Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB0616
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Full Text of SB0616  96th General Assembly

SB0616enr 96TH 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 changing Sections
5 21-5a, 21-5b, 21-5c, 21-5d, and 21-5e as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/21-5a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-5a)
7     Sec. 21-5a. Alternative math-science certification. The
8 State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
9 Teacher Certification Board, may shall establish and implement
10 an alternative certification program under which persons who
11 qualify for admission to, and who successfully complete the
12 program and meet the additional requirements established by
13 this Section shall be issued an initial teaching certificate
14 for teaching mathematics, science or mathematics and science in
15 grades 9 through 12 of the common schools. In establishing an
16 alternative certification program under this Section, the
17 State Board of Education shall designate an appropriate area
18 within the State where the program shall be offered and made
19 available to persons qualified for admission to the program. In
20 addition, the State Board of Education, in cooperation with one
21 or more recognized institutions of higher learning, one or more
22 non-profit entities, or a combination thereof, shall develop a
23 comprehensive course of study that persons admitted to the

 

 

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1 program must successfully complete in order to satisfy one
2 criterion for issuance of an initial certificate under this
3 Section. The comprehensive course of study so developed shall
4 include one semester of practice teaching.
5     An initial teaching certificate, valid for 4 years for
6 teaching mathematics, science or mathematics and science in
7 grades 9 through 12 of the common schools and renewable as
8 provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under this Section
9 21-5a to persons who qualify for admission to the alternative
10 certification program and who at the time of applying for an
11 initial teaching certificate under this Section:
12         (1) have graduated with a master's degree in
13     mathematics or any science discipline from an institution
14     of higher learning whose scholarship standards are
15     approved by the State Board of Education for purposes of
16     the alternative certification program;
17         (2) have been employed for at least 10 years in an area
18     requiring knowledge and practical application of their
19     academic background in mathematics or a science
20     discipline;
21         (3) have successfully completed the alternative
22     certification program and the course of comprehensive
23     study, including one semester of practice teaching,
24     developed as part of the program as provided in this
25     Section and approved by the State Board of Education; and
26         (4) have passed the examinations required by Section

 

 

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1     21-1a.
2     The alternative certification program shall be implemented
3 at the commencement of the 1992-1993 academic year.
4     The State Board of Education shall establish criteria for
5 admission to the alternative certification program and shall
6 adopt rules and regulations that are consistent with this
7 Section and that the State Board of Education deems necessary
8 to establish and implement the program.
9     Alternative certification programs under Sections 21-5a
10 through 21-5e may be provided by various types of qualified
11 providers, including both institutions of higher education and
12 other providers operating independently from institutions of
13 higher education; provided however, that any and all programs
14 must be approved by the State Board of Education in accordance
15 with rules and regulations.
16 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
17     (105 ILCS 5/21-5b)
18     Sec. 21-5b. Alternative certification. The State Board of
19 Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
20 Certification Board, shall establish and implement an
21 alternative certification program under which persons who meet
22 the requirements of and successfully complete the program
23 established by this Section shall be issued an alternative
24 teaching certificate for teaching in the schools. The program
25 shall be limited to not more than 260 new participants during

 

 

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1 each year that the program is in effect. The State Board of
2 Education, in cooperation with one or more not-for-profit
3 organizations in the State that support excellence in teaching,
4 which may be in a partnership formed with a university that
5 offers 4-year baccalaureate and masters degree programs and
6 that is a recognized institution as defined in Section 21-21,
7 may and one or more not-for-profit organizations in the State
8 which support excellence in teaching, shall within 30 days
9 after submission by the program sponsor partnership approve a
10 course of study developed by the program sponsor partnership
11 that persons in the program must successfully complete in order
12 to satisfy one criterion for issuance of an alternative
13 certificate under this Section. The Alternative Teacher
14 Certification program course of study must include the current
15 content and skills contained in the university's current
16 courses for State certification which have been approved by the
17 State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
18 Teacher Certification Board, as meeting the requirement for
19 State teacher certification.
20     The alternative certification program established under
21 this Section shall be known as the Alternative Teacher
22 Certification program. The Alternative Teacher Certification
23 Program shall be offered by the submitting partnership, and
24 such partnership may be offered by in conjunction with one or
25 more not-for-profit organizations in the State which support
26 excellence in teaching. The program shall be comprised of the

 

 

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1 following 3 phases: (a) the first phase is the course of study
2 offered on an intensive basis in education theory,
3 instructional methods, and practice teaching; (b) the second
4 phase is the person's assignment to a full-time teaching
5 position for one school year; and (c) the third phase is a
6 comprehensive assessment of the person's teaching performance
7 by school officials and the partnership participants and a
8 recommendation by the program sponsor partner institution of
9 higher education to the State Board of Education that the
10 person be issued a standard alternative teaching certificate.
11 Successful completion of the Alternative Teacher Certification
12 program shall be deemed to satisfy any other practice or
13 student teaching and subject matter requirements established
14 by law.
15     A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
16 one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
17 shall be issued under this Section 21-5b to persons who at the
18 time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
19 certificate under this Section:
20         (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
21     university with a bachelor's degree;
22         (2) have successfully completed the first phase of the
23     Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in
24     this Section;
25         (3) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject
26     matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a; and

 

 

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1         (4) (i) have been employed for a period of at least 5
2     years in an area requiring application of the individual's
3     education or (ii) have attained at least a cumulative grade
4     average of a "B" if the individual is assigned either to a
5     school district that has not met the annual measurable
6     objective for highly qualified teachers required by the
7     Illinois Revised Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT) Plan or to
8     a school district whose data filed with the State Board of
9     Education indicates that the district's poor and minority
10     students are taught by teachers who are not highly
11     qualified at a higher rate than other students; however,
12     this item (4) does not apply with respect to a provisional
13     alternative teaching certificate for teaching in schools
14     situated in a school district that is located in a city
15     having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.
16     Assignment may be made under clause (ii) of this item (4)
17     only if the district superintendent and the exclusive
18     bargaining representative of the district's teachers, if
19     any, jointly agree to permit the assignment.
20     A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
21 under this Section shall be treated as a regularly certified
22 teacher for purposes of compensation, benefits, and other terms
23 and conditions of employment afforded teachers in the school
24 who are members of a bargaining unit represented by an
25 exclusive bargaining representative, if any.
26     Until February 15, 2000, a standard alternative teaching

 

 

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1 certificate, valid for 4 years for teaching in the schools and
2 renewable as provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under
3 this Section 21-5b to persons who first complete the
4 requirements for the provisional alternative teaching
5 certificate and who at the time of applying for a standard
6 alternative teaching certificate under this Section have
7 successfully completed the second and third phases of the
8 Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in this
9 Section. Alternatively, beginning February 15, 2000, at the end
10 of the 4-year validity period, persons who were issued a
11 standard alternative teaching certificate shall be eligible,
12 on the same basis as holders of an Initial Teaching Certificate
13 issued under subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of this Code, to
14 apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate, provided they meet
15 the requirements of subsection (c) of Section 21-2 of this Code
16 and further provided that a person who does not apply for and
17 receive a Standard Teaching Certificate shall be able to teach
18 only in schools situated in a school district that is located
19 in a city having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.
20     Beginning February 15, 2000, persons who have completed the
21 requirements for a standard alternative teaching certificate
22 under this Section shall be issued an Initial Alternative
23 Teaching Certificate valid for 4 years of teaching and not
24 renewable. At the end of the 4-year validity period, these
25 persons shall be eligible, on the same basis as holders of an
26 Initial Teaching Certificate issued under subsection (b) of

 

 

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1 Section 21-2 of this Code, to apply for a Standard Teaching
2 Certificate, provided they meet the requirements of subsection
3 (c) of Section 21-2.
4     Such This alternative certification program shall be
5 implemented so that the first provisional alternative teaching
6 certificates issued under this Section are effective upon the
7 commencement of the 1997-1998 academic year and the first
8 standard alternative teaching certificates issued under this
9 Section are effective upon the commencement of the 1998-1999
10 academic year.
11     The State Board of Education, in cooperation with the
12 partnership or partnerships establishing such the Alternative
13 Teacher Certification programs program, shall adopt rules and
14 regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the
15 State Board of Education deems necessary to establish and
16 implement the program.
17 (Source: P.A. 95-270, eff. 8-17-07.)
 
18     (105 ILCS 5/21-5c)
19     Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification.
20 The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
21 Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement one
22 or more an alternative route to teacher certification programs
23 program under which persons who meet the requirements of and
24 successfully complete the programs program established by this
25 Section shall be issued an initial teaching certificate for

 

 

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1 teaching in schools in this State. The State Board of Education
2 may shall approve a course of study that persons in such
3 programs the program must successfully complete in order to
4 satisfy one criterion for issuance of a certificate under this
5 Section. The Alternative Route to Teacher Certification
6 programs program course of study must include the current
7 content and skills contained in a university's current courses
8 for State certification which have been approved by the State
9 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
10 Certification Board, as meeting the requirement for State
11 teacher certification.
12     Programs The program established under this Section shall
13 be known as the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification
14 programs program. The programs program may be offered by a
15 university that offers 4-year baccalaureate and masters degree
16 programs and that is a recognized institution as defined in
17 Section 21-21, by in conjunction with one or more
18 not-for-profit organizations in the State, or a combination
19 thereof. The programs program shall be comprised of the
20 following 3 phases: (a) a course of study offered on an
21 intensive basis in education theory, instructional methods,
22 and practice teaching; (b) the person's assignment to a
23 full-time teaching position for one school year, including the
24 designation of a mentor teacher to advise and assist the person
25 with that teaching assignment; and (c) a comprehensive
26 assessment of the person's teaching performance by school

 

 

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1 officials and program participants and a recommendation by the
2 program sponsor institution of higher education to the State
3 Board of Education that the person be issued an initial
4 teaching certificate. Successful completion of the Alternative
5 Route to Teacher Certification programs program shall be deemed
6 to satisfy any other practice or student teaching and subject
7 matter requirements established by law.
8     A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
9 one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
10 shall be issued under this Section 21-5c to persons who at the
11 time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
12 certificate under this Section:
13         (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
14     university with a bachelor's degree;
15         (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years
16     in an area requiring application of the individual's
17     education;
18         (3) have successfully completed the first phase of the
19     Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in
20     this Section; and
21         (4) have passed the tests of basic skills and subject
22     matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.
23     An initial teaching certificate, valid for teaching in the
24 common schools, shall be issued under Section 21-3 or 21-5 to
25 persons who first complete the requirements for the provisional
26 alternative teaching certificate and who at the time of

 

 

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1 applying for an initial teaching certificate have successfully
2 completed the second and third phases of the Alternative Route
3 to Teacher Certification program as provided in this Section.
4     A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
5 or an initial teaching certificate earned under this Section
6 shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for purposes
7 of compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of
8 employment afforded teachers in the school who are members of a
9 bargaining unit represented by an exclusive bargaining
10 representative, if any.
11     The State Board of Education may adopt rules and
12 regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the
13 State Board deems necessary to establish and implement the
14 program.
15 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
16     (105 ILCS 5/21-5d)
17     Sec. 21-5d. Alternative route to administrative
18 certification. The State Board of Education, in consultation
19 with the State Teacher Certification Board and an advisory
20 panel consisting of no less than 7 administrators appointed by
21 the State Superintendent of Education, shall establish and
22 implement one or more an alternative route to administrative
23 certification program under which persons who meet the
24 requirements of and successfully complete the program
25 established by this Section shall be issued a standard

 

 

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1 administrative certificate for serving as an administrator in
2 schools in this State. For the purposes of this Section only,
3 "administrator" means a person holding any administrative
4 position for which a standard administrative certificate with a
5 general administrative endorsement, chief school business
6 official endorsement, or superintendent endorsement is
7 required, except a principal or an assistant principal. The
8 State Board of Education may shall approve a course of study
9 that persons in the program must successfully complete in order
10 to satisfy one criterion for issuance of a certificate under
11 this Section. The Alternative Route to Administrative
12 Certification program course of study must include the current
13 content and skills contained in a university's current courses
14 for State certification which have been approved by the State
15 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
16 Certification Board, as meeting the requirement for
17 administrative certification.
18     Programs The program established under this Section shall
19 be known as the Alternative Route to Administrative
20 Certification programs program. The programs The program shall
21 be comprised of the following 3 phases: (a) a course of study
22 offered on an intensive basis in education management,
23 governance, organization, and planning; (b) the person's
24 assignment to a full-time position for one school year as an
25 administrator; and (c) a comprehensive assessment of the
26 person's performance by school officials and a recommendation

 

 

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1 to the State Board of Education that the person be issued a
2 standard administrative certificate. Successful completion of
3 an the Alternative Route to Administrative Certification
4 program shall be deemed to satisfy any other supervisory,
5 administrative, or management experience requirements
6 established by law.
7     A provisional alternative administrative certificate,
8 valid for one year of serving as an administrator in the common
9 schools and not renewable, shall be issued under this Section
10 21-5d to persons who at the time of applying for the
11 provisional alternative administrative certificate under this
12 Section:
13         (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
14     university with a master's degree in a management field or
15     with a bachelor's degree and the life experience equivalent
16     of a master's degree in a management field as determined by
17     the State Board of Education;
18         (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5 years
19     in a management level position;
20         (3) have successfully completed the first phase of the
21     Alternative Route to Administrative Certification program
22     as provided in this Section; and
23         (4) have passed any examination required by the State
24     Board of Education.
25     A standard administrative certificate with a general
26 administrative endorsement, chief school business official

 

 

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1 endorsement, or superintendent endorsement, renewable as
2 provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under Section 21-7.1
3 to persons who first complete the requirements for the
4 provisional alternative administrative certificate and who at
5 the time of applying for a standard administrative certificate
6 have successfully completed the second and third phases of an
7 the Alternative Route to Administrative Certification program
8 as provided in this Section.
9     The State Board of Education may adopt rules and
10 regulations that are consistent with this Section and that the
11 State Board deems necessary to establish and implement those
12 programs the program.
13 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
14     (105 ILCS 5/21-5e)
15     Sec. 21-5e. Alternative Route to Administrative
16 Certification for National Board Certified Teachers.
17     (a) It shall be the policy of the State of Illinois to
18 improve the recruitment and preparation of instructional
19 leaders.
20     (b) On or before July 1, 2007, the State Board of
21 Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
22 Certification Board, may shall establish and implement one or
23 more an alternative route to administrative certification for
24 teacher leaders, to be known as the Alternative Route to an
25 Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified

 

 

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1 Teachers. "Teacher leader" means a certified teacher who has
2 already received National Board certification through the
3 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who has
4 a teacher leader endorsement under Section 21-7.5 of this Code.
5 Persons who meet the requirements of and successfully complete
6 a the program established by this Section shall be issued a
7 standard administrative certificate for serving in schools in
8 this State. The State Board may shall approve a course of study
9 that persons must successfully complete in order to satisfy one
10 criterion for issuance of the administrative certificate under
11 this Section. The Alternative Route to an Administrative
12 Certificate for National Board Certified Teachers must include
13 the current content and skills contained in a college's or
14 university's courses and the Illinois Professional School
15 Leader Standards for State certification, with the exception of
16 content and skills courses that contain the competency areas
17 and the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards that a
18 candidate has already demonstrated meeting met through
19 National Board certification or through a teacher leadership
20 master's degree program.
21     (c) The Alternative Route to an Administrative Certificate
22 for National Board Certified Teachers shall be comprised of the
23 following 4 phases:
24         (1) National Board certification and an endorsement in
25     teacher leadership in accordance with Section 21-7.5 of
26     this Code;

 

 

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1         (2) a master's degree in a teacher leader program;
2         (3) 15 hours of coursework in which the candidate must
3     show evidence of meeting competencies for organizational
4     management and development, finance, supervision and
5     evaluation, policy and legal issues, and leadership, as
6     stated in the Illinois Professional School Leader
7     Standards for principals; and
8         (4) a passing score on the Illinois Administrator
9     Assessment.
10     (d) Successful completion of the Alternative Route to an
11 Administrative Certificate for National Board Certified
12 Teachers shall be deemed to satisfy all requirements to receive
13 an administrative certificate established by law. The State
14 Board shall adopt rules that are consistent with this Section
15 and that the State Board deems necessary for the establishment
16 and implementation of the program.
17 (Source: P.A. 94-1039, eff. 7-20-06.)
 
18     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19 becoming law.