HB5506 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 22403 CMG 31543 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5506

Introduced 1/31/2022, by Rep. Katie Stuart

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 27/16.5 new
110 ILCS 27/20

Amends the Dual Credit Quality Act. Provides that a partnership agreement entered into between a community college district and a school district shall allow a high school student who does not otherwise meet the community college district's academic eligibility requirements to enroll in a dual credit course, but only for high school credit. Makes changes concerning the professional development plans of instructors and the information the Illinois Community College Board must annually report.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The Dual Credit Quality Act is amended by adding Section 16.5 and by changing Section 20 as follows:

(110 ILCS 27/16.5 new)

Sec. 16.5. High school and community college partnership agreements; student enrollment eligibility.

(a) A partnership agreement under Section 16 that is entered into, amended, renewed, or extended after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly shall allow a high school student who does not otherwise meet the community college district's academic eligibility requirements to enroll in a dual credit course, but only for high school credit.

(b) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to allow the award of dual credit to a student who does not meet the requirements of the partnership agreement.

(110 ILCS 27/20)

Sec. 20. Standards. All institutions offering dual credit courses shall meet the following standards:

(1) High school instructors teaching credit-bearing college-level courses for dual credit must meet any of the academic credential requirements set forth in this paragraph or paragraph (2) or (3) of this Section and need not meet higher certification requirements or those set out in Article 21B of the School Code:

(A) Approved instructors of dual credit courses shall meet any of the faculty credential standards allowed by the Higher Learning Commission to determine minimally qualified faculty. At the request of an instructor, an instructor who meets these credential standards shall be provided by the State Board of Education with a Dual Credit Endorsement, to be placed on the professional educator license, as established by the State Board of Education and as authorized under Article 21B of the School Code and promulgated through administrative rule in cooperation with the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education.

(B) An instructor who does not meet the faculty credential standards allowed by the Higher Learning Commission to determine minimally qualified faculty may teach dual credit courses if the instructor has a professional development plan, approved by the institution and shared with the State Board of Education no later than January 1, 2026 , within 4 years of January 1, 2019 (the effective date of Public Act 100-1049), to raise his or her credentials to be in line with the credentials under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (1). The institution shall have 30 days to review the plan and approve an instructor professional development plan that is in line with the credentials set forth in paragraph (2) of this Section. The institution shall not unreasonably withhold approval of a professional development plan. These approvals shall be good for as long as satisfactory progress toward the completion of the credential is demonstrated, but in no event shall a professional development plan be in effect for more than 3 years from the date of its approval or after January 1, 2029, whichever is sooner. A high school instructor whose professional development plan is not approved by the institution may appeal to the Illinois Community College Board or the Board of Higher Education, as appropriate.

(C) The Illinois Community College Board shall report yearly on its Internet website the following:

(i) the number of teachers presently enrolled in an who have approved professional development plan plans under this Section; .

(ii) the number of instructors who successfully completed an approved professional development plan;

(iii) the number of instructors who did not successfully complete an approved professional development plan after 3 years;

(iv) a breakdown of the information in subdivisions (i), (ii), and (iii) of this subparagraph (C) by subject area; and

(v) a summary, by community college district, of professional development plans that are in progress, that were successfully completed, or that have expired.

(2) A high school instructor shall qualify for a professional development plan if the instructor:

(A) has a master's degree in any discipline and has earned 9 graduate hours in a discipline in which he or she is currently teaching or expects to teach; or

(B) has a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in a discipline that he or she is currently teaching or expects to teach and is enrolled in a discipline-specific master's degree program; and

(C) agrees to demonstrate his or her progress toward completion to the supervising institution, as outlined in the professional development plan.

(3) An instructor in career and technical education courses must possess the credentials and demonstrated teaching competencies appropriate to the field of instruction, unless the instructor holds an approved professional development plan under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this Section. An instructor in career and technical education courses shall qualify for a professional development plan if the instructor agrees to demonstrate the instructor's progress toward completion to the supervising institution as outlined in the professional development plan within a 3-year period.

(4) Course content must be equivalent to credit-bearing college-level courses offered at the community college.

(5) Learning outcomes must be the same as credit-bearing college-level courses and be appropriately measured.

(6) A high school instructor is expected to participate in any orientation developed by the institution for dual credit instructors in course curriculum, assessment methods, and administrative requirements.

(7) Dual credit instructors must be given the opportunity to participate in all activities available to other adjunct faculty, including professional development, seminars, site visits, and internal communication, provided that such opportunities do not interfere with an instructor's regular teaching duties.

(8) Every dual credit course must be reviewed annually by faculty through the appropriate department to ensure consistency with campus courses.

(9) Dual credit students must be assessed using methods consistent with students in traditional credit-bearing college courses.

(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)