100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB2898

 

Introduced , by Rep. Fred Crespo - Robert W. Pritchard

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-25

    Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the date (of June 30, 2021) until which a principal endorsement may be affixed to the Professional Educator License of a person who has, among other qualifications, at least 4 total years of experience working in the capacity of school support personnel. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
521B-25 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-25)
7    Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued
8under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be
9specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each
10content area, school support area, and administrative area for
11which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized
12institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs
13shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to
14applicants who meet all of the requirements for the endorsement
15or endorsements, including passing any required tests. The
16State Superintendent of Education shall randomly audit
17institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are being
18followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being
19recommended.
20        (1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with
21    the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall
22    establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area
23    endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator

 

 

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1    License. These rules shall outline the requirements for
2    obtaining each endorsement.
3        (2) In addition to any and all grade level and content
4    area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of
5    Education, in consultation with the State Educator
6    Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the
7    requirements for the following endorsements:
8            (A) General administrative endorsement. A general
9        administrative endorsement shall be added to a
10        Professional Educator License, provided that an
11        approved program has been completed. An individual
12        holding a general administrative endorsement may work
13        only as a principal or assistant principal or in a
14        related or similar position, as determined by the State
15        Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the
16        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
17            Beginning on September 1, 2014, the general
18        administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued
19        except to individuals who completed all coursework
20        requirements for the receipt of the general
21        administrative endorsement by September 1, 2014, who
22        have completed all testing requirements by June 30,
23        2016, and who apply for the endorsement on or before
24        June 30, 2016. Individuals who hold a valid and
25        registered administrative certificate with a general
26        administrative endorsement issued under Section 21-7.1

 

 

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1        of this Code or a Professional Educator License with a
2        general administrative endorsement issued prior to
3        September 1, 2014 and who have served for at least one
4        full year during the 5 years prior in a position
5        requiring a general administrative endorsement shall,
6        upon request to the State Board of Education and
7        through July 1, 2015, have their respective general
8        administrative endorsement converted to a principal
9        endorsement on the Professional Educator License.
10        Candidates shall not be admitted to an approved general
11        administrative preparation program after September 1,
12        2012.
13            All other individuals holding a valid and
14        registered administrative certificate with a general
15        administrative endorsement issued pursuant to Section
16        21-7.1 of this Code or a general administrative
17        endorsement on a Professional Educator License issued
18        prior to September 1, 2014 shall have the general
19        administrative endorsement converted to a principal
20        endorsement on a Professional Educator License upon
21        request to the State Board of Education and by
22        completing one of the following pathways:
23                (i) Passage of the State principal assessment
24            developed by the State Board of Education.
25                (ii) Through July 1, 2019, completion of an
26            Illinois Educators' Academy course designated by

 

 

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1            the State Superintendent of Education.
2                (iii) Completion of a principal preparation
3            program established and approved pursuant to
4            Section 21B-60 of this Code and applicable rules.
5            Individuals who do not choose to convert the
6        general administrative endorsement on the
7        administrative certificate issued pursuant to Section
8        21-7.1 of this Code or on the Professional Educator
9        License shall continue to be able to serve in any
10        position previously allowed under paragraph (2) of
11        subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code.
12            The general administrative endorsement on the
13        Professional Educator License is available only to
14        individuals who, prior to September 1, 2014, had such
15        an endorsement on the administrative certificate
16        issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or who
17        already have a Professional Educator License and have
18        completed a general administrative program and who do
19        not choose to convert the general administrative
20        endorsement to a principal endorsement pursuant to the
21        options in this Section.
22            (B) Principal endorsement. A principal endorsement
23        shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of
24        any holder who qualifies by having all of the
25        following:
26                (i) Successful completion of a principal

 

 

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1            preparation program approved in accordance with
2            Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable
3            rules.
4                (ii) At least 4 total years of teaching or,
5            until June 30, 2021, 4 total years of working in
6            the capacity of school support personnel in an
7            Illinois public school or nonpublic school
8            recognized by the State Board of Education or in an
9            out-of-state public school or out-of-state
10            nonpublic school meeting out-of-state recognition
11            standards comparable to those approved by the
12            State Superintendent of Education; however, the
13            State Board of Education, in consultation with the
14            State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,
15            shall allow, by rules, for fewer than 4 years of
16            experience based on meeting standards set forth in
17            such rules, including without limitation a review
18            of performance evaluations or other evidence of
19            demonstrated qualifications.
20                (iii) A master's degree or higher from a
21            regionally accredited college or university.
22            (C) Chief school business official endorsement. A
23        chief school business official endorsement shall be
24        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
25        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or
26        higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience

 

 

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1        in school business management or 2 years of
2        university-approved practical experience, and a
3        minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a
4        program approved by the State Board of Education for
5        the preparation of school business administrators and
6        by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief
7        school business official endorsement may also be
8        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
9        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in
10        business administration, finance, or accounting and
11        who completes an additional 6 semester hours of
12        internship in school business management from a
13        regionally accredited institution of higher education
14        and passes the applicable State tests. This
15        endorsement shall be required for any individual
16        employed as a chief school business official.
17            (D) Superintendent endorsement. A superintendent
18        endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional
19        Educator License of any holder who has completed a
20        program approved by the State Board of Education for
21        the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had
22        at least 2 years of experience employed full-time in a
23        general administrative position or as a full-time
24        principal, director of special education, or chief
25        school business official in the public schools or in a
26        State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief

 

 

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1        administrator is required to have the licensure
2        necessary to be a principal in a public school in this
3        State and where a majority of the teachers are required
4        to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a
5        public school in this State, and has passed the
6        required State tests; or of any holder who has
7        completed a program that is not an Illinois-approved
8        educator preparation program at an Illinois
9        institution of higher education and that has
10        recognition standards comparable to those approved by
11        the State Superintendent of Education and holds the
12        general administrative, principal, or chief school
13        business official endorsement and who has had 2 years
14        of experience as a principal, director of special
15        education, or chief school business official while
16        holding a valid educator license or certificate
17        comparable in validity and educational and experience
18        requirements and has passed the appropriate State
19        tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The
20        superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to
21        serve only as a superintendent or assistant
22        superintendent.
23            (E) Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the
24        policy of this State to improve the quality of
25        instructional leaders by providing a career pathway
26        for teachers interested in serving in leadership

 

 

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1        roles, but not as principals. The State Board of
2        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
3        Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher
4        leader endorsement under this subdivision (E). Persons
5        who meet and successfully complete the requirements of
6        the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader
7        endorsement on the Professional Educator License for
8        serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may
9        qualify to serve in such positions as department
10        chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction
11        leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by
12        the district. The endorsement shall be available to
13        those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator
14        License, (ii) hold a master's degree or higher from a
15        regionally accredited institution, (iii) have
16        completed a program of study that has been approved by
17        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
18        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and
19        (iv) have taken coursework in all of the following
20        areas:
21                (I) Leadership.
22                (II) Designing professional development to
23            meet teaching and learning needs.
24                (III) Building school culture that focuses on
25            student learning.
26                (IV) Using assessments to improve student

 

 

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1            learning and foster school improvement.
2                (V) Building collaboration with teachers and
3            stakeholders.
4            A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in
5        this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement may
6        evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of this
7        Code, provided that the individual has completed the
8        evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of this
9        Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate
10        personnel under the respective school district's
11        collective bargaining agreement.
12            The State Board of Education, in consultation with
13        the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,
14        may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish
15        and implement the teacher leader endorsement program
16        and to specify the positions for which this endorsement
17        shall be required.
18            (F) Special education endorsement. A special
19        education endorsement in one or more areas shall be
20        affixed to a Professional Educator License for any
21        individual that meets those requirements established
22        by the State Board of Education in rules. Special
23        education endorsement areas shall include without
24        limitation the following:
25                (i) Learning Behavior Specialist I;
26                (ii) Learning Behavior Specialist II;

 

 

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1                (iii) Speech Language Pathologist;
2                (iv) Blind or Visually Impaired;
3                (v) Deaf-Hard of Hearing; and
4                (vi) Early Childhood Special Education.
5        Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary,
6        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
7        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may
8        add additional areas of special education by rule.
9            (G) School support personnel endorsement. School
10        support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but
11        are not limited to, school counselor, marriage and
12        family therapist, school psychologist, school speech
13        and language pathologist, school nurse, and school
14        social worker. This endorsement is for individuals who
15        are not teachers or administrators, but still require
16        licensure to work in an instructional support position
17        in a public or State-operated elementary school,
18        secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement
19        with a governing body or board of control or a charter
20        school operating in compliance with the Charter
21        Schools Law. The school support personnel endorsement
22        shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License
23        and shall meet all of the requirements established in
24        any rules adopted to implement this subdivision (G).
25        The holder of such an endorsement is entitled to all of
26        the rights and privileges granted holders of any other

 

 

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1        Professional Educator License, including teacher
2        benefits, compensation, and working conditions.
3            Beginning on January 1, 2014 and ending on April
4        30, 2014, a person holding a Professional Educator
5        License with a school speech and language pathologist
6        (teaching) endorsement may exchange his or her school
7        speech and language pathologist (teaching) endorsement
8        for a school speech and language pathologist
9        (non-teaching) endorsement through application to the
10        State Board of Education. There shall be no cost for
11        this exchange.
12(Source: P.A. 98-413, eff. 8-16-13; 98-610, eff. 12-27-13;
1398-872, eff. 8-11-14; 98-917, eff. 8-15-14; 98-1147, eff.
1412-31-14; 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 99-623, eff. 7-22-16.)
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.