SB0860eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



 


 
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1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
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 adding Sections
5 2-3.53a, 21-5e, 21-7.5, 21-7.10, 21-7.15, 24A-15, and 34-18.33
6 and by changing Sections 10-23.8a and 21-7.1 as follows:
 
7     (105 ILCS 5/2-3.53a new)
8     Sec. 2-3.53a. New principal mentoring program.
9     (a) Beginning on July 1, 2007, and subject to an annual
10 appropriation by the General Assembly, to establish a new
11 principal mentoring program for new principals. Any individual
12 who is hired as a principal in the State of Illinois on or
13 after July 1, 2007 must participate in the new principal
14 mentoring program for the duration of his or her first year as
15 a principal and must complete the program in accordance with
16 the requirements established by the State Board of Education by
17 rule or, for a school district created by Article 34 of this
18 Code, in accordance with the provisions of Section 34-18.27 of
19 this Code. School districts created by Article 34 are not
20 subject to the requirements of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e),
21 (f), or (g) of this Section. The new principal mentoring
22 program shall match an experienced principal who meets the
23 requirements of subsection (b) of this Section with each new
24 principal in his or her first year in that position in order to
25 assist the new principal in the development of his or her
26 professional practice and to provide guidance during the new
27 principal's first year of service.
28     (b) Any individual who has been a principal in Illinois for
29 3 or more years and who has demonstrated success as an
30 instructional leader, as determined by the State Board by rule,
31 is eligible to apply to be a mentor under the new principal
32 mentoring program. Mentors must complete mentoring training by

 

 

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1 an entity approved by the State Board, attend an annual
2 training session, and meet any other requirements set forth by
3 the State Board and by the school district employing the
4 mentor.
5     (c) The State Board shall certify an entity approved to
6 provide training of mentors.
7     (d) A mentor shall be assigned to a new principal based on
8 (i) similarity of grade level or type of school, (ii) learning
9 needs of the new principal, and (iii) geographical proximity of
10 the mentor to the new principal. A mentor must identify areas
11 for improvement of the new principal's professional practice,
12 including, but not limited to, each of the following:
13         (1) Analyzing data and applying it to practice.
14         (2) Aligning professional development and
15     instructional programs.
16         (3) Building a professional learning community.
17         (4) Observing classroom practices and providing
18     feedback.
19         (5) Facilitating effective meetings.
20         (6) Developing distributive leadership practices.
21         (7) Facilitating organizational change.
22 The mentor shall not be required to provide an evaluation of
23 the new principal on the basis of the mentoring relationship.
24     (e) On or after January 1, 2008 and on or after January 1
25 of each year thereafter, each mentor and each new principal
26 must complete a survey of progress on a form developed by their
27 respective school districts. On or after July 1, 2008 and on or
28 after July 1 of each year thereafter, the State Board must
29 review and evaluate the mentoring training program. Each new
30 principal and his or her mentor must complete a verification
31 form developed by the State Board in order to certify their
32 completion of the new principal mentoring program.
33     (f) The requirements of this Section do not apply to any
34 individual who has previously served as an assistant principal
35 in Illinois acting under an administrative certificate for 5 or
36 more years and who is hired, on or after July 1, 2007, as a

 

 

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1 principal by the school district in which the individual last
2 served as an assistant principal, although such an individual
3 may choose to participate in this program or may be required to
4 participate by the school district.
5     (g) The State Board may adopt any rules necessary for the
6 implementation of this Section.
 
7     (105 ILCS 5/10-23.8a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.8a)
8     Sec. 10-23.8a. Principal and other administrator
9 contracts. After the effective date of this amendatory Act of
10 1997 and the expiration of contracts in effect on the effective
11 date of this amendatory Act, school districts may only employ
12 principals and other school administrators under either a
13 contract for a period not to exceed one year or a
14 performance-based contract for a period not to exceed 5 years,
15 unless the provisions of Section 10-23.8b of this Code or
16 subsection (e) of Section 24A-15 of this Code otherwise apply.
17     Performance-based contracts shall be linked to student
18 performance and academic improvement attributable to the
19 responsibilities and duties of the principal or administrator.
20 No performance-based contract shall be extended or rolled-over
21 prior to its scheduled expiration unless all the performance
22 and improvement goals contained in the contract have been met.
23 Each performance-based contract shall include the goals and
24 indicators of student performance and academic improvement
25 determined and used by the local school board to measure the
26 performance and effectiveness of the principal or other
27 administrator and such other information as the local school
28 board may determine.
29     By accepting the terms of a multi-year contract, the
30 principal or administrator waives all rights granted him or her
31 under Sections 24-11 through 24-16 of this Act only for the
32 term of the multi-year contract. Upon acceptance of a
33 multi-year contract, the principal or administrator shall not
34 lose any previously acquired tenure credit with the district.
35 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 91-314, eff. 1-1-00.)
 

 

 

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1     (105 ILCS 5/21-5e new)
2     Sec. 21-5e. Alternative Route to Administrative
3 Certification for National Board Certified Teachers.
4     (a) It shall be the policy of the State of Illinois to
5 improve the recruitment and preparation of instructional
6 leaders.
7     (b) On or before July 1, 2007, the State Board of
8 Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
9 Certification Board, shall establish and implement an
10 alternative route to administrative certification for teacher
11 leaders, to be known as the Alternative Route to an
12 Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified
13 Teachers. "Teacher leader" means a certified teacher who has
14 already received National Board certification through the
15 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who has
16 a teacher leader endorsement under Section 21-7.5 of this Code.
17 Persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete
18 the program established by this Section shall be issued a
19 standard administrative certificate for serving in schools in
20 this State. The State Board shall approve a course of study
21 that persons must successfully complete in order to satisfy one
22 criterion for issuance of the administrative certificate under
23 this Section. The Alternative Route to an Administrative
24 Certificate for National Board Certified Teachers must include
25 the current content and skills contained in a college's or
26 university's courses and the Illinois Professional School
27 Leader Standards for State certification, with the exception of
28 courses that contain the competency areas and the Illinois
29 Professional School Leader Standards that a candidate has
30 already met through National Board certification or through a
31 teacher leadership master's degree program.
32     (c) The Alternative Route to an Administrative Certificate
33 for National Board Certified Teachers shall be comprised of the
34 following 4 phases:
35         (1) National Board certification and an endorsement in

 

 

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1     teacher leadership in accordance with Section 21-7.5 of
2     this Code;
3         (2) a master's degree in a teacher leader program;
4         (3) 15 hours of coursework in which the candidate must
5     show evidence of meeting competencies for organizational
6     management and development, finance, supervision and
7     evaluation, policy and legal issues, and leadership, as
8     stated in the Illinois Professional School Leader
9     Standards for principals; and
10         (4) a passing score on the Illinois Administrator
11     Assessment.
12     (d) Successful completion of the Alternative Route to an
13 Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified
14 Teachers shall be deemed to satisfy all requirements to receive
15 an administrative certificate established by law. The State
16 Board may adopt rules that are consistent with this Section and
17 that the State Board deems necessary for the establishment and
18 implementation of the program.
 
19     (105 ILCS 5/21-7.1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-7.1)
20     Sec. 21-7.1. Administrative certificate.
21     (a) After July 1, 1999, an administrative certificate valid
22 for 5 years of supervising and administering in the public
23 common schools (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this
24 Section) may be issued to persons who have graduated from a
25 regionally accredited institution of higher learning with a
26 master's degree and who have been recommended by a recognized
27 institution of higher learning as having completed a program of
28 preparation for one or more of these endorsements. Such
29 programs of academic and professional preparation required for
30 endorsement shall be administered by the institution in
31 accordance with standards set forth by the State Superintendent
32 of Education in consultation with the State Teacher
33 Certification Board.
34     (a-5) Beginning July 1, 2003, if an administrative
35 certificate holder holds a Standard Teaching Certificate, the

 

 

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1 validity period of the administrative certificate shall be
2 changed, if necessary, so that the validity period of the
3 administrative certificate coincides with the validity period
4 of the Standard Teaching Certificate. Beginning July 1, 2003,
5 if an administrative certificate holder holds a Master Teaching
6 Certificate, the validity period of the administrative
7 certificate shall be changed so that the validity period of the
8 administrative certificate coincides with the validity period
9 of the Master Teaching Certificate.
10     (b) No administrative certificate shall be issued for the
11 first time after June 30, 1987 and no endorsement provided for
12 by this Section shall be made or affixed to an administrative
13 certificate for the first time after June 30, 1987 unless the
14 person to whom such administrative certificate is to be issued
15 or to whose administrative certificate such endorsement is to
16 be affixed has been required to demonstrate as a part of a
17 program of academic or professional preparation for such
18 certification or endorsement: (i) an understanding of the
19 knowledge called for in establishing productive parent-school
20 relationships and of the procedures fostering the involvement
21 which such relationships demand; and (ii) an understanding of
22 the knowledge required for establishing a high quality school
23 climate and promoting good classroom organization and
24 management, including rules of conduct and instructional
25 procedures appropriate to accomplishing the tasks of
26 schooling; and (iii) a demonstration of the knowledge and
27 skills called for in providing instructional leadership. The
28 standards for demonstrating an understanding of such knowledge
29 shall be set forth by the State Board of Education in
30 consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, and
31 shall be administered by the recognized institutions of higher
32 learning as part of the programs of academic and professional
33 preparation required for certification and endorsement under
34 this Section. As used in this subsection: "establishing
35 productive parent-school relationships" means the ability to
36 maintain effective communication between parents and school

 

 

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1 personnel, to encourage parental involvement in schooling, and
2 to motivate school personnel to engage parents in encouraging
3 student achievement, including the development of programs and
4 policies which serve to accomplish this purpose; and
5 "establishing a high quality school climate" means the ability
6 to promote academic achievement, to maintain discipline, to
7 recognize substance abuse problems among students and utilize
8 appropriate law enforcement and other community resources to
9 address these problems, to support teachers and students in
10 their education endeavors, to establish learning objectives
11 and to provide instructional leadership, including the
12 development of policies and programs which serve to accomplish
13 this purpose; and "providing instructional leadership" means
14 the ability to effectively evaluate school personnel, to
15 possess general communication and interpersonal skills, and to
16 establish and maintain appropriate classroom learning
17 environments. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply
18 to or affect the initial issuance or making on or before June
19 30, 1987 of any administrative certificate or endorsement
20 provided for under this Section, nor shall such provisions
21 apply to or affect the renewal after June 30, 1987 of any such
22 certificate or endorsement initially issued or made on or
23 before June 30, 1987.
24     (c) Administrative certificates shall be renewed every 5
25 years with the first renewal being 5 years following the
26 initial receipt of an administrative certificate, unless the
27 validity period for the administrative certificate has been
28 changed under subsection (a-5) of this Section, in which case
29 the certificate shall be renewed at the same time that the
30 Standard or Master Teaching Certificate is renewed.
31     (c-5) Before July 1, 2003, renewal requirements for
32 administrators whose positions require certification shall be
33 based upon evidence of continuing professional education which
34 promotes the following goals: (1) improving administrators'
35 knowledge of instructional practices and administrative
36 procedures; (2) maintaining the basic level of competence

 

 

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1 required for initial certification; and (3) improving the
2 mastery of skills and knowledge regarding the improvement of
3 teaching performance in clinical settings and assessment of the
4 levels of student performance in their schools. Evidence of
5 continuing professional education must include verification of
6 biennial attendance in a program developed by the Illinois
7 Administrators' Academy and verification of annual
8 participation in a school district approved activity which
9 contributes to continuing professional education.
10     (c-10) Beginning July 1, 2003, except as otherwise provided
11 in subsection (c-15) of this Section, persons holding
12 administrative certificates must follow the certificate
13 renewal procedure set forth in this subsection (c-10), provided
14 that those persons holding administrative certificates on June
15 30, 2003 who are renewing those certificates on or after July
16 1, 2003 shall be issued new administrative certificates valid
17 for 5 years (unless changed under subsection (a-5) of this
18 Section), which may be renewed thereafter as set forth in this
19 subsection (c-10).
20     A person holding an administrative certificate and
21 employed in a position requiring administrative certification,
22 including a regional superintendent of schools, must satisfy
23 the continuing professional development requirements of this
24 Section to renew his or her administrative certificate. The
25 continuing professional development must include without
26 limitation the following continuing professional development
27 purposes:
28         (1) To improve the administrator's knowledge of
29     instructional practices and administrative procedures in
30     accordance with the Illinois Professional School Leader
31     Standards.
32         (2) To maintain the basic level of competence required
33     for initial certification.
34         (3) To improve the administrator's mastery of skills
35     and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching
36     performance in clinical settings and assessment of the

 

 

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1     levels of student performance in the schools.
2     The continuing professional development must include the
3 following in order for the certificate to be renewed:
4         (A) Participation in continuing professional
5     development activities, which must total a minimum of 100
6     hours of continuing professional development. The
7     participation must consist of a minimum of 5 activities per
8     validity period of the certificate, and the certificate
9     holder must maintain documentation of completion of each
10     activity.
11         (B) Participation every year in an Illinois
12     Administrators' Academy course, which participation must
13     total a minimum of 30 continuing professional development
14     hours during the period of the certificate's validity and
15     which must include completion of applicable required
16     coursework, including completion of a communication,
17     dissemination, or application component, as defined by the
18     State Board of Education. A certificate holder first
19     employed as an administrator on or after July 1, 2007 must
20     complete the required Administrators' Academy course in
21     each of the 6 Interstate School Leaders Licensure
22     Consortium (ISLLC) standard areas within the first 5 years
23     of service as an administrator in a position that requires
24     certification.
25         (C) In addition to the 30 continuing professional
26     development hours, certificate holders who evaluate
27     certified staff must complete a one-day teacher evaluation
28     course and participate in an additional 6 hours of
29     Administrators' Academy-approved coursework, which may be
30     part of a multi-day Administrators' Academy.
31     The certificate holder must complete a verification form
32 developed by the State Board of Education and certify that 100
33 hours of continuing professional development activities and 5
34 Administrators' Academy courses have been completed. The
35 regional superintendent of schools shall review and validate
36 the verification form for a certificate holder. Based on

 

 

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1 compliance with all of the requirements for renewal, the
2 regional superintendent of schools shall forward a
3 recommendation for renewal or non-renewal to the State
4 Superintendent of Education and shall notify the certificate
5 holder of the recommendation. The State Superintendent of
6 Education shall review the recommendation to renew or non-renew
7 and shall notify, in writing, the certificate holder of a
8 decision denying renewal of his or her certificate. Any
9 decision regarding non-renewal of an administrative
10 certificate may be appealed to the State Teacher Certification
11 Board.
12     The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
13 State Teacher Certification Board, shall adopt rules to
14 implement this subsection (c-10).
15     The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor the
16 process for renewal of administrative certificates established
17 in this subsection (c-10).
18     (c-15) This subsection (c-15) applies to the first period
19 of an administrative certificate's validity during which the
20 holder becomes subject to the requirements of subsection (c-10)
21 of this Section if the certificate has less than 5 years'
22 validity or has less than 5 years' validity remaining when the
23 certificate holder becomes subject to the requirements of
24 subsection (c-10) of this Section. With respect to this period,
25 the 100 hours of continuing professional development and 5
26 activities per validity period specified in clause (A) of
27 subsection (c-10) of this Section shall instead be deemed to
28 mean 20 hours of continuing professional development and one
29 activity per year of the certificate's validity or remaining
30 validity and the 30 continuing professional development hours
31 specified in clause (B) of subsection (c-10) of this Section
32 shall instead be deemed to mean completion of at least one
33 course per year of the certificate's validity or remaining
34 validity. Certificate holders who evaluate certified staff
35 must complete a 2-day teacher evaluation course, in addition to
36 the 30 continuing professional development hours.

 

 

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1     (c-20) The State Board of Education, in consultation with
2 the State Teacher Certification Board, shall develop
3 procedures for implementing this Section and shall administer
4 the renewal of administrative certificates. Failure to submit
5 satisfactory evidence of continuing professional education
6 which contributes to promoting the goals of this Section shall
7 result in a loss of administrative certification.
8     (d) Any limited or life supervisory certificate issued
9 prior to July 1, 1968 shall continue to be valid for all
10 administrative and supervisory positions in the public schools
11 for which it is valid as of that date as long as its holder
12 meets the requirements for registration or renewal as set forth
13 in the statutes or until revoked according to law.
14     (e) The administrative or supervisory positions for which
15 the certificate shall be valid shall be determined by one or
16 more of 3 endorsements: general supervisory, general
17 administrative and superintendent.
18     Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, endorsements
19 shall be made under conditions set forth in this Section. The
20 State Board of Education shall, in consultation with the State
21 Teacher Certification Board, adopt rules pursuant to the
22 Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, establishing
23 requirements for obtaining administrative certificates where
24 the minimum administrative or supervisory requirements surpass
25 those set forth in this Section.
26     The State Teacher Certification Board shall file with the
27 State Board of Education a written recommendation when
28 considering additional administrative or supervisory
29 requirements. All additional requirements shall be based upon
30 the requisite knowledge necessary to perform those tasks
31 required by the certificate. The State Board of Education shall
32 in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board,
33 establish standards within its rules which shall include the
34 academic and professional requirements necessary for
35 certification. These standards shall at a minimum contain, but
36 not be limited to, those used by the State Board of Education

 

 

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1 in determining whether additional knowledge will be required.
2 Additionally, the State Board of Education shall in
3 consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board,
4 establish provisions within its rules whereby any member of the
5 educational community or the public may file a formal written
6 recommendation or inquiry regarding requirements.
7         (1) Until July 1, 2003, the general supervisory
8     endorsement shall be affixed to the administrative
9     certificate of any holder who has at least 16 semester
10     hours of graduate credit in professional education
11     including 8 semester hours of graduate credit in curriculum
12     and research and who has at least 2 years of full-time
13     teaching experience or school service personnel experience
14     in public schools, schools under the supervision of the
15     Department of Corrections, schools under the
16     administration of the Department of Rehabilitation
17     Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the standards
18     established by the State Superintendent of Education or
19     comparable out-of-state recognition standards approved by
20     the State Superintendent of Education.
21         Such endorsement shall be required for supervisors,
22     curriculum directors and for such similar and related
23     positions as determined by the State Superintendent of
24     Education in consultation with the State Teacher
25     Certification Board.
26         (2) The general administrative endorsement shall be
27     affixed to the administrative certificate of any holder who
28     has at least 20 semester hours of graduate credit in
29     educational administration and supervision and who has at
30     least 2 years of full-time teaching experience or school
31     service personnel experience in public schools, schools
32     under the supervision of the Department of Corrections,
33     schools under the administration of the Department of
34     Rehabilitation Services, or nonpublic schools meeting the
35     standards established by the State Superintendent of
36     Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards

 

 

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1     approved by the State Superintendent of Education.
2         Such endorsement shall be required for principal,
3     assistant principal, assistant or associate
4     superintendent, junior college dean and for related or
5     similar positions as determined by the State
6     Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State
7     Teacher Certification Board.
8         Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act,
9     after January 1, 1990 and until January 1, 1991, any
10     teacher employed by a district subject to Article 34 shall
11     be entitled to receive an administrative certificate with a
12     general administrative endorsement affixed thereto if he
13     or she: (i) had at least 3 years of experience as a
14     certified teacher for such district prior to August 1,
15     1985; (ii) obtained a Master's degree prior to August 1,
16     1985; (iii) completed at least 20 hours of graduate credit
17     in education courses (including at least 12 hours in
18     educational administration and supervision) prior to
19     September 1, 1987; and (iv) has received a rating of
20     superior for at least each of the last 5 years. Any person
21     who obtains an administrative certificate with a general
22     administrative endorsement affixed thereto under this
23     paragraph shall not be qualified to serve in any
24     administrative position except assistant principal.
25         (3) The chief school business official endorsement
26     shall be affixed to the administrative certificate of any
27     holder who qualifies by having a Master's degree, two years
28     of administrative experience in school business
29     management, and a minimum of 20 semester hours of graduate
30     credit in a program established by the State Superintendent
31     of Education in consultation with the State Teacher
32     Certification Board for the preparation of school business
33     administrators. Such endorsement shall also be affixed to
34     the administrative certificate of any holder who qualifies
35     by having a Master's Degree in Business Administration,
36     Finance or Accounting from a regionally accredited

 

 

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1     institution of higher education.
2         After June 30, 1977, such endorsement shall be required
3     for any individual first employed as a chief school
4     business official.
5         (4) The superintendent endorsement shall be affixed to
6     the administrative certificate of any holder who has
7     completed 30 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the
8     master's degree in a program for the preparation of
9     superintendents of schools including 16 semester hours of
10     graduate credit in professional education and who has at
11     least 2 years experience as an administrator or supervisor
12     in the public schools or the State Board of Education or
13     education service regions or in nonpublic schools meeting
14     the standards established by the State Superintendent of
15     Education or comparable out-of-state recognition standards
16     approved by the State Superintendent of Education and holds
17     general supervisory or general administrative endorsement,
18     or who has had 2 years of experience as a supervisor or
19     administrator while holding an all-grade supervisory
20     certificate or a certificate comparable in validity and
21     educational and experience requirements.
22         After June 30, 1968, such endorsement shall be required
23     for a superintendent of schools, except as provided in the
24     second paragraph of this Section and in Section 34-6.
25         Any person appointed to the position of superintendent
26     between the effective date of this Act and June 30, 1993 in
27     a school district organized pursuant to Article 32 with an
28     enrollment of at least 20,000 pupils shall be exempt from
29     the provisions of this paragraph (4) until June 30, 1996.
30     (f) All official interpretations or acts of issuing or
31 denying administrative certificates or endorsements by the
32 State Teacher's Certification Board, State Board of Education
33 or the State Superintendent of Education, from the passage of
34 P.A. 81-1208 on November 8, 1979 through September 24, 1981 are
35 hereby declared valid and legal acts in all respects and
36 further that the purported repeal of the provisions of this

 

 

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1 Section by P.A. 81-1208 and P.A. 81-1509 is declared null and
2 void.
3 (Source: P.A. 92-796, eff. 8-10-02; 93-679, eff. 6-30-04.)
 
4     (105 ILCS 5/21-7.5 new)
5     Sec. 21-7.5. Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the
6 policy of the State of Illinois to improve the quality of
7 instructional leaders by providing a career pathway for
8 teachers interested in serving in leadership roles. Beginning
9 on July 1, 2007, the State Board, in consultation with the
10 State Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and
11 implement a teacher leader endorsement, to be known as a
12 teacher leader endorsement. Persons who meet the requirements
13 of and successfully complete the requirements of the
14 endorsement established under this Section shall be issued a
15 teacher leader endorsement for serving in schools in this
16 State. The endorsement shall be a career path endorsement but
17 not a restrictive endorsement available to: (i) teachers who
18 are certified through the National Board for Professional
19 Teaching Standards and complete a specially designed strand of
20 teacher leadership courses; (ii) teachers who have completed a
21 master's degree program in teacher leadership; and (iii) proven
22 teacher leaders with a master's degree who complete a specially
23 designed strand of teacher leadership courses. Colleges and
24 universities shall have the authority to qualify the
25 proficiency of proven teacher leaders under clause (iii) of
26 this Section. A teacher who meets any of clauses (i) through
27 (iii) of this Section shall be deemed to satisfy the
28 requirements for the teacher leader endorsement. The State
29 Board may adopt rules that are consistent with this Section and
30 that the State Board deems necessary to establish and implement
31 this teacher leadership endorsement program.
 
32     (105 ILCS 5/21-7.10 new)
33     Sec. 21-7.10. Master principal designation program.
34     (a) The General Assembly recognizes the important role a

 

 

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1 principal serves as a school's instructional leader and
2 believes it is in the best interest of the State to establish a
3 mechanism for training and recognizing master level
4 principals.
5     (b) One statewide organization representing principals,
6 with input from institutions of higher education, and one
7 school district or organization representing principals in a
8 school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, with
9 input from institutions of higher education, shall be certified
10 by the State Board of Education to establish a master principal
11 designation program. The State Board shall adopt rules, in
12 consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for
13 entities seeking to provide a program under this Section,
14 including an approval process and other criteria. A master
15 principal designation program shall include at least the
16 following components:
17         (1) Expansion of the principal's knowledge base and
18     leadership.
19         (2) Application of strategies and collection of
20     evidence of student learning and school processes.
21         (3) Demonstration of the ability and skills necessary
22     to lead sustained academic improvement in a school or
23     district.
24     (c) An individual serving as a principal for at least 3
25 years is eligible for participation in a master principal
26 designation program. Each year, those entities approved to
27 offer a master principal designation program must submit to the
28 State Board a report indicating the number of individuals
29 enrolled in the program, the progress of candidates,
30 anticipated changes to the program, and any other relevant
31 information requested by the State Board. All substantive
32 changes to an entity's master principal designation program
33 shall require prior written approval from the State Board. An
34 entity that fails to meet the requirements of this Section or
35 any other criteria established by the State Board by rule shall
36 have its authority to offer a master principal designation

 

 

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1 program revoked pursuant to procedures established by rule by
2 the State Board.
 
3     (105 ILCS 5/21-7.15 new)
4     Sec. 21-7.15. Illinois Administrators' Academy Review Task
5 Force. The State Board of Education shall create a task force
6 to review the Illinois Administrators' Academy and recommend
7 revisions to the program. The goal of the task force shall be
8 to revise the Illinois Administrators' Academy so that it
9 offers professional development opportunities tailored to the
10 individual and collective needs of principals. The task force
11 shall consist of members appointed by the State Superintendent
12 of Education. The task force shall file a report of its
13 findings with the General Assembly, the Governor, and the State
14 Board by July 1, 2007. A copy of the report shall also be
15 delivered to the Executive Committee of the Illinois State
16 Action for Education Leadership Project. This Section is
17 repealed on July 2, 2007.
 
18     (105 ILCS 5/24A-15 new)
19     Sec. 24A-15. Development and submission of evaluation plan
20 for principals.
21     (a) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year and each
22 school year thereafter, each school district, except for a
23 school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, must
24 establish a principal evaluation plan in accordance with this
25 Section. The plan must ensure that each principal is evaluated
26 as follows:
27         (1) For a principal on a single-year contract, the
28     evaluation must take place by February 1 of each year.
29         (2) For a principal on a multi-year contract under
30     Section 10-23.8a of this Code, the evaluation must take
31     place by February 1 of the final year of the contract.
32 Nothing in this Section prohibits a school district from
33 conducting additional evaluations of principals.
34     (b) The evaluation must include a description of the

 

 

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1 principal's duties and responsibilities and the standards to
2 which the principal is expected to conform.
3     (c) The evaluation must be performed by the district
4 superintendent, the superintendent's designee, or an
5 individual appointed by the school board. The evaluation must
6 be in writing and must at least do all of the following:
7         (1) Consider the principal's specific duties,
8     responsibilities, management, and competence as a
9     principal.
10         (2) Align to State or district research-based
11     standards.
12         (3) Rate the principal's performance based on criteria
13     established by the State Board of Education.
14         (4) Specify the principal's strengths and weaknesses,
15     with supporting reasons.
16     (d) One copy of the evaluation must be included in the
17 principal's personnel file and one copy of the evaluation must
18 be provided to the principal.
19     (e) Failure by a district to evaluate a principal at least
20 once during the term of the principal's contract, in accordance
21 with this Section, is evidence that the principal is performing
22 duties and responsibilities in at least a satisfactory manner
23 and shall serve to automatically extend the principal's
24 contract for a period of one year after the contract would
25 otherwise expire, under the same terms and conditions as the
26 prior year's contract. The requirements in this Section are in
27 addition to the right of a school board to reclassify a
28 principal pursuant to Section 10-23.8b of this Code.
29     (f) Nothing in this Section prohibits a school board from
30 ordering lateral transfers of principals to positions of
31 similar rank and salary.
 
32     (105 ILCS 5/34-18.33 new)
33     Sec. 34-18.33. Principal mentoring program. Beginning on
34 July 1, 2007, and subject to an annual appropriation by the
35 General Assembly, the school district shall develop a principal

 

 

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1 mentoring program. The school district shall submit a copy of
2 its principal mentoring program to the State Board of Education
3 for its review and public comment. Whenever a substantive
4 change has been made by the school district to its principal
5 mentoring program, these changes must be submitted to the State
6 Board of Education for review and comment.
 
7     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8 becoming law.