93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB6144

 

Introduced 2/6/2004, by Tom Cross

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21-5c

    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning alternative teacher certification.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB6144 LRB093 14882 NHT 40448 b

1     AN ACT in relation to teacher certification.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 21-5c as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/21-5c)
7     Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification.
8 The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
9 Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement an
10 alternative route to teacher certification program under which
11 persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete
12 the program established by this Section shall be issued an
13 initial teaching certificate for teaching in schools in this
14 State. The State Board of Education shall approve a course of
15 study that persons in the program must successfully complete in
16 order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of a certificate
17 under this Section. The Alternative Route to Teacher
18 Certification program course of study must include the current
19 content and skills contained in a university's current courses
20 for State certification which have been approved by the State
21 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
22 Certification Board, as the requirement for State teacher
23 certification.
24     The program established under this Section shall be known
25 as the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program. The
26 program may be offered in conjunction with one or more
27 not-for-profit organizations in this the State. The program
28 shall be comprised of the following 3 phases: (a) a course of
29 study offered on an intensive basis in education theory,
30 instructional methods, and practice teaching; (b) the person's
31 assignment to a full-time teaching position for one school
32 year, including the designation of a mentor teacher to advise

 

 

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1 and assist the person with that teaching assignment; and (c) a
2 comprehensive assessment of the person's teaching performance
3 by school officials and program participants and a
4 recommendation by the institution of higher education to the
5 State Board of Education that the person be issued an initial
6 teaching certificate. Successful completion of the Alternative
7 Route to Teacher Certification program shall be deemed to
8 satisfy any other practice or student teaching and subject
9 matter requirements established by law.
10     A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
11 one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
12 shall be issued under this Section 21-5c to persons who at the
13 time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
14 certificate under this Section:
15         (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
16     university with a bachelor's degree;
17         (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years
18     in an area requiring application of the individual's
19     education;
20         (3) have successfully completed the first phase of the
21     Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in
22     this Section; and
23         (4) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject
24     matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.
25     An initial teaching certificate, valid for teaching in the
26 common schools, shall be issued under Section 21-3 or 21-5 to
27 persons who first complete the requirements for the provisional
28 alternative teaching certificate and who at the time of
29 applying for an initial teaching certificate have successfully
30 completed the second and third phases of the Alternative Route
31 to Teacher Certification program as provided in this Section.
32     A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
33 or an initial teaching certificate earned under this Section
34 shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes
35 of compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of
36 employment afforded teachers in the school who are members of a

 

 

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1 bargaining unit represented by an exclusive bargaining
2 representative, if any.
3     The State Board of Education may adopt rules and
4 regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the
5 State Board deems necessary to establish and implement the
6 program.
7 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)