HB4787 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 36274 RJT 66371 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4787

Introduced 2/6/2024, by Rep. Amy L. Grant

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program Act. Makes findings. Provides that the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program is created for a 2-year degree pathway by which paraprofessional educators may enroll to achieve the education requirements to attain a professional educator license in this State, which shall comply with the standards of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year or, if funds are not appropriated for the Program that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which funds are appropriated for the Program, the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall coordinate with each other to assign a qualified individual to serve as a Program director to develop the curriculum for the Program. Provides that one public elementary or public secondary school and one public university in this State shall be chosen to develop a program for transitioning paraprofessionals to teachers. Includes the core components of the Program. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must submit a report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Legislative Reference Bureau detailing the impact of the Program and then the Program is dissolved and the Act is repealed. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly makes all of the following findings:

(1) In Illinois, starting 4-year, licensed to teach, college graduates earn $45,000 to $55,000 a year as compared to education paraprofessionals, who are paid an average annual salary of $29,232 and have an average starting salary of $23,000.

(2) Education paraprofessionals are required to have a 2-year associate degree to teach in Illinois. Comparing this with other 2-year college technician certificates, such as veterinary technicians who have an average salary of $42,000, human resource assistants who have an average salary of $45,000, forestry technicians who have an average salary of $42,000, and paralegals who have an average salary of $61,000, education paraprofessionals are not seeing the return on their educational investment.

(3) School districts have strongly voiced their need for more qualified teachers.

(4) Alternative routes to teacher licensure, which tend to be faster and less expensive than traditional programs, should be explored by the State to produce more teachers.

(5) It is in the interests of State residents to identify affordable pathways to secure a teacher license in Illinois.

(6) Paraprofessional educators are particularly well-positioned to take advantage of such pathways into teaching. Given access to high-quality licensure programs tailored to their specific experiences and needs, they can make a significant contribution to local efforts to address teacher shortages.

(7) It is in the interests of State residents to have an accredited paraprofessional-to-teaching degree pathway based on both campus-based instruction and courses offered in the schools where candidates work, while also giving them opportunities to earn academic credit by demonstrating the knowledge and skills they have mastered in their jobs.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Paraprofessional" or "paraprofessional educator" means a person who holds a paraprofessional educator endorsement in accordance with the School Code.

"Program" means the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program.

Section 15. Creation of Program. The Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program is created for a 2-year degree pathway by which paraprofessional educators may enroll to achieve the education requirements to attain a professional educator license in this State, which shall comply with the standards of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education.

Section 20. Program requirements.

(a) Subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year or, if funds are not appropriated for the Program that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which funds are appropriated for the Program, the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall coordinate with each other to assign a qualified individual to serve as a Program director to develop the curriculum for the Program. If a source of outside funding for the Program director is secured to support the development of the Program, the State Board of Education and Board of Higher Education shall facilitate the approval of a paraprofessional-to-teacher bachelor's degree curriculum pathway for the public universities agreeing to participate in the Program.

(b) Under the Program, one public elementary or public secondary school and one public university in this State shall be chosen to develop a program for transitioning paraprofessionals to teachers through the Program.

The core components of the Program must include all of the following:

(1) Allowing paraprofessionals to enroll in the public university and enroll in courses that allow them to complete 30 college coursework credits toward a baccalaureate degree that would meet Illinois teacher-licensing standards.

(2) Allowing paraprofessionals to earn 30 college coursework credits for the work that they perform in their role as a paraprofessional educator at a public elementary school or public secondary school.

(3) Using online course options to reduce costs and required travel.

(4) The inclusion of evaluations by the mentor teacher of the paraprofessional for the approval of the 30 college coursework credits earned teaching in the classroom.

(5) A promise by the participating elementary or secondary school that it will consider hiring the paraprofessionals as full-time teachers after the paraprofessionals complete the Program.

(c) The curriculum of the Program shall be established by the public university's educator preparation program. This curriculum shall reflect the core components of the Program identified in subsection (b).

(d) The Program director may expand participation in the Program if the director finds multiple willing and able schools and universities.

Section 25. Reporting.

(a) After the cohort of students completes the Program, the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must submit a report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Legislative Reference Bureau detailing the impact of the Program on all of the following:

(1) The number of paraprofessionals that attained a baccalaureate degree.

(2) The successes and failures of the Program.

(3) Reducing the costs of attending an institution of higher learning and overall student loan debt for individuals pursuing a degree in teaching.

(4) Creating a model curriculum that can be replicated through partnerships between other institutions of higher learning and school districts across the State.

(b) The Program is dissolved on the day the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education submit the report required under subsection (a).

Section 30. Repeal. On the date that the Legislative Reference Bureau receives the report sent to it under subsection (a) of Section 25, this Act is repealed.

Section 90. Rules. The State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must adopt rules to implement this Act.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.