SB1991 EngrossedLRB100 11392 MLM 21801 b

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 adding Section
52-3.80c as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.80c new)
7    Sec. 2-3.80c. Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force.
8    (a) The General Assembly recognizes that agriculture is the
9most basic and singularly important industry in the State, that
10agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and
11economic stability of the State, and that the maintenance of
12this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and
13qualified agriculture educators to train future generations of
14agriculturalists.
15    In 2016, to respond to the ongoing teacher shortage in
16agriculture education in Illinois, the General Assembly passed
17Public Act 99-826, which deemed agriculture education as an
18area of critical need in Illinois.
19    (b) There is created the Agriculture Education Shortage
20Task Force consisting of the following members:
21        (1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President
22    of the Senate;
23        (2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority

 

 

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1    Leader of the Senate;
2        (3) one member of the House of Representatives
3    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
4        (4) one member of the House of Representatives
5    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
6    Representatives; and
7        (5) the following members, who shall be appointed by
8    the State Superintendent of Education within 30 days after
9    the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th
10    General Assembly:
11            (A) one representative of the State Board of
12        Education;
13            (B) one member representing a statewide
14        professional teachers' association appointed with the
15        advice of the Committee established under subsection
16        (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;
17            (C) one member representing a different statewide
18        professional teachers' association appointed with the
19        advice of the Committee established under subsection
20        (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;
21            (D) one member representing a different
22        professional teachers' association in a city having a
23        population of over 500,000 appointed with the advice of
24        the Committee established under subsection (d) of
25        Section 2-3.80 of this Code;
26            (E) one member who is a community college

 

 

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1        agriculture education teacher appointed with the
2        advice of the Committee established under subsection
3        (d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code;
4            (F) one member who is a university agriculture
5        education teacher appointed with the advice of the
6        Committee established under subsection (d) of Section
7        2-3.80 of this Code;
8            (G) one member representing a statewide
9        association representing superintendents;
10            (H) one member representing a statewide
11        association representing principals;
12            (I) one member representing a statewide
13        association representing school board members;
14            (J) one representative of a school district in a
15        city having a population exceeding 500,000;
16            (K) one member representing an education advocacy
17        group that works with parents; and
18            (L) one representative of an education public
19        policy organization.
20    (c) The Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall
21first meet at the call of the State Superintendent of Education
22within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act
23of the 100th General Assembly, and following meetings shall be
24at the call of the Chairperson, who shall be elected by a
25majority of appointed members at the first meeting of the Task
26Force. The State Board of Education shall provide

 

 

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1administrative support for the Task Force.
2    (d) Members of the Task Force shall serve without
3compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel and related
4expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.
5    (e) The Task Force shall meet at least 3 times and shall
6review the following:
7        (1) the number of agriculture education teachers in
8    this State and the type of license held;
9        (2) the number of graduates who have graduated from an
10    approved agriculture education program of a public
11    university in this State in each of the past 4 years;
12        (3) the number of agriculture education position
13    openings at secondary education programs in this State in
14    each of the past 4 years; and
15        (4) licensure standards, including national licensure
16    standards, for the agricultural education endorsement on a
17    professional educator license or an educator license with
18    stipulations.
19    (f) The Task Force shall issue a report to the Governor and
20the General Assembly, which must be approved by a majority vote
21of appointed members and must include recommendations
22regarding:
23        (1) recruitment and retention of agriculture education
24    teachers, including recommendations on funding for
25    existing incentive programs;
26        (2) participation in federal programs that may assist

 

 

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1    in the recruitment and retention of agriculture teachers;
2    and
3        (3) other subjects determined by the members of the
4    Task Force.
5    (g) The Task Force shall report its findings to the
6Governor and General Assembly on or before January 1, 2019,
7and, upon filing its report, the Task Force is dissolved.
8    (h) This Section is repealed on February 1, 2019.
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.