101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB1901

 

Introduced 2/15/2019, by Sen. Chuck Weaver

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-40
105 ILCS 5/21B-50

    Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. With regard to the fee Section, moves and changes a provision concerning the license renewal fee for an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement. With regard to the alternative educator licensure program, provides that, in addition to other requirements, an individual must pass the State Board of Education's teacher performance assessment (rather than pass the assessment of professional teaching) no later than the end of the first semester of his or her second year of residency (rather than before entering the second residency year). Effective immediately.


LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1901LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 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 Sections
521B-40 and 21B-50 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-40)
7    Sec. 21B-40. Fees.
8    (a) Beginning with the start of the new licensure system
9established pursuant to this Article, the following fees shall
10be charged to applicants:
11        (1) A $100 application fee for a Professional Educator
12    License or an Educator License with Stipulations.
13    Beginning on July 1, 2018, the license renewal fee for an
14    Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional
15    educator endorsement shall be $25.
16        (1.5) A $50 application fee for a Substitute Teaching
17    License. If the application for a Substitute Teaching
18    License is made and granted after July 1, 2017, the
19    licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee
20    within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall
21    be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if
22    the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of
23    Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the

 

 

SB1901- 2 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1    Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full school days
2    within one year of issuance.
3        (1.7) A $25 application fee for a Short-Term Substitute
4    Teaching License. The Short-Term Substitute Teaching
5    License must be registered in at least one region in this
6    State, but does not require a registration fee. The
7    licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee
8    within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall
9    be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if
10    the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of
11    Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the
12    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full
13    school days within one year of issuance.
14        (2) A $150 application fee for individuals who have not
15    been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator preparation
16    program at an Illinois institution of higher education and
17    are seeking any of the licenses set forth in subdivision
18    (1) of this subsection (a).
19        (3) A $50 application fee for each endorsement or
20    approval.
21        (4) A $10 per year registration fee for the course of
22    the validity cycle to register the license, which shall be
23    paid to the regional office of education having supervision
24    and control over the school in which the individual holding
25    the license is to be employed. If the individual holding
26    the license is not yet employed, then the license may be

 

 

SB1901- 3 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1    registered in any county in this State. The registration
2    fee must be paid in its entirety the first time the
3    individual registers the license for a particular validity
4    period in a single region. No additional fee may be charged
5    for that validity period should the individual
6    subsequently register the license in additional regions.
7    An individual must register the license (i) immediately
8    after initial issuance of the license and (ii) at the
9    beginning of each renewal cycle if the individual has
10    satisfied the renewal requirements required under this
11    Code.
12        Beginning on July 1, 2017, at the beginning of each
13    renewal cycle, individuals who hold a Substitute Teaching
14    License may apply for a reimbursement of the registration
15    fee within 18 months of renewal and shall be issued that
16    reimbursement by the State Board of Education from funds
17    appropriated for that purpose if the licensee provides
18    evidence to the State Board of Education that the licensee
19    has taught pursuant to the Substitute Teaching License at
20    least 10 full school days within one year of renewal.
21        (5) The license renewal fee for an Educator License
22    with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator
23    endorsement is $25.
24    (b) All application fees paid pursuant to subdivisions (1)
25through (3) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be
26deposited into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund and

 

 

SB1901- 4 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of
2Education to provide the technology and human resources
3necessary for the timely and efficient processing of
4applications and for the renewal of licenses. Funds available
5from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund may also be
6used by the State Board of Education to support the recruitment
7and retention of educators, to support educator preparation
8programs as they seek national accreditation, and to provide
9professional development aligned with the requirements set
10forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code. A majority of the funds
11in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund must be dedicated
12to the timely and efficient processing of applications and for
13the renewal of licenses. The Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving
14Fund is not subject to administrative charge transfers,
15authorized under Section 8h of the State Finance Act, from the
16Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund into any other fund of
17this State, and moneys in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving
18Fund shall not revert back to the General Revenue Fund at any
19time.
20    The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the
21registration fees paid pursuant to subdivision (4) of
22subsection (a) of this Section into the institute fund
23established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code.
24    (c) The State Board of Education and each regional office
25of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience
26fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of license

 

 

SB1901- 5 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1fees. This service or convenience fee shall not exceed the
2amount required by the credit card processing company or vendor
3that has entered into a contract with the State Board or
4regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee must
5be paid to that company or vendor.
6    (d) If, at the time a certificate issued under Article 21
7of this Code is exchanged for a license issued under this
8Article, a person has paid registration fees for any years of
9the validity period of the certificate and these years have not
10expired when the certificate is exchanged, then those fees must
11be applied to the registration of the new license.
12(Source: P.A. 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 99-920, eff. 1-6-17;
13100-550, eff. 11-8-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-772, eff.
148-10-18; revised 10-1-18.)
 
15    (105 ILCS 5/21B-50)
16    Sec. 21B-50. Alternative educator licensure program.
17    (a) There is established an alternative educator licensure
18program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure
19Program for Teachers.
20    (b) The Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
21Teachers may be offered by a recognized institution approved to
22offer educator preparation programs by the State Board of
23Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
24and Licensure Board.
25    The program shall be comprised of 4 phases:

 

 

SB1901- 6 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1        (1) A course of study that at a minimum includes
2    instructional planning; instructional strategies,
3    including special education, reading, and English language
4    learning; classroom management; and the assessment of
5    students and use of data to drive instruction.
6        (2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's
7    assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a
8    co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must
9    hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an
10    alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to
11    enter the residency and must complete additional program
12    requirements that address required State and national
13    standards, pass the State Board's teacher performance
14    assessment no later than the end of the first semester of
15    his or her second year of residency assessment of
16    professional teaching before entering the second residency
17    year, as required under phase (3) of this subsection (b),
18    and be recommended by the principal or qualified equivalent
19    of a principal, as required under subsection (d) of this
20    Section, and the program coordinator to continue with the
21    second year of the residency.
22        (3) A second year of residency, which shall include the
23    candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position
24    for one school year. The candidate must be assigned an
25    experienced teacher to act as a mentor and coach the
26    candidate through the second year of residency.

 

 

SB1901- 7 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1        (4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's
2    teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or
3    qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under
4    subsection (d) of this Section, and the program
5    coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency. If
6    there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about the
7    candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may
8    complete one additional year of residency teaching under a
9    professional development plan developed by the principal
10    or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At the
11    completion of the third year, a candidate must have
12    positive evaluations and a recommendation for full
13    licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent
14    and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator
15    License shall be issued.
16    Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to
17satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content
18matter requirements established by law.
19    (c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
20Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of
21teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a
22preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code
23or charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic school in
24which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure
25necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State
26and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have

 

 

SB1901- 8 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in
2this State, but may be renewed for a third year if needed to
3complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
4Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an
5individual who meets all of the following requirements:
6        (1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college
7    or university with a bachelor's degree or higher.
8        (2) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or
9    greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another scale.
10        (3) Has completed a major in the content area if
11    seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if
12    seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special
13    education endorsement, has completed a major in the content
14    area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics, or
15    one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a
16    major in a content area for any level of teaching, he or
17    she must submit transcripts to the State Board of Education
18    to be reviewed for equivalency.
19        (4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection
20    (b) of this Section.
21        (5) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area
22    test required for the specific endorsement for admission
23    into the program, as required under Section 21B-30 of this
24    Code.
25    A candidate possessing the alternative provisional
26educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any

 

 

SB1901- 9 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school who
2are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if any,
3but a school is not required to provide these benefits during
4the years of residency if the candidate is serving only as a
5co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of
6record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any
7other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be
8counted towards tenure.
9    (d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative
10Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a
11school district, including without limitation a preschool
12educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or
13charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in this
14State in which the chief administrator is required to have the
15licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in
16this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required
17to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public
18school in this State. A recognized institution that partners
19with a public school district administering a preschool
20educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code must
21require a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates in the
22program. A recognized institution that partners with an
23eligible entity administering a preschool educational program
24under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that is not a public
25school district must require a principal or qualified
26equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates

 

 

SB1901- 10 -LRB101 09824 AXK 54926 b

1in the program. The program presented for approval by the State
2Board of Education must demonstrate the supports that are to be
3provided to assist the provisional teacher during the 2-year
4residency period. These supports must provide additional
5contact hours with mentors during the first year of residency.
6    (e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection
7(b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section
821B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a Professional
9Educator License.
10    (f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
11State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
12rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the
13Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
14(Source: P.A. 99-58, eff. 7-16-15; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18;
15100-822, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
16    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17becoming law.