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| | 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024 HB2958 Introduced 2/16/2023, by Rep. Dan Caulkins SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: |
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Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of the lesser of a $50 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed
(rather than a $50 penalty).
Effective immediately.
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| | A BILL FOR |
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1 | | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section |
5 | | 21B-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 |
9 | | are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as |
10 | | specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this |
11 | | Code. |
12 | | Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall |
13 | | meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section, |
14 | | unless otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds |
15 | | a license endorsed in more than one area that has different |
16 | | renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal |
17 | | requirements for the position for which he or she spends the |
18 | | majority of his or her time working. |
19 | | (b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as |
20 | | provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that |
21 | | year. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if |
22 | | a license holder's electronic mail address is available, the |
23 | | State Board of Education shall send him or her notification |
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1 | | electronically that his or her license will lapse if not |
2 | | renewed, to be sent no more than 6 months prior to the license |
3 | | lapsing. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon |
4 | | (i) payment to the State Board of Education by the applicant of |
5 | | the lesser of a $50 penalty or a $10 penalty for each
year the |
6 | | license has lapsed or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by |
7 | | completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally |
8 | | accredited institution of higher education in the content area |
9 | | that most aligns with one or more of the educator's |
10 | | endorsement areas. Any and all back fees, including without |
11 | | limitation registration fees owed from the time of expiration |
12 | | of the license until the date of reinstatement, shall be paid |
13 | | and kept in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of this |
14 | | Code concerning an institute fund and the provisions in |
15 | | Article 21B of this Code concerning fees and requirements for |
16 | | registration. Licenses not registered in accordance with |
17 | | Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6 |
18 | | months from the expiration of the last year of registration or |
19 | | on January 1 of the fiscal year following initial issuance of |
20 | | the license. An unregistered license is invalid after |
21 | | September 1 for employment and performance of services in an |
22 | | Illinois public or State-operated school or cooperative and in |
23 | | a charter school. Any license or endorsement may be |
24 | | voluntarily surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily |
25 | | surrendered license shall be treated as a revoked license. An |
26 | | Educator License with Stipulations with only a |
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1 | | paraprofessional endorsement does not lapse.
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2 | | (c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to |
3 | | satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in |
4 | | this Section, each professional educator licensee with an |
5 | | administrative endorsement who is working in a position |
6 | | requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois |
7 | | Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of |
8 | | this Code, per fiscal year. |
9 | | (c-5) All licenses issued by the State Board of Education |
10 | | under this Article that expire on June 30, 2020 and have not |
11 | | been renewed by the end of the 2020 renewal period shall be |
12 | | extended for one year and shall expire on June 30, 2021. |
13 | | (d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the |
14 | | requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this |
15 | | Section, each professional educator licensee may create a |
16 | | professional development plan each year. The plan shall |
17 | | address one or more of the endorsements that are required of |
18 | | his or her educator position if the licensee is employed and |
19 | | performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated |
20 | | school or cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a |
21 | | charter school, the plan shall address that endorsement or |
22 | | those endorsements most closely related to his or her educator |
23 | | position. Licensees employed and performing services in any |
24 | | other Illinois schools may participate in the renewal |
25 | | requirements by adhering to the same process. |
26 | | Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the |
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1 | | licensee's professional development activities shall align |
2 | | with one or more of the following criteria: |
3 | | (1) activities are of a type that engages engage |
4 | | participants over a sustained period of time allowing for |
5 | | analysis, discovery, and application as they relate to |
6 | | student learning, social or emotional achievement, or |
7 | | well-being; |
8 | | (2) professional development aligns to the licensee's |
9 | | performance; |
10 | | (3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student |
11 | | growth or district improvement; |
12 | | (4) activities align to State-approved standards;
and |
13 | | (5) higher education coursework. |
14 | | (e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator |
15 | | licensee shall engage in professional development activities. |
16 | | Prior to renewal, the licensee shall enter electronically into |
17 | | the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name, |
18 | | date, and location of the activity, the number of professional |
19 | | development hours, and the provider's name. The following |
20 | | provisions shall apply concerning professional development |
21 | | activities: |
22 | | (1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours |
23 | | of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in |
24 | | order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided |
25 | | in this Section. |
26 | | (2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle, |
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1 | | any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not |
2 | | working in a position requiring such endorsement is not |
3 | | required to complete Illinois Administrators' Academy |
4 | | courses, as described in Article 2 of this Code. Such |
5 | | licensees must complete one Illinois Administrators' |
6 | | Academy course within one year after returning to a |
7 | | position that requires the administrative endorsement. |
8 | | (3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement |
9 | | who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or |
10 | | an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in |
11 | | an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall |
12 | | complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as |
13 | | described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in |
14 | | addition to 100 hours of professional development per |
15 | | 5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code. |
16 | | However, for the 2021-2022 school year only, a licensee |
17 | | under this paragraph (3) is not required to complete an |
18 | | Illinois Administrators' Academy course. |
19 | | (4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for |
20 | | Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher |
21 | | designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of |
22 | | professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order |
23 | | to renew the license. |
24 | | (5) Licensees working in a position that does not |
25 | | require educator licensure or working in a position for |
26 | | less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be |
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1 | | exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration |
2 | | fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the |
3 | | license. |
4 | | (6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits |
5 | | from a State of Illinois retirement system shall be listed |
6 | | as retired, and the license shall be maintained in retired |
7 | | status. For any renewal cycle in which a licensee retires |
8 | | during the renewal cycle, the licensee must complete |
9 | | professional development activities on a prorated basis |
10 | | depending on the number of years during the renewal cycle |
11 | | the educator held an active license. If a licensee retires |
12 | | during a renewal cycle, the license status must be updated |
13 | | using ELIS indicating that the licensee wishes to maintain |
14 | | the license in retired status and the licensee must show |
15 | | proof of completion of professional development activities |
16 | | on a prorated basis for all years of that renewal cycle for |
17 | | which the license was active. An individual with a license |
18 | | in retired status shall not be required to complete |
19 | | professional development activities until returning to a |
20 | | position that requires educator licensure. Upon returning |
21 | | to work in a position that requires the Professional |
22 | | Educator License, the license status shall immediately be |
23 | | updated using ELIS and the licensee shall complete renewal |
24 | | requirements for that year. A retired teacher, even if |
25 | | returning to a position that requires educator licensure, |
26 | | shall not be required to pay registration fees. A license |
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1 | | in retired status cannot lapse. Beginning on January 6, |
2 | | 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 99-920) through |
3 | | December 31, 2017, any licensee who has retired and whose |
4 | | license has lapsed for failure to renew as provided in |
5 | | this Section may reinstate that license and maintain it in |
6 | | retired status upon providing proof to the State Board of |
7 | | Education using ELIS that the licensee is retired and is |
8 | | not working in a position that requires a Professional |
9 | | Educator License. |
10 | | (7) For any renewal cycle in which professional |
11 | | development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the |
12 | | licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the |
13 | | minimum professional development hours required in this |
14 | | Section prior to September 1 of that year. Professional |
15 | | development hours used to fulfill the minimum required |
16 | | hours for a renewal cycle may be used for only one renewal |
17 | | cycle. For any fiscal year or renewal cycle in which an |
18 | | Illinois Administrators' Academy course was required but |
19 | | not completed, the licensee shall complete any missed |
20 | | Illinois Administrators' Academy courses prior to |
21 | | September 1 of that year. The licensee may complete all |
22 | | deficient hours and Illinois Administrators' Academy |
23 | | courses while continuing to work in a position that |
24 | | requires that license until September 1 of that year. |
25 | | (8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the |
26 | | professional development renewal requirements set forth in |
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1 | | this Section at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is |
2 | | ineligible to register his or her license and may submit |
3 | | an appeal to the State Superintendent of Education for |
4 | | reinstatement of the license. |
5 | | (9) If professional development opportunities were |
6 | | unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were |
7 | | unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond |
8 | | August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be |
9 | | submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the |
10 | | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an |
11 | | extension is approved, the license shall remain valid |
12 | | during the extension period. |
13 | | (10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to |
14 | | December 27, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act |
15 | | 98-610) shall commence the annual renewal process with the |
16 | | first scheduled registration due after December 27, 2013 |
17 | | (the effective date of Public Act 98-610). |
18 | | (11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this |
19 | | subsection (e), if a licensee earns more than the required |
20 | | number of professional development hours during a renewal |
21 | | cycle, then the licensee may carry over any hours earned |
22 | | from April 1 through June 30 of the last year of the |
23 | | renewal cycle. Any hours carried over in this manner must |
24 | | be applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois |
25 | | Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those |
26 | | courses may not be carried over. |
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1 | | (e-5) The number of professional development hours |
2 | | required under subsection (e) is reduced by 20% for any |
3 | | renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year. |
4 | | (f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to |
5 | | the required questions under penalty of perjury. |
6 | | (f-5) The State Board of Education shall conduct random |
7 | | audits of licensees to verify a licensee's fulfillment of the |
8 | | professional development hours required under this Section. |
9 | | Upon completion of a random audit, if it is determined by the |
10 | | State Board of Education that the licensee did not complete |
11 | | the required number of professional development hours or did |
12 | | not provide sufficient proof of completion, the licensee shall |
13 | | be notified that his or her license has lapsed. A license that |
14 | | has lapsed under this subsection may be reinstated as provided |
15 | | in subsection (b). |
16 | | (g) The following entities shall be designated as approved |
17 | | to provide professional development activities for the renewal |
18 | | of Professional Educator Licenses: |
19 | | (1) The State Board of Education. |
20 | | (2) Regional offices of education and intermediate |
21 | | service centers. |
22 | | (3) Illinois professional associations representing |
23 | | the following groups that are approved by the State |
24 | | Superintendent of Education: |
25 | | (A) school administrators; |
26 | | (B) principals; |
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1 | | (C) school business officials; |
2 | | (D) teachers, including special education |
3 | | teachers; |
4 | | (E) school boards; |
5 | | (F) school districts; |
6 | | (G) parents; and |
7 | | (H) school service personnel. |
8 | | (4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher |
9 | | education that offer Illinois-approved educator |
10 | | preparation programs and public community colleges subject |
11 | | to the Public Community College Act. |
12 | | (5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools |
13 | | authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint |
14 | | educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this |
15 | | Code for the purposes of providing career and technical |
16 | | education or special education services. |
17 | | (6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of December |
18 | | 31, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-1147), has |
19 | | had or has a grant from or a contract with the State Board |
20 | | of Education to provide professional development services |
21 | | in the area of English Learning to Illinois school |
22 | | districts, teachers, or administrators. |
23 | | (7) State agencies, State boards, and State |
24 | | commissions. |
25 | | (8) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum |
26 | | Disposition of Property Act. |
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1 | | (h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this |
2 | | Section shall make available professional development |
3 | | opportunities that satisfy at least one of the following: |
4 | | (1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and |
5 | | district leaders who guide continuous professional |
6 | | development; |
7 | | (2) improve the learning of students; |
8 | | (3) organize adults into learning communities whose |
9 | | goals are aligned with those of the school and district; |
10 | | (4) deepen educator's content knowledge; |
11 | | (5) provide educators with research-based |
12 | | instructional strategies to assist students in meeting |
13 | | rigorous academic standards; |
14 | | (6) prepare educators to appropriately use various |
15 | | types of classroom assessments; |
16 | | (7) use learning strategies appropriate to the |
17 | | intended goals; |
18 | | (8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to |
19 | | collaborate; |
20 | | (9) prepare educators to apply research to decision |
21 | | making; |
22 | | (10) provide educators with training on inclusive |
23 | | practices in the classroom that examines instructional and |
24 | | behavioral strategies that improve academic and |
25 | | social-emotional outcomes for all students, with or |
26 | | without disabilities, in a general education setting; or |
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1 | | (11) beginning on July 1, 2022, provide educators with |
2 | | training on the physical
and mental health needs of |
3 | | students, student safety, educator ethics, professional |
4 | | conduct, and
other topics that address the well-being of |
5 | | students and improve the academic and social-emotional
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6 | | outcomes of students. |
7 | | (i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this |
8 | | Section shall do the following: |
9 | | (1) align professional development activities to the |
10 | | State-approved national standards for professional |
11 | | learning; |
12 | | (2) meet the professional development criteria for |
13 | | Illinois licensure renewal; |
14 | | (3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains |
15 | | how it aligns to State standards and identify the |
16 | | assessment for determining the expected impact on student |
17 | | learning or school improvement; |
18 | | (4) maintain original documentation for completion of |
19 | | activities; |
20 | | (5) provide license holders with evidence of |
21 | | completion of activities; |
22 | | (6) request an Illinois Educator Identification Number |
23 | | (IEIN) for each educator during each professional |
24 | | development activity; and |
25 | | (7) beginning on July 1, 2019, register annually with |
26 | | the State Board of Education prior to offering any |
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1 | | professional development opportunities in the current |
2 | | fiscal year. |
3 | | (j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual |
4 | | audits of a subset of approved providers, except for school |
5 | | districts, which shall be audited by regional offices of |
6 | | education and intermediate service centers. The State Board of |
7 | | Education shall ensure that each approved provider, except for |
8 | | a school district, is audited at least once every 5 years. The |
9 | | State Board of Education may conduct more frequent audits of |
10 | | providers if evidence suggests the requirements of this |
11 | | Section or administrative rules are not being met. |
12 | | (1) (Blank). |
13 | | (2) Approved providers shall comply with the |
14 | | requirements in subsections (h) and (i) of this Section by |
15 | | annually submitting data to the State Board of Education |
16 | | demonstrating how the professional development activities |
17 | | impacted one or more of the following: |
18 | | (A) educator and student growth in regards to |
19 | | content knowledge or skills, or both; |
20 | | (B) educator and student social and emotional |
21 | | growth; or |
22 | | (C) alignment to district or school improvement |
23 | | plans. |
24 | | (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review |
25 | | the annual data collected by the State Board of Education, |
26 | | regional offices of education, and intermediate service |
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1 | | centers in audits to determine if the approved provider |
2 | | has met the criteria and should continue to be an approved |
3 | | provider or if further action should be taken as provided |
4 | | in rules. |
5 | | (k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal |
6 | | cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each |
7 | | 5-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional |
8 | | development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed |
9 | | and entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the |
10 | | registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or |
11 | | debit card. |
12 | | (l) Any professional educator licensee endorsed for school |
13 | | support personnel who is employed and performing services in |
14 | | Illinois public schools and who holds an active and current |
15 | | professional license issued by the Department of Financial and |
16 | | Professional Regulation or a national certification board, as |
17 | | approved by the State Board of Education, related to the |
18 | | endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License shall |
19 | | be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional |
20 | | development requirements provided for in this Section. Such |
21 | | individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to |
22 | | renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who |
23 | | does not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial |
24 | | and Professional Regulation shall complete professional |
25 | | development requirements for the renewal of a Professional |
26 | | Educator License provided for in this Section. |
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1 | | (m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and |
2 | | Licensure Board
must be made within 30 days after receipt of |
3 | | notice from the State Superintendent of Education that a |
4 | | license will not be renewed based upon failure to complete the |
5 | | requirements of this Section. A licensee may appeal that |
6 | | decision to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board |
7 | | in a manner prescribed by rule. |
8 | | (1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State |
9 | | Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be |
10 | | sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the |
11 | | State Board of Education. |
12 | | (2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board |
13 | | shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license |
14 | | within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to |
15 | | determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of |
16 | | this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure |
17 | | Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its |
18 | | determination based upon the record of review, which shall |
19 | | consist of the following: |
20 | | (A) the regional superintendent of education's |
21 | | rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license, |
22 | | if applicable; |
23 | | (B) any evidence submitted to the State |
24 | | Superintendent along with the individual's electronic |
25 | | statement of assurance for renewal; and |
26 | | (C) the State Superintendent's rationale for |
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1 | | nonrenewal of the license. |
2 | | (3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board |
3 | | shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding |
4 | | license renewal by certified mail, return receipt |
5 | | requested, no later than 30 days after reaching a |
6 | | decision. Upon receipt of notification of renewal, the |
7 | | licensee, using ELIS, shall pay the applicable |
8 | | registration fee for the next cycle using a form of credit |
9 | | or debit card. |
10 | | (n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be |
11 | | necessary to implement this Section. |
12 | | (Source: P.A. 101-85, eff. 1-1-20; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19; |
13 | | 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-676, eff. 12-3-21; 102-710, eff. |
14 | | 4-27-22; 102-730, eff. 5-6-22; 102-852, eff. 5-13-22; revised |
15 | | 8-25-22.)
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16 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
17 | | becoming law.
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