this 10 day period, then the State's attorney shall furnish such as soon as may be reasonable.

(9) To pay all moneys received by him in trust, without delay, to the officer who by law is entitled to the custody thereof.

(10) To notify, by first class mail, complaining witnesses of the ultimate disposition of the cases arising from an indictment or an information.

(11) To perform such other and further duties as may, from time to time, be enjoined on him by law.

(12) To appear in all proceedings by collectors of taxes against delinquent taxpayers for judgments to sell real estate, and see that all the necessary preliminary steps have been legally taken to make the judgment legal and binding.

(13) To notify, by first-class mail, the State Superintendent of Education, the applicable regional superintendent of schools, and the superintendent of the employing school district or the chief school administrator of the employing nonpublic school, if any, upon the conviction of any individual known to possess a certificate or license issued pursuant to Article 21 or 21B, respectively, of the School Code of any offense set forth in Section 21B-80 21-23a of the School Code or any other felony conviction, providing the name of the certificate holder, the fact of the conviction, and the name and location of the court where the conviction occurred. The certificate holder must also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice.

(b) The State's Attorney of each county shall have authority to appoint one or more special investigators to serve subpoenas, make return of process and conduct investigations which assist the State's Attorney in the performance of his duties. A special investigator shall not carry firearms except with permission of the State's Attorney and only while carrying appropriate identification indicating his employment and in the performance of his assigned duties.

Subject to the qualifications set forth in this subsection, special investigators shall be peace officers and shall have all the powers possessed by investigators under the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Act.

No special investigator employed by the State's Attorney shall have peace officer status or exercise police powers unless he or she successfully completes the basic police training course mandated and approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board or such board waives the training requirement by reason of the special investigator's prior law enforcement experience or training or both. Any State's Attorney appointing a special investigator shall consult with all affected local police agencies, to the extent consistent with the public interest, if the special investigator is assigned to areas within that agency's jurisdiction.

Before a person is appointed as a special investigator, his fingerprints shall be taken and transmitted to the Department of State Police. The Department shall examine its records and submit to the State's Attorney of the county in which the investigator seeks appointment any conviction information concerning the person on file with the Department. No person shall be appointed as a special investigator if he has been convicted of a felony or other offense involving moral turpitude. A special investigator shall be paid a salary and be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in performing his assigned duties. The county board shall approve the salary and actual expenses and appropriate the salary and expenses in the manner prescribed by law or ordinance.

(c) The State's Attorney may request and receive from employers, labor unions, telephone companies, and utility companies location information concerning putative fathers and noncustodial parents for the purpose of establishing a child's paternity or establishing, enforcing, or modifying a child support obligation. In this subsection, "location information" means information about (i) the physical whereabouts of a putative father or noncustodial parent, (ii) the putative father or noncustodial parent's employer, or (iii) the salary, wages, and other compensation paid and the health insurance coverage provided to the putative father or noncustodial parent by the employer of the putative father or noncustodial parent or by a labor union of which the putative father or noncustodial parent is a member.

(d) For each State fiscal year, the State's Attorney of Cook County shall appear before the General Assembly and request appropriations to be made from the Capital Litigation Trust Fund to the State Treasurer for the purpose of providing assistance in the prosecution of capital cases in Cook County and for the purpose of providing assistance to the State in post-conviction proceedings in capital cases under Article 122 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and in relation to petitions filed under Section 2-1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure in relation to capital cases. The State's Attorney may appear before the General Assembly at other times during the State's fiscal year to request supplemental appropriations from the Trust Fund to the State Treasurer.

(e) The State's Attorney shall have the authority to enter into a written agreement with the Department of Revenue for pursuit of civil liability under Section 17-1a of the Criminal Code of 1961 against persons who have issued to the Department checks or other orders in violation of the provisions of paragraph (d) of subsection (B) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961, with the Department to retain the amount owing upon the dishonored check or order along with the dishonored check fee imposed under the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, with the balance of damages, fees, and costs collected under Section 17-1a of the Criminal Code of 1961 to be retained by the State's Attorney. The agreement shall not affect the allocation of fines and costs imposed in any criminal prosecution.

(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 96-1551)

Sec. 3-9005. Powers and duties of State's attorney.

(a) The duty of each State's attorney shall be:

(1) To commence and prosecute all actions, suits, indictments and prosecutions, civil and criminal, in the circuit court for his county, in which the people of the State or county may be concerned.

(2) To prosecute all forfeited bonds and recognizances, and all actions and proceedings for the recovery of debts, revenues, moneys, fines, penalties and forfeitures accruing to the State or his county, or to any school district or road district in his county; also, to prosecute all suits in his county against railroad or transportation companies, which may be prosecuted in the name of the People of the State of Illinois.

(3) To commence and prosecute all actions and proceedings brought by any county officer in his official capacity.

(4) To defend all actions and proceedings brought against his county, or against any county or State officer, in his official capacity, within his county.

(5) To attend the examination of all persons brought before any judge on habeas corpus, when the prosecution is in his county.

(6) To attend before judges and prosecute charges of felony or misdemeanor, for which the offender is required to be recognized to appear before the circuit court, when in his power so to do.

(7) To give his opinion, without fee or reward, to any county officer in his county, upon any question or law relating to any criminal or other matter, in which the people or the county may be concerned.

(8) To assist the attorney general whenever it may be necessary, and in cases of appeal from his county to the Supreme Court, to which it is the duty of the attorney general to attend, he shall furnish the attorney general at least 10 days before such is due to be filed, a manuscript of a proposed statement, brief and argument to be printed and filed on behalf of the people, prepared in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court. However, if such brief, argument or other document is due to be filed by law or order of court within this 10 day period, then the State's attorney shall furnish such as soon as may be reasonable.

(9) To pay all moneys received by him in trust, without delay, to the officer who by law is entitled to the custody thereof.

(10) To notify, by first class mail, complaining witnesses of the ultimate disposition of the cases arising from an indictment or an information.

(11) To perform such other and further duties as may, from time to time, be enjoined on him by law.

(12) To appear in all proceedings by collectors of taxes against delinquent taxpayers for judgments to sell real estate, and see that all the necessary preliminary steps have been legally taken to make the judgment legal and binding.

(13) To notify, by first-class mail, the State Superintendent of Education, the applicable regional superintendent of schools, and the superintendent of the employing school district or the chief school administrator of the employing nonpublic school, if any, upon the conviction of any individual known to possess a certificate or license issued pursuant to Article 21 or 21B, respectively, of the School Code of any offense set forth in Section 21B-80 21-23a of the School Code or any other felony conviction, providing the name of the certificate holder, the fact of the conviction, and the name and location of the court where the conviction occurred. The certificate holder must also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice.

(b) The State's Attorney of each county shall have authority to appoint one or more special investigators to serve subpoenas, make return of process and conduct investigations which assist the State's Attorney in the performance of his duties. A special investigator shall not carry firearms except with permission of the State's Attorney and only while carrying appropriate identification indicating his employment and in the performance of his assigned duties.

Subject to the qualifications set forth in this subsection, special investigators shall be peace officers and shall have all the powers possessed by investigators under the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Act.

No special investigator employed by the State's Attorney shall have peace officer status or exercise police powers unless he or she successfully completes the basic police training course mandated and approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board or such board waives the training requirement by reason of the special investigator's prior law enforcement experience or training or both. Any State's Attorney appointing a special investigator shall consult with all affected local police agencies, to the extent consistent with the public interest, if the special investigator is assigned to areas within that agency's jurisdiction.

Before a person is appointed as a special investigator, his fingerprints shall be taken and transmitted to the Department of State Police. The Department shall examine its records and submit to the State's Attorney of the county in which the investigator seeks appointment any conviction information concerning the person on file with the Department. No person shall be appointed as a special investigator if he has been convicted of a felony or other offense involving moral turpitude. A special investigator shall be paid a salary and be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in performing his assigned duties. The county board shall approve the salary and actual expenses and appropriate the salary and expenses in the manner prescribed by law or ordinance.

(c) The State's Attorney may request and receive from employers, labor unions, telephone companies, and utility companies location information concerning putative fathers and noncustodial parents for the purpose of establishing a child's paternity or establishing, enforcing, or modifying a child support obligation. In this subsection, "location information" means information about (i) the physical whereabouts of a putative father or noncustodial parent, (ii) the putative father or noncustodial parent's employer, or (iii) the salary, wages, and other compensation paid and the health insurance coverage provided to the putative father or noncustodial parent by the employer of the putative father or noncustodial parent or by a labor union of which the putative father or noncustodial parent is a member.

(d) For each State fiscal year, the State's Attorney of Cook County shall appear before the General Assembly and request appropriations to be made from the Capital Litigation Trust Fund to the State Treasurer for the purpose of providing assistance in the prosecution of capital cases in Cook County and for the purpose of providing assistance to the State in post-conviction proceedings in capital cases under Article 122 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and in relation to petitions filed under Section 2-1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure in relation to capital cases. The State's Attorney may appear before the General Assembly at other times during the State's fiscal year to request supplemental appropriations from the Trust Fund to the State Treasurer.

(e) The State's Attorney shall have the authority to enter into a written agreement with the Department of Revenue for pursuit of civil liability under subsection (E) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 against persons who have issued to the Department checks or other orders in violation of the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection (B) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961, with the Department to retain the amount owing upon the dishonored check or order along with the dishonored check fee imposed under the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, with the balance of damages, fees, and costs collected under subsection (E) of Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or under Section 17-1a of that Code to be retained by the State's Attorney. The agreement shall not affect the allocation of fines and costs imposed in any criminal prosecution.

(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

Section 15. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 2-3.25o, 3-11.5, 3-12, 10-21.9, 14C-8, 21-1a, 21-1b, 21-2, 21-2.1, 21-2a, 21-3, 21-4, 21-5, 21-5b, 21-5c, 21-5d, 21-7.1, 21-7.5, 21-7.6, 21-9, 21-10, 21-11.1, 21-11.2, 21-11.3, 21-11.4, 21-12, 21-14, 21-16, 21-22, 21-25, 21-27, 24-14, 34-6, and 34-18.5 and by adding Article 21B as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o)

Sec. 2-3.25o. Registration and recognition of non-public elementary and secondary schools.

(a) Findings. The General Assembly finds and declares (i) that the Constitution of the State of Illinois provides that a "fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities" and (ii) that the educational development of every school student serves the public purposes of the State. In order to ensure that all Illinois students and teachers have the opportunity to enroll and work in State-approved educational institutions and programs, the State Board of Education shall provide for the voluntary registration and recognition of non-public elementary and secondary schools.

(b) Registration. All non-public elementary and secondary schools in the State of Illinois may voluntarily register with the State Board of Education on an annual basis. Registration shall be completed in conformance with procedures prescribed by the State Board of Education. Information required for registration shall include assurances of compliance (i) with federal and State laws regarding health examination and immunization, attendance, length of term, and nondiscrimination and (ii) with applicable fire and health safety requirements.

(c) Recognition. All non-public elementary and secondary schools in the State of Illinois may voluntarily seek the status of "Non-public School Recognition" from the State Board of Education. This status may be obtained by compliance with administrative guidelines and review procedures as prescribed by the State Board of Education. The guidelines and procedures must recognize that some of the aims and the financial bases of non-public schools are different from public schools and will not be identical to those for public schools, nor will they be more burdensome. The guidelines and procedures must also recognize the diversity of non-public schools and shall not impinge upon the noneducational relationships between those schools and their clientele.

(c-5) Prohibition against recognition. A non-public elementary or secondary school may not obtain "Non-public School Recognition" status unless the school requires all certified and non-certified applicants for employment with the school, after July 1, 2007, to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check as a condition of employment to determine if such applicants have been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses set forth in Section 21-23a of this Code or have been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State.

Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the applicant to the school, except that if the applicant is a substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one non-public school, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time employment positions with more than one non-public school (as a reading specialist, special education teacher, or otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee seeking employment positions with more than one non-public school, then only one of the non-public schools employing the individual shall request the authorization. Upon receipt of this authorization, the non-public school shall submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social security number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the Department of State Police.

The Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, records of convictions, forever and hereafter, until expunged, to the president or principal of the non-public school that requested the check. The Department of State Police shall charge that school a fee for conducting such check, which fee must be deposited into the State Police Services Fund and must not exceed the cost of the inquiry. Subject to appropriations for these purposes, the State Superintendent of Education shall reimburse non-public schools for fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks under this Section.

A non-public school may not obtain recognition status unless the school also performs a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law, for each applicant for employment, after July 1, 2007, to determine whether the applicant has been adjudicated a sex offender.

Any information concerning the record of convictions obtained by a non-public school's president or principal under this Section is confidential and may be disseminated only to the governing body of the non-public school or any other person necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the Department of State Police shall be provided to the applicant for employment. Upon a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, the non-public school shall notify the applicant as to whether or not the applicant has been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex offender. Any information concerning the records of conviction obtained by the non-public school's president or principal under this Section for a substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one non-public school, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time employment positions with more than one non-public school (as a reading specialist, special education teacher, or otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee seeking employment positions with more than one non-public school may be shared with another non-public school's principal or president to which the applicant seeks employment. Any person who releases any criminal history record information concerning an applicant for employment is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and may be subject to prosecution under federal law, unless the release of such information is authorized by this Section.

No non-public school may obtain recognition status that knowingly employs a person, hired after July 1, 2007, for whom a Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based criminal history records check and a Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been initiated or who has been convicted of any offense enumerated in Section 21B-80 21-23a of this Code or any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of those offenses. No non-public school may obtain recognition status under this Section that knowingly employs a person who has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of a minor under 18 years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

In order to obtain recognition status under this Section, a non-public school must require compliance with the provisions of this subsection (c-5) from all employees of persons or firms holding contracts with the school, including, but not limited to, food service workers, school bus drivers, and other transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with pupils. Any information concerning the records of conviction or identification as a sex offender of any such employee obtained by the non-public school principal or president must be promptly reported to the school's governing body.

(d) Public purposes. The provisions of this Section are in the public interest, for the public benefit, and serve secular public purposes.

(e) Definition. For purposes of this Section, a non-public school means any non-profit, non-home-based, and non-public elementary or secondary school that is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which satisfies the requirements of Section 26-1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 95-351, eff. 8-23-07; 96-431, eff. 8-13-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-11.5)

Sec. 3-11.5. Regional professional development review committee. The regional superintendent of schools shall constitute a regional professional development review committee or committees, as provided in paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of Section 21-14 of this Code, to advise the regional superintendent of schools, upon his or her request, and to hear appeals relating to the renewal of teaching certificates, in accordance with Section 21-14 of this Code. The expenses of these review committees shall be funded, in part, from the fees collected pursuant to Section 21-16 or 21B-40 of this Code and deposited into the institute fund.

(Source: P.A. 91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-12)

Sec. 3-12. Institute fund.

(a) All certificate registration fees and a portion of renewal and duplicate fees shall be kept by the regional superintendent as described in Section 21-16 or 21B-40 of this Code, together with a record of the names of the persons paying them. Such fees shall be deposited into the institute fund and shall be used by the regional superintendent to defray expenses associated with the work of the regional professional development review committees established pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of Section 21-14 of this Code to advise the regional superintendent, upon his or her request, and to hear appeals relating to the renewal of teaching certificates, in accordance with Section 21-14 of this Code; to defray expenses connected with improving the technology necessary for the efficient processing of certificates; to defray all costs associated with the administration of teaching certificates; to defray expenses incidental to teachers' institutes, workshops or meetings of a professional nature that are designed to promote the professional growth of teachers or for the purpose of defraying the expense of any general or special meeting of teachers or school personnel of the region, which has been approved by the regional superintendent.

(b) In addition to the use of moneys in the institute fund to defray expenses under subsection (a) of this Section, the State Superintendent of Education, as authorized under Section 2-3.105 of this Code, shall use moneys in the institute fund to defray all costs associated with the administration of teaching certificates within a city having a population exceeding 500,000.

(c) The regional superintendent shall on or before January 1 of each year publish in a newspaper of general circulation published in the region or shall post in each school building under his jurisdiction an accounting of (1) the balance on hand in the Institute fund at the beginning of the previous year; (2) all receipts within the previous year deposited in the fund, with the sources from which they were derived; (3) the amount distributed from the fund and the purposes for which such distributions were made; and (4) the balance on hand in the fund.

(Source: P.A. 96-893, eff. 7-1-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-21.9) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.9)

Sec. 10-21.9. Criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database.

(a) Certified and noncertified applicants for employment with a school district, except school bus driver applicants, are required as a condition of employment to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine if such applicants have been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) of this Section or have been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State. Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the applicant to the school district, except that if the applicant is a substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one school district, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time employment positions with more than one school district (as a reading specialist, special education teacher or otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee seeking employment positions with more than one district, any such district may require the applicant to furnish authorization for the check to the regional superintendent of the educational service region in which are located the school districts in which the applicant is seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee. Upon receipt of this authorization, the school district or the appropriate regional superintendent, as the case may be, shall submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social security number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the Department. The regional superintendent submitting the requisite information to the Department of State Police shall promptly notify the school districts in which the applicant is seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee that the check of the applicant has been requested. The Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, records of convictions, until expunged, to the president of the school board for the school district that requested the check, or to the regional superintendent who requested the check. The Department shall charge the school district or the appropriate regional superintendent a fee for conducting such check, which fee shall be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not exceed the cost of the inquiry; and the applicant shall not be charged a fee for such check by the school district or by the regional superintendent, except that those applicants seeking employment as a substitute teacher with a school district may be charged a fee not to exceed the cost of the inquiry. Subject to appropriations for these purposes, the State Superintendent of Education shall reimburse school districts and regional superintendents for fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks under this Section.

(a-5) The school district or regional superintendent shall further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law, for each applicant.

(a-6) The school district or regional superintendent shall further perform a check of the Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law, for each applicant.

(b) Any information concerning the record of convictions obtained by the president of the school board or the regional superintendent shall be confidential and may only be transmitted to the superintendent of the school district or his designee, the appropriate regional superintendent if the check was requested by the school district, the presidents of the appropriate school boards if the check was requested from the Department of State Police by the regional superintendent, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Teacher Certification Board, any other person necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for employment, or for clarification purposes the Department of State Police or Statewide Sex Offender Database, or both. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the Department of State Police shall be provided to the applicant for employment. Upon the check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, the school district or regional superintendent shall notify an applicant as to whether or not the applicant has been identified in the Database as a sex offender. If a check of an applicant for employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee in more than one school district was requested by the regional superintendent, and the Department of State Police upon a check ascertains that the applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has not been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and so notifies the regional superintendent and if the regional superintendent upon a check ascertains that the applicant has not been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex offender, then the regional superintendent shall issue to the applicant a certificate evidencing that as of the date specified by the Department of State Police the applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has not been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and evidencing that as of the date that the regional superintendent conducted a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, the applicant has not been identified in the Database as a sex offender. The school board of any school district may rely on the certificate issued by any regional superintendent to that substitute teacher, concurrent part-time teacher, or concurrent educational support personnel employee or may initiate its own criminal history records check of the applicant through the Department of State Police and its own check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database as provided in subsection (a). Any person who releases any confidential information concerning any criminal convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is authorized by this Section.

(c) No school board shall knowingly employ a person who has been convicted of any offense that would subject him or her to license certification suspension or revocation pursuant to Section 21B-80 21-23a of this Code. Further, no school board shall knowingly employ a person who has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of any minor under 18 years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(d) No school board shall knowingly employ a person for whom a criminal history records check and a Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been initiated.

(e) Upon receipt of the record of a conviction of or a finding of child abuse by a holder of any certificate issued pursuant to Article 21 or Section 34-8.1 or 34-83 of the School Code, the State Superintendent of Education may initiate certificate suspension and revocation proceedings as authorized by law.

(e-5) The superintendent of the employing school board shall, in writing, notify the State Superintendent of Education and the applicable regional superintendent of schools of any certificate holder whom he or she has reasonable cause to believe has committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect with the result of making a child an abused child or a neglected child, as defined in Section 3 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and that act resulted in the certificate holder's dismissal or resignation from the school district. This notification must be submitted within 30 days after the dismissal or resignation. The certificate holder must also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice by the superintendent. All correspondence, documentation, and other information so received by the regional superintendent of schools, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Board of Education, or the State Teacher Certification Board under this subsection (e-5) is confidential and must not be disclosed to third parties, except (i) as necessary for the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee to investigate and prosecute pursuant to Article 21 of this Code, (ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii) for disclosure to the certificate holder or his or her representative, or (iv) as otherwise provided in this Article and provided that any such information admitted into evidence in a hearing is exempt from this confidentiality and non-disclosure requirement. Except for an act of willful or wanton misconduct, any superintendent who provides notification as required in this subsection (e-5) shall have immunity from any liability, whether civil or criminal or that otherwise might result by reason of such action.

(f) After January 1, 1990 the provisions of this Section shall apply to all employees of persons or firms holding contracts with any school district including, but not limited to, food service workers, school bus drivers and other transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with the pupils of any school in such district. For purposes of criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database on employees of persons or firms holding contracts with more than one school district and assigned to more than one school district, the regional superintendent of the educational service region in which the contracting school districts are located may, at the request of any such school district, be responsible for receiving the authorization for a criminal history records check prepared by each such employee and submitting the same to the Department of State Police and for conducting a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database for each employee. Any information concerning the record of conviction and identification as a sex offender of any such employee obtained by the regional superintendent shall be promptly reported to the president of the appropriate school board or school boards.

(g) In order to student teach in the public schools, a person is required to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database prior to participating in any field experiences in the public schools. Authorization for and payment of the costs of the checks must be furnished by the student teacher. Results of the checks must be furnished to the higher education institution where the student teacher is enrolled and the superintendent of the school district where the student is assigned.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1452, eff. 8-20-10; 96-1489, eff. 1-1-11; revised 1-4-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/14C-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-8)

Sec. 14C-8. Teacher certification - Qualifications - Issuance of certificates. No person shall be eligible for employment by a school district as a teacher of transitional bilingual education without either (a) holding a valid teaching certificate issued pursuant to Article 21 of this Code and meeting such additional language and course requirements as prescribed by the State Board of Education or (b) meeting the requirements set forth in this Section. The Certification Board shall issue certificates valid for teaching in all grades of the common school in transitional bilingual education programs to any person who presents it with satisfactory evidence that he possesses an adequate speaking and reading ability in a language other than English in which transitional bilingual education is offered and communicative skills in English, and possessed within 5 years previous to his or her applying for a certificate under this Section a valid teaching certificate issued by a foreign country, or by a State or possession or territory of the United States, or other evidence of teaching preparation as may be determined to be sufficient by the Certification Board, or holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country which the Certification Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States; provided that any person seeking a certificate under this Section must meet the following additional requirements:

(1) Such persons must be in good health;

(2) Such persons must be of sound moral character;

(3) Such persons must be legally present in the United States and possess legal authorization for employment;

(4) Such persons must not be employed to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

Certificates issuable pursuant to this Section shall be issuable only during the 5 years immediately following the effective date of this Act and thereafter for additional periods of one year only upon a determination by the State Board of Education that a school district lacks the number of teachers necessary to comply with the mandatory requirements of Section 14C-3 of this Article for the establishment and maintenance of programs of transitional bilingual education and said certificates issued by the Certification Board shall be valid for a period of 6 years following their date of issuance and shall not be renewed, except that one renewal for a period of two years may be granted if necessary to permit the holder of a certificate issued under this Section to acquire a teaching certificate pursuant to Article 21 of this Code. Such certificates and the persons to whom they are issued shall be exempt from the provisions of Article 21 or Article 21B of this Code, except that Sections 21-16, 21-22, 21B-75, 21B-90, and 21B-105 of this Code shall continue to be applicable to all such certificates or licenses except that Sections 21-12, 21-13, 21-16, 21-17, 21-21, 21-22, 21-23 and 21-24 shall continue to be applicable to all such certificates.

After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1984, an additional renewal for a period to expire August 31, 1985, may be granted. The State Board of Education shall report to the General Assembly on or before January 31, 1985 its recommendations for the qualification of teachers of bilingual education and for the qualification of teachers of English as a second language. Said qualification program shall take effect no later than August 31, 1985.

Beginning July 1, 2001, the State Board of Education shall implement a test or tests to assess the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of applicants for a certificate issued under this Section in the English language and in the language of the transitional bilingual education program requested by the applicant and shall establish appropriate fees for these tests. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Certification Board, shall promulgate rules to implement the required tests, including specific provisions to govern test selection, test validation, determination of a passing score, administration of the test or tests, frequency of administration, applicant fees, identification requirements for test takers, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the years for which a score is valid, waiving tests for individuals who have satisfactorily passed other tests, and the consequences of dishonest conduct in the application for or taking of the tests.

If the qualifications of an applicant for a certificate valid for teaching in transitional bilingual education programs in all grades of the common schools do not meet the requirements established for the issuance of that certificate, the Certification Board nevertheless shall issue the applicant a substitute teacher's certificate under Section 21-9 whenever it appears from the face of the application submitted for certification as a teacher of transitional bilingual education and the evidence presented in support thereof that the applicant's qualifications meet the requirements established for the issuance of a certificate under Section 21-9; provided, that if it does not appear from the face of such application and supporting evidence that the applicant is qualified for issuance of a certificate under Section 21-9 the Certification Board shall evaluate the application with reference to the requirements for issuance of certificates under Section 21-9 and shall inform the applicant, at the time it denies the application submitted for certification as a teacher of transitional bilingual education, of the additional qualifications which the applicant must possess in order to meet the requirements established for issuance of (i) a certificate valid for teaching in transitional bilingual education programs in all grades of the common schools and (ii) a substitute teacher's certificate under Section 21-9.

This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07; 95-496, eff. 8-28-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-1a) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-1a)

Sec. 21-1a. Tests required for certification and teacher preparation.

(a) After July 1, 1988, in addition to all other requirements, early childhood, elementary, special, high school, school service personnel, or, except as provided in Section 34-6, administrative certificates shall be issued to persons who have satisfactorily passed a test of basic skills, an assessment of professional teaching, and a test of subject matter knowledge, provided that a person who passed another state's test of basic skills as a condition of certification or of admission to a teacher preparation program shall not be required to pass this State's test of basic skills. The tests of basic skills and subject matter knowledge shall be the tests which from time to time are designated by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board and may be tests prepared by an educational testing organization or tests designed by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. The areas to be covered by the test of basic skills shall include the basic skills of reading, writing, grammar and mathematics. The test of subject matter knowledge shall assess content knowledge in the specific subject field. The tests shall be designed to be racially neutral to assure that no person in taking the tests is thereby discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin or other factors unrelated to the person's ability to perform as a certificated employee. The score required to pass the tests of basic skills and subject matter knowledge shall be fixed by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. The tests shall be held not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and place as may be designated by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) (Blank). Except as provided in Section 34-6, the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section shall apply equally in any school district subject to Article 34, provided that the State Board of Education shall determine which certificates issued under Sections 34-8.1 and 34-83 prior to July 1, 1988 are comparable to any early childhood certificate, elementary school certificate, special certificate, high school certificate, school service personnel certificate or administrative certificate issued under this Article as of July 1, 1988.

(c) (Blank). A person who holds an early childhood, elementary, special, high school or school service personnel certificate issued under this Article on or at any time before July 1, 1988, including a person who has been issued any such certificate pursuant to Section 21-11.1 or in exchange for a comparable certificate theretofore issued under Section 34-8.1 or Section 34-83, shall not be required to take or pass the tests in order to thereafter have such certificate renewed.

(d) The State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board shall conduct a pilot administration of the tests by administering the test to students completing teacher education programs in the 1986-87 school year for the purpose of determining the effect and impact of testing candidates for certification.

Beginning with the 2002-2003 academic year, a student may not enroll in a teacher preparation program at a recognized teacher training institution until he or she has passed the basic skills test.

Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, prior to completing an approved teacher preparation program, a preservice education candidate must satisfactorily pass the test of subject matter knowledge in the discipline in which he or she will be certified to teach. The teacher preparation program may require passage of the test of subject matter knowledge at any time during the program, including prior to student teaching.

(e) The rules and regulations developed to implement the required test of basic skills and subject matter knowledge shall include the requirements of subsections (a), (b), and (c) and shall include specific regulations to govern test selection; test validation and determination of a passing score; administration of the tests; frequency of administration; applicant fees; frequency of applicants' taking the tests; the years for which a score is valid; and, waiving certain additional tests for additional certificates to individuals who have satisfactorily passed the test of basic skills and subject matter knowledge as required in subsection (a). The State Board of Education shall provide, by rule, specific policies that assure uniformity in the difficulty level of each form of the basic skills test and each subject matter knowledge test from test-to-test and year-to-year. The State Board of Education shall also set a passing score for the tests.

(f) (Blank). The State Teacher Certification Board may issue a nonrenewable temporary certificate between July 1, 1988 and August 31, 1988 to individuals who have taken the tests of basic skills and subject matter knowledge prescribed by this Section but have not received such test scores by August 31, 1988. Such temporary certificates shall expire on December 31, 1988.

(g) (Blank). Beginning February 15, 2000, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall implement and administer a new system of certification for teachers in the State of Illinois. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall design and implement a system of examinations and various other criteria which shall be required prior to the issuance of Initial Teaching Certificates and Standard Teaching Certificates. These examinations and indicators shall be based on national and State professional teaching standards, as determined by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. The State Board of Education may adopt any and all regulations necessary to implement and administer this Section.

(h) (Blank). The State Board of Education shall report to the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor with recommendations for further changes and improvements to the teacher certification system no later than July 1, 1999 and on an annual basis until July 1, 2001.

(i) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2012.

(Source: P.A. 96-689, eff. 8-25-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-1b) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-1b)

Sec. 21-1b. Subject endorsement on certificates.

(a) All certificates initially issued under this Article after June 30, 1986, shall be specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each subject the holder of the certificate is legally qualified to teach, such endorsements to be made in accordance with standards promulgated by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. The regional superintendent of schools, however, has the duty, after appropriate training, to accept and review all transcripts for new initial certificate applications and ensure that each applicant has met all of the criteria established by the State Board of Education in consultation with with the State Teacher Certification Board. All certificates which are issued under this Article prior to July 1, 1986 may, by application to the State Board of Education, be specifically endorsed for each subject the holder is legally qualified to teach. Endorsements issued under this Section shall not apply to substitute teacher's certificates issued under Section 21-9 of this Code.

(b) Until December 31, 2011 Commencing July 1, 1999, each application for endorsement of an existing teaching certificate shall be accompanied by a $30 nonrefundable fee.

(c) Beginning on January 1, 2012, each application for endorsement of an existing teaching certificate must be accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable fee.

(d) There is hereby created a Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund as a special fund within the State Treasury. The proceeds of each endorsement $30 fee shall be paid into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund; and the moneys in that Fund shall be appropriated and used to provide the technology and other resources necessary for the timely and efficient processing of certification requests. The Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund is not subject to administrative charge transfers authorized under Section 8h of the State Finance Act from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund into any other fund of this State.

(e) The State Board of Education and each regional office of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of certification fees. This service or convenience fee may not exceed the amount required by the credit card processing company or vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee must be paid to that company or vendor.

(f) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 96-403, eff. 8-13-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)

Sec. 21-2. Grades of certificates.

(a) All certificates issued under this Article shall be State certificates valid, except as limited in Section 21-1, in every school district coming under the provisions of this Act and shall be limited in time and designated as follows: Provisional vocational certificate, temporary provisional vocational certificate, early childhood certificate, elementary school certificate, special certificate, secondary certificate, school service personnel certificate, administrative certificate, provisional certificate, and substitute certificate. The requirement of student teaching under close and competent supervision for obtaining a teaching certificate may be waived by the State Teacher Certification Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence of one year or more of 5 years successful teaching experience on a valid certificate and graduation from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree or higher.

(b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Persons who (1) have completed an approved teacher preparation program, (2) are recommended by an approved teacher preparation program, (3) have successfully completed the Initial Teaching Certification examinations required by the State Board of Education, and (4) have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid for 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code. Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, an Initial Teaching Certificate shall be automatically extended for one year for all persons who (i) have been issued an Initial Teaching Certificate that expires on June 30, 2004 and (ii) have not met, prior to July 1, 2004, the Standard Certificate requirements under paragraph (c) of this Section. An application and fee shall not be required for this extension.

(b-5) A person who holds an out-of-state certificate and who is otherwise eligible for a comparable Illinois certificate may be issued an Initial Certificate if that person has not completed 4 years of teaching. Upon completion of 4 years of teaching, the person is eligible for a Standard Certificate. Beginning July 1, 2004, an out-of-state candidate who has already earned a second-tier certificate in another state is not subject to any Standard Certificate eligibility requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this Section other than completion of the 4 years of teaching. An out-of-state candidate who has completed less than 4 years of teaching and does not hold a second-tier certificate from another state must meet the requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this Section, proportionately reduced by the amount of time remaining to complete the 4 years of teaching.

(c) Standard Certificate.

(1) Persons who (i) have completed 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate and have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, (ii) have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the United States, or have completed 4 years of teaching in a nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary school with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate, and have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, or (iii) were issued teaching certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and are renewing those certificates after February 15, 2000, shall be issued a Standard Certificate valid for 5 years, which may be renewed thereafter every 5 years by the State Teacher Certification Board based on proof of continuing education or professional development. Beginning July 1, 2003, persons who have completed 4 years of teaching, as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this paragraph (1), have successfully completed the requirements of paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection (c), and have met all other criteria established by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall be issued Standard Certificates. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid out-of-state certificates and have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the United States shall be issued comparable Standard Certificates. Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid out-of-state certificates as described in subsection (b-5) of this Section are subject to the requirements of paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection (c), as required in subsection (b-5) of this Section, in order to receive a Standard Certificate. Standard Certificates shall be issued for categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(2) This paragraph (2) applies only to those persons required to successfully complete the requirements of this paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). In order to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate, a person must satisfy one of the following requirements:

(A) Completion of a program of induction and mentoring for new teachers that is based upon a specific plan approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Nothing in this Section, however, prohibits an induction or mentoring program from operating prior to approval. Holders of Initial Certificates issued before September 1, 2007 must complete, at a minimum, an approved one-year induction and mentoring program. Holders of Initial Certificates issued on or after September 1, 2007 must complete an approved 2-year induction and mentoring program. The plan must describe the role of mentor teachers, the criteria and process for their selection, and how all the following components are to be provided:

(i) Assignment of a formally trained mentor teacher to each new teacher for a specified period of time, which shall be established by the employing school or school district, provided that a mentor teacher may not directly or indirectly participate in the evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the school.

(ii) Formal mentoring for each new teacher.

(iii) Support for each new teacher in relation to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the content-area standards applicable to the new teacher's area of certification, and any applicable local school improvement and professional development plans.

(iv) Professional development specifically designed to foster the growth of each new teacher's knowledge and skills.

(v) Formative assessment that is based on the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and designed to provide feedback to the new teacher and opportunities for reflection on his or her performance, which must not be used directly or indirectly in any evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the school and which must include the activities specified in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of this paragraph (2).

(vi) Assignment of responsibility for coordination of the induction and mentoring program within each school district participating in the program.

(B) Successful completion of 4 semester hours of graduate-level coursework on the assessment of one's own performance in relation to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. The coursework must be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board; must be offered either by an institution of higher education, by such an institution in partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a regional office of education, or by another entity authorized to issue college credit; and must include demonstration of performance through all of the following activities for each of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards:

(i) Observation, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's classroom practice (the observation may be recorded for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and describing how the new teacher made content meaningful for students; how the teacher motivated individuals and the group and created an environment conducive to positive social interactions, active learning, and self-motivation; what instructional strategies the teacher used to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance; how the teacher communicated using written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and how the teacher maintained standards of professional conduct and provided leadership to improve students' learning.

(ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of written documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments, assessment instruments, and samples of students' work) prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The documentation must provide evidence of classroom performance related to Illinois Professional Teaching Standards 1 through 9, with an emphasis on how the teacher used his or her understanding of students, assessment data, and subject matter to decide on learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected activities and instructional materials and aligned instruction to the relevant Illinois Learning Standards; how the teacher adapted or modified curriculum to meet individual students' needs; and how the teacher sequenced instruction and designed or selected student assessment strategies.

(iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her practice, which was observed under clause (B)(i) of this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (B)(ii) of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths, weaknesses, and implications for improvement according to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.

(C) Successful completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of graduate-level coursework addressing preparation to meet the requirements for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The coursework must be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and must be offered either by an institution of higher education, by such an institution in partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a regional office of education, or by another entity authorized to issue college credit. The course must address the 5 NBPTS Core Propositions and relevant standards through such means as the following:

(i) Observation, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's classroom practice (the observation may be recorded for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and describing how the new teacher made content meaningful for students; how the teacher motivated individuals and the group and created an environment conducive to positive social interactions, active learning, and self-motivation; what instructional strategies the teacher used to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance; how the teacher communicated using written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and how the teacher maintained standards of professional conduct and provided leadership to improve students' learning.

(ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor or another experienced teacher, of written documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments, assessment instruments, and samples of students' work) prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The documentation must provide evidence of classroom performance, including how the teacher used his or her understanding of students, assessment data, and subject matter to decide on learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected activities and instructional materials and aligned instruction to the relevant Illinois Learning Standards; how the teacher adapted or modified curriculum to meet individual students' needs; and how the teacher sequenced instruction and designed or selected student assessment strategies.

(iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her practice, which was observed under clause (C)(i) of this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (C)(ii) of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths, weaknesses, and implications for improvement.

(C-5) Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit towards an advanced degree in an education-related field from an accredited institution of higher education.

(D) Receipt of an advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in an education-related field that is earned by a person either while he or she holds an Initial Teaching Certificate or prior to his or her receipt of that certificate.

(E) Accumulation of 60 continuing professional development units (CPDUs), earned by completing selected activities that comply with paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection (c). However, for an individual who holds an Initial Teaching Certificate on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, the number of CPDUs shall be reduced to reflect the teaching time remaining on the Initial Teaching Certificate.

(F) Completion of a nationally normed, performance-based assessment, if made available by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, provided that the cost to the person shall not exceed the cost of the coursework described in clause (B) of this paragraph (2).

(G) Completion of requirements for meeting the Illinois criteria for becoming "highly qualified" (for purposes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law 107-110) in an additional teaching area.

(H) Receipt of a minimum 12-hour, post-baccalaureate, education-related professional development certificate issued by an Illinois institution of higher education and developed in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(I) Completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process.

(J) Receipt of a subsequent Illinois certificate or endorsement pursuant to Article 21 of this Code.

(3) This paragraph (3) applies only to those persons required to successfully complete the requirements of this paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may earn credit through completion of coursework, workshops, seminars, conferences, and other similar training events that are pre-approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for the purpose of reflection on teaching practices in order to address all of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards necessary to obtain a Standard Teaching Certificate. These activities must meet all of the following requirements:

(A) Each activity must be designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the teacher's field of certification.

(B) Taken together, the activities completed must address each of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards as provided in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c).

(C) Each activity must be provided by an entity approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for this purpose.

(D) Each activity, integral to its successful completion, must require participants to demonstrate the degree to which they have acquired new knowledge or skills, such as through performance, through preparation of a written product, through assembling samples of students' or teachers' work, or by some other means that is appropriate to the subject matter of the activity.

(E) One CPDU shall be available for each hour of direct participation by a holder of an Initial Teaching Certificate in a qualifying activity. An activity may be attributed to more than one of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, but credit for any activity shall be counted only once.

(4) This paragraph (4) applies only to those persons required to successfully complete the requirements of this paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may earn credit from the following, provided that each activity is designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the person's field or fields of certification:

(A) Collaboration and partnership activities related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Peer review and coaching.

(ii) Mentoring in a formal mentoring program, including service as a consulting teacher participating in a remediation process formulated under Section 24A-5 of this Code.

(iii) Facilitating parent education programs directly related to student achievement for a school, school district, or regional office of education.

(iv) Participating in business, school, or community partnerships directly related to student achievement.

(B) Teaching college or university courses in areas relevant to a teacher's field of certification, provided that the teaching may only be counted once during the course of 4 years.

(C) Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, and symposiums related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Completing non-university credit directly related to student achievement, the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.

(ii) Participating in or presenting at workshops, seminars, conferences, institutes, and symposiums.

(iii) (Blank).

(iv) Training as reviewers of university teacher preparation programs.

An activity listed in this clause (C) is creditable only if its provider is approved for this purpose by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(D) Other educational experiences related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Participating in action research and inquiry projects.

(ii) Observing programs or teaching in schools, related businesses, or industry that is systematic, purposeful, and relevant to a teacher's field of certification.

(iii) Participating in study groups related to student achievement, the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.

(iv) Participating in work/learn programs or internships.

(v) Developing a portfolio of students' and teacher's work.

(E) Professional leadership experiences related to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all of the following:

(i) Participating in curriculum development or assessment activities at the school, school district, regional office of education, State, or national level.

(ii) Participating in team or department leadership in a school or school district.

(iii) (Blank).

(iv) Publishing educational articles, columns, or books relevant to a teacher's field of certification.

(v) Participating in non-strike related activities of a professional association or labor organization that are related to professional development.

(5) A person must complete the requirements of this subsection (c) before the expiration of his or her Initial Teaching Certificate and must submit assurance of having done so to the regional superintendent of schools or a local professional development committee authorized by the regional superintendent to submit recommendations to him or her for this purpose.

Within 30 days after receipt, the regional superintendent of schools shall review the assurance of completion submitted by a person and, based upon compliance with all of the requirements for receipt of a Standard Teaching Certificate, shall forward to the State Board of Education a recommendation for issuance of the Standard Certificate or non-issuance. The regional superintendent of schools shall notify the affected person if the recommendation is for non-issuance of the Standard Certificate. A person who is considered not to be eligible for a Standard Certificate and who has received the notice of non-issuance may appeal this determination to the Regional Professional Development Review Committee (RPDRC). The recommendation of the regional superintendent and the RPDRC, along with all supporting materials, must then be forwarded to the State Board of Education for a final determination.

Upon review of a regional superintendent of school's recommendations, the State Board of Education shall issue Standard Teaching Certificates to those who qualify and shall notify a person, in writing, of a decision denying a Standard Teaching Certificate. Any decision denying issuance of a Standard Teaching Certificate to a person may be appealed to the State Teacher Certification Board.

(6) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, may adopt rules to implement this subsection (c) and may periodically evaluate any of the methods of qualifying for a Standard Teaching Certificate described in this subsection (c).

(7) The changes made to paragraphs (1) through (5) of this subsection (c) by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly shall apply to those persons who hold or are eligible to hold an Initial Certificate on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and shall be given effect upon their application for a Standard Certificate.

(8) Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold a Standard Certificate and have acquired one master's degree in an education-related field are eligible for certificate renewal upon completion of two-thirds of the continuing professional development units specified in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code. Persons who hold a Standard Certificate and have acquired a second master's degree, an education specialist, or a doctorate in an education-related field or hold a Master Certificate are eligible for certificate renewal upon completion of one-third of the continuing professional development units specified in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code.

(d) Master Certificate. Persons who have successfully achieved National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years through compliance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Beginning on July 1, 2012, individuals holding a Master's Certificate in specific areas may work only in an area in which they have a comparable Illinois endorsement or only if the individual has an Illinois National Board for Professional Teaching Standards endorsement issued prior to June 30, 2012. However, each teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be eligible for a teaching position in this State in the areas for which he or she holds a Master Certificate without satisfying any other requirements of this Code, except for those requirements pertaining to criminal background checks. A holder of a Master Certificate in an area of science or social science is eligible to teach in any of the subject areas within those fields, including those taught at the advanced level, as defined by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be deemed to meet State certification renewal requirements in the area or areas for which he or she holds a Master Certificate for the 10-year term of the teacher's Master Certificate.

(e) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-2.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2.1)

Sec. 21-2.1. Early childhood certificate.

(a) An early childhood certificate shall be valid for 4 years for teaching children up to 6 years of age, exclusive of children enrolled in kindergarten, in facilities approved by the State Superintendent of Education. Beginning July 1, 1988, such certificate shall be valid for 4 years for Teaching children through grade 3 in facilities approved by the State Superintendent of Education. Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, it shall be issued to persons who have graduated from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree and with not fewer than 120 semester hours including professional education or human development or, until July 1, 1992, to persons who have early childhood education instruction and practical experience involving supervised work with children under 6 years of age or with children through grade 3. Such persons shall be recommended for the early childhood certificate by a recognized institution as having completed an approved program of preparation which includes the requisite hours and academic and professional courses and practical experience approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. The student teaching portion of such practical experience may be satisfied through placement in any of grades pre-kindergarten (which consists of children from 3 years through 5 years of age) through 3, provided that the student is under the active supervision of a cooperating teacher who is certified and qualified (i) in early childhood education or (ii) in self-contained, general elementary education. Candidates for the early childhood certificate (including paraprofessionals) with at least one year of experience in a school or community-based early childhood setting who are enrolled in early-childhood teacher preparation programs may be paid and receive credit while student teaching with their current employer, provided that their student teaching experience meets the requirements of their early-childhood teacher preparation program.

(b) Beginning February 15, 2000, Initial and Standard Early Childhood Education Certificates shall be issued to persons who meet the criteria established by the State Board of Education.

(c) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 94-1034, eff. 1-1-07; 94-1110, eff. 2-23-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-2a) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2a)

Sec. 21-2a. Required instruction for all teachers. After September 1, 1981 and until January 1, 1999, in addition to all other requirements, the successful completion of course work which includes instruction on the psychology of the exceptional child, the identification of the exceptional child, including, but not limited to the learning disabled and methods of instruction for the exceptional child, including, but not limited to the learning disabled shall be a prerequisite to a person receiving any of the following certificates: early childhood, elementary, special and high school. After January 1, 1999, the State Board of Education shall ensure that the curriculum for all approved teacher preparation programs includes, and that all prospective teachers pursuing Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, or Special certificates receive, instruction on the psychology of, the identification of, and the methods of instruction for the exceptional child, including without limitation the learning disabled. This instruction on exceptional children may be provided in one concentrated course or may be integrated among other courses within the teacher preparation program as shall be determined by the State Board of Education.

This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-653, eff. 7-29-98; 91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-3)

Sec. 21-3. Elementary certificate.

(a) An elementary school certificate shall be valid for 4 years for teaching in the kindergarten and lower 9 grades of the common schools. Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, it shall be issued to persons who have graduated from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree and with not fewer than 120 semester hours and with a minimum of 16 semester hours in professional education, including 5 semester hours in student teaching under competent and close supervision. Such persons shall be recommended for the elementary certificate by a recognized institution as having completed an approved program of preparation which includes intensive preservice training in the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and the academic and professional courses approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) Beginning February 15, 2000, Initial and Standard Elementary Certificates shall be issued to persons who meet all of the criteria established by the State Board of Education for elementary education.

(c) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-811, eff. 1-26-99; 91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-4)

Sec. 21-4. Special certificate.

(a) A special certificate shall be valid for 4 years for teaching the special subjects named therein in all grades of the common schools. Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, it shall be issued to persons who have graduated from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree and with not fewer than 120 semester hours including a minimum of 16 semester hours in professional education, 5 of which shall be in student teaching under competent and close supervision. When the holder of such certificate has earned a master's degree, including eight semester hours of graduate professional education from a recognized institution of higher learning and with two years' teaching experience, it may be endorsed for supervision.

Such persons shall be recommended for the special certificate by a recognized institution as having completed an approved program of preparation which includes academic and professional courses approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) Those persons holding special certificates on February 15, 2000 shall be eligible for one of the following:

(1) The issuance of Standard Elementary and Standard Secondary Certificates with appropriate special certification designations as determined by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and consistent with rules adopted by the State Board of Education. These certificates shall be renewed as provided in subsection (c) of Section 21-2.

(2) The issuance of Standard Special K-12 Certificates with appropriate special certification designations, which shall be renewed as provided in subsection (c) of Section 21-2. These certificates shall not be eligible for additional certification designations except as approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(c) Those persons eligible to receive K-12 certification after February 15, 2000 shall be issued Initial Elementary and Initial Secondary Certificates with appropriate special certification designations pursuant to this Section or Initial Special K-12 Certificates with appropriate special certification designations pursuant to this Section. These Initial K-12 Special Certificates shall not be eligible for additional certification designations except as approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(d) All persons holding a special certificate with a special education endorsement are exempt from the provisions of Section 2-3.71 of this Code, provided they meet all the other requirements for teaching as established by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

Beginning February 15, 2000, all persons exchanging a special certificate pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section with a special education endorsement or receiving a special education designation on either a special certificate or an elementary certificate issued pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section are exempt from the provisions of Section 2-3.71 of this Code, provided they meet all the other requirements for teaching as established by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

Certificates exchanged or issued pursuant to this subsection (d) shall be valid for teaching children with disabilities, as defined in Section 14-1.02 of this Code, and these special certificates shall be called Initial or Standard Special Preschool - Age 21 Certificates. Nothing in this subsection (d) shall be construed to adversely affect the rights of any person presently certificated, any person whose certification is currently pending, or any person who is currently enrolled or enrolls prior to February 15, 2000 in an approved Special K-12 certification program.

(e) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-653, eff. 7-29-98; 90-811, eff. 1-26-99; 91-102, eff. 7-12-99; 91-765, eff. 6-9-00.)

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

Sec. 21-5. High school certificate.

(a) A high school certificate shall be valid for 4 years for teaching in grades 6 to 12 inclusive of the common schools. Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, it shall be issued to persons who have graduated from a recognized institution of higher learning with a bachelor's degree and with not fewer than 120 semester hours including 16 semester hours in professional education, 5 of which shall be in student teaching under competent and close supervision and with one or more teaching fields. Such persons shall be recommended for the high school certificate by a recognized institution as having completed an approved program of preparation which includes the academic and professional courses approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) Beginning February 15, 2000, Initial and Standard Secondary Certificates shall be issued to persons who meet all of the criteria established by the State Board of Education for secondary education.

(c) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-811, eff. 1-26-99; 91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-5b)

Sec. 21-5b. Alternative certification. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement an alternative certification program under which persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete the program established by this Section shall be issued an alternative teaching certificate for teaching in the schools. The program shall be limited to not more than 260 new participants during each year that the program is in effect. The State Board of Education, in cooperation with one or more not-for-profit organizations in the State that support excellence in teaching, which may be in partnership with a university that offers 4-year baccalaureate and masters degree programs and that is a recognized institution as defined in Section 21B-105 of this Code 21-21, may within 30 days after submission by the program sponsor approve a course of study developed by the program sponsor that persons in the program must successfully complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of an alternative certificate under this Section. The Alternative Teacher Certification program course of study must include content and skills which have been approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, as meeting the requirement for State teacher certification.

The alternative certification program established under this Section shall be known as the Alternative Teacher Certification program. The Alternative Teacher Certification Program shall be offered by the submitting partnership, and such partnership may be offered by one or more not-for-profit organizations in the State which support excellence in teaching. The program shall be comprised of the following 3 phases: (a) the first phase is the course of study offered on an intensive basis in education theory, instructional methods, and practice teaching; (b) the second phase is the person's assignment to a full-time teaching position for one school year; and (c) the third phase is a comprehensive assessment of the person's teaching performance by school officials and the partnership participants and a recommendation by the program sponsor to the State Board of Education that the person be issued a standard alternative teaching certificate. Successful completion of the Alternative Teacher Certification program shall be deemed to satisfy any other practice or student teaching and subject matter requirements established by law.

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

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

(2) have successfully completed the first phase of the Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in this Section;

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

(4) (i) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years in an area requiring application of the individual's education or (ii) have attained at least a cumulative grade average of a "B" if the individual is assigned either to a school district that has not met the annual measurable objective for highly qualified teachers required by the Illinois Revised Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT) Plan or to a school district whose data filed with the State Board of Education indicates that the district's poor and minority students are taught by teachers who are not highly qualified at a higher rate than other students; however, this item (4) does not apply with respect to a provisional alternative teaching certificate for teaching in schools situated in a school district that is located in a city having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants. Assignment may be made under clause (ii) of this item (4) only if the district superintendent and the exclusive bargaining representative of the district's teachers, if any, jointly agree to permit the assignment.

A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate under this Section shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes of compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment afforded teachers in the school who are members of a bargaining unit represented by an exclusive bargaining representative, if any.

Until February 15, 2000, a standard alternative teaching certificate, valid for 4 years for teaching in the schools and renewable as provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under this Section 21-5b to persons who first complete the requirements for the provisional alternative teaching certificate and who at the time of applying for a standard alternative teaching certificate under this Section have successfully completed the second and third phases of the Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in this Section. Alternatively, beginning February 15, 2000, at the end of the 4-year validity period, persons who were issued a standard alternative teaching certificate shall be eligible, on the same basis as holders of an Initial Teaching Certificate issued under subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of this Code, to apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate, provided they meet the requirements of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code and further provided that a person who does not apply for and receive a Standard Teaching Certificate shall be able to teach only in schools situated in a school district that is located in a city having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.

Beginning February 15, 2000, persons who have completed the requirements for a standard alternative teaching certificate under this Section shall be issued an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate valid for 4 years of teaching and not renewable. At the end of the 4-year validity period, these persons shall be eligible, on the same basis as holders of an Initial Teaching Certificate issued under subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of this Code, to apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate, provided they meet the requirements of subsection (c) of Section 21-2.

Such alternative certification program shall be implemented so that the first provisional alternative teaching certificates issued under this Section are effective upon the commencement of the 1997-1998 academic year and the first standard alternative teaching certificates issued under this Section are effective upon the commencement of the 1998-1999 academic year.

The State Board of Education, in cooperation with the partnership or partnerships establishing such Alternative Teacher Certification programs, shall adopt rules and regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the State Board of Education deems necessary to establish and implement the program.

No one may be admitted to an alternative certification program under this Section after September 1, 2012, and those candidates who are admitted on or before September 1, 2012 must complete the program before September 1, 2013.

This Section is repealed on September 1, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 95-270, eff. 8-17-07; 96-862, eff. 1-15-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-5c)

Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement one or more alternative route to teacher certification programs under which persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete the programs established by this Section shall be issued an initial teaching certificate for teaching in schools in this State. The State Board of Education may approve a course of study that persons in such programs must successfully complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of a certificate under this Section. The Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs course of study must include content and skills which have been approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, as meeting the requirement for State teacher certification.

Programs established under this Section shall be known as Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs. The programs may be offered by a university that offers 4-year baccalaureate and masters degree programs and that is a recognized institution as defined in Section 21B-105 of this Code 21-21, by one or more not-for-profit organizations in the State, or a combination thereof. The programs shall be comprised of the following 3 phases: (a) a course of study offered on an intensive basis in education theory, instructional methods, and practice teaching; (b) the person's assignment to a full-time teaching position for one school year, including the designation of a mentor teacher to advise and assist the person with that teaching assignment; and (c) a comprehensive assessment of the person's teaching performance by school officials and program participants and a recommendation by the program sponsor to the State Board of Education that the person be issued an initial teaching certificate. Successful completion of Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs shall be deemed to satisfy any other practice or student teaching and subject matter requirements established by law.

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

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

(2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years in an area requiring application of the individual's education;

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

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

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

A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate or an initial teaching certificate earned under this Section shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes of compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment afforded teachers in the school who are members of a bargaining unit represented by an exclusive bargaining representative, if any.

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

No one may be admitted to an alternative certification program under this Section after September 1, 2012, and those candidates who are admitted on or before September 1, 2012 must complete the program before September 1, 2013.

This Section is repealed on September 1, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 96-862, eff. 1-15-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-5d)

Sec. 21-5d. Alternative route to administrative certification. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board and an advisory panel consisting of no less than 7 administrators appointed by the State Superintendent of Education, shall establish and implement one or more alternative route to administrative certification program under which persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete the program established by this Section shall be issued a standard administrative certificate for serving as an administrator in schools in this State. For the purposes of this Section only, "administrator" means a person holding any administrative position for which a standard administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement, chief school business official endorsement, or superintendent endorsement is required, except a principal or an assistant principal. The State Board of Education may approve a course of study that persons in the program must successfully complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of a certificate under this Section. The Alternative Route to Administrative Certification program course of study must include content and skills which have been approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, as meeting the requirement for administrative certification.

Programs established under this Section shall be known as the Alternative Route to Administrative Certification programs. The programs shall be comprised of the following 3 phases: (a) a course of study offered on an intensive basis in education management, governance, organization, and planning; (b) the person's assignment to a full-time position for one school year as an administrator; and (c) a comprehensive assessment of the person's performance by school officials and a recommendation to the State Board of Education that the person be issued a standard administrative certificate. Successful completion of an Alternative Route to Administrative Certification program shall be deemed to satisfy any other supervisory, administrative, or management experience requirements established by law.

A provisional alternative administrative certificate, valid for one year of serving as an administrator in the common schools and not renewable, shall be issued under this Section 21-5d to persons who at the time of applying for the provisional alternative administrative certificate under this Section:

(1) have graduated from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in a management field or with a bachelor's degree and the life experience equivalent of a master's degree in a management field as determined by the State Board of Education;

(2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years in a management level position;

(3) have successfully completed the first phase of the Alternative Route to Administrative Certification program as provided in this Section; and

(4) have passed any examination required by the State Board of Education.

A standard administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement, chief school business official endorsement, or superintendent endorsement, renewable as provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under Section 21-7.1 to persons who first complete the requirements for the provisional alternative administrative certificate and who at the time of applying for a standard administrative certificate have successfully completed the second and third phases of an Alternative Route to Administrative Certification program as provided in this Section.

The State Board of Education may adopt rules and regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the State Board deems necessary to establish and implement those programs.

No one may be admitted to an alternative certification program under this Section after September 1, 2012, and those candidates must complete the program before September 1, 2013.

This Section is repealed on September 1, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 96-862, eff. 1-15-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-7.1)

Sec. 21-7.1. Administrative certificate.

(a) After July 1, 1999, an administrative certificate valid for 5 years of supervising and administering in the public common schools (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section) may be issued to persons who have graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning with a master's degree or its equivalent and who have been recommended by a recognized institution of higher learning, a not-for-profit entity, or a combination thereof, as having completed a program of preparation for one or more of these endorsements. Such programs of academic and professional preparation required for endorsement shall be administered by an institution or not-for-profit entity approved to offer such programs by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and shall be operated in accordance with this Article and the standards set forth by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. Any program offered in whole or in part by a not-for-profit entity must also be approved by the Board of Higher Education.

(a-5) Beginning July 1, 2003, if an administrative certificate holder holds a Standard Teaching Certificate, the validity period of the administrative certificate shall be changed, if necessary, so that the validity period of the administrative certificate coincides with the validity period of the Standard Teaching Certificate. Beginning July 1, 2003, if an administrative certificate holder holds a Master Teaching Certificate, the validity period of the administrative certificate shall be changed so that the validity period of the administrative certificate coincides with the validity period of the Master Teaching Certificate.

(b) No administrative certificate shall be issued for the first time after June 30, 1987 and no endorsement provided for by this Section shall be made or affixed to an administrative certificate for the first time after June 30, 1987 unless the person to whom such administrative certificate is to be issued or to whose administrative certificate such endorsement is to be affixed has been required to demonstrate as a part of a program of academic or professional preparation for such certification or endorsement: (i) an understanding of the knowledge called for in establishing productive parent-school relationships and of the procedures fostering the involvement which such relationships demand; and (ii) an understanding of the knowledge required for establishing a high quality school climate and promoting good classroom organization and management, including rules of conduct and instructional procedures appropriate to accomplishing the tasks of schooling; and (iii) a demonstration of the knowledge and skills called for in providing instructional leadership. The standards for demonstrating an understanding of such knowledge shall be set forth by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and shall be administered by the recognized institutions of higher learning as part of the programs of academic and professional preparation required for certification and endorsement under this Section. As used in this subsection: "establishing productive parent-school relationships" means the ability to maintain effective communication between parents and school personnel, to encourage parental involvement in schooling, and to motivate school personnel to engage parents in encouraging student achievement, including the development of programs and policies which serve to accomplish this purpose; and "establishing a high quality school climate" means the ability to promote academic achievement, to maintain discipline, to recognize substance abuse problems among students and utilize appropriate law enforcement and other community resources to address these problems, to support teachers and students in their education endeavors, to establish learning objectives and to provide instructional leadership, including the development of policies and programs which serve to accomplish this purpose; and "providing instructional leadership" means the ability to effectively evaluate school personnel, to possess general communication and interpersonal skills, and to establish and maintain appropriate classroom learning environments. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to or affect the initial issuance or making on or before June 30, 1987 of any administrative certificate or endorsement provided for under this Section, nor shall such provisions apply to or affect the renewal after June 30, 1987 of any such certificate or endorsement initially issued or made on or before June 30, 1987.

(c) Administrative certificates shall be renewed every 5 years with the first renewal being 5 years following the initial receipt of an administrative certificate, unless the validity period for the administrative certificate has been changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section, in which case the certificate shall be renewed at the same time that the Standard or Master Teaching Certificate is renewed.

(c-5) (Blank).

(c-10) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c-15) of this Section, persons holding administrative certificates must follow the certificate renewal procedure set forth in this subsection (c-10), provided that those persons holding administrative certificates on June 30, 2003 who are renewing those certificates on or after July 1, 2003 shall be issued new administrative certificates valid for 5 years (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section), which may be renewed thereafter as set forth in this subsection (c-10).

A person holding an administrative certificate and employed in a position requiring administrative certification, including a regional superintendent of schools, must satisfy the continuing professional development requirements of this Section to renew his or her administrative certificate. The continuing professional development must include without limitation the following continuing professional development purposes:

(1) To improve the administrator's knowledge of instructional practices and administrative procedures in accordance with the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards.

(2) To maintain the basic level of competence required for initial certification.

(3) To improve the administrator's mastery of skills and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching performance in clinical settings and assessment of the levels of student performance in the schools.

The continuing professional development must include the following in order for the certificate to be renewed:

(A) Participation in continuing professional development activities, which must total a minimum of 100 hours of continuing professional development. The participation must consist of a minimum of 5 activities per validity period of the certificate, and the certificate holder must maintain documentation of completion of each activity.

(B) Participation every year in an Illinois Administrators' Academy course, which participation must total a minimum of 30 continuing professional development hours during the period of the certificate's validity and which must include completion of applicable required coursework, including completion of a communication, dissemination, or application component, as defined by the State Board of Education.

The certificate holder must complete a verification form developed by the State Board of Education and certify that 100 hours of continuing professional development activities and 5 Administrators' Academy courses have been completed. The regional superintendent of schools shall review and validate the verification form for a certificate holder. Based on compliance with all of the requirements for renewal, the regional superintendent of schools shall forward a recommendation for renewal or non-renewal to the State Superintendent of Education and shall notify the certificate holder of the recommendation. The State Superintendent of Education shall review the recommendation to renew or non-renew and shall notify, in writing, the certificate holder of a decision denying renewal of his or her certificate. Any decision regarding non-renewal of an administrative certificate may be appealed to the State Teacher Certification Board.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall adopt rules to implement this subsection (c-10).

The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor the process for renewal of administrative certificates established in this subsection (c-10).

(c-15) This subsection (c-15) applies to the first period of an administrative certificate's validity during which the holder becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (c-10) of this Section if the certificate has less than 5 years' validity or has less than 5 years' validity remaining when the certificate holder becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (c-10) of this Section. With respect to this period, the 100 hours of continuing professional development and 5 activities per validity period specified in clause (A) of subsection (c-10) of this Section shall instead be deemed to mean 20 hours of continuing professional development and one activity per year of the certificate's validity or remaining validity and the 30 continuing professional development hours specified in clause (B) of subsection (c-10) of this Section shall instead be deemed to mean completion of at least one course per year of the certificate's validity or remaining validity. Certificate holders who evaluate certified staff must complete a 2-day teacher evaluation course, in addition to the 30 continuing professional development hours.

(c-20) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall develop procedures for implementing this Section and shall administer the renewal of administrative certificates. Failure to submit satisfactory evidence of continuing professional education which contributes to promoting the goals of this Section shall result in a loss of administrative certification.

(d) Any limited or life supervisory certificate issued prior to July 1, 1968 shall continue to be valid for all administrative and supervisory positions in the public schools for which it is valid as of that date as long as its holder meets the requirements for registration or renewal as set forth in the statutes or until revoked according to law.

(e) The administrative or supervisory positions for which the certificate shall be valid shall be determined by one or more of the following endorsements: general supervisory, general administrative, principal, chief school business official, and superintendent.

Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, endorsements shall be made under conditions set forth in this Section. The State Board of Education shall, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, adopt rules pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, establishing requirements for obtaining administrative certificates where the minimum administrative or supervisory requirements surpass those set forth in this Section.

The State Teacher Certification Board shall file with the State Board of Education a written recommendation when considering additional administrative or supervisory requirements. All additional requirements shall be based upon the requisite knowledge necessary to perform those tasks required by the certificate. The State Board of Education shall in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, establish standards within its rules which shall include the academic and professional requirements necessary for certification. These standards shall at a minimum contain, but not be limited to, those used by the State Board of Education in determining whether additional knowledge will be required. Additionally, the State Board of Education shall in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, establish provisions within its rules whereby any member of the educational community or the public may file a formal written recommendation or inquiry regarding requirements.

(1) Until July 1, 2003, the general supervisory endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who has at least 16 semester hours of graduate credit in professional education including 8 semester hours of graduate credit in curriculum and research and who has at least 2 years of full-time teaching experience or school service personnel experience in public schools, schools under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, schools under the administration of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards established by the State Superintendent of Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by the State Superintendent of Education.

Such endorsement shall be required for supervisors, curriculum directors and for such similar and related positions as determined by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(2) Until August 31 June 30, 2014, the general administrative endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who has at least 20 semester hours of graduate credit in educational administration and supervision and who has at least 2 years of full-time teaching experience or school service personnel experience in public schools, schools under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, schools under the administration of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards established by the State Superintendent of Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by the State Superintendent of Education.

Such endorsement or a principal endorsement shall be required for principal, assistant principal, assistant or associate superintendent, and junior college dean and for related or similar positions as determined by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(2.5) The principal endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies by:

(A) successfully completing a principal preparation program approved in accordance with Section 21-7.6 of this Code and any applicable rules;

(B) having 4 years of teaching experience; however, the State Board of Education shall allow, by rules, for fewer than 4 years of experience based on meeting standards set forth in such rules, including without limitation a review of performance evaluations or other evidence of demonstrated qualifications; and

(C) having a master's degree.

(3) The chief school business official endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies by having a Master's degree, 2 years of administrative experience in school business management or 2 years of university-approved practical experience, and a minimum of 20 semester hours of graduate credit in a program established by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board for the preparation of school business administrators. Such endorsement shall also be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies by having a Master's Degree in Business Administration, Finance or Accounting and 6 semester hours of internship in school business management from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

After June 30, 1977, such endorsement shall be required for any individual first employed as a chief school business official.

(4) The superintendent endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who has completed 30 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree in a program for the preparation of superintendents of schools including 16 semester hours of graduate credit in professional education and who has at least 2 years experience as an administrator or supervisor in the public schools or the State Board of Education or education service regions or in nonpublic schools meeting the standards established by the State Superintendent of Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by the State Superintendent of Education and holds general supervisory or general administrative endorsement, or who has had 2 years of experience as a supervisor, chief school business official, or administrator while holding an all-grade supervisory certificate or a certificate comparable in validity and educational and experience requirements.

After June 30, 1968, such endorsement shall be required for a superintendent of schools, except as provided in the second paragraph of this Section and in Section 34-6.

Any person appointed to the position of superintendent between the effective date of this Act and June 30, 1993 in a school district organized pursuant to Article 32 with an enrollment of at least 20,000 pupils shall be exempt from the provisions of this paragraph (4) until June 30, 1996.

(f) All official interpretations or acts of issuing or denying administrative certificates or endorsements by the State Teacher's Certification Board, State Board of Education or the State Superintendent of Education, from the passage of P.A. 81-1208 on November 8, 1979 through September 24, 1981 are hereby declared valid and legal acts in all respects and further that the purported repeal of the provisions of this Section by P.A. 81-1208 and P.A. 81-1509 is declared null and void.

(g) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 96-56, eff. 1-1-10; 96-903, eff. 7-1-10; 96-982, eff. 1-1-11; 96-1423, eff. 8-3-10; revised 9-2-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.5)

Sec. 21-7.5. Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the policy of the State of Illinois to improve the quality of instructional leaders by providing a career pathway for teachers interested in serving in leadership roles. Beginning on July 1, 2007, the State Board, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement a teacher leader endorsement, to be known as a teacher leader endorsement. Persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete the requirements of the endorsement established under this Section on or before August 31, 2012 shall be issued a teacher leader endorsement for serving in schools in this State. No teacher leader endorsement under this Section shall be issued after December 31, 2012. The endorsement shall be a career path endorsement but not a restrictive endorsement available to: (i) teachers who are certified through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and complete a specially designed strand of teacher leadership courses; (ii) teachers who have completed a master's degree program in teacher leadership; and (iii) proven teacher leaders with a master's degree who complete a specially designed strand of teacher leadership courses. Colleges and universities shall have the authority to qualify the proficiency of proven teacher leaders under clause (iii) of this Section. A teacher who meets any of clauses (i) through (iii) of this Section shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements for the teacher leader endorsement. The State Board may adopt rules that are consistent with this Section and that the State Board deems necessary to establish and implement this teacher leadership endorsement program.

This Section is repealed on January 1, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 94-1039, eff. 7-20-06.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.6)

Sec. 21-7.6. Principal preparation programs.

(a) It is the policy of this State that an essential element of improving student learning is supporting and employing highly effective school principals in leadership roles who improve teaching and learning and increase academic achievement and the development of all students.

(b) No later than September July 1, 2014, all institutions of higher education and not-for-profit entities approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, to offer principal preparation programs must do all of the following:

(1) Meet the standards and requirements for such programs in accordance with this Section and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

(2) Prepare candidates to meet approved standards for principal skills, knowledge, and responsibilities, which shall include a focus on instruction and student learning and which must be used for principal professional development, mentoring, and evaluation.

(3) Include specific requirements for (i) the selection and assessment of candidates, (ii) training in the evaluation of staff, (iii) an internship, and (iv) a partnership with one or more school districts or State-recognized, non-public schools where the chief administrator is required to have the certification necessary to be a principal in an Illinois public school and where a majority of the instructors are required to have the certification necessary to be instructors in an Illinois public school.

In accordance with subsection (a) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code, any principal preparation program offered in whole or in part by a not-for-profit entity must also be approved by the Board of Higher Education.

(c) No candidates may be admitted to an approved general administrative preparation program after September 1, 2012. Institutions of higher education currently offering general administrative preparation programs may no longer entitle principals with a general administrative endorsement after August 31 June 30, 2014.

(d) Candidates successfully completing a principal preparation program established pursuant to this Section shall obtain a principal endorsement on an administrative certificate and are eligible to work in, at a minimum, those capacities set forth in paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code. Beginning on August 31 July 1, 2014, the general administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued. Individuals who hold a valid and registered administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement prior to July 1, 2014 and who have served for at least one full year during the 5 years prior in a position requiring a general administrative endorsement shall, upon request to the State Board of Education and through July 1, 2015, have their respective general administrative endorsement converted to a principal endorsement. All other individuals holding a valid and registered administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement prior to August 31 July 1, 2014 shall have such general administrative endorsement converted to a principal endorsement upon request to the State Board of Education and by completing one of the following pathways:

(1) Take and pass a State principal assessment developed by the State Board of Education.

(2) Through July 1, 2019, complete an Illinois Administrators' Academy course designated by the State Superintendent of Education.

(3) Complete a principal preparation program established and approved pursuant to this Section and applicable rules.

Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly shall prevent an individual having a general administrative endorsement from serving at any time in any position identified in paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code.

(e) The State Board of Education may adopt rules necessary to implement and administer principal preparation programs under this Section.

(f) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 96-903, eff. 7-1-10.)

(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's degree or higher 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 higher, or (c) (blank) 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. If, however, there is no certified teacher under contract because of an emergency situation, then a school district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the district if the district notifies the appropriate regional office of education within 5 business days after the employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully certified teacher for the vacant position.

There is no limit on the number of days that a substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer than 90 school days for any one certified teacher under contract in the same school year.

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, and may not teach for longer than 120 days for any one certified teacher under contract in the same school year. 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) (Blank). 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.

(d) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 96-1489, eff. 1-1-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-10)

Sec. 21-10. Provisional certificate.

(A) (Blank). Until July 1, 1972, the State Teacher Certification Board may issue a provisional certificate valid for teaching in elementary, high school or special subject fields subject to the following conditions:

A provisional certificate may be issued to a person who presents certified evidence of having earned a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution of higher learning. The academic and professional courses offered as a basis of the provisional certificate shall be courses approved by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

A certificate earned under this plan may be renewed at the end of each two-year period upon evidence filed with the State Teacher Certification Board that the holder has earned 8 semester hours of credit within the period; provided the requirements for the certificate of the same type issued for the teaching position for which the teacher is employed shall be met by the end of the second renewal period. A second provisional certificate shall not be issued. The credits so earned must be approved by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board and must meet the general pattern for a similar type of certificate issued on the basis of credit. No more than 4 semester hours shall be chosen from elective subjects.

(B) After July 1, 1972, the State Teacher Certification Board may issue a provisional certificate valid for teaching in early childhood, elementary, high school or special subject fields, or for providing service as school service personnel or for administering schools subject to the following conditions: A provisional certificate may be issued to a person who meets the requirements for a regular teaching, school service personnel or administrative certificate in another State and who presents certified evidence of having earned a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution of higher learning. The academic and professional courses offered as a basis of the provisional certificate shall be courses approved by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A certificate earned under this plan is valid for a period of 2 years and shall not be renewed.

(C) The State Teacher Certification Board may also issue a provisional vocational certificate and a temporary provisional vocational certificate.

(1) The requirements for a provisional vocational certificate shall be determined by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board; provided, the following minimum requirements are met: (a) after July 1, 1972, at least 30 semester hours of credit from a recognized institution of higher learning; and (b) after July 1, 1974, at least 60 semester hours of credit from a recognized institution of higher learning.

(2) The requirements for a temporary provisional vocational certificate shall be determined by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board; provided, the following minimum requirements are met: (a) after July 1, 1973, at least 4,000 hours of work experience in the skill to be certified for teaching; and (b) after July 1, 1975, at least 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill to be certified for teaching. Any certificate issued under the provisions of this paragraph shall expire on June 30 following the date of issue. Renewals may be granted on a yearly basis, but shall not be granted to any person who does not file with the State Teacher Certification Board a transcript showing at least 3 semester hours of credit earned during the previous year in a recognized institution of learning. No such certificate shall be issued except upon certification by the employing board, subject to the approval of the regional superintendent of schools, that no qualified teacher holding a regular certificate or a provisional vocational certificate is available and that actual circumstances and need require such issuance.

The courses or work experience offered as a basis for the issuance of the provisional vocational certificate or the temporary provisional vocational certificate shall be approved by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(D) (Blank). Until July 1, 1972, the State Teacher Certification Board may also issue a provisional foreign language certificate valid for 4 years for teaching the foreign language named therein in all grades of the common schools and shall be issued to persons who have graduated from a recognized institution of higher learning with not fewer than 120 semester hours of credit and who have met other requirements as determined by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. If the holder of a provisional foreign language certificate is not a citizen of the United States within 6 years of the date of issuance of the original certificate, such certificate shall be suspended by the regional superintendent of schools of the region in which the holder is engaged to teach and shall not be reinstated until the holder is a citizen of the United States.

(E) Notwithstanding anything in this Act to the contrary, the State Teacher Certification Board shall issue part-time provisional certificates to eligible individuals who are professionals and craftsmen.

The requirements for a part-time provisional teachers certificate shall be determined by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, provided the following minimum requirements are met: 60 semester hours of credit from a recognized institution of higher learning or 4000 hours of work experience in the skill to be certified for teaching.

A part-time provisional certificate may be issued for teaching no more than 2 courses of study for grades 6 through 12.

A part-time provisional teachers certificate shall be valid for 2 years and may be renewed at the end of each 2 year period.

(F) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 96-689, eff. 8-25-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-11.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-11.1)

Sec. 21-11.1. Certificates for equivalent qualifications. An applicant who holds or is eligible to hold a teacher's certificate or license under the laws of another state or territory of the United States may be granted a corresponding teacher's certificate in Illinois on the written authorization of the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board upon the following conditions:

(1) That the applicant is at least 19 years of age, is of good character, of good health, and a citizen of the United States or legally present and authorized for employment; and

(2) That the requirements for a similar teacher's certificate in the particular state or territory were, at the date of issuance of the certificate, substantially equal to the requirements in force at the time the application is made for the certificate in this State.

After January 1, 1988, in addition to satisfying the foregoing conditions and requirements, an applicant for a corresponding teaching certificate in Illinois also shall be required to pass the examinations required under the provisions of Section 21-1a as directed by the State Board of Education.

In determining good character under this Section, any felony conviction of the applicant may be taken into consideration, but the conviction shall not operate as a bar to registration.

The State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board shall prescribe rules and regulations establishing the similarity of certificates in other states and the standards for determining the equivalence of requirements.

This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 93-572, eff. 1-1-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-11.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-11.2)

Sec. 21-11.2. Additional certificates - Experienced Employed Teachers. Experienced certified teachers employed in Illinois public or private elementary and secondary schools seeking additional teaching certificates as provided in Sections 21-2.1, 21-3, 21-4 and 21-5 may submit an application for evaluation of credentials to the State Teacher Certification Board. Individuals obtaining a certificate by transcript evaluation shall meet the minimum requirements for the certificate as approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 82-911.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-11.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-11.3)

Sec. 21-11.3. Resident teacher certificate. A resident teacher certificate shall be valid for 4 years for employment as a resident teacher in a public school. It shall be issued only to persons who have graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a bachelor's degree, who are enrolled in a program of preparation approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and who have passed the appropriate tests as required in Section 21-1a and as determined by the State Board of Education. A resident teacher certificate may be issued for teaching children through grade 3 or for grades K-9, 6-12, or K-12 in a special subject area and may not be renewed. A resident teacher may teach only under the direction of a certified teacher as the resident teacher's mentor and shall not teach in place of a certified teacher. The holder of a resident teacher certificate shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements for the issuance of a Standard Teaching Certificate if he or she has completed 4 years of successful teaching, has passed all appropriate tests, and has earned a master's degree in education.

No one may be admitted to a resident teacher program after July 1, 2012.

This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 91-102, eff. 7-12-99; 92-560, eff. 6-24-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-11.4)

Sec. 21-11.4. Illinois Teacher Corps.

(a) The General Assembly finds and determines that (i) it is important to encourage the entry of qualified professionals into elementary and secondary teaching as a second career; and (ii) there are a number of individuals who have bachelors' degrees, experience in the work force, and an interest in serving youth that creates a special talent pool with great potential for enriching the lives of Illinois children as teachers. To provide this talent pool with the opportunity to serve children as teachers, school districts, colleges, and universities are encouraged, as part of the public policy of this State, to enter into collaborative programs to educate and induct these non-traditional candidates into the teaching profession. To facilitate the certification of such candidates, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, shall assist institutions of higher education and school districts with the implementation of the Illinois Teacher Corps.

(b) Individuals who wish to become candidates for the Illinois Teacher Corps program must earn a resident teacher certificate as defined in Section 21-11.3, including:

(1) graduation from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a bachelor's degree and at least a 3.00 out of a 4.00 grade point average;

(2) a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the area the candidate wishes to teach;

(3) passing the examinations required by the State Board of Education;

(4) enrollment in a Masters of Education Degree program approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board; and

(5) completion of a 6 week summer intensive teacher preparation course which is the first component of the Masters Degree program.

(c) School districts may hire an Illinois Teacher Corps candidate after the candidate has received his or her resident teacher certificate. The school district has the responsibility of ensuring that the candidates receive the supports necessary to become qualified, competent and productive teachers. To be eligible to participate in the Illinois Teacher Corps program, school districts must provide a minimum of the following supports to the candidates:

(1) a salary and benefits package as negotiated through the teacher contracts;

(2) a mentor certified teacher who will provide guidance to one or more candidates under a program developed collaboratively by the school district and university;

(3) at least quarterly evaluations performed of each candidate jointly by the mentor teacher and the principal of the school or the principal's designee; and

(4) a written and signed document from the school district outlining the support the district intends to provide to the candidates, for approval by the State Teacher Certification Board.

(d) Illinois institutions of higher education shall work collaboratively with school districts and the State Teacher Certification Board to academically prepare the candidates for the teaching profession. To be eligible to participate, the College or School of Education of a participating Illinois institution of higher education must develop a curriculum that provides, upon completion, a Masters Degree in Education for the candidates. The Masters Degree program must:

(1) receive approval from the State Teacher Certification Board; and

(2) take no longer than 3 summers and 2 academic years to complete, and balance the needs and time constraints of the candidates.

(e) Upon successful completion of the Masters Degree program, the candidate receives an Initial Teaching Certificate in the State of Illinois.

(f) If an individual wishes to become a candidate in the Illinois Teacher Corps program, but does not possess 5 years of professional experience, the individual may qualify for the program by participating in a one year internship teacher preparation program with a school district. The one year internship shall be developed collaboratively by the school district and the Illinois institution of higher education, and shall be approved by the State Teacher Certification Board.

(g) The State Board of Education is authorized to award grants to school districts that seek to prepare candidates for the teaching profession who have bachelors' degrees and professional work experience in subjects relevant to teaching fields, but who do not have formal preparation for teaching. Grants may be made to school districts for up to $3,000 per candidate when the school district, in cooperation with a public or private university and the school district's teacher bargaining unit, develop a program designed to prepare teachers pursuant to the Illinois Teacher Corps program under this Section.

(h) Beginning September 1, 2011, individuals may no longer be admitted to Illinois Teacher Corps programs.

(i) This Section is repealed on September 1, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-12)

Sec. 21-12. Printing; Seal; Signature; Credentials.

(a) All certificates shall be printed by and bear the signatures of the chairman and of the secretary of the State Teacher Certification Board. Each certificate shall show the integrally printed seal of the State Teacher Certification Board. All college credentials offered as the basis of a certificate shall be presented to the secretary of the State Teacher Certification Board for inspection and approval. The regional superintendent of schools, however, has the duty, after appropriate training, to accept and review all transcripts for new initial certificate applications and ensure that each applicant has met all of the criteria established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) Until December 31, 2011 Commencing July 1, 1999, each application for a certificate or evaluation of credentials shall be accompanied by an evaluation fee of $30 payable to the State Superintendent of Education, which is not refundable, except that no application or evaluation fee shall be required for a Master Certificate issued pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 21-2 of this Code.

(c) Beginning on January 1, 2012, each application for a certificate or evaluation of credentials must be accompanied by an evaluation fee of $75 payable to the State Superintendent of Education, which is non-refundable.

(d) The proceeds of each $30 fee shall be paid into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund, created under Section 21-1b of this Code; and the moneys in that Fund shall be appropriated and used to provide the technology and other resources necessary for the timely and efficient processing of certification requests.

(e) The State Board of Education and each regional office of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of certification fees. This service or convenience fee may not exceed the amount required by the credit card processing company or vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee must be paid to that company or vendor.

When evaluation verifies the requirements for a valid certificate, the applicant shall be issued an entitlement card that may be presented to a regional superintendent of schools for issuance of a certificate.

(f) The applicant shall be notified of any deficiencies.

(g) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-14)

Sec. 21-14. Registration and renewal of certificates.

(a) A limited four-year certificate or a certificate issued after July 1, 1955, shall be renewable at its expiration or within 60 days thereafter by the county superintendent of schools having supervision and control over the school where the teacher is teaching upon certified evidence of meeting the requirements for renewal as required by this Act and prescribed by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. An elementary supervisory certificate shall not be renewed at the end of the first four-year period covered by the certificate unless the holder thereof has filed certified evidence with the State Teacher Certification Board that he has a master's degree or that he has earned 8 semester hours of credit in the field of educational administration and supervision in a recognized institution of higher learning. The holder shall continue to earn 8 semester hours of credit each four-year period until such time as he has earned a master's degree.

All certificates not renewed as provided in this Section or registered in accordance with this Code shall lapse after a period of 6 months from the expiration of the last year of registration. The certificate may be reinstated once the applicant has demonstrated proficiency by completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the content area that most aligns with the educator's endorsement area or areas. Before the certificate may be reinstated, the applicant shall pay all back fees owed from the time of expiration of the certificate until the date of reinstatement. Any certificate may be voluntarily surrendered by the certificate holder. A voluntarily surrendered certificate shall be treated as a revoked certificate. All certificates not renewed or registered as herein provided shall lapse after a period of 5 years from the expiration of the last year of registration. Such certificates may be reinstated for a one year period upon payment of all accumulated registration fees. Such reinstated certificates shall only be renewed: (1) by earning 5 semester hours of credit in a recognized institution of higher learning in the field of professional education or in courses related to the holder's contractual teaching duties; or (2) by presenting evidence of holding a valid regular certificate of some other type. Any certificate may be voluntarily surrendered by the certificate holder. A voluntarily surrendered certificate shall be treated as a revoked certificate.

(b) When those teaching certificates issued before February 15, 2000 are renewed for the first time after February 15, 2000, all such teaching certificates shall be exchanged for Standard Teaching Certificates as provided in subsection (c) of Section 21-2. All Initial and Standard Teaching Certificates, including those issued to persons who previously held teaching certificates issued before February 15, 2000, shall be renewable under the conditions set forth in this subsection (b).

Initial Teaching Certificates are valid for 4 years of teaching, as provided in subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of this Code, and are renewable every 4 years until the person completes 4 years of teaching. If the holder of an Initial Certificate has completed 4 years of teaching but has not completed the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code, then the Initial Certificate may be reinstated for one year, during which the requirements must be met. A holder of an Initial Certificate who has not completed 4 years of teaching may continuously register the certificate for additional 4-year periods without penalty. Initial Certificates that are not registered shall lapse consistent with subsection (a) of this Section and may be reinstated only in accordance with subsection (a). Standard Teaching Certificates are renewable every 5 years as provided in subsection (c) of Section 21-2 and subsection (c) of this Section. For purposes of this Section, "teaching" is defined as employment and performance of services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, in a certificated teaching position, or a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law.

(c) In compliance with subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code, which provides that a Standard Teaching Certificate may be renewed by the State Teacher Certification Board based upon proof of continuing professional development, the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board shall jointly:

(1) establish a procedure for renewing Standard Teaching Certificates, which shall include but not be limited to annual timelines for the renewal process and the components set forth in subsections (d) through (k) of this Section;

(2) establish the standards for certificate renewal;

(3) approve or disapprove the providers of continuing professional development activities;

(4) determine the maximum credit for each category of continuing professional development activities, based upon recommendations submitted by a continuing professional development activity task force, which shall consist of 6 staff members from the State Board of Education, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education, and 6 teacher representatives, 3 of whom are selected by the Illinois Education Association and 3 of whom are selected by the Illinois Federation of Teachers;

(5) designate the type and amount of documentation required to show that continuing professional development activities have been completed; and

(6) provide, on a timely basis to all Illinois teachers, certificate holders, regional superintendents of schools, school districts, and others with an interest in continuing professional development, information about the standards and requirements established pursuant to this subsection (c).

(d) Any Standard Teaching Certificate held by an individual employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated teaching position or a charter school in compliance with the Charter Schools Law must be maintained Valid and Active through certificate renewal activities specified in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, provided that a holder of a Valid and Active certificate who is only employed on either a part-time basis or day-to-day basis as a substitute teacher shall pay only the required registration fee to renew his or her certificate and maintain it as Valid and Active. All other Standard Teaching Certificates held may be maintained as Valid and Exempt through the registration process provided for in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section. A Valid and Exempt certificate must be immediately activated, through procedures developed jointly by the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board, upon the certificate holder becoming employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated teaching position or a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law. A holder of a Valid and Exempt certificate may activate his or her certificate through procedures provided for in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section.

(e)(1) A Standard Teaching Certificate that has been maintained as Valid and Active for the 5 years of the certificate's validity shall be renewed as Valid and Active upon the certificate holder: (i) completing an advanced degree from an approved institution in an education-related field; (ii) completing at least 8 semester hours of coursework as described in subdivision (B) of paragraph (3) of this subsection (e); (iii) (blank); (iv) completing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process as described in subdivision (D) of paragraph (3) of this subsection (e); or (v) earning 120 continuing professional development units ("CPDU") as described in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of this subsection (e). The maximum continuing professional development units for each continuing professional development activity identified in subdivisions (F) through (J) of paragraph (3) of this subsection (e) shall be jointly determined by the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board. If, however, the certificate holder has maintained the certificate as Valid and Exempt for a portion of the 5-year period of validity, the number of continuing professional development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and Active shall be proportionately reduced by the amount of time the certificate was Valid and Exempt. Furthermore, if a certificate holder is employed and performs teaching services on a part-time basis for all or a portion of the certificate's 5-year period of validity, the number of continuing professional development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and Active shall be reduced by 50% for the amount of time the certificate holder has been employed and performed teaching services on a part-time basis. Part-time shall be defined as less than 50% of the school day or school term.

Notwithstanding any other requirements to the contrary, if a Standard Teaching Certificate has been maintained as Valid and Active for the 5 years of the certificate's validity and the certificate holder has completed his or her certificate renewal plan before July 1, 2002, the certificate shall be renewed as Valid and Active.

(2) Beginning July 1, 2004, in order to satisfy the requirements for continuing professional development provided for in subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code, each Valid and Active Standard Teaching Certificate holder shall complete professional development activities that address the certificate or those certificates that are required of his or her certificated teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, or that certificate or those certificates most closely related to his or her teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed in a charter school. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (e), the certificate holder's activities must address purposes (A), (B), (C), or (D) and must reflect purpose (E) of the following continuing professional development purposes:

(A) Advance both the certificate holder's knowledge and skills as a teacher consistent with the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and the Illinois Content Area Standards in the certificate holder's areas of certification, endorsement, or teaching assignment in order to keep the certificate holder current in those areas.

(B) Develop the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in areas determined to be critical for all Illinois teachers, as defined by the State Board of Education, known as "State priorities".

(C) Address the knowledge, skills, and goals of the certificate holder's local school improvement plan, if the teacher is employed in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control.

(D) Expand the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in an additional teaching field or toward the acquisition of another teaching certificate, endorsement, or relevant education degree.

(E) Address the needs of serving students with disabilities, including adapting and modifying the general curriculum related to the Illinois Learning Standards to meet the needs of students with disabilities and serving such students in the least restrictive environment. Teachers who hold certificates endorsed for special education must devote at least 50% of their continuing professional development activities to this purpose. Teachers holding other certificates must devote at least 20% of their activities to this purpose.

A speech-language pathologist or audiologist who is licensed under the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act and who has met the continuing education requirements of that Act and the rules promulgated under that Act shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional development requirements established by the State Board of Education and the Teacher Certification Board to renew a Standard Certificate.

(3) Continuing professional development activities may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

(A) completion of an advanced degree from an approved institution in an education-related field;

(B) at least 8 semester hours of coursework in an approved education-related program, of which at least 2 semester hours relate to the continuing professional development purpose set forth in purpose (A) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (e), completion of which means no other continuing professional development activities are required;

(C) (blank);

(D) completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards ("NBPTS") process for certification or recertification, completion of which means no other continuing professional development activities are required;

(E) completion of 120 continuing professional development units that satisfy the continuing professional development purposes set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection (e) and may include without limitation the activities identified in subdivisions (F) through (J) of this paragraph (3);

(F) collaboration and partnership activities related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including the following:

(i) participating on collaborative planning and professional improvement teams and committees;

(ii) peer review and coaching;

(iii) mentoring in a formal mentoring program, including service as a consulting teacher participating in a remediation process formulated under Section 24A-5 of this Code;

(iv) participating in site-based management or decision making teams, relevant committees, boards, or task forces directly related to school improvement plans;

(v) coordinating community resources in schools, if the project is a specific goal of the school improvement plan;

(vi) facilitating parent education programs for a school, school district, or regional office of education directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans;

(vii) participating in business, school, or community partnerships directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans; or

(viii) supervising a student teacher or teacher education candidate in clinical supervision, provided that the supervision may only be counted once during the course of 5 years;

(G) college or university coursework related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher as follows:

(i) completing undergraduate or graduate credit earned from a regionally accredited institution in coursework relevant to the certificate area being renewed, including coursework that incorporates induction activities and development of a portfolio of both student and teacher work that provides experience in reflective practices, provided the coursework meets Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or Illinois Content Area Standards and supports the essential characteristics of quality professional development; or

(ii) teaching college or university courses in areas relevant to the certificate area being renewed, provided that the teaching may only be counted once during the course of 5 years;

(H) conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, and symposiums related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, subject to disapproval of the activity or event by the State Teacher Certification Board acting jointly with the State Board of Education, including the following:

(i) completing non-university credit directly related to student achievement, school improvement plans, or State priorities;

(ii) participating in or presenting at workshops, seminars, conferences, institutes, and symposiums;

(iii) training as external reviewers for Quality Assurance;

(iv) training as reviewers of university teacher preparation programs; or

(v) participating in or presenting at in-service training programs on suicide prevention.

A teacher, however, may not receive credit for conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, or symposiums that are designed for entertainment, promotional, or commercial purposes or that are solely inspirational or motivational. The State Superintendent of Education and regional superintendents of schools are authorized to review the activities and events provided or to be provided under this subdivision (H) and to investigate complaints regarding those activities and events, and either the State Superintendent of Education or a regional superintendent of schools may recommend that the State Teacher Certification Board and the State Board of Education jointly disapprove those activities and events considered to be inconsistent with this subdivision (H);

(I) other educational experiences related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including the following:

(i) participating in action research and inquiry projects;

(ii) observing programs or teaching in schools, related businesses, or industry that is systematic, purposeful, and relevant to certificate renewal;

(iii) traveling related to one's teaching assignment, directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans and approved by the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee at least 30 days prior to the travel experience, provided that the traveling shall not include time spent commuting to destinations where the learning experience will occur;

(iv) participating in study groups related to student achievement or school improvement plans;

(v) serving on a statewide education-related committee, including but not limited to the State Teacher Certification Board, State Board of Education strategic agenda teams, or the State Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities;

(vi) participating in work/learn programs or internships; or

(vii) developing a portfolio of student and teacher work;

(J) professional leadership experiences related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including the following:

(i) participating in curriculum development or assessment activities at the school, school district, regional office of education, State, or national level;

(ii) participating in team or department leadership in a school or school district;

(iii) participating on external or internal school or school district review teams;

(iv) publishing educational articles, columns, or books relevant to the certificate area being renewed; or

(v) participating in non-strike related professional association or labor organization service or activities related to professional development;

(K) receipt of a subsequent Illinois certificate or endorsement pursuant to this Article;

(L) completion of requirements for meeting the Illinois criteria for becoming "highly qualified" (for purposes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law 107-110) in an additional teaching area;

(M) successful completion of 4 semester hours of graduate-level coursework on the assessment of one's own performance in relation to the Illinois Teaching Standards, as described in clause (B) of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code; or

(N) successful completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of graduate-level coursework addressing preparation to meet the requirements for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, as described in clause (C) of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code.

(4) A person must complete the requirements of this subsection (e) before the expiration of his or her Standard Teaching Certificate and must submit assurance to the regional superintendent of schools or, if applicable, a local professional development committee authorized by the regional superintendent to submit recommendations to him or her for this purpose. The statement of assurance shall contain a list of the activities completed, the provider offering each activity, the number of credits earned for each activity, and the purposes to which each activity is attributed. The certificate holder shall maintain the evidence of completion of each activity for at least one certificate renewal cycle. The certificate holder shall affirm under penalty of perjury that he or she has completed the activities listed and will maintain the required evidence of completion. The State Board of Education or the regional superintendent of schools for each region shall conduct random audits of assurance statements and supporting documentation.

(5) (Blank).

(6) (Blank).

(f) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, a school district is authorized to enter into an agreement with the exclusive bargaining representative, if any, to form a local professional development committee (LPDC). The membership and terms of members of the LPDC may be determined by the agreement. Provisions regarding LPDCs contained in a collective bargaining agreement in existence on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly between a school district and the exclusive bargaining representative shall remain in full force and effect for the term of the agreement, unless terminated by mutual agreement. The LPDC shall make recommendations to the regional superintendent of schools on renewal of teaching certificates. The regional superintendent of schools for each region shall perform the following functions:

(1) review recommendations for certificate renewal, if any, received from LPDCs;

(2) (blank);

(3) (blank);

(4) (blank);

(5) determine whether certificate holders have met the requirements for certificate renewal and notify certificate holders if the decision is not to renew the certificate;

(6) provide a certificate holder with the opportunity to appeal a recommendation made by a LPDC, if any, not to renew the certificate to the regional professional development review committee;

(7) issue and forward recommendations for renewal or nonrenewal of certificate holders' Standard Teaching Certificates to the State Teacher Certification Board; and

(8) (blank).

(g)(1) Each regional superintendent of schools shall review and concur or nonconcur with each recommendation for renewal or nonrenewal of a Standard Teaching Certificate he or she receives from a local professional development committee, if any, or, if a certificate holder appeals the recommendation to the regional professional development review committee, the recommendation for renewal or nonrenewal he or she receives from a regional professional development review committee and, within 14 days of receipt of the recommendation, shall provide the State Teacher Certification Board with verification of the following, if applicable:

(A) the certificate holder has satisfactorily completed professional development and continuing education activities set forth in paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of this Section;

(B) the certificate holder has submitted the statement of assurance required under paragraph (4) of subsection (e) of this Section, and this statement has been attached to the application for renewal;

(C) the local professional development committee, if any, has recommended the renewal of the certificate holder's Standard Teaching Certificate and forwarded the recommendation to the regional superintendent of schools;

(D) the certificate holder has appealed his or her local professional development committee's recommendation of nonrenewal, if any, to the regional professional development review committee and the result of that appeal;

(E) the regional superintendent of schools has concurred or nonconcurred with the local professional development committee's or regional professional development review committee's recommendation, if any, to renew or nonrenew the certificate holder's Standard Teaching Certificate and made a recommendation to that effect; and

(F) the established registration fee for the Standard Teaching Certificate has been paid.

If the notice required by this subsection (g) includes a recommendation of certificate nonrenewal, then, at the same time the regional superintendent of schools provides the State Teacher Certification Board with the notice, he or she shall also notify the certificate holder in writing, by certified mail, return receipt requested, that this notice has been provided to the State Teacher Certification Board.

(2) Each certificate holder shall have the right to appeal his or her local professional development committee's recommendation of nonrenewal, if any, to the regional professional development review committee, within 14 days of receipt of notice that the recommendation has been sent to the regional superintendent of schools. Each regional superintendent of schools shall establish a regional professional development review committee or committees for the purpose of advising the regional superintendent of schools, upon request, and handling certificate holder appeals. This committee shall consist of at least 4 classroom teachers, one non-administrative certificated educational employee, 2 administrators, and one at-large member who shall be either (i) a parent, (ii) a member of the business community, (iii) a community member, or (iv) an administrator, with preference given to an individual chosen from among those persons listed in items (i), (ii), and (iii) in order to secure representation of an interest not already represented on the committee. The teacher and non-administrative certificated educational employee members of the review committee shall be selected by their exclusive representative, if any, and the administrators and at-large member shall be selected by the regional superintendent of schools. A regional superintendent of schools may add additional members to the committee, provided that the same proportion of teachers to administrators and at-large members on the committee is maintained. Any additional teacher and non-administrative certificated educational employee members shall be selected by their exclusive representative, if any. Vacancies in positions on a regional professional development review committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original selections. Committee members shall serve staggered 3-year terms. All individuals selected to serve on regional professional development review committees must be known to demonstrate the best practices in teaching or their respective field of practice.

(h)(1) The State Teacher Certification Board shall review the regional superintendent of schools' recommendations to renew or nonrenew Standard Teaching Certificates and notify certificate holders in writing whether their certificates have been renewed or nonrenewed within 90 days of receipt of the recommendations, unless a certificate holder has appealed a regional superintendent of schools' recommendation of nonrenewal, as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection (h). The State Teacher Certification Board shall verify that the certificate holder has met the renewal criteria set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of this Section.

(2) Each certificate holder shall have the right to appeal a regional superintendent of school's recommendation to nonrenew his or her Standard Teaching Certificate to the State Teacher Certification Board, within 14 days of receipt of notice that the decision has been sent to the State Teacher Certification Board, which shall hold an appeal hearing within 60 days of receipt of the appeal. When such an appeal is taken, the certificate holder's Standard Teaching Certificate shall continue to be valid until the appeal is finally determined. The State Teacher Certification Board shall review the regional superintendent of school's recommendation, the regional professional development review committee's recommendation, if any, and the local professional development committee's recommendation, if any, and all relevant documentation to verify whether the certificate holder has met the renewal criteria set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of this Section. The State Teacher Certification Board may request that the certificate holder appear before it. All actions taken by the State Teacher Certification Board shall require a quorum and be by a simple majority of those present and voting. A record of all votes shall be maintained. The State Teacher Certification Board shall notify the certificate holder in writing, within 7 days of completing the review, whether his or her Standard Teaching Certificate has been renewed or nonrenewed, provided that if the State Teacher Certification Board determines to nonrenew a certificate, the written notice provided to the certificate holder shall be by certified mail, return receipt requested. All certificate renewal or nonrenewal decisions of the State Teacher Certification Board are final and subject to administrative review, as set forth in Section 21-24 of this Code.

(i) Holders of Master Teaching Certificates shall meet the same requirements and follow the same procedures as holders of Standard Teaching Certificates, except that their renewal cycle shall be as set forth in subsection (d) of Section 21-2 of this Code and their renewal requirements shall be subject to paragraph (8) of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code.

A holder of a teaching certificate endorsed as a speech-language pathologist who has been granted the Certificate of Clinical Competence by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association may renew his or her Standard Teaching Certificate pursuant to the 10-year renewal cycle set forth in subsection (d) of Section 21-2 of this Code.

(j) Holders of Valid and Exempt Standard and Master Teaching Certificates who are not employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, in a certificated teaching position, may voluntarily activate their certificates through the regional superintendent of schools of the regional office of education for the geographic area where their teaching is done. These certificate holders shall follow the same renewal criteria and procedures as all other Standard and Master Teaching Certificate holders, except that their continuing professional development activities need not reflect or address the knowledge, skills, and goals of a local school improvement plan.

(k) (Blank).

(l) (Blank).

(m) The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly that affect renewal of Standard and Master Certificates shall apply to those persons who hold Standard or Master Certificates on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and shall be given effect upon renewal of those certificates.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-793, eff. 1-1-09; 96-951, eff. 6-28-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-16) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-16)

Sec. 21-16. Fees - Requirement for registration.

(a) (Blank). Until February 15, 2000, every applicant when issued a certificate shall pay to the regional superintendent of schools a fee of $1, which shall be paid into the institute fund. Every certificate issued under the provisions of this Act shall be registered annually or, at the option of the holder of the certificate, once every 3 years. The regional superintendent of schools having supervision and control over the school where the teaching is done shall register the certificate before the holder begins to teach, otherwise it shall be registered in any county in the State of Illinois; and one fee of $4 per year for registration or renewal of one or more certificates which have been issued to the same holder shall be paid into the institute fund.

Until February 15, 2000, requirements for registration of any certificate limited in time shall include evidence of professional growth defined as successful teaching experience since last registration of certificate, attendance at professional meetings, membership in professional organizations, additional credits earned in recognized teacher-training institutions, travel specifically for educational experience, reading of professional books and periodicals, filing all reports as required by the regional superintendent of schools and the State Superintendent of Education or such other professional experience or combination of experiences as are presented by the teacher and are approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A duplicate certificate may be issued to the holder of a valid life certificate or valid certificate limited in time by the State Superintendent of Education; however, it shall only be issued upon request of a regional superintendent of schools and upon payment to the regional superintendent of schools who requests such duplicate a fee of $4.

(b) Until December 31, 2011 Beginning February 15, 2000, all persons who are issued Standard Teaching Certificates pursuant to clause (ii) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 and all persons who renew Standard Teaching Certificates shall pay a $25 fee for registration of all certificates held. All persons who are issued Standard Teaching Certificates under clause (i) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 and all other applicants for Standard Teaching Certificates shall pay an original application fee, pursuant to Section 21-12, and a $25 fee for registration of all certificates held. These certificates shall be registered and the registration fee paid once every 5 years. Standard Teaching Certificate applicants and holders shall not be required to pay any other registration fees for issuance or renewal of their certificates, except as provided in Section 21-17 of this Code. Beginning February 15, 2000, Master Teaching Certificates shall be issued and renewed upon payment by the applicant or certificate holder of a $50 fee for registration of all certificates held. These certificates shall be registered and the fee paid once every 10 years. Master Teaching Certificate applicants and holders shall not be required to pay any other application or registration fees for issuance or renewal of their certificates, except as provided in Section 21-17 of this Code. All other certificates issued under the provisions of this Code shall be registered for the validity period of the certificate at the rate of $5 per year for the total number of years for which the certificate is valid for registration of all certificates held, or for a maximum of 5 years for life certificates. The regional superintendent of schools having supervision and control over the school where the teaching is done shall register the certificate before the holder begins to teach, otherwise it shall be registered in any county in the State of Illinois. Each holder shall pay the appropriate registration fee to the regional superintendent of schools. The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the registration fees into the institute fund. Any certificate holder who teaches in more than one educational service region shall register the certificate or certificates in all regions where the teaching is done, but shall be required to pay one registration fee for all certificates held, provided holders of certificates issued pursuant to Section 21-9 of this Code shall be required to pay one registration fee, in each educational service region in which his or her certificate or certificates are registered, for all certificates held.

A duplicate certificate may be issued to the holder of a valid life certificate or valid certificate limited in time by the State Superintendent of Education; however, it shall only be issued upon request of a regional superintendent of schools and upon payment to the regional superintendent of schools who requests the duplicate a fee of $4, which shall be deposited into the institute fund.

(c) Beginning on January 1, 2012, all certificate holders are required to pay a $10 per year registration fee for the course of the validity cycle to register the certificate, which must be paid to the regional office of education having supervision and control over the school in which the individual holding the certificate is to be employed. If the individual holding the certificate is not yet employed, then the certificate may be registered in any county in this State. The registration fee must be paid in its entirety the first time the individual registers the certificate for a particular validity period in a single region. No additional fee may be charged for that validity period should the individual subsequently register the certificate in additional regions. Individuals must register the certificate (i) immediately after initial issuance of the license and (ii) at the beginning of each renewal cycle if the individual has satisfied the renewal requirements required under this Code.

The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the registration fees paid pursuant to this subsection (c) into the institute fund established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code.

(d) The State Board of Education and each regional office of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of certification fees. This service or convenience fee may not exceed the amount required by the credit card processing company or vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee must be paid to that company or vendor.

(e) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 92-796, eff. 8-10-02; 93-679, eff. 6-30-04.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-22)

Sec. 21-22. Expiration of first year. The first year of all certificates ends on June 30 following one full year of the certificate being issued shall expire on June 30 following the date of issue.

This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-25) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-25)

Sec. 21-25. School service personnel certificate.

(a) For purposes of this Section, "school service personnel" means persons employed and performing appropriate services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control or a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law in a position requiring a school service personnel certificate.

Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, a school service personnel certificate shall be issued to those applicants of good character, good health, a citizen of the United States and at least 19 years of age who have a Bachelor's degree with not fewer than 120 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and who meets the requirements established by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A school service personnel certificate with a school nurse endorsement may be issued to a person who holds a bachelor of science degree from an institution of higher learning accredited by the North Central Association or other comparable regional accrediting association. Persons seeking any other endorsement on the school service personnel certificate shall be recommended for the endorsement by a recognized teacher education institution as having completed a program of preparation approved by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

(b) Until August 30, 2002, a school service personnel certificate endorsed for school social work may be issued to a student who has completed a school social work program that has not been approved by the State Superintendent of Education, provided that each of the following conditions is met:

(1) The program was offered by a recognized, public teacher education institution that first enrolled students in its master's degree program in social work in 1998;

(2) The student applying for the school service personnel certificate was enrolled in the institution's master's degree program in social work on or after May 11, 1998;

(3) The State Superintendent verifies that the student has completed coursework that is substantially similar to that required in approved school social work programs, including (i) not fewer than 600 clock hours of a supervised internship in a school setting or (ii) if the student has completed part of a supervised internship in a school setting prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly and receives the prior approval of the State Superintendent, not fewer than 300 additional clock hours of supervised work in a public school setting under the supervision of a certified school social worker who certifies that the supervised work was completed in a satisfactory manner; and

(4) The student has passed a test of basic skills and the test of subject matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.

This subsection (b) does not apply after August 29, 2002.

(c) A school service personnel certificate shall be endorsed with the area of Service as determined by the State Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board.

The holder of such certificate shall be entitled to all of the rights and privileges granted holders of a valid teaching certificate, including teacher benefits, compensation and working conditions.

When the holder of such certificate has earned a master's degree, including 8 semester hours of graduate professional education from a recognized institution of higher learning, and has at least 2 years of successful school experience while holding such certificate, the certificate may be endorsed for supervision.

(d) Persons who have successfully achieved National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master School Service Personnel Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years through compliance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. However, each holder of a Master School Service Personnel Certificate shall be eligible for a corresponding position in this State in the areas for which he or she holds a Master Certificate without satisfying any other requirements of this Code, except for those requirements pertaining to criminal background checks.

(e) School service personnel certificates are renewable every 5 years and may be renewed as provided in this Section. Requests for renewals must be submitted, in a format prescribed by the State Board of Education, to the regional office of education responsible for the school where the holder is employed.

Upon completion of at least 80 hours of continuing professional development as provided in this subsection (e), a person who holds a valid school service personnel certificate shall have his or her certificate renewed for a period of 5 years. A person who (i) holds an active license issued by the State as a clinical professional counselor, a professional counselor, a clinical social worker, a social worker, or a speech-language pathologist; (ii) holds national certification as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist from the National School Psychology Certification Board; (iii) is nationally certified as a National Certified School Nurse from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses; (iv) is nationally certified as a National Certified Counselor or National Certified School Counselor from the National Board for Certified Counselors; or (v) holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional development requirements established by the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board to renew a school service personnel certificate.

School service personnel certificates may be renewed by the State Teacher Certification Board based upon proof of continuing professional development. The State Board of Education shall (i) establish a procedure for renewing school service personnel certificates, which shall include without limitation annual timelines for the renewal process and the components set forth in this Section; (ii) approve or disapprove the providers of continuing professional development activities; and (iii) provide, on a timely basis to all school service personnel certificate holders, regional superintendents of schools, school districts, and others with an interest in continuing professional development, information about the standards and requirements established pursuant to this subsection (e).

Any school service personnel certificate held by an individual employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated school service personnel position or in a charter school in compliance with the Charter Schools Law must be maintained Valid and Active through certificate renewal activities specified in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to this Section, provided that a holder of a Valid and Active certificate who is only employed on either a part-time basis or day-to-day basis as a substitute shall pay only the required registration fee to renew his or her certificate and maintain it as Valid and Active. All other school service personnel certificates held may be maintained as Valid and Exempt through the registration process provided for in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to Section 21-14 of this Code. A Valid and Exempt certificate must be immediately activated, through procedures developed by the State Board of Education upon the certificate holder becoming employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated school service personnel position or in a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law. A holder of a Valid and Exempt certificate may activate his or her certificate through procedures provided for in the certificate renewal procedure established pursuant to this Section.

A school service personnel certificate that has been maintained as Valid and Active for the 5 years of the certificate's validity shall be renewed as Valid and Active upon the certificate holder (i) completing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process in an area of concentration comparable to the holder's school service personnel certificate of endorsement or (ii) earning 80 continuing professional development units as described in this Section. If, however, the certificate holder has maintained the certificate as Valid and Exempt for a portion of the 5-year period of validity, the number of continuing professional development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and Active must be proportionately reduced by the amount of time the certificate was Valid and Exempt. If a certificate holder is employed and performs services requiring the holder's school service personnel certificate on a part-time basis for all or a portion of the certificate's 5-year period of validity, the number of continuing professional development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and Active shall be reduced by 50% for the amount of time the certificate holder has been employed and performing such services on a part-time basis. "Part-time" means less than 50% of the school day or school term.

Beginning July 1, 2008, in order to satisfy the requirements for continuing professional development provided for in this Section, each Valid and Active school service personnel certificate holder shall complete professional development activities that address the certificate or those certificates that are required of his or her certificated position, if the certificate holder is employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, or that certificate or those certificates most closely related to his or her teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed in a charter school. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (e), the certificate holder's activities must address and must reflect the following continuing professional development purposes:

(1) Advance both the certificate holder's knowledge and skills consistent with the Illinois Standards for the service area in which the certificate is endorsed in order to keep the certificate holder current in that area.

(2) Develop the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in areas determined by the State Board of Education to be critical for all school service personnel.

(3) Address the knowledge, skills, and goals of the certificate holder's local school improvement plan, if the certificate holder is employed in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control.

(4) Address the needs of serving students with disabilities, including adapting and modifying clinical or professional practices to meet the needs of students with disabilities and serving such students in the least restrictive environment.

The coursework or continuing professional development units ("CPDU") required under this subsection (e) must total 80 CPDUs or the equivalent and must address 3 of the 4 purposes described in items (1) through (4) of this subsection (e). Holders of school service personnel certificates may fulfill this obligation with any combination of semester hours or CPDUs as follows:

(A) Collaboration and partnership activities related to improving the school service personnel certificate holder's knowledge and skills, including (i) participating on collaborative planning and professional improvement teams and committees; (ii) peer review and coaching; (iii) mentoring in a formal mentoring program, including service as a consulting teacher participating in a remediation process formulated under Section 24A-5 of this Code; (iv) participating in site-based management or decision-making teams, relevant committees, boards, or task forces directly related to school improvement plans; (v) coordinating community resources in schools, if the project is a specific goal of the school improvement plan; (vi) facilitating parent education programs for a school, school district, or regional office of education directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans; (vii) participating in business, school, or community partnerships directly related to student achievement or school improvement plans; or (viii) supervising a student teacher (student services personnel) or teacher education candidate in clinical supervision, provided that the supervision may be counted only once during the course of 5 years.

(B) Coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning related to one of the purposes listed in items (1) through (4) of this subsection (e), which shall apply at the rate of 15 continuing professional development units per semester hour of credit earned during the previous 5-year period when the status of the holder's school service personnel certificate was Valid and Active. Proportionate reductions shall apply when the holder's status was Valid and Active for less than the 5-year period preceding the renewal.

(C) Teaching college or university courses in areas relevant to the certificate area being renewed, provided that the teaching may be counted only once during the course of 5 years.

(D) Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, or symposiums designed to improve the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in the service area and applicable to the purposes listed in items (1) through (4) of this subsection (e). One CPDU shall be awarded for each hour of attendance. No one shall receive credit for conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, or symposiums that are designed for entertainment, promotional, or commercial purposes or that are solely inspirational or motivational. The State Superintendent of Education and regional superintendents of schools are authorized to review the activities and events provided or to be provided under this subdivision (D) and to investigate complaints regarding those activities and events. Either the State Superintendent of Education or a regional superintendent of schools may recommend that the State Board of Education disapprove those activities and events considered to be inconsistent with this subdivision (D).

(E) Completing non-university credit directly related to student achievement, school improvement plans, or State priorities.

(F) Participating in or presenting at workshops, seminars, conferences, institutes, or symposiums.

(G) Training as external reviewers for quality assurance.

(H) Training as reviewers of university teacher preparation programs.

(I) Other educational experiences related to improving the school service personnel's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including (i) participating in action research and inquiry projects; (ii) traveling related to one's assignment and directly related to school service personnel achievement or school improvement plans and approved by the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee at least 30 days prior to the travel experience, provided that the traveling shall not include time spent commuting to destinations where the learning experience will occur; (iii) participating in study groups related to student achievement or school improvement plans; (iv) serving on a statewide education-related committee, including without limitation the State Teacher Certification Board, State Board of Education strategic agenda teams, or the State Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities; (v) participating in work/learn programs or internships; or (vi) developing a portfolio of student and teacher work.

(J) Professional leadership experiences related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including (i) participating in curriculum development or assessment activities at the school, school district, regional office of education, State, or national level; (ii) participating in team or department leadership in a school or school district; (iii) participating on external or internal school or school district review teams; (iv) publishing educational articles, columns, or books relevant to the certificate area being renewed; or (v) participating in non-strike-related professional association or labor organization service or activities related to professional development.

(f) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013.

(Source: P.A. 94-105, eff. 7-1-05; 95-592, eff. 7-1-08.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-27)

Sec. 21-27. The Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.

(a) The Illinois Teaching Excellence Program is hereby established. As used in this Section:

"Poverty or low-performing school" means a school in academic early warning status or academic watch status or a school in which 50% or more of its students are eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches.

"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 Master Certificate or a retired teacher or school counselor who holds a Master Certificate.

(b) 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 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 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 for each qualified educator to be distributed to the respective school district. 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 based on the priorities outlined in subsection (c) of this Section.

(c) When there are adequate funds available, priorities (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5), as outlined in this subsection (c), must be funded. If full funding to meet all priorities as outlined in this subsection (c) is not available, funding must be distributed in the order of the priorities listed in this subsection (c). If funding is insufficient to fund a priority in full, then funding for that priority must be prorated and no further priorities shall be funded.

Priorities for monetary assistance and incentives shall be as follows:

(1) Priority 1: A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for up to 750 teachers or school counselors in a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board certification.

(2) Priority 2: A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for up to 250 teachers or school counselors in a school other than a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board certification. However, if there were fewer than 750 individuals supported in priority (1), then the number supported in priority (2) may be increased as such that the combination of priority (1) and priority (2) shall equal 1,000 applicants.

(3) Priority 3: The fee for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' Take One! (the test for National Board certification) for up to 500 qualified educators who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis.

(4) Priority 4: An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be paid to each qualified educator who holds both a Master Certificate and a current corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, who is employed in a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide 30 hours of mentoring or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards professional development or both during the school year to teachers or school counselors in a poverty or low-performing school, as applicable.

(5) Priority 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 Master Certificate 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.

Mentoring for all priorities shall include, either singly or in combination, mentoring of 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) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Take One! participants.

(d) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013. to provide categorical funding for monetary incentives and bonuses for teachers and school counselors who are employed by school districts and who hold a Master Certificate. The State Board of Education shall allocate and distribute to each school district an amount as annually appropriated by the General Assembly from federal funds for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program. 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, each school district's annual allocation shall be the sum of the amounts earned for the following incentives and bonuses:

(1) An annual payment of $3,000 to be paid to (A) each teacher who holds both a Master Certificate and a corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is employed as a teacher by a school district and (B) each school counselor who holds both a Master Certificate and a corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is employed as a school counselor by a school district. The school district shall distribute this payment to each eligible teacher or school counselor as a single payment or in not more than 3 payments.

(2) An annual incentive equal to $1,000 shall be paid to (A) each teacher or school counselor who holds a Master Certificate, who is employed as a teacher or school counselor by a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide at least 30 hours of mentoring during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, and (B) each retired teacher or school counselor who holds both a Master Certificate 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 during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable. An additional annual incentive equal to $1,000 shall be paid to (I) each teacher or school counselor who holds a Master Certificate, who is employed as a teacher or school counselor by a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide an additional 30 hours of mentoring during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, and (II) each retired teacher or school counselor who holds both a Master Certificate and a current corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who agrees, in writing, to provide an additional 30 hours of mentoring during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, for a total of 60 hours of mentoring and $2,000 in incentives under this paragraph (2). Mentoring under this paragraph (2) may include, either singly or in combination, (i) providing high quality professional development for new and experienced teachers or school counselors, as applicable, and/or (ii) assisting National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) candidates through the NBPTS certification process. The school district shall distribute each annual incentive payment upon completion of the 30 hours or 60 hours of required mentoring, whichever is applicable.

(3) An annual incentive equal to $2,000 shall be paid to (A) each teacher or school counselor who holds a Master Certificate, who is employed as a teacher or school counselor by a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide at least 30 hours of mentoring during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, in schools on academic early warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both, and (B) each retired teacher or school counselor who holds both a Master Certificate 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 during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, in schools on academic early warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both. An additional annual incentive equal to $2,000 shall be paid to (I) each teacher or school counselor who holds a Master Certificate, who is employed as a teacher or school counselor by a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide an additional 30 hours of mentoring during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, in schools on academic early warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both, and (II) each retired teacher or school counselor who holds both a Master Certificate and a current corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who agrees, in writing, to provide an additional 30 hours of mentoring during that year to classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable, in schools on academic early warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both, for a total of 60 hours of mentoring and $4,000 in incentives under this paragraph (3). Mentoring under this paragraph (3) may include, either singly or in combination, (i) providing high quality professional development for new and experienced teachers or school counselors, as applicable, in schools on academic early warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both, and/or (ii) assisting National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) candidates through the NBPTS certification process in schools on academic early warning status or in schools in which 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, or both. The school district shall distribute each annual incentive payment upon completion of the 30 hours or 60 hours of required mentoring, whichever is applicable.

(4) If funds are available under the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program in a given fiscal year, the following Master Certificate incentives shall be provided:

(A) As a first priority, monetary support of up to $2,000 per person shall be provided for first-time application fees.

(B) As a second priority, monetary support for NBPTS's Take One! process of up to $395 per person shall be provided for cohorts of teachers in schools on academic early warning status or schools deemed to be a priority by the State Board of Education.

(C) As a third priority, monetary support of up to $350 per retake shall be provided for up to 3 retakes.

(D) As a fourth priority, monetary support of up to $850 per person shall be provided for renewals for those persons who have not received prior State or federal fee support.

(b) Each regional superintendent of schools shall provide information about National Board certification administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and this Section to each individual seeking to register or renew a certificate under Section 21-14 of this Code.

(c) After the incentives and bonuses under subsection (a) of this Section have been expended in a given fiscal year, if there are additional funds available under the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program, up to $250,000 must be used for the continuation of an appropriate electronic system to process Master Certificates and various payments.

(d) After funds have been expended under priorities (A) through (D) of paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this Section in a given fiscal year and if there are any additional funds available under the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program, remaining funds must be spent on candidate support and recruitment.

(Source: P.A. 94-105, eff. 7-1-05; 94-901, eff. 6-22-06; 95-996, eff. 10-3-08.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 21B heading new)

ARTICLE 21B. EDUCATOR LICENSURE

(105 ILCS 5/21B-5 new)

Sec. 21B-5. Licensure powers of the State Board of Education.

(a) Recognizing that the education of our citizens is the single most important influence on the prosperity and success of this State and recognizing that new developments in education require a flexible approach to our educational system, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall have the power and authority to do all of the following:

(1) Set standards for teaching, supervising, or otherwise holding licensed employment in the public schools of this State and administer the licensure process as provided in this Article.

(2) Approve, evaluate, and sanction educator preparation programs.

(3) Enter into agreements with other states relative to reciprocal approval of educator preparation programs.

(4) Establish standards for the issuance of new types of educator licenses.

(5) Establish a code of ethics for all educators.

(6) Maintain a system of licensure examination aligned with standards determined by the State Board of Education.

(7) Take such other action relating to the improvement of instruction in the public schools as is appropriate and consistent with applicable laws.

(b) Only the State Superintendent of Education, acting in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Article and rules, shall have the authority to issue or endorse any license required for teaching, supervising, or otherwise holding licensed employment in the public schools; and no other State agency shall have any power or authority (i) to establish or prescribe any qualifications or other requirements applicable to the issuance or endorsement of any such license or (ii) to establish or prescribe any licensure or equivalent requirement that must be satisfied in order to teach, supervise, or hold licensed employment in the public schools.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-10 new)

Sec. 21B-10. State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(a) The State Teacher Certification Board, which had been established under Section 21-13 of the School Code prior to this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, shall be renamed the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. References in law to the State Teacher Certification Board shall mean the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall consist of the State Superintendent of Education or a representative appointed by him or her, who shall be ex-officio chairperson, 5 administrative or faculty members of public or private colleges or universities located in this State, 3 administrators and 10 classroom teachers employed in the public schools (5 of whom must be members of and nominated by a statewide professional teachers' organization and 5 of whom must be members of and nominated by a different statewide professional teachers' organization), and one regional superintendent of schools, all of whom shall be appointed by the State Board of Education; provided that at least one of the administrators and at least 3 of the classroom teachers so appointed must be employees of a school district that is subject to the provisions of Article 34 of this Code. A statewide professional teachers' organization and a different statewide professional teachers' organization shall submit to the State Board of Education for consideration at least 3 names of accomplished teachers for every one vacancy or expiring term in a classroom teacher position. The nominations submitted to the State Board of Education under this Section to fill a vacancy or an expiring term shall be advisory. Nomination for State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board members must be submitted to the State Board of Education within 30 days after the vacancy or vacancies occur. Nominations to fill an expiring term must be submitted to the State Board of Education at least 30 days before the expiration of that term. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if a sufficient number of nominations are not received by the State Board of Education for a vacancy or expiring term within the 30-day period, then the State Board of Education may appoint any qualified person, in the same manner as the original appointment, to fill the vacancy or expiring term. The regular term of each member is 3 years, and an individual may be appointed for no more than 2 consecutive terms. The term of an appointed member of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall expire on June 30 of his or her final year.

(b) The State Board of Education shall appoint a secretary of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(c) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall hold regular meetings at least quarterly and such other special meetings as may be necessary.

(d) The necessary expenses of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall be provided through the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary for the administration of this Article.

(e) Individuals serving on the State Teacher Certification Board on June 30, 2011 under Section 21-13 of this Code shall continue to serve on the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board until the scheduled expiration of their respective terms.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-15 new)

Sec. 21B-15. Qualifications of educators.

(a) No one may be licensed to teach or supervise or be otherwise employed in the public schools of this State who is not of good character and at least 20 years of age.

In determining good character under this Section, the State Superintendent of Education shall take into consideration the disciplinary actions of other states or national entities against certificates or licenses issued by those states and held by individuals from those states. In addition, any felony conviction of the applicant may be taken into consideration; however, no one may be licensed to teach or supervise in the public schools of this State who has been convicted of an offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of this Code. Unless the conviction is for an offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of this Code, an applicant must be permitted to submit character references or other written material before such a conviction or other information regarding the applicant's character may be used by the State Superintendent of Education as a basis for denying the application.

(b) No person otherwise qualified shall be denied the right to be licensed or to receive training for the purpose of becoming an educator because of a physical disability, including, but not limited to, visual and hearing disabilities; nor shall any school district refuse to employ a teacher on such grounds, provided that the person is able to carry out the duties of the position for which he or she applies.

(c) No person may be granted or continue to hold an educator license who has knowingly altered or misrepresented his or her qualifications, in this State or any other state, in order to acquire or renew the license. Any other license issued under this Article held by the person may be suspended or revoked by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, depending upon the severity of the alteration or misrepresentation.

(d) No one may teach or supervise in the public schools nor receive for teaching or supervising any part of any public school fund who does not hold an educator license granted by the State Superintendent of Education as provided in this Article. However, the provisions of this Article do not apply to a member of the armed forces who is employed as a teacher of subjects in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of any school, nor to an individual teaching a dual credit course as provided for in the Dual Credit Quality Act.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the school board of a school district may grant to a teacher of the district a leave of absence with full pay for a period of not more than one year to permit the teacher to teach in a foreign state under the provisions of the Exchange Teacher Program established under Public Law 584, 79th Congress, and Public Law 402, 80th Congress, as amended. The school board granting the leave of absence may employ, with or without pay, a national of the foreign state wherein the teacher on the leave of absence is to teach if the national is qualified to teach in that foreign state and if that national is to teach in a grade level similar to the one that was taught in the foreign state. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt rules as may be necessary to implement this subsection (e).

(105 ILCS 5/21B-20 new)

Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. Before July 1, 2013, the State Board of Education shall implement a system of educator licensure, whereby individuals employed in school districts who are required to be licensed must have one of the following licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) a professional educator license with stipulations; or (iii) a substitute teaching license. References in law regarding individuals certified or certificated or required to be certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June 30 following one full year of the license being issued.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for licenses and endorsements under this Section.

(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i) have successfully completed an approved educator preparation program and are recommended for licensure by the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation program, (ii) have successfully completed the required testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have successfully completed coursework on the psychology of, the identification of, and the methods of instruction for the exceptional child, including without limitation the learning disabled, (iv) have successfully completed coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other criteria established by rule of the State Board of Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License. All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued. The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is eligible to practice.

Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework in the endorsement area, unless otherwise specified by rule, and passage of the applicable content area test.

(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement that (i) is non-renewable, (ii) limits the license holder to one particular position, or (iii) does not require completion of an approved educator program or any combination of items (i) through (iii) of this paragraph (2).

An individual with an Educator License with Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued with the following endorsements:

(A) Provisional educator. A provisional educator endorsement in a specific content area or areas on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds an educator license with a minimum of 15 semester hours in content coursework from another state, U.S. territory, or foreign country and who, at the time of applying for an Illinois license, does not meet the minimum requirements under Section 21B-35 of this Code, but does, at a minimum, meet both of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement, from a regionally accredited college or university or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States, unless a master's degree is required for the endorsement.

(ii) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.

However, a provisional educator endorsement for principals may not be issued, nor may any person with a provisional educator endorsement serve as a principal in a public school in this State. In addition, out-of-state applicants shall not receive a provisional educator endorsement if the person completed an alternative licensure program in another state, unless the program has been determined to be equivalent to Illinois program requirements.

A provisional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 2 years of the license being issued, during which time any remaining testing and coursework deficiencies must be met. Failure to satisfy all stated deficiencies shall mean the individual is ineligible to receive a Professional Educator License at that time. A provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall not be renewed.

(B) Alternative provisional educator. An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The alternative provisional educator endorsement is valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a third year by an individual meeting the requirements set forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.

(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in a school district's central office. This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a master's degree in a management field other than education.

(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5 years in a management level position in a field other than education.

(iii) Successfully completed the first phase of an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55 of this Code.

(iv) Passed a test of basic skills and content area tests required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The endorsement may be registered for 2 fiscal years in order to complete one full year of serving as a superintendent or assistant superintendent.

(D) Resident teacher endorsement. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has done all of the following:

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

(ii) Enrolled in an approved Illinois educator preparation program.

(iii) Passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

The resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 4 years of teaching and shall not be renewed.

A resident teacher may teach only under the direction of a licensed teacher, who shall act as the resident mentor teacher, and may not teach in place of a licensed teacher. A resident teacher endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall no longer be valid after June 30, 2017.

(E) Career and technical educator. A career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience in the last 10 years outside of education in each area to be taught.

The career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued.

(F) Provisional career and technical educator. A Provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It is the responsibility of each employing school board and regional office of education to provide verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent of Education at the time the application is submitted that no qualified teacher holding a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations with a career and technical educator endorsement is available and that actual circumstances require such issuance.

The provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed only one time for 5 years if the individual passes a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, and has completed a minimum of 20 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution.

(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for the purpose of providing instruction in accordance with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and writing ability in the language other than English in which transitional bilingual education is offered.

(ii) Has the ability to successfully communicate in English.

(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years previous to his or her applying for a transitional bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and comparable teaching certificate or comparable authorization issued by a foreign country or holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

A transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be renewed.

Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator endorsement shall not be employed to replace any presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language other than English in the public schools, an individual who holds an Educator License with Stipulations may also apply for a language endorsement, provided that the applicant provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds a transitional bilingual endorsement.

(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the language for which the endorsement is to be issued by passing the applicable language content test required by the State Board of Education.

(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or, for individuals educated in a country other than the United States, holds a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country that the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

(iv) Has passed a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

A language endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through grade 12 for the same validity period as the individual's transitional bilingual educator endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations and shall not be renewed.

(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an individual who is being recruited by a particular school district that conducts formal recruitment programs outside of the United States to secure the services of qualified teachers and who meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a bachelor's degree issued in the United States.

(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the grade level for which he or she will be employed.

(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the subject to be taught.

(iv) Has an adequate command of the English language.

A holder of a visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education programs in the language that was the medium of instruction in his or her teacher preparation program, provided that he or she passes the English Language Proficiency Examination or another test of writing skills in English identified by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

A visiting international educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 3 years and shall not be renewed.

(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or has passed a test of basic skills required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. The paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed through application and payment of the appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject to additional requirements in order to renew the endorsement.

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching License may be issued to qualified applicants for substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years and may be renewed if the individual has passed a test of basic skills, as authorized under Section 21B-30 of this Code. An individual who has passed a test of basic skills for the first licensure renewal is not required to retake the test again for further renewals.

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an individual has had his or her Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked or has not met the renewal requirements for licensure, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute Teaching License.

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under contract because of an emergency situation, then a district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the district if the district notifies the appropriate regional office of education within 5 business days after the employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the vacant position.

There is no limit on the number of days that a substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of this Code.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-25 new)

Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each content area, school support area, and administrative area for which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to applicants who meet all of the requirements for the endorsement or endorsements, including passing any required tests. The State Superintendent of Education shall randomly audit institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are being followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being recommended.

(1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator License. These rules shall outline the requirements for obtaining each endorsement.

(2) In addition to any and all grade level and content area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the requirements for the following endorsements:

(A) General administrative endorsement. A general administrative endorsement shall be added to a Professional Educator License, provided that an approved program has been completed. An individual holding a general administrative endorsement may work only as a principal or assistant principal or in a related or similar position, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

Beginning on September 1, 2014, the general administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued. Individuals who hold a valid and registered administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement issued under Section 21-7.1 of this Code or a Professional Educator License with a general administrative endorsement issued prior to September 1, 2014 and who have served for at least one full year during the 5 years prior in a position requiring a general administrative endorsement shall, upon request to the State Board of Education and through July 1, 2015, have their respective general administrative endorsement converted to a principal endorsement on the Professional Educator License. Candidates shall not be admitted to an approved general administrative preparation program after September 1, 2012.

All other individuals holding a valid and registered administrative certificate with a general administrative endorsement issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or a general administrative endorsement on a Professional Educator License issued prior to September 1, 2014 shall have the general administrative endorsement converted to a principal endorsement on a Professional Educator License upon request to the State Board of Education and by completing one of the following pathways:

(i) Passage of the State principal assessment developed by the State Board of Education.

(ii) Through July 1, 2019, completion of an Illinois Educators' Academy course designated by the State Superintendent of Education.

(iii) Completion of a principal preparation program established and approved pursuant to Section 21B-60 of this Code and applicable rules.

Individuals who do not choose to convert the general administrative endorsement on the administrative certificate issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or on the Professional Educator License shall continue to be able to serve in any position previously allowed under paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code.

The general administrative endorsement on the Professional Educator License is available only to individuals who, prior to September 1, 2014, had such an endorsement on the administrative certificate issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or who already have a Professional Educator License and have completed a general administrative program and who do not choose to convert the general administrative endorsement to a principal endorsement pursuant to the options in this Section.

(B) Principal endorsement. A principal endorsement shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of any holder who qualifies by having all of the following:

(i) Successful completion of a principal preparation program approved in accordance with Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable rules.

(ii) Four years of teaching in a public school or nonpublic school recognized by the State Board of Education; however, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall allow, by rules, for fewer than 4 years of experience based on meeting standards set forth in such rules, including without limitation a review of performance evaluations or other evidence of demonstrated qualifications.

(iii) A master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university.

(C) Chief school business official endorsement. A chief school business official endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License of any holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience in school business management or 2 years of university-approved practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of school business administrators and by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief school business official endorsement may also be affixed to the Professional Educator License of any holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in business administration, finance, or accounting and who completes an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school business management from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and passes the applicable State tests. This endorsement shall be required for any individual employed as a chief school business official.

(D) Superintendent endorsement. A superintendent endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License of any holder who has completed a program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had at least 2 years of experience employed as a full-time principal, director of special education, or chief school business official in the public schools or in a State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State and where a majority of the teachers are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in this State, and has passed the required State tests; or of any holder who has completed a program from out-of-state that has a program with recognition standards comparable to those approved by the State Superintendent of Education and holds the general administrative, principal, or chief school business official endorsement and who has had 2 years of experience as a principal, director of special education, or chief school business official while holding a valid educator license or certificate comparable in validity and educational and experience requirements and has passed the appropriate State tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to serve only as a superintendent or assistant superintendent.

(E) Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the policy of this State to improve the quality of instructional leaders by providing a career pathway for teachers interested in serving in leadership roles, but not as principals. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher leader endorsement under this subdivision (E). Persons who meet and successfully complete the requirements of the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader endorsement on the Professional Educator License for serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may qualify to serve in such positions as department chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by the district. The endorsement shall be available to those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator License, (ii) hold a master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution, (iii) have completed a program of study that has been approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and (iv) have taken coursework in all of the following areas:

(I) Leadership.

(II) Designing professional development to meet teaching and learning needs.

(III) Building school culture that focuses on student learning.

(IV) Using assessments to improve student learning and foster school improvement.

(V) Building collaboration with teachers and stakeholders.

A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement may evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of this Code, provided that the individual has completed the evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of this Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate personnel under the respective school district's collective bargaining agreement.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the teacher leader endorsement program and to specify the positions for which this endorsement shall be required.

(F) Special education endorsement. A special education endorsement in one or more areas shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License for any individual that meets those requirements established by the State Board of Education in rules. Special education endorsement areas shall include without limitation the following:

(i) Learning Behavior Specialist I;

(ii) Learning Behavior Specialist II;

(iii) Speech Language Pathologist;

(iv) Blind or Visually Impaired;

(v) Deaf-Hard of Hearing; and

(vi) Early Childhood Special Education.

Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may add additional areas of special education by rule.

(G) School support personnel endorsement. School support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but are not limited to, school counselor, school psychologist, school speech and language pathologist, school nurse, and school social worker. This endorsement is for individuals who are not teachers or administrators, but still require licensure to work in an instructional support position in a public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control or a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law. The school support personnel endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License and shall meet all of the requirements established in any rules adopted to implement this subdivision (G). The holder of such an endorsement is entitled to all of the rights and privileges granted holders of any other Professional Educator License, including teacher benefits, compensation, and working conditions.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-30 new)

Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.

(a) This Section applies beginning on July 1, 2012.

(b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design and implement a system of examinations, which shall be required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These examinations and indicators must be based on national and State professional teaching standards, as determined by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement and administer this Section. No score on a test required under this Section, other than a test of basic skills, shall be more than 5 years old at the time that an individual makes application for an educator license or endorsement.

(c) Applicants seeking a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations shall be required to pass a test of basic skills, unless the endorsement the individual is seeking does not require passage of the test.

No candidate may be fully admitted into an educator preparation program at a recognized Illinois institution until he or she has passed a test of basic skills. An individual who passes a test of basic skills does not need to do so again for subsequent endorsements or other educator licenses.

(d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall be allowed to student teach, serve as the teacher of record, or begin an internship or residency required for licensure until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.

(e) All applicants seeking a State license endorsed in a teaching field shall pass the assessment of professional teaching (APT). Passage of the APT is required for completion of an approved Illinois educator preparation program.

(f) Beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing teacher preparation programs in this State are required to pass an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. All recognized institutions offering approved teacher preparation programs must begin phasing in the approved teacher performance assessment no later than July 1, 2013.

(g) Tests of basic skills and content area knowledge and the assessment of professional teaching shall be the tests that from time to time are designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing organization or tests designed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The areas to be covered by a test of basic skills shall include reading, language arts, and mathematics. The test of content area knowledge shall assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this Code in the English language and in the language of the transitional bilingual education program requested by the applicant.

(h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school district subject to Article 34 of this Code.

(i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the testing requirements under this Section shall include provisions governing test selection, test validation and determination of a passing score, administration of the tests, frequency of administration, applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-35 new)

Sec. 21B-35. Minimum requirements for educators trained in other states or countries.

(a) All out-of-state applicants applying for a Professional Educator License must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Have completed a comparable state-approved education program, as defined by the State Superintendent of Education.

(2) Have a degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and the degreed major or a constructed major must directly correspond to the license or endorsement sought.

(3) Have completed a minimum of one course in the methods of instruction of the exceptional child.

(4) Have completed a minimum of 6 semester hours of coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area.

(5) Have completed a minimum of one course in instructional strategies for English language learners.

(6) Have successfully met all Illinois examination requirements.

(7) Have completed student teaching or an equivalent experience.

If one or more of the criteria in subsection (a) of this Section are not met, then out-of-state applicants who hold a valid, comparable certificate from another state and have passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-20 of this Code, may qualify for a provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, in accordance with Section 21B-20 of this Code, with the exception that an individual shall not serve as a principal or assistant principal while holding the provisional educator endorsement.

(b) In order to receive a Professional Educator License, applicants trained in another country must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Have completed a comparable education program in another country.

(2) Have had transcripts evaluated by an evaluation service approved by the State Superintendent of Education.

(3) Hold a degreed major that must directly correspond to the license or endorsement sought.

(4) Have completed a minimum of one course in the methods of instruction of the exceptional child.

(5) Have completed a minimum of 6 semester hours of coursework in methods of reading and reading in the content area.

(6) Have completed a minimum of one course in instructional strategies for English language learners.

(7) Have successfully met all State licensure examination requirements.

(8) Have completed student teaching or an equivalent experience.

If one or more of these criteria are not met, then an applicant trained in another country who has passed a test of basic skills and content area test, as required by Section 21B-20 of this Code, may qualify for a provisional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, with the exception that an individual shall not serve as a principal or assistant principal while holding the provisional educator endorsement.

(c) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement this Section.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-40 new)

Sec. 21B-40. Fees.

(a) Beginning with the start of the new licensure system established pursuant to this Article, the following fees shall be charged to applicants:

(1) A $75 application fee for a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations and for individuals seeking a Substitute Teaching License. However, beginning on January 1, 2015, the application fee for a Professional Educator License, Educator License with Stipulations, or Substitute Teaching License shall be $100.

(2) A $150 application fee for individuals who have completed an approved educator preparation program outside of this State or who hold a valid, comparable credential from another state or country and are seeking any of the licenses set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection (a).

(3) A $50 application fee for each endorsement or approval an individual holding a license wishes to add to that license.

(4) A $10 per year registration fee for the course of the validity cycle to register the license, which shall be paid to the regional office of education having supervision and control over the school in which the individual holding the license is to be employed. If the individual holding the license is not yet employed, then the license may be registered in any county in this State. The registration fee must be paid in its entirety the first time the individual registers the license for a particular validity period in a single region. No additional fee may be charged for that validity period should the individual subsequently register the license in additional regions. An individual must register the license (i) immediately after initial issuance of the license and (ii) at the beginning of each renewal cycle if the individual has satisfied the renewal requirements required under this Code.

(b) All application fees paid pursuant to subdivisions (1) through (3) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be deposited into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund and shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of Education to provide the technology and human resources necessary for the timely and efficient processing of applications. The Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund is not subject to administrative charge transfers, authorized under Section 8h of the State Finance Act, from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund into any other fund of this State, and moneys in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund shall not revert back to the General Revenue Fund at any time.

The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the registration fees paid pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this Section into the institute fund established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code.

(c) The State Board of Education and each regional office of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of license fees. This service or convenience fee shall not exceed the amount required by the credit card processing company or vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee must be paid to that company or vendor.

(d) If, at the time a certificate issued under Article 21 of this Code is exchanged for a license issued under this Article, a person has paid registration fees for any years of the validity period of the certificate and these years have not expired when the certificate is exchanged, then those fees must be applied to the registration of the new license.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-45 new)

Sec. 21B-45. Licensure renewal. All licenses with endorsements are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this Code.

Individuals holding a Professional Educator License endorsed in a teaching field shall meet the renewal requirements set forth in subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code. An individual holding a Professional Educator License with a general administrative, principal, chief school business official, or superintendent endorsement issued under this Article who is also working in a position using or requiring that endorsement is subject to the renewal requirements in subsection (c-10) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code. An individual holding a Professional Educator License with a school personnel support endorsement and working in a position for which that endorsement is required must complete the licensure renewal requirements under Section 21-25 of this Code. If an individual holds licensure in more than one area that has different renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal requirements for the position for which he or she spends the majority of his or her time working.

All licenses not renewed as provided in this Section or registered in accordance with Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6 months from the expiration of the last year of registration. The license may be reinstated once the applicant has demonstrated proficiency by completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the content area that most aligns with the educator's endorsement area or areas. Before the license may be reinstated, the applicant shall pay all back fees owed from the time of expiration of the license until the date of reinstatement. Any license may be voluntarily surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered license shall be treated as a revoked license.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-50 new)

Sec. 21B-50. Alternative educator licensure program.

(a) There is established an alternative educator licensure program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.

(b) Beginning on January 1, 2013, the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers may be offered by a recognized institution approved to offer educator preparation programs by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Any program offered by a not-for-profit entity also must be approved by the Board of Higher Education.

The program shall be comprised of 4 phases:

(1) A course of study that at a minimum includes instructional planning; instructional strategies, including special education, reading, and English language learning; classroom management; and the assessment of students and use of data to drive instruction.

(2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to enter the residency and must complete additional program requirements that address required State and national standards, pass the assessment of professional teaching before entering the second residency year, as required under phase (3) of this subsection (b), and be recommended by the principal and program coordinator to continue with the second year of the residency.

(3) A second year of residency, which shall include the candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position for one school year. The candidate must be assigned an experienced teacher to act as a mentor and coach the candidate through the second year of residency.

(4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal and the program coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency. If there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about the candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may complete one additional year of residency teaching under a professional development plan developed by the principal and preparation program. At the completion of the third year, a candidate must have positive evaluations and a recommendation for full licensure from both the principal and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator License shall be issued.

Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content matter requirements established by law.

(c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on a Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of teaching in the public schools or in a State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in this State, but may be renewed for a third year if needed to complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree or higher.

(2) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another scale.

(3) Has completed a major in the content area if seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special education endorsement, has completed a major in the content area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics, or one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a major in a content area for any level of teaching, he or she must submit transcripts to the State Superintendent of Education to be reviewed for equivalency.

(4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection (b) of this Section.

(5) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area test required for the specific endorsement for admission into the program, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.

A candidate possessing the alternative provisional educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school who are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if any, but a school is not required to provide these benefits during the years of residency if the candidate is serving only as a co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be counted towards tenure.

(d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a school district or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in this State in which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in this State. The program presented for approval by the State Board of Education must demonstrate the supports that are to be provided to assist the provisional teacher during the 2-year residency period. These supports must provide additional contact hours with mentors during the first year of residency.

(e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection (b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section 21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a Professional Educator License.

(f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-55 new)

Sec. 21B-55. Alternative route to superintendent endorsement.

(a) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may approve programs designed to provide an alternative route to superintendent endorsement on a Professional Educator License.

(b) Entities offering an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program must have the program approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(c) All programs approved under this Section shall be comprised of the following 3 phases:

(1) A course of study offered on an intensive basis in education management, governance, organization, and instructional and district planning.

(2) The person's assignment to a full-time position for one school year as a superintendent.

(3) A comprehensive assessment of the person's performance by school officials and a recommendation to the State Superintendent of Education that the person be issued a superintendent endorsement on a Professional Educator License.

(d) In order to be admitted to an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program, a candidate shall pass a test of basic skills, as required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. In order to serve as a superintendent under phase (2) of subsection (c) of this Section, an individual must be issued an alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, to be valid for only one year of serving as a superintendent. In order to receive the provisional alternative superintendent endorsement under this Section, an individual must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Have graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a master's degree in a management field other than education.

(2) Have been employed for a period of at least 5 years in a management level position other than education.

(3) Have successfully completed phase (1) of subsection (c) of this Section.

(4) Have passed examinations required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.

(e) Successful completion of an alternative route to superintendent endorsement program shall be deemed to satisfy any other supervisory, administrative, or management experience requirements established by law, and, once completed, an individual shall be eligible for a superintendent endorsement on a Professional Educator License.

(f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be needed to establish and implement these alternative route to superintendent endorsement programs.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-60 new)

Sec. 21B-60. Principal preparation programs.

(a) It is the policy of this State that an essential element of improving student learning is supporting and employing highly effective school principals in leadership roles who improve teaching and learning and increase academic achievement and the development of all students.

(b) No later than September 1, 2014, recognized institutions approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to offer principal preparation programs must do all of the following:

(1) Meet the standards and requirements for such programs in accordance with this Section and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(2) Prepare candidates to meet required standards for principal skills, knowledge, and responsibilities, which shall include a focus on instruction and student learning and which must be used for principal professional development, mentoring, and evaluation.

(3) Include specific requirements for (i) the selection and assessment of candidates, (ii) training in the evaluation of staff, (iii) an internship, and (iv) a partnership with one or more school districts or State-recognized, nonpublic schools in which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in this State.

Any principal preparation program offered in whole or in part by a not-for-profit entity must also be approved by the Board of Higher Education.

(c) Candidates successfully completing a principal preparation program established pursuant to this Section shall obtain a principal endorsement on a Professional Educator License and are eligible to work as a principal or an assistant principal or in related or similar positions, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

(d) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement and administer principal preparation programs under this Section.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-65 new)

Sec. 21B-65. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Individuals holding certification issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards designation on an existing Professional Educator License. The designation shall be issued automatically and added to an individual's Professional Educator License, and individuals need not submit an application.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards designation must be issued only for the same validity period as the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, and the designation must be removed from the Professional Educator License when the educator no longer holds the certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Beginning on July 1, 2013, individuals holding an Illinois National Board for Professional Teaching Standards endorsement issued pursuant to the requirements of Section 21-2 of this Code must have a current certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in order to maintain the Illinois National Board for Professional Teaching Standards endorsement.

Any individual who, on or after July 1, 2012, has been issued a Master Certificate pursuant to Section 21-2 of this Code or a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards designation on a Professional Educator License pursuant to this Section may work as a teacher only in an area for which he or she holds the required Illinois endorsement. Any individual who, prior to June 30, 2012, has been issued an endorsement for a particular area on a Master Certificate may work as a teacher in that area even without having been issued the required Illinois endorsement.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-70 new)

Sec. 21B-70. Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Poverty or low-performing school" means a school in academic early warning status or academic watch status or a school in which 50% or more of its students are eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches.

"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.

(b) 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 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 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 for each qualified educator to be distributed to the respective school district. 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 based on the priorities outlined in subsection (c) of this Section.

(c) When there are adequate funds available, priorities (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5), as outlined in this subsection (c), must be funded. If full funding to meet all priorities as outlined in this subsection (c) is not available, funding must be distributed in the order of the priorities listed in this subsection (c). If funding is insufficient to fund a priority in full, then funding for that priority must be prorated and no further priorities shall be funded.

Priorities for monetary assistance and incentives shall be as follows:

(1) Priority 1: A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for up to 750 teachers or school counselors in a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board certification.

(2) Priority 2: A maximum of $2,000 towards the application fee for up to 250 teachers or school counselors in a school other than a poverty or low-performing school who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board certification. However, if there were fewer than 750 individuals supported in priority (1), then the number supported in priority (2) may be increased as such that the combination of priority (1) and priority (2) shall equal 1,000 applicants.

(3) Priority 3: The fee for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' Take One! (the test for National Board certification) for up to 500 qualified educators who apply on a first-come, first-serve basis.

(4) Priority 4: An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be paid to each qualified educator 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, who is employed in a school district, and who agrees, in writing, to provide 30 hours of mentoring or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards professional development or both during the school year to teachers or school counselors in a poverty or low-performing school, as applicable.

(5) Priority 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.

Mentoring for all priorities shall include, either singly or in combination, mentoring of 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) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Take One! participants.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-75 new)

Sec. 21B-75. Suspension or revocation of license.

(a) As used in this Section, "teacher" means any school district employee regularly required to be licensed, as provided in this Article, in order to teach or supervise in the public schools.

(b) The State Superintendent of Education has the exclusive authority, in accordance with this Section and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to initiate the suspension of up to 5 calendar years or revocation of any license issued pursuant to this Article for abuse or neglect of a child, immorality, a condition of health detrimental to the welfare of pupils, incompetency, unprofessional conduct (which includes the failure to disclose on an employment application any previous conviction for a sex offense, as defined in Section 21B-80 of this Code, or any other offense committed in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed in this State, would be punishable as a sex offense, as defined in Section 21B-80 of this Code), the neglect of any professional duty, willful failure to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, failure to establish satisfactory repayment on an educational loan guaranteed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, or other just cause. Unprofessional conduct shall include the refusal to attend or participate in institutes, teachers' meetings, or professional readings or to meet other reasonable requirements of the regional superintendent of schools or State Superintendent of Education. Unprofessional conduct also includes conduct that violates the standards, ethics, or rules applicable to the security, administration, monitoring, or scoring of or the reporting of scores from any assessment test or examination administered under Section 2-3.64 of this Code or that is known or intended to produce or report manipulated or artificial, rather than actual, assessment or achievement results or gains from the administration of those tests or examinations. Unprofessional conduct shall also include neglect or unnecessary delay in the making of statistical and other reports required by school officers.

(c) The State Superintendent of Education shall, upon receipt of evidence of abuse or neglect of a child, immorality, a condition of health detrimental to the welfare of pupils, incompetency, unprofessional conduct, the neglect of any professional duty, or other just cause, further investigate and, if and as appropriate, serve written notice to the individual and afford the individual opportunity for a hearing prior to suspension or revocation; provided that the State Superintendent is under no obligation to initiate such an investigation if the Department of Children and Family Services is investigating the same or substantially similar allegations and its child protective service unit has not made its determination, as required under Section 7.12 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. If the State Superintendent of Education does not receive from an individual a request for a hearing within 10 days after the individual receives notice, the suspension or revocation shall immediately take effect in accordance with the notice. If a hearing is requested within 10 days after notice of an opportunity for hearing, it shall act as a stay of proceedings until the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board issues a decision. Any hearing shall take place in the educational service region where the educator is or was last employed and in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and such rules shall include without limitation provisions for discovery and the sharing of information between parties prior to the hearing. The standard of proof for any administrative hearing held pursuant to this Section shall be by the preponderance of the evidence. The decision of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board is a final administrative decision and is subject to judicial review by appeal of either party.

The State Board of Education may refuse to issue or may suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return or to pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return or to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty, or interest, as required by any tax Act administered by the Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied.

The exclusive authority of the State Superintendent of Education to initiate suspension or revocation of a license pursuant to this Section does not preclude a regional superintendent of schools from cooperating with the State Superintendent or a State's Attorney with respect to an investigation of alleged misconduct.

(d) The State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee may initiate and conduct such investigations as may be reasonably necessary to establish the existence of any alleged misconduct. At any stage of the investigation, the State Superintendent may issue a subpoena requiring the attendance and testimony of a witness, including the license holder, and the production of any evidence, including files, records, correspondence, or documents, relating to any matter in question in the investigation. The subpoena shall require a witness to appear at the State Board of Education at a specified date and time and shall specify any evidence to be produced. The license holder is not entitled to be present, but the State Superintendent shall provide the license holder with a copy of any recorded testimony prior to a hearing under this Section. Such recorded testimony must not be used as evidence at a hearing, unless the license holder has adequate notice of the testimony and the opportunity to cross-examine the witness. Failure of a license holder to comply with a duly issued, investigatory subpoena may be grounds for revocation, suspension, or denial of a license.

(e) All correspondence, documentation, and other information so received by the regional superintendent of schools, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Board of Education, or the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board under this Section is confidential and must not be disclosed to third parties, except (i) as necessary for the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee to investigate and prosecute pursuant to this Article, (ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii) for disclosure to the license holder or his or her representative, or (iv) as otherwise required in this Article and provided that any such information admitted into evidence in a hearing is exempt from this confidentiality and non-disclosure requirement.

(f) The State Superintendent of Education or a person designated by him or her shall have the power to administer oaths to witnesses at any hearing conducted before the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board pursuant to this Section. The State Superintendent of Education or a person designated by him or her is authorized to subpoena and bring before the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board any person in this State and to take testimony either orally or by deposition or by exhibit, with the same fees and mileage and in the same manner as prescribed by law in judicial proceedings in civil cases in circuit courts of this State.

(g) Any circuit court, upon the application of the State Superintendent of Education or the license holder, may, by order duly entered, require the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant books and papers as part of any investigation or at any hearing the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board is authorized to conduct pursuant to this Section, and the court may compel obedience to its orders by proceedings for contempt.

(h) The State Board of Education shall receive an annual line item appropriation to cover fees associated with the investigation and prosecution of alleged educator misconduct and hearings related thereto.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-80 new)

Sec. 21B-80. Conviction of certain offenses as grounds for revocation of license.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Narcotics offense" means any one or more of the following offenses:

(1) Any offense defined in the Cannabis Control Act, except those defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 4 and subdivision (a) of Section 5 of the Cannabis Control Act and any offense for which the holder of a license is placed on probation under the provisions of Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act, provided that if the terms and conditions of probation required by the court are not fulfilled, the offense is not eligible for this exception.

(2) Any offense defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, except any offense for which the holder of a license is placed on probation under the provisions of Section 410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, provided that if the terms and conditions of probation required by the court are not fulfilled, the offense is not eligible for this exception.

(3) Any offense defined in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act, except any offense for which the holder of a license is placed on probation under the provision of Section 70 of that Act, provided that if the terms and conditions of probation required by the court are not fulfilled, the offense is not eligible for this exception.

(4) Any attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in items (1) through (3) of this definition.

(5) Any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of the offenses listed in items (1) through (4) of this definition. The changes made by Public Act 96-431 to the definition of "narcotics offense" are declaratory of existing law.

"Sex offense" means any one or more of the following offenses:

(A) Any offense defined in Sections 11-6 and 11-9 through 11-9.5, inclusive, of the Criminal Code of 1961; Sections 11-14 through 11-21, inclusive, of the Criminal Code of 1961; Sections 11-23 (if punished as a Class 3 felony), 11-24, 11-25, and 11-26 of the Criminal Code of 1961; and Sections 12-4.9, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, 12-16, 12-32, and 12-33 of the Criminal Code of 1961.

(B) Any attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in item (A) of this definition.

(C) Any offense committed or attempted in any other state that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of the offenses listed in items (A) and (B) of this definition.

(b) Whenever the holder of any license issued pursuant to this Article has been convicted of any sex offense or narcotics offense, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith suspend the license. If the conviction is reversed and the holder is acquitted of the offense in a new trial or the charges against him or her are dismissed, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith terminate the suspension of the license. When the conviction becomes final, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith revoke the license.

(c) Whenever the holder of a license issued pursuant to this Article has been convicted of attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, soliciting, or committing first degree murder or a Class X felony or any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of the foregoing offenses, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith suspend the license. If the conviction is reversed and the holder is acquitted of that offense in a new trial or the charges that he or she committed that offense are dismissed, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith terminate the suspension of the license. When the conviction becomes final, the State Superintendent of Education shall forthwith revoke the license.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-85 new)

Sec. 21B-85. Conviction of felony.

(a) Whenever the holder of any license issued under this Article is employed by the school board of a school district, including a special charter district or a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, and is convicted, either after a bench trial, trial by jury, or plea of guilty, of any offense for which a sentence to death or a term of imprisonment in a penitentiary for one year or more is provided, the school board shall promptly notify the State Superintendent of Education, in writing, of the name of the license holder, the fact of the conviction, and the name and location of the court in which the conviction occurred.

(b) Whenever the State Superintendent of Education receives notice of a conviction under subsection (a) of this Section or otherwise learns that any person who is a teacher, as that term is defined in Section 16-106 of the Illinois Pension Code, has been convicted, either after a bench trial, trial by jury, or plea of guilty, of any offense for which a sentence to death or a term of imprisonment in a penitentiary for one year or more is provided, the State Superintendent of Education shall promptly notify, in writing, the board of trustees of the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois and the board of trustees of the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of the City of Chicago of the name of the license holder, the fact of the conviction, the name and location of the court in which the conviction occurred, and the number assigned in that court to the case in which the conviction occurred.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-90 new)

Sec. 21B-90. Administrative Review Law. In this Section, "administrative decision" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

The provisions of the Administrative Review Law and the rules adopted pursuant to the Administrative Review Law shall apply to and govern all proceedings instituted for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the State Board of Education, the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and the regional superintendent of schools under this Article. The commencement of any action for review shall operate as a stay of enforcement, and no action based on any decision of the State Board of Education, the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, or the regional superintendent of schools shall be taken pending final disposition of the review.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-95 new)

Sec. 21B-95. Denial of recommendation for licensure. Each college or university providing an educator preparation program approved and recognized pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall establish procedures and standards to ensure that no student is denied the opportunity to receive an institutional recommendation for licensure or entitlement for reasons that are not directly related to the candidate's anticipated performance as a licensed educator. These standards and procedures shall include the specific criteria used by the institution for admission, retention, and recommendation or entitlement for licensure; periodic evaluations of the candidate's progress towards an institutional recommendation; counseling and other supportive services to correct any deficiencies that are considered remedial; and provisions to ensure that no person is discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, or a disability unrelated to the person's ability to perform as a licensed educator. Each institution shall also establish a grievance procedure for those candidates who are denied the institutional recommendation or entitlement for licensure. Within 10 days after notification of such a denial, the college or university shall notify the candidate, in writing, of the reasons for the denial of recommendation for licensure. Within 30 days after notification of the denial, the candidate may request the college or university to review the denial.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-100 new)

Sec. 21B-100. Licensure officers at higher education institutions. Licensure officers at higher education institutions shall adhere to this Code and any administrative rules adopted to implement this Code when entitling candidates for licensure or when adding endorsements. Violations of this Code or implementing rules regarding the entitlement of candidates by a licensure officer shall place the employing institution's educator preparation program in jeopardy, specifically regarding the institution's right to offer programs and recommend or entitle candidates for licensure.

Licensure officers are required to attend training conducted by the State Superintendent of Education and review new legislation and administrative rules as such become available. The State Superintendent of Education shall communicate any policy changes to licensure officers when such changes occur.

(105 ILCS 5/21B-105 new)

Sec. 21B-105. Granting of recognition; regional accreditation; definitions.

(a) "Recognized", as used in this Article in connection with the word "school" or "institution", means such college, university, or not-for-profit entity that meets requirements set by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Application for recognition of the school or institution as an educator preparation institution must be made to the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall set the criteria by which the school or institution is to be judged and, through the secretary of the State Board, arrange for an official inspection and shall grant recognition of such school or institution as may meet the required standards. If the standards include requirements with regard to education in acquiring skills in working with culturally distinctive students, as defined by the State Board of Education, then the rules of the State Board of Education shall include the criteria used to evaluate compliance with this requirement. No school or institution may make assignments of student teachers or teachers for practice teaching so as to promote segregation on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Any not-for-profit entity must also be approved by the Board of Higher Education.

All recommendations or entitlements for educator licensure shall be made by a recognized institution operating a program of preparation for the license that is approved by the State Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall have the power to define a major or minor when used as a basis for recognition and licensure purposes.

(b) "Regionally accredited", or "accredited", as used in this Article in connection with a university or institution, means an institution of higher education accredited by the North Central Association or other comparable regional accrediting association.

(105 ILCS 5/24-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 24-14)

Sec. 24-14. Termination of contractual continued service by teacher. A teacher who has entered into contractual continued service may resign at any time by obtaining concurrence of the board or by serving at least 30 days' written notice upon the secretary of the board. However, no teacher may resign during the school term, without the concurrence of the board, in order to accept another teaching assignment. Any teacher terminating said service not in accordance with this Section is guilty of unprofessional conduct and liable to suspension of licensure certificate for a period not to exceed 1 year, as provided in Section 21B-75 of this Code 21-23.

(Source: P.A. 85-256.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-6)

Sec. 34-6. Superintendent of schools. After June 30, 1999, the board may, by a vote of a majority of its full membership, appoint a general superintendent of schools to serve pursuant to a performance-based contract for a term ending on June 30th of the third calendar year after his or her appointment. He shall be the chief administrative officer of the board and shall have charge and control, subject to the approval of the board and to other provisions of this Article, of all departments and the employees therein of public schools, except the law department. He shall negotiate contracts with all labor organizations which are exclusive representatives of educational employees employed under the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. All contracts shall be subject to approval of the Board of Education. The board may conduct a national search for a general superintendent. An incumbent general superintendent may not be precluded from being included in such national search. Persons appointed pursuant to this Section shall be exempt from the provisions and requirements of Sections 21-1, 21-1a, and 21-7.1, and 21B-15 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 89-15, eff. 5-30-95.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.5) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-18.5)

Sec. 34-18.5. Criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database.

(a) Certified and noncertified applicants for employment with the school district are required as a condition of employment to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine if such applicants have been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) of this Section or have been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State. Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the applicant to the school district, except that if the applicant is a substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one school district, or a teacher seeking concurrent part-time employment positions with more than one school district (as a reading specialist, special education teacher or otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee seeking employment positions with more than one district, any such district may require the applicant to furnish authorization for the check to the regional superintendent of the educational service region in which are located the school districts in which the applicant is seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee. Upon receipt of this authorization, the school district or the appropriate regional superintendent, as the case may be, shall submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social security number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the Department. The regional superintendent submitting the requisite information to the Department of State Police shall promptly notify the school districts in which the applicant is seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee that the check of the applicant has been requested. The Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, records of convictions, until expunged, to the president of the school board for the school district that requested the check, or to the regional superintendent who requested the check. The Department shall charge the school district or the appropriate regional superintendent a fee for conducting such check, which fee shall be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not exceed the cost of the inquiry; and the applicant shall not be charged a fee for such check by the school district or by the regional superintendent. Subject to appropriations for these purposes, the State Superintendent of Education shall reimburse the school district and regional superintendent for fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks under this Section.

(a-5) The school district or regional superintendent shall further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law, for each applicant.

(a-6) The school district or regional superintendent shall further perform a check of the Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law, for each applicant.

(b) Any information concerning the record of convictions obtained by the president of the board of education or the regional superintendent shall be confidential and may only be transmitted to the general superintendent of the school district or his designee, the appropriate regional superintendent if the check was requested by the board of education for the school district, the presidents of the appropriate board of education or school boards if the check was requested from the Department of State Police by the regional superintendent, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Teacher Certification Board or any other person necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the Department of State Police shall be provided to the applicant for employment. Upon the check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, the school district or regional superintendent shall notify an applicant as to whether or not the applicant has been identified in the Database as a sex offender. If a check of an applicant for employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee in more than one school district was requested by the regional superintendent, and the Department of State Police upon a check ascertains that the applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has not been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and so notifies the regional superintendent and if the regional superintendent upon a check ascertains that the applicant has not been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex offender, then the regional superintendent shall issue to the applicant a certificate evidencing that as of the date specified by the Department of State Police the applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has not been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and evidencing that as of the date that the regional superintendent conducted a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, the applicant has not been identified in the Database as a sex offender. The school board of any school district may rely on the certificate issued by any regional superintendent to that substitute teacher, concurrent part-time teacher, or concurrent educational support personnel employee or may initiate its own criminal history records check of the applicant through the Department of State Police and its own check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database as provided in subsection (a). Any person who releases any confidential information concerning any criminal convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is authorized by this Section.

(c) The board of education shall not knowingly employ a person who has been convicted of any offense that would subject him or her to license certification suspension or revocation pursuant to Section 21B-80 21-23a of this Code. Further, the board of education shall not knowingly employ a person who has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of any minor under 18 years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(d) The board of education shall not knowingly employ a person for whom a criminal history records check and a Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been initiated.

(e) Upon receipt of the record of a conviction of or a finding of child abuse by a holder of any certificate issued pursuant to Article 21 or Section 34-8.1 or 34-83 of the School Code, the State Superintendent of Education may initiate certificate suspension and revocation proceedings as authorized by law.

(e-5) The general superintendent of schools shall, in writing, notify the State Superintendent of Education of any certificate holder whom he or she has reasonable cause to believe has committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect with the result of making a child an abused child or a neglected child, as defined in Section 3 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and that act resulted in the certificate holder's dismissal or resignation from the school district. This notification must be submitted within 30 days after the dismissal or resignation. The certificate holder must also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice by the superintendent. All correspondence, documentation, and other information so received by the State Superintendent of Education, the State Board of Education, or the State Teacher Certification Board under this subsection (e-5) is confidential and must not be disclosed to third parties, except (i) as necessary for the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee to investigate and prosecute pursuant to Article 21 of this Code, (ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii) for disclosure to the certificate holder or his or her representative, or (iv) as otherwise provided in this Article and provided that any such information admitted into evidence in a hearing is exempt from this confidentiality and non-disclosure requirement. Except for an act of willful or wanton misconduct, any superintendent who provides notification as required in this subsection (e-5) shall have immunity from any liability, whether civil or criminal or that otherwise might result by reason of such action.

(f) After March 19, 1990, the provisions of this Section shall apply to all employees of persons or firms holding contracts with any school district including, but not limited to, food service workers, school bus drivers and other transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with the pupils of any school in such district. For purposes of criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database on employees of persons or firms holding contracts with more than one school district and assigned to more than one school district, the regional superintendent of the educational service region in which the contracting school districts are located may, at the request of any such school district, be responsible for receiving the authorization for a criminal history records check prepared by each such employee and submitting the same to the Department of State Police and for conducting a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database for each employee. Any information concerning the record of conviction and identification as a sex offender of any such employee obtained by the regional superintendent shall be promptly reported to the president of the appropriate school board or school boards.

(g) In order to student teach in the public schools, a person is required to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database prior to participating in any field experiences in the public schools. Authorization for and payment of the costs of the checks must be furnished by the student teacher. Results of the checks must be furnished to the higher education institution where the student teacher is enrolled and the general superintendent of schools.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1452, eff. 8-20-10.)

Section 20. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by changing Section 65.45 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.45)

Sec. 65.45. Special education grants.

(a) Special education grants shall be awarded by the Commission to (i) teachers under contract who are teaching special education courses in a school district within an area designated as a poverty area by the Office of Economic Opportunity, but who are not certified to teach special education programs pursuant to Section 14-9.01 of the School Code and (ii) teachers licensed certified pursuant to Section 21B-15 21-1 of the School Code, but who are not certified pursuant to Section 14-9.01 of that Code. The amount of any grant awarded a participating teacher under this Section shall consist of (i) the tuition and other necessary fees required of the teacher by the institution of higher learning at which he or she enrolls under this Section, but limited to the maximum amount to which a student enrolled in that institution would be entitled as a scholarship under Section 35 of this Act, and (ii) a stipend of $100 for each semester hour or equivalent, not exceeding 21 semester hours, for continuous enrollment, including summer sessions, in one calendar year. For purposes of this Section "tuition and other necessary fees" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 35 of this Act. Participating teachers shall enroll in an institution of higher learning providing special education programs. Such institutions shall be approved by the Commission, in conjunction with the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education.

(b) Teachers under contract who participate in this program shall be required to contract with the Commission to teach a special education program for 2 years in a school district within an area designated as a poverty area by the Office of Economic Opportunity. Such commitment shall begin at the completion of the training program of the participating teacher and shall be completed within 3 years unless extended by the Commission. In addition, the participating teacher shall be required to sign a note payable to the Commission, for the full amount of benefits awarded to that teacher under this Section, with interest as provided herein, subject to cancellation as provided in this Section. Completion of one year of such commitment shall operate to cancel 50% of the amount of benefits provided a participating teacher. The failure of a participating teacher to complete all or part of such commitment shall obligate the participant to proportionately repay the amount of benefits provided, plus 5% interest on that amount. Participating teachers who are not under contract shall be subject to those obligations, except that such teachers shall be required to teach in a special education program for such 2 year period in a school district within an area designated as a poverty area by the Office of Economic Opportunity.

(c) If a participating teacher fails to cancel his or her commitment as provided in this Section, the Commission shall cause an appropriate action to be commenced on the note signed by that teacher, except where the failure to cancel the commitment was occasioned by the death or total and permanent disability of that teacher.

(d) This Section is substantially the same as Section 30-14.3 of the School Code, which Section is repealed by this amendatory Act of 1993, and shall be construed as a continuation of the special education grant program established by that prior law and not as a new or different special education grant program. The State Board of Education shall transfer to the Commission, as the successor to the State Board of Education for all purposes of administering and implementing the provisions of this Section, all books, accounts, records, papers, documents, contracts, agreements, and pending business in any way relating to the special education grant program continued under this Section; and all grants at any time made under that program by, and all applications for any such grants at any time made to, the State Board of Education shall be unaffected by the transfer to the Commission of all responsibility for the administration and implementation of the special education grant program continued under this Section. The State Board of Education shall furnish to the Commission such other information as the Commission may request to assist it in administering this Section.

(e) As used in this Section the term "special education program" means a program provided for children who have such disabilities as are set forth in Sections 14-1.02 through 14-1.07 of the School Code.

(Source: P.A. 88-228.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-0.01 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-1 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-1c rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-2b rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-5a rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-7.10 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-13 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-15 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-17 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-21 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-21.1 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-23 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-23a rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-23b rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-24 rep.)

(105 ILCS 5/21-29 rep.)

Section 25. The School Code is amended by repealing Sections 21-0.01, 21-1, 21-1c, 21-2b, 21-5a, 21-7.10, 21-13, 21-15, 21-17, 21-21, 21-21.1, 21-23, 21-23a, 21-23b, 21-24, and 21-29.

Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2011.