HB0355 EnrolledLRB101 05824 AXK 50840 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 changing Section
521B-45 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-45)
7    Sec. 21B-45. Professional Educator License renewal.
8    (a) Individuals holding a Professional Educator License
9are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as
10specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this
11Code.
12    Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall
13meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section, unless
14otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds a
15license endorsed in more than one area that has different
16renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal
17requirements for the position for which he or she spends the
18majority of his or her time working.
19    (b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as
20provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that
21year. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if
22a license holder's electronic mail address is available, the
23State Board of Education shall send him or her notification

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 2 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1electronically that his or her license will lapse if not
2renewed, to be sent no more than 6 months prior to the license
3lapsing. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon (i)
4payment by the applicant of a $500 penalty to the State Board
5of Education or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by
6completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally
7accredited institution of higher education in the content area
8that most aligns with one or more of the educator's endorsement
9areas. Any and all back fees, including without limitation
10registration fees owed from the time of expiration of the
11license until the date of reinstatement, shall be paid and kept
12in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of this Code
13concerning an institute fund and the provisions in Article 21B
14of this Code concerning fees and requirements for registration.
15Licenses not registered in accordance with Section 21B-40 of
16this Code shall lapse after a period of 6 months from the
17expiration of the last year of registration or on January 1 of
18the fiscal year following initial issuance of the license. An
19unregistered license is invalid after September 1 for
20employment and performance of services in an Illinois public or
21State-operated school or cooperative and in a charter school.
22Any license or endorsement may be voluntarily surrendered by
23the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered license, except a
24substitute teaching license issued under Section 21B-20 of this
25Code, shall be treated as a revoked license. An Educator
26License with Stipulations with only a paraprofessional

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 3 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1endorsement does not lapse.
2    (c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to
3satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in
4this Section, each professional educator licensee with an
5administrative endorsement who is working in a position
6requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois
7Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of
8this Code, per fiscal year.
9    (d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the
10requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this
11Section, each professional educator licensee may create a
12professional development plan each year. The plan shall address
13one or more of the endorsements that are required of his or her
14educator position if the licensee is employed and performing
15services in an Illinois public or State-operated school or
16cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a charter school,
17the plan shall address that endorsement or those endorsements
18most closely related to his or her educator position. Licensees
19employed and performing services in any other Illinois schools
20may participate in the renewal requirements by adhering to the
21same process.
22    Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the
23licensee's professional development activities shall align
24with one or more of the following criteria:
25        (1) activities are of a type that engage participants
26    over a sustained period of time allowing for analysis,

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 4 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    discovery, and application as they relate to student
2    learning, social or emotional achievement, or well-being;
3        (2) professional development aligns to the licensee's
4    performance;
5        (3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student
6    growth or district improvement;
7        (4) activities align to State-approved standards; and
8        (5) higher education coursework.
9    (e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator
10licensee shall engage in professional development activities.
11Prior to renewal, the licensee shall enter electronically into
12the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name,
13date, and location of the activity, the number of professional
14development hours, and the provider's name. The following
15provisions shall apply concerning professional development
16activities:
17        (1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours
18    of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in
19    order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided in
20    this Section.
21        (2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle,
22    any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not
23    working in a position requiring such endorsement is not
24    required to complete Illinois Administrators' Academy
25    courses, as described in Article 2 of this Code. Such
26    licensees must complete one Illinois Administrators'

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 5 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    Academy course within one year after returning to a
2    position that requires the administrative endorsement.
3        (3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement
4    who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or
5    an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in
6    an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall
7    complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as
8    described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in
9    addition to 100 hours of professional development per
10    5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code.
11        (4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for
12    Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher
13    designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of
14    professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order
15    to renew the license.
16        (5) Licensees working in a position that does not
17    require educator licensure or working in a position for
18    less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be
19    exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration
20    fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the
21    license.
22        (6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits
23    from a State of Illinois retirement system shall notify the
24    State Board of Education using ELIS, and the license shall
25    be maintained in retired status. For any renewal cycle in
26    which a licensee retires during the renewal cycle, the

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 6 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    licensee must complete professional development activities
2    on a prorated basis depending on the number of years during
3    the renewal cycle the educator held an active license. If a
4    licensee retires during a renewal cycle, the licensee must
5    notify the State Board of Education using ELIS that the
6    licensee wishes to maintain the license in retired status
7    and must show proof of completion of professional
8    development activities on a prorated basis for all years of
9    that renewal cycle for which the license was active. An
10    individual with a license in retired status shall not be
11    required to complete professional development activities
12    or pay registration fees until returning to a position that
13    requires educator licensure. Upon returning to work in a
14    position that requires the Professional Educator License,
15    the licensee shall immediately pay a registration fee and
16    complete renewal requirements for that year. A license in
17    retired status cannot lapse. Beginning on January 6, 2017
18    (the effective date of Public Act 99-920) through December
19    31, 2017, any licensee who has retired and whose license
20    has lapsed for failure to renew as provided in this Section
21    may reinstate that license and maintain it in retired
22    status upon providing proof to the State Board of Education
23    using ELIS that the licensee is retired and is not working
24    in a position that requires a Professional Educator
25    License.
26        (7) For any renewal cycle in which professional

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 7 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the
2    licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the
3    minimum professional development hours required in this
4    Section prior to September 1 of that year. Professional
5    development hours used to fulfill the minimum required
6    hours for a renewal cycle may be used for only one renewal
7    cycle. For any fiscal year or renewal cycle in which an
8    Illinois Administrators' Academy course was required but
9    not completed, the licensee shall complete any missed
10    Illinois Administrators' Academy courses prior to
11    September 1 of that year. The licensee may complete all
12    deficient hours and Illinois Administrators' Academy
13    courses while continuing to work in a position that
14    requires that license until September 1 of that year.
15        (8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the professional
16    development renewal requirements set forth in this Section
17    at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is ineligible to
18    register his or her license and may submit an appeal to the
19    State Superintendent of Education for reinstatement of the
20    license.
21        (9) If professional development opportunities were
22    unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were
23    unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond
24    August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be
25    submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the
26    State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 8 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    extension is approved, the license shall remain valid
2    during the extension period.
3        (10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to
4    December 27, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-610)
5    shall commence the annual renewal process with the first
6    scheduled registration due after December 27, 2013 (the
7    effective date of Public Act 98-610).
8        (11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
9    subsection (e), if a licensee earns more than the required
10    number of professional development hours during a renewal
11    cycle, then the licensee may carry over any hours earned
12    from April 1 through June 30 of the last year of the
13    renewal cycle. Any hours carried over in this manner must
14    be applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois
15    Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those
16    courses may not be carried over.
17    (f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to
18the required questions under penalty of perjury.
19    (g) The following entities shall be designated as approved
20to provide professional development activities for the renewal
21of Professional Educator Licenses:
22        (1) The State Board of Education.
23        (2) Regional offices of education and intermediate
24    service centers.
25        (3) Illinois professional associations representing
26    the following groups that are approved by the State

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 9 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    Superintendent of Education:
2            (A) school administrators;
3            (B) principals;
4            (C) school business officials;
5            (D) teachers, including special education
6        teachers;
7            (E) school boards;
8            (F) school districts;
9            (G) parents; and
10            (H) school service personnel.
11        (4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher
12    education that offer Illinois-approved educator
13    preparation programs and public community colleges subject
14    to the Public Community College Act.
15        (5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools
16    authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint
17    educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this
18    Code for the purposes of providing career and technical
19    education or special education services.
20        (6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of December
21    31, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-1147), has
22    had or has a grant from or a contract with the State Board
23    of Education to provide professional development services
24    in the area of English Learning to Illinois school
25    districts, teachers, or administrators.
26        (7) State agencies, State boards, and State

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 10 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    commissions.
2        (8) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum
3    Disposition of Property Act.
4    (h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this Section
5shall make available professional development opportunities
6that satisfy at least one of the following:
7        (1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and
8    district leaders who guide continuous professional
9    development;
10        (2) improve the learning of students;
11        (3) organize adults into learning communities whose
12    goals are aligned with those of the school and district;
13        (4) deepen educator's content knowledge;
14        (5) provide educators with research-based
15    instructional strategies to assist students in meeting
16    rigorous academic standards;
17        (6) prepare educators to appropriately use various
18    types of classroom assessments;
19        (7) use learning strategies appropriate to the
20    intended goals;
21        (8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to
22    collaborate; or
23        (9) prepare educators to apply research to
24    decision-making; or .
25        (10) provide educators with training on inclusive
26    practices in the classroom that examines instructional and

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 11 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    behavioral strategies that improve academic and
2    social-emotional outcomes for all students, with or
3    without disabilities, in a general education setting.
4    (i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this Section
5shall do the following:
6        (1) align professional development activities to the
7    State-approved national standards for professional
8    learning;
9        (2) meet the professional development criteria for
10    Illinois licensure renewal;
11        (3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains
12    how it aligns to State standards and identify the
13    assessment for determining the expected impact on student
14    learning or school improvement;
15        (4) maintain original documentation for completion of
16    activities;
17        (5) provide license holders with evidence of
18    completion of activities; and
19        (6) request an Illinois Educator Identification Number
20    (IEIN) for each educator during each professional
21    development activity.
22    (j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual
23audits of a subset of approved providers, except for school
24districts, which shall be audited by regional offices of
25education and intermediate service centers. The State Board of
26Education shall ensure that each approved provider, except for

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 12 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1a school district, is audited at least once every 5 years. The
2State Board of Education may conduct more frequent audits of
3providers if evidence suggests the requirements of this Section
4or administrative rules are not being met. The State Board of
5Education shall complete random audits of licensees.
6        (1) (Blank).
7        (2) Approved providers shall comply with the
8    requirements in subsections (h) and (i) of this Section by
9    annually submitting data to the State Board of Education
10    demonstrating how the professional development activities
11    impacted one or more of the following:
12            (A) educator and student growth in regards to
13        content knowledge or skills, or both;
14            (B) educator and student social and emotional
15        growth; or
16            (C) alignment to district or school improvement
17        plans.
18        (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review
19    the annual data collected by the State Board of Education,
20    regional offices of education, and intermediate service
21    centers in audits to determine if the approved provider has
22    met the criteria and should continue to be an approved
23    provider or if further action should be taken as provided
24    in rules.
25    (k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal
26cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 13 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

15-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional
2development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed and
3entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the
4registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or
5debit card.
6    (l) Any professional educator licensee endorsed for school
7support personnel who is employed and performing services in
8Illinois public schools and who holds an active and current
9professional license issued by the Department of Financial and
10Professional Regulation or a national certification board, as
11approved by the State Board of Education, related to the
12endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License shall be
13deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional
14development requirements provided for in this Section. Such
15individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to
16renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who does
17not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial and
18Professional Regulation shall complete professional
19development requirements for the renewal of a Professional
20Educator License provided for in this Section.
21    (m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
22Board must be made within 30 days after receipt of notice from
23the State Superintendent of Education that a license will not
24be renewed based upon failure to complete the requirements of
25this Section. A licensee may appeal that decision to the State
26Educator Preparation and Licensure Board in a manner prescribed

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 14 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1by rule.
2        (1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State
3    Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be
4    sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the
5    State Board of Education.
6        (2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
7    shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license
8    within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to
9    determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of
10    this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure
11    Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its
12    determination based upon the record of review, which shall
13    consist of the following:
14            (A) the regional superintendent of education's
15        rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license,
16        if applicable;
17            (B) any evidence submitted to the State
18        Superintendent along with the individual's electronic
19        statement of assurance for renewal; and
20            (C) the State Superintendent's rationale for
21        nonrenewal of the license.
22        (3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
23    shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding license
24    renewal by certified mail, return receipt requested, no
25    later than 30 days after reaching a decision. Upon receipt
26    of notification of renewal, the licensee, using ELIS, shall

 

 

HB0355 Enrolled- 15 -LRB101 05824 AXK 50840 b

1    pay the applicable registration fee for the next cycle
2    using a form of credit or debit card.
3    (n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be
4necessary to implement this Section.
5(Source: P.A. 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 99-130, eff. 7-24-15;
699-591, eff. 1-1-17; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16; 99-920, eff. 1-6-17;
7100-13, eff. 7-1-17; 100-339, eff. 8-25-17; 100-596, eff.
87-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)