99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB2807

 

Introduced , by Rep. Christian L. Mitchell

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/21B-45

    Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that any museum in this State that, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, has provided professional development and is approved by the State Superintendent of Education shall be designated as approved to provide professional development activities for the renewal of Professional Educator Licenses. Makes a technical correction. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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-45 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-45)
7    Sec. 21B-45. Professional Educator License renewal.
8    (a) Individuals holding a Professional Educator License
9are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as
10specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this
11Code.
12    Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall
13meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section, unless
14otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds a
15license endorsed in more than one area that has different
16renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal
17requirements for the position for which he or she spends the
18majority of his or her time working.
19    (b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as
20provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that
21year. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon (i)
22payment by the applicant of a $500 penalty to the State Board
23of Education or, for individuals holding an Educator License

 

 

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1with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement
2only, payment by the applicant of a $150 penalty to the State
3Board of Education or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by
4completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally
5accredited institution of higher education in the content area
6that most aligns with one or more of the educator's endorsement
7areas. Any and all back fees, including without limitation
8registration fees owed from the time of expiration of the
9license certificate until the date of reinstatement, shall be
10paid and kept in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of
11this Code concerning an institute fund and the provisions in
12Article 21B of this Code concerning fees and requirements for
13registration. Licenses not registered in accordance with
14Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6
15months from the expiration of the last year of registration. An
16unregistered license is invalid after September 1 for
17employment and performance of services in an Illinois public or
18State-operated school or cooperative and in a charter school.
19Any license or endorsement may be voluntarily surrendered by
20the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered license, except a
21substitute teaching license issued under Section 21B-20 of this
22Code, shall be treated as a revoked license.
23    (c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to
24satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in
25this Section, each professional educator licensee with an
26administrative endorsement who is working in a position

 

 

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1requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois
2Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of
3this Code, per fiscal year.
4    (d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the
5requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this
6Section, each professional educator licensee may create a
7professional development plan each year. The plan shall address
8one or more of the endorsements that are required of his or her
9educator position if the licensee is employed and performing
10services in an Illinois public or State-operated school or
11cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a charter school,
12the plan shall address that endorsement or those endorsements
13most closely related to his or her educator position. Licensees
14employed and performing services in any other Illinois schools
15may participate in the renewal requirements by adhering to the
16same process.
17    Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the
18licensee's professional development activities shall align
19with one or more of the following criteria:
20        (1) activities are of a type that engage participants
21    over a sustained period of time allowing for analysis,
22    discovery, and application as they relate to student
23    learning, social or emotional achievement, or well-being;
24        (2) professional development aligns to the licensee's
25    performance;
26        (3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student

 

 

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1    growth or district improvement;
2        (4) activities align to State-approved standards; and
3        (5) higher education coursework.
4    (e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator
5licensee shall engage in professional development activities.
6Within 60 days after the conclusion of a professional
7development activity, the licensee shall enter electronically
8into the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name,
9date, and location of the activity, the number of professional
10development hours, and the provider's name. The following
11provisions shall apply concerning professional development
12activities:
13        (1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours
14    of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in
15    order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided in
16    this Section.
17        (2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle,
18    any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not
19    working in a position requiring such endorsement shall
20    complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as
21    described in Article 2 of this Code, in each 5-year renewal
22    cycle in which the administrative endorsement was held for
23    at least one year. The Illinois Administrators' Academy
24    course may count toward the total of 120 hours per 5-year
25    cycle.
26        (3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement

 

 

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1    who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or
2    an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in
3    an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall
4    complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as
5    described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in
6    addition to 100 hours of professional development per
7    5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code.
8        (4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for
9    Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher
10    designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of
11    professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order
12    to renew the license.
13        (5) Licensees working in a position that does not
14    require educator licensure or working in a position for
15    less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be
16    exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration
17    fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the
18    license.
19        (6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits
20    from a State retirement system shall notify the State Board
21    of Education using ELIS, and the license shall be
22    maintained in retired status. An individual with a license
23    in retired status shall not be required to complete
24    professional development activities or pay registration
25    fees until returning to a position that requires educator
26    licensure. Upon returning to work in a position that

 

 

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1    requires the Professional Educator License, the licensee
2    shall immediately pay a registration fee and complete
3    renewal requirements for that year. A license in retired
4    status cannot lapse.
5        (7) For any renewal cycle in which professional
6    development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the
7    licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the
8    minimum professional development hours required in this
9    Section prior to September 1 of that year. For any fiscal
10    year or renewal cycle in which an Illinois Administrators'
11    Academy course was required but not completed, the licensee
12    shall complete any missed Illinois Administrators' Academy
13    courses prior to September 1 of that year. The licensee may
14    complete all deficient hours and Illinois Administrators'
15    Academy courses while continuing to work in a position that
16    requires that license until September 1 of that year.
17        (8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the professional
18    development renewal requirements set forth in this Section
19    at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is ineligible to
20    register his or her license and may submit an appeal to the
21    State Superintendent of Education for reinstatement of the
22    license.
23        (9) If professional development opportunities were
24    unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were
25    unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond
26    August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be

 

 

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1    submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the
2    State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an
3    extension is approved, the license shall remain valid
4    during the extension period.
5        (10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to the
6    effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General
7    Assembly shall commence the annual renewal process with the
8    first scheduled registration due after the effective date
9    of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.
10    (f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to
11the required questions under penalty of perjury.
12    (g) The following entities shall be designated as approved
13to provide professional development activities for the renewal
14of Professional Educator Licenses:
15        (1) The State Board of Education.
16        (2) Regional offices of education and intermediate
17    service centers.
18        (3) Illinois professional associations representing
19    the following groups that are approved by the State
20    Superintendent of Education:
21            (A) school administrators;
22            (B) principals;
23            (C) school business officials;
24            (D) teachers, including special education
25        teachers;
26            (E) school boards;

 

 

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1            (F) school districts;
2            (G) parents; and
3            (H) school service personnel.
4        (4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher
5    education that offer Illinois-approved educator
6    preparation programs.
7        (5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools
8    authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint
9    educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this
10    Code for the purposes of providing career and technical
11    education or special education services.
12        (6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of the
13    effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General
14    Assembly, has had or has a grant from or a contract with
15    the State Board of Education to provide professional
16    development services in the area of English Language
17    Learning to Illinois school districts, teachers, or
18    administrators.
19        (7) Any museum in this State that, as of the effective
20    date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly,
21    has provided professional development and is approved by
22    the State Superintendent of Education.
23    (h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this Section
24shall make available professional development opportunities
25that satisfy at least one of the following:
26        (1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and

 

 

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1    district leaders who guide continuous professional
2    development;
3        (2) improve the learning of students;
4        (3) organize adults into learning communities whose
5    goals are aligned with those of the school and district;
6        (4) deepen educator's content knowledge;
7        (5) provide educators with research-based
8    instructional strategies to assist students in meeting
9    rigorous academic standards;
10        (6) prepare educators to appropriately use various
11    types of classroom assessments;
12        (7) use learning strategies appropriate to the
13    intended goals;
14        (8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to
15    collaborate; or
16        (9) prepare educators to apply research to
17    decision-making.
18    (i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this Section
19shall do the following:
20        (1) align professional development activities to the
21    State-approved national standards for professional
22    learning;
23        (2) meet the professional development criteria for
24    Illinois licensure renewal;
25        (3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains
26    how it aligns to State standards and identify the

 

 

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1    assessment for determining the expected impact on student
2    learning or school improvement;
3        (4) maintain original documentation for completion of
4    activities; and
5        (5) provide license holders with evidence of
6    completion of activities.
7    (j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual
8audits of approved providers, except for school districts,
9which shall be audited by regional offices of education and
10intermediate service centers. The State Board of Education
11shall complete random audits of licensees.
12        (1) Approved providers shall annually submit to the
13    State Board of Education a list of subcontractors used for
14    delivery of professional development activities for which
15    renewal credit was issued and other information as defined
16    by rule.
17        (2) Approved providers shall annually submit data to
18    the State Board of Education demonstrating how the
19    professional development activities impacted one or more
20    of the following:
21            (A) educator and student growth in regards to
22        content knowledge or skills, or both;
23            (B) educator and student social and emotional
24        growth; or
25            (C) alignment to district or school improvement
26        plans.

 

 

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1        (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review
2    the annual data collected by the State Board of Education,
3    regional offices of education, and intermediate service
4    centers in audits to determine if the approved provider has
5    met the criteria and should continue to be an approved
6    provider or if further action should be taken as provided
7    in rules.
8    (k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal
9cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each
105-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional
11development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed and
12entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the
13registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or
14debit card.
15    (l) Beginning July 1, 2014, any professional educator
16licensee endorsed for school support personnel who is employed
17and performing services in Illinois public schools and who
18holds an active and current professional license issued by the
19Department of Financial and Professional Regulation related to
20the endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License
21shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional
22development requirements provided for in this Section. Such
23individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to
24renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who does
25not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial and
26Professional Regulation shall complete professional

 

 

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1development requirements for the renewal of a Professional
2Educator License provided for in this Section.
3    (m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
4Board must be made within 30 days after receipt of notice from
5the State Superintendent of Education that a license will not
6be renewed based upon failure to complete the requirements of
7this Section. A licensee may appeal that decision to the State
8Educator Preparation and Licensure Board in a manner prescribed
9by rule.
10        (1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State
11    Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be
12    sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the
13    State Board of Education.
14        (2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
15    shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license
16    within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to
17    determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of
18    this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure
19    Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its
20    determination based upon the record of review, which shall
21    consist of the following:
22            (A) the regional superintendent of education's
23        rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license,
24        if applicable;
25            (B) any evidence submitted to the State
26        Superintendent along with the individual's electronic

 

 

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1        statement of assurance for renewal; and
2            (C) the State Superintendent's rationale for
3        nonrenewal of the license.
4        (3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board
5    shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding license
6    renewal by certified mail, return receipt requested, no
7    later than 30 days after reaching a decision. Upon receipt
8    of notification of renewal, the licensee, using ELIS, shall
9    pay the applicable registration fee for the next cycle
10    using a form of credit or debit card.
11    (n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be
12necessary to implement this Section.
13(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; 98-610, eff. 12-27-13;
1498-1147, eff. 12-31-14.)
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.