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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 Section
521B-25 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-25)
7    Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued
8under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be
9specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each
10content area, school support area, and administrative area for
11which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized
12institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs
13shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to
14applicants who meet all of the requirements for the endorsement
15or endorsements, including passing any required tests. The
16State Superintendent of Education shall randomly audit
17institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are being
18followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being
19recommended.
20        (1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with
21    the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall
22    establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area
23    endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator

 

 

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1    License. These rules shall outline the requirements for
2    obtaining each endorsement.
3        (2) In addition to any and all grade level and content
4    area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of
5    Education, in consultation with the State Educator
6    Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the
7    requirements for the following endorsements:
8            (A) General administrative endorsement. A general
9        administrative endorsement shall be added to a
10        Professional Educator License, provided that an
11        approved program has been completed. An individual
12        holding a general administrative endorsement may work
13        only as a principal or assistant principal or in a
14        related or similar position, as determined by the State
15        Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the
16        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
17            Beginning on September 1, 2014, the general
18        administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued.
19        Individuals who hold a valid and registered
20        administrative certificate with a general
21        administrative endorsement issued under Section 21-7.1
22        of this Code or a Professional Educator License with a
23        general administrative endorsement issued prior to
24        September 1, 2014 and who have served for at least one
25        full year during the 5 years prior in a position
26        requiring a general administrative endorsement shall,

 

 

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1        upon request to the State Board of Education and
2        through July 1, 2015, have their respective general
3        administrative endorsement converted to a principal
4        endorsement on the Professional Educator License.
5        Candidates shall not be admitted to an approved general
6        administrative preparation program after September 1,
7        2012.
8            All other individuals holding a valid and
9        registered administrative certificate with a general
10        administrative endorsement issued pursuant to Section
11        21-7.1 of this Code or a general administrative
12        endorsement on a Professional Educator License issued
13        prior to September 1, 2014 shall have the general
14        administrative endorsement converted to a principal
15        endorsement on a Professional Educator License upon
16        request to the State Board of Education and by
17        completing one of the following pathways:
18                (i) Passage of the State principal assessment
19            developed by the State Board of Education.
20                (ii) Through July 1, 2019, completion of an
21            Illinois Educators' Academy course designated by
22            the State Superintendent of Education.
23                (iii) Completion of a principal preparation
24            program established and approved pursuant to
25            Section 21B-60 of this Code and applicable rules.
26            Individuals who do not choose to convert the

 

 

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1        general administrative endorsement on the
2        administrative certificate issued pursuant to Section
3        21-7.1 of this Code or on the Professional Educator
4        License shall continue to be able to serve in any
5        position previously allowed under paragraph (2) of
6        subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code.
7            The general administrative endorsement on the
8        Professional Educator License is available only to
9        individuals who, prior to September 1, 2014, had such
10        an endorsement on the administrative certificate
11        issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or who
12        already have a Professional Educator License and have
13        completed a general administrative program and who do
14        not choose to convert the general administrative
15        endorsement to a principal endorsement pursuant to the
16        options in this Section.
17            (B) Principal endorsement. A principal endorsement
18        shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of
19        any holder who qualifies by having all of the
20        following:
21                (i) Successful completion of a principal
22            preparation program approved in accordance with
23            Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable
24            rules.
25                (ii) Four years of teaching in a public school
26            or nonpublic school recognized by the State Board

 

 

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1            of Education; however, the State Board of
2            Education, in consultation with the State Educator
3            Preparation and Licensure Board, shall allow, by
4            rules, for fewer than 4 years of experience based
5            on meeting standards set forth in such rules,
6            including without limitation a review of
7            performance evaluations or other evidence of
8            demonstrated qualifications.
9                (iii) A master's degree or higher from a
10            regionally accredited college or university.
11            (C) Chief school business official endorsement. A
12        chief school business official endorsement shall be
13        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
14        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or
15        higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience
16        in school business management or 2 years of
17        university-approved practical experience, and a
18        minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a
19        program approved by the State Board of Education for
20        the preparation of school business administrators and
21        by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief
22        school business official endorsement may also be
23        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
24        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in
25        business administration, finance, or accounting and
26        who completes an additional 6 semester hours of

 

 

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1        internship in school business management from a
2        regionally accredited institution of higher education
3        and passes the applicable State tests. This
4        endorsement shall be required for any individual
5        employed as a chief school business official.
6            (D) Superintendent endorsement. A superintendent
7        endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional
8        Educator License of any holder who has completed a
9        program approved by the State Board of Education for
10        the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had
11        at least 2 years of experience employed full-time in a
12        general administrative position or as a full-time
13        principal, director of special education, or chief
14        school business official in the public schools or in a
15        State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief
16        administrator is required to have the licensure
17        necessary to be a principal in a public school in this
18        State and where a majority of the teachers are required
19        to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a
20        public school in this State, and has passed the
21        required State tests; or of any holder who has
22        completed a program from out-of-state that has a
23        program with recognition standards comparable to those
24        approved by the State Superintendent of Education and
25        holds the general administrative, principal, or chief
26        school business official endorsement and who has had 2

 

 

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1        years of experience as a principal, director of special
2        education, or chief school business official while
3        holding a valid educator license or certificate
4        comparable in validity and educational and experience
5        requirements and has passed the appropriate State
6        tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The
7        superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to
8        serve only as a superintendent or assistant
9        superintendent.
10            (E) Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the
11        policy of this State to improve the quality of
12        instructional leaders by providing a career pathway
13        for teachers interested in serving in leadership
14        roles, but not as principals. The State Board of
15        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
16        Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher
17        leader endorsement under this subdivision (E). Persons
18        who meet and successfully complete the requirements of
19        the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader
20        endorsement on the Professional Educator License for
21        serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may
22        qualify to serve in such positions as department
23        chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction
24        leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by
25        the district. The endorsement shall be available to
26        those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator

 

 

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1        License, (ii) hold a master's degree or higher from a
2        regionally accredited institution, (iii) have
3        completed a program of study that has been approved by
4        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
5        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and
6        (iv) have taken coursework in all of the following
7        areas:
8                (I) Leadership.
9                (II) Designing professional development to
10            meet teaching and learning needs.
11                (III) Building school culture that focuses on
12            student learning.
13                (IV) Using assessments to improve student
14            learning and foster school improvement.
15                (V) Building collaboration with teachers and
16            stakeholders.
17            A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in
18        this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement may
19        evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of this
20        Code, provided that the individual has completed the
21        evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of this
22        Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate
23        personnel under the respective school district's
24        collective bargaining agreement.
25            The State Board of Education, in consultation with
26        the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,

 

 

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1        may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish
2        and implement the teacher leader endorsement program
3        and to specify the positions for which this endorsement
4        shall be required.
5            (F) Special education endorsement. A special
6        education endorsement in one or more areas shall be
7        affixed to a Professional Educator License for any
8        individual that meets those requirements established
9        by the State Board of Education in rules. Special
10        education endorsement areas shall include without
11        limitation the following:
12                (i) Learning Behavior Specialist I;
13                (ii) Learning Behavior Specialist II;
14                (iii) Speech Language Pathologist;
15                (iv) Blind or Visually Impaired;
16                (v) Deaf-Hard of Hearing; and
17                (vi) Early Childhood Special Education.
18        Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary,
19        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
20        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may
21        add additional areas of special education by rule.
22            (G) School support personnel endorsement. School
23        support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but
24        are not limited to, school counselor, marriage and
25        family therapist, school psychologist, school speech
26        and language pathologist, school nurse, and school

 

 

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1        social worker. This endorsement is for individuals who
2        are not teachers or administrators, but still require
3        licensure to work in an instructional support position
4        in a public or State-operated elementary school,
5        secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement
6        with a governing body or board of control or a charter
7        school operating in compliance with the Charter
8        Schools Law. The school support personnel endorsement
9        shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License
10        and shall meet all of the requirements established in
11        any rules adopted to implement this subdivision (G).
12        The holder of such an endorsement is entitled to all of
13        the rights and privileges granted holders of any other
14        Professional Educator License, including teacher
15        benefits, compensation, and working conditions.
16            Beginning on January 1, 2014 and ending on April
17        30, 2014, a person holding a Professional Educator
18        License with a school speech and language pathologist
19        (teaching) endorsement may exchange his or her school
20        speech and language pathologist (teaching) endorsement
21        for a school speech and language pathologist
22        (non-teaching) endorsement through application to the
23        State Board of Education. There shall be no cost for
24        this exchange.
25(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; 98-413, eff. 8-16-13;
2698-610, eff. 12-27-13.)
 

 

 

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1    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2becoming law.