Sen. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas

Filed: 2/7/2022

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 3988

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 3988 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5Sections 21B-15 and 21B-20 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-15)
7    Sec. 21B-15. Qualifications of educators.
8    (a) No one may be licensed to teach or supervise or be
9otherwise employed in the public schools of this State who is
10not of good character and at least 19 years of age, except as
11otherwise provided in subparagraph (J) of subsection (2) of
12Section 21B-20.
13    In determining good character under this Section, the
14State Superintendent of Education shall take into
15consideration the disciplinary actions of other states or
16national entities against certificates or licenses issued by

 

 

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1those states and held by individuals from those states. In
2addition, any felony conviction of the applicant may be taken
3into consideration; however, no one may be licensed to teach
4or supervise in the public schools of this State who has been
5convicted of (i) an offense set forth in subsection (b) of
6Section 21B-80 of this Code until 7 years following the end of
7the sentence for the criminal offense or (ii) an offense set
8forth in subsection (c) of Section 21B-80 of this Code. Unless
9the conviction is for an offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of
10this Code, an applicant must be permitted to submit character
11references or other written material before such a conviction
12or other information regarding the applicant's character may
13be used by the State Superintendent of Education as a basis for
14denying the application.
15    (b) No person otherwise qualified shall be denied the
16right to be licensed or to receive training for the purpose of
17becoming an educator because of a physical disability,
18including, but not limited to, visual and hearing
19disabilities; nor shall any school district refuse to employ a
20teacher on such grounds, provided that the person is able to
21carry out the duties of the position for which he or she
22applies.
23    (c) No person may be granted or continue to hold an
24educator license who has knowingly altered or misrepresented
25his or her qualifications, in this State or any other state, in
26order to acquire or renew the license. Any other license

 

 

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1issued under this Article held by the person may be suspended
2or revoked by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
3Board, depending upon the severity of the alteration or
4misrepresentation.
5    (d) No one may teach or supervise in the public schools nor
6receive for teaching or supervising any part of any public
7school fund who does not hold an educator license granted by
8the State Superintendent of Education as provided in this
9Article. However, the provisions of this Article do not apply
10to a member of the armed forces who is employed as a teacher of
11subjects in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of any
12school, nor to an individual teaching a dual credit course as
13provided for in the Dual Credit Quality Act.
14    (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the
15school board of a school district may grant to a teacher of the
16district a leave of absence with full pay for a period of not
17more than one year to permit the teacher to teach in a foreign
18state under the provisions of the Exchange Teacher Program
19established under Public Law 584, 79th Congress, and Public
20Law 402, 80th Congress, as amended. The school board granting
21the leave of absence may employ, with or without pay, a
22national of the foreign state wherein the teacher on the leave
23of absence is to teach if the national is qualified to teach in
24that foreign state and if that national is to teach in a grade
25level similar to the one that was taught in the foreign state.
26The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State

 

 

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1Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt rules as
2may be necessary to implement this subsection (e).
3    (f) No person shall be denied a license issued under this
4Article solely based on his or her citizenship status or
5immigration status. The General Assembly finds and declares
6that this subsection (f) is a State law within the meaning of
7subsection (d) of Section 1621 of Title 8 of the United States
8Code. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the requirements
9to obtain a license that are not directly related to
10citizenship status or immigration status. Nothing in this
11subsection shall be construed to grant eligibility for
12obtaining any public benefit other than a license issued under
13this Article.
14(Source: P.A. 99-667, eff. 7-29-16; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17;
15100-1078, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
16    (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
17    Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
18Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
19whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
20required to be licensed must have one of the following
21licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
22educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
23teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term
24substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
25individuals certified or certificated or required to be

 

 

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1certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
2also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed
3under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
430 following one full year of the license being issued.
5    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
6State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
7rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
8licenses and endorsements under this Section.
9        (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
10    have successfully completed an approved educator
11    preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
12    the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
13    program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
14    testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
15    successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
16    the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
17    the exceptional child, including without limitation
18    children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
19    successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
20    and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
21    criteria established by rule of the State Board of
22    Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
23    All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30
24    immediately following 5 years of the license being issued.
25    The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
26    specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is

 

 

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1    eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
2    endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
3    teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
4    preparation program through placement in a setting with
5    children from birth through grade 2, and the individual
6    may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
7    student teaching experience must meet the requirements of
8    and be approved by the individual's early childhood
9    teacher preparation program.
10        Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
11    Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
12    shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
13    in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
14    content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
15        (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
16    License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
17    that limits the license holder to one particular position
18    or does not require completion of an approved educator
19    program or both.
20        An individual with an Educator License with
21    Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
22    any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
23    who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
24        An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
25    with the following endorsements:
26            (A) (Blank).

 

 

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1            (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
2        alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
3        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
4        applicant who, at the time of applying for the
5        endorsement, has done all of the following:
6                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
7            college or university with a minimum of a
8            bachelor's degree.
9                (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
10            the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
11            Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
12            Code.
13                (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
14            under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
15        The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
16    valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
17    third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
18    forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
19            (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
20        alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
21        an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
22        holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
23        superintendent in a school district's central office.
24        This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
25        who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
26        done all of the following:

 

 

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1                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
2            college or university with a minimum of a master's
3            degree in a management field other than education.
4                (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
5            years in a management level position in a field
6            other than education.
7                (iii) Successfully completed the first phase
8            of an alternative route to superintendent
9            endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
10            of this Code.
11                (iv) Passed a content area test required under
12            Section 21B-30 of this Code.
13            The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
14        order to complete one full year of serving as a
15        superintendent or assistant superintendent.
16            (D) (Blank).
17            (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
18        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
19        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
20        has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
21        regionally accredited institution of higher education
22        or an accredited trade and technical institution and
23        has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
24        education in each area to be taught.
25            The career and technical educator endorsement on
26        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until

 

 

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1        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
2        endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
3            An individual who holds a valid career and
4        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
5        with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
6        degree may substitute teach in career and technical
7        education classrooms.
8            (F) Part-time provisional career and technical
9        educator or provisional career and technical educator.
10        A part-time provisional career and technical educator
11        endorsement or a provisional career and technical
12        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
13        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a
14        minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill
15        for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It
16        is the responsibility of each employing school board
17        and regional office of education to provide
18        verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
19        of Education at the time the application is submitted
20        that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
21        Educator License or an Educator License with
22        Stipulations with a career and technical educator
23        endorsement is available and that actual circumstances
24        require such issuance.
25            The provisional career and technical educator
26        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations

 

 

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1        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
2        of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for
3        5 years.
4            A part-time provisional career and technical
5        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
6        Stipulations may be issued for teaching no more than 2
7        courses of study for grades 6 through 12. The
8        part-time provisional career and technical educator
9        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
10        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
11        of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for
12        5 years if the individual makes application for
13        renewal.
14            An individual who holds a provisional or part-time
15        provisional career and technical educator endorsement
16        on an Educator License with Stipulations but does not
17        hold a bachelor's degree may substitute teach in
18        career and technical education classrooms.
19            (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
20        transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
21        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
22        the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
23        with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
24        provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
25        all of the following requirements:
26                (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and

 

 

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1            writing ability in the language other than English
2            in which transitional bilingual education is
3            offered.
4                (ii) Has the ability to successfully
5            communicate in English.
6                (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
7            previous to his or her applying for a transitional
8            bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
9            comparable teaching certificate or comparable
10            authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
11            a degree from an institution of higher learning in
12            a foreign country that the State Educator
13            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
14            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
15            regionally accredited institution of higher
16            learning in the United States.
17            A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
18        shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
19        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
20        of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
21        renewed.
22            Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
23        endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
24        presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
25        replaced for any reason.
26            (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to

 

 

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1        alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
2        other than English in the public schools, an
3        individual who holds an Educator License with
4        Stipulations may also apply for a language
5        endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
6        satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
7        following requirements:
8                (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
9            endorsement.
10                (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
11            language for which the endorsement is to be issued
12            by passing the applicable language content test
13            required by the State Board of Education.
14                (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
15            a regionally accredited institution of higher
16            education or, for individuals educated in a
17            country other than the United States, holds a
18            degree from an institution of higher learning in a
19            foreign country that the State Educator
20            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
21            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
22            regionally accredited institution of higher
23            learning in the United States.
24                (iv) (Blank).
25            A language endorsement on an Educator License with
26        Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through

 

 

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1        grade 12 for the same validity period as the
2        individual's transitional bilingual educator
3        endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
4        and shall not be renewed.
5            (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
6        international educator endorsement on an Educator
7        License with Stipulations may be issued to an
8        individual who is being recruited by a particular
9        school district that conducts formal recruitment
10        programs outside of the United States to secure the
11        services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
12        the following requirements:
13                (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
14            bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
15                (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
16            grade level for which he or she will be employed.
17                (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
18            subject to be taught.
19                (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
20            language.
21            A holder of a visiting international educator
22        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
23        shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
24        programs in the language that was the medium of
25        instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
26        provided that he or she passes the English Language

 

 

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1        Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
2        skills in English identified by the State Board of
3        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
4        Preparation and Licensure Board.
5            A visiting international educator endorsement on
6        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
7        years and shall not be renewed.
8            (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
9        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
10        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
11        high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
12        (i) either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of
13        60 semester hours of credit from a regionally
14        accredited institution of higher education; (ii) or
15        has passed a paraprofessional competency test under
16        subsection (c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at
17        least 18 years of age and will be using the Educator
18        License with Stipulations exclusively for grades
19        prekindergarten through grade 8, until the individual
20        reaches the age of 19 years and otherwise meets the
21        criteria for a paraprofessional educator endorsement
22        pursuant to this subparagraph (J). The
23        paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid until
24        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
25        endorsement being issued and may be renewed through
26        application and payment of the appropriate fee, as

 

 

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1        required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An
2        individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator
3        endorsement is not subject to additional requirements
4        in order to renew the endorsement.
5            (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
6        business official endorsement on an Educator License
7        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
8        qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
9        years of full-time administrative experience in school
10        business management or 2 years of university-approved
11        practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
12        hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
13        State Board of Education for the preparation of school
14        business administrators and by passage of the
15        applicable State tests, including an applicable
16        content area test.
17            The chief school business official endorsement may
18        also be affixed to the Educator License with
19        Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
20        master's degree in business administration, finance,
21        accounting, or public administration and who completes
22        an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
23        business management from a regionally accredited
24        institution of higher education and passes the
25        applicable State tests, including an applicable
26        content area test. This endorsement shall be required

 

 

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1        for any individual employed as a chief school business
2        official.
3            The chief school business official endorsement on
4        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
5        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
6        endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
7        license holder completes renewal requirements as
8        required for individuals who hold a Professional
9        Educator License endorsed for chief school business
10        official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
11        rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
12        Education.
13            The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
14        necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
15            (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
16        in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
17        with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
18        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
19        program at an Illinois institution of higher education
20        and who has not successfully completed an
21        evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
22        who meets all of the following requirements:
23                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
24                (ii) Has completed an approved educator
25            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
26                (iii) Has passed an applicable content area

 

 

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1            test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
2                (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
3            assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
4            minimum score on that assessment, as established
5            by the State Board of Education in consultation
6            with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
7            Board.
8            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
9        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
10        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
11        be renewed.
12            (M) (Blank).
13            (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
14        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
15        may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
16        (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
17    License may be issued to qualified applicants for
18    substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
19    prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
20    Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
21    a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
22    degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
23    of higher education.
24        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
25        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
26    teaching in every county of this State. If an individual

 

 

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1    has had his or her Professional Educator License or
2    Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
3    then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
4    Substitute Teaching License.
5        A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
6    licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
7    board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
8    contract because of an emergency situation, then a
9    district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
10    than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
11    district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
12    office of education within 5 business days after the
13    employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency
14    situation. An emergency situation is one in which an
15    unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is
16    unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii)
17    teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous
18    indications, and the district is actively engaged in
19    advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
20    vacant position.
21        There is no limit on the number of days that a
22    substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
23    provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
24    than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under
25    contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who
26    holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License

 

 

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1    with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school
2    days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
3    same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on
4    the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do
5    not apply to any school district operating under Article
6    34 of this Code.
7        A school district may not require an individual who
8    holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
9    License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
10    Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
11        (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
12    on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of
13    Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
14    License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be
15    issued to a qualified applicant for substitute teaching in
16    all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through
17    grade 12. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not
18    eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term
19    Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate's
20    degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a
21    regionally accredited institution of higher education.
22        Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
23    substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
24    individual has had his or her Professional Educator
25    License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
26    revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a

 

 

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1    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
2        The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
3    Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
4        An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
5    License may teach no more than 5 consecutive days per
6    licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
7    absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
8    is under contract, a school district may not hire an
9    individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
10    License. An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute
11    Teaching License must complete the training program under
12    Section 10-20.67 or 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible
13    to teach at a public school. This paragraph (4) is
14    inoperative on and after July 1, 2023.
15(Source: P.A. 100-8, eff. 7-1-17; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17;
16100-288, eff. 8-24-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-821, eff.
179-3-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220,
18eff. 8-7-19; 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)".