Full Text of HB5393 103rd General Assembly
HB5393 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024 HB5393 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Rita Mayfield SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: | | 105 ILCS 5/21B-20 | | 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 | |
| Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Creates a Provisional Educator License and provides that a Provisional Educator License may be issued to persons who have completed the required education coursework in a State-approved educator preparation program, an educator preparation program approved by another state, or comparable educator program in another country, have completed 2 years of student teaching with satisfactory evaluation of performance, and met any other requirements set by the State Board of Education, but have failed to pass a content area knowledge test under the Code. Provides that a Provisional Educator License is valid for 2 years from the date of issuance and may not be renewed. In provisions concerning educator testing, removes provisions stating that there shall be no exceptions for passing a test of content area knowledge. Removes provisions stating that no candidate shall be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record until he or she has passed the applicable content area test. Sets forth exceptions as to when a candidate seeking licensure may not be required to pass a test of content area knowledge. Provides that a candidate seeking licensure for a Professional Educator License may either complete the required testing under the Code or have held a Provisional Educator License for 2 years (instead of completing the required testing under the Code). |
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| | A BILL FOR |
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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 | | 21B-20 and 21B-30 as follows: | 6 | | (105 ILCS 5/21B-20) | 7 | | Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of | 8 | | Education shall implement a system of educator licensure, | 9 | | whereby individuals employed in school districts who are | 10 | | required to be licensed must have one of the following | 11 | | licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an | 12 | | educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute | 13 | | teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2028, a short-term | 14 | | substitute teaching license ; or (v) a provisional educator | 15 | | licensure . References in law regarding individuals certified | 16 | | or certificated or required to be certified or certificated | 17 | | under Article 21 of this Code shall also include individuals | 18 | | licensed or required to be licensed under this Article. The | 19 | | first year of all licenses ends on June 30 following one full | 20 | | year of the license being issued. | 21 | | The State Board of Education, in consultation with the | 22 | | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such | 23 | | rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for |
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| 1 | | licenses and endorsements under this Section. | 2 | | (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i) | 3 | | have successfully completed an approved educator | 4 | | preparation program and are recommended for licensure by | 5 | | the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation | 6 | | program, (ii) have successfully completed the required | 7 | | testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code or has held a | 8 | | Provisional Educator License under paragraph (5) of this | 9 | | Section for 2 years , (iii) have successfully completed | 10 | | coursework on the psychology of, the identification of, | 11 | | and the methods of instruction for the exceptional child, | 12 | | including, without limitation, children with learning | 13 | | disabilities, (iv) have successfully completed coursework | 14 | | in methods of reading and reading in the content area, and | 15 | | (v) have met all other criteria established by rule of the | 16 | | State Board of Education shall be issued a Professional | 17 | | Educator License. All Professional Educator Licenses are | 18 | | valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the | 19 | | license being issued. The Professional Educator License | 20 | | shall be endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in | 21 | | which the individual is eligible to practice. For an early | 22 | | childhood education endorsement, an individual may satisfy | 23 | | the student teaching requirement of his or her early | 24 | | childhood teacher preparation program through placement in | 25 | | a setting with children from birth through grade 2, and | 26 | | the individual may be paid and receive credit while |
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| 1 | | student teaching. The student teaching experience must | 2 | | meet the requirements of and be approved by the | 3 | | individual's early childhood teacher preparation program. | 4 | | Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the | 5 | | Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements | 6 | | shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework | 7 | | in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable | 8 | | content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule. | 9 | | (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator | 10 | | License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement | 11 | | that limits the license holder to one particular position | 12 | | or does not require completion of an approved educator | 13 | | program or both. | 14 | | An individual with an Educator License with | 15 | | Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or | 16 | | any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher | 17 | | who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason. | 18 | | An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued | 19 | | with the following endorsements: | 20 | | (A) (Blank). | 21 | | (B) Alternative provisional educator. An | 22 | | alternative provisional educator endorsement on an | 23 | | Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an | 24 | | applicant who, at the time of applying for the | 25 | | endorsement, has done all of the following: | 26 | | (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited |
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| 1 | | college or university with a minimum of a | 2 | | bachelor's degree. | 3 | | (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of | 4 | | the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for | 5 | | Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this | 6 | | Code. | 7 | | (iii) Passed a content area test, as required | 8 | | under Section 21B-30 of this Code. | 9 | | The alternative provisional educator endorsement is | 10 | | valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a | 11 | | third year by an individual meeting the requirements set | 12 | | forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code. | 13 | | (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An | 14 | | alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on | 15 | | an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the | 16 | | holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant | 17 | | superintendent in a school district's central office. | 18 | | This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant | 19 | | who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has | 20 | | done all of the following: | 21 | | (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited | 22 | | college or university with a minimum of a master's | 23 | | degree in a management field other than education. | 24 | | (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5 | 25 | | years in a management level position in a field | 26 | | other than education. |
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| 1 | | (iii) Successfully completed the first phase | 2 | | of an alternative route to superintendent | 3 | | endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55 | 4 | | of this Code. | 5 | | (iv) Passed a content area test required under | 6 | | Section 21B-30 of this Code. | 7 | | The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in | 8 | | order to complete one full year of serving as a | 9 | | superintendent or assistant superintendent. | 10 | | (D) (Blank). | 11 | | (E) Career and technical educator. A career and | 12 | | technical educator endorsement on an Educator License | 13 | | with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who | 14 | | has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a | 15 | | regionally accredited institution of higher education | 16 | | or an accredited trade and technical institution and | 17 | | has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of | 18 | | education in each area to be taught. | 19 | | The career and technical educator endorsement on | 20 | | an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until | 21 | | June 30 immediately following 5 years of the | 22 | | endorsement being issued and may be renewed. | 23 | | An individual who holds a valid career and | 24 | | technical educator endorsement on an Educator License | 25 | | with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's | 26 | | degree may substitute teach in career and technical |
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| 1 | | education classrooms. | 2 | | (F) (Blank). | 3 | | (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A | 4 | | transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an | 5 | | Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for | 6 | | the purpose of providing instruction in accordance | 7 | | with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who | 8 | | provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets | 9 | | all of the following requirements: | 10 | | (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and | 11 | | writing ability in the language other than English | 12 | | in which transitional bilingual education is | 13 | | offered. | 14 | | (ii) Has the ability to successfully | 15 | | communicate in English. | 16 | | (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years | 17 | | previous to his or her applying for a transitional | 18 | | bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and | 19 | | comparable teaching certificate or comparable | 20 | | authorization issued by a foreign country or holds | 21 | | a degree from an institution of higher learning in | 22 | | a foreign country that the State Educator | 23 | | Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be | 24 | | the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a | 25 | | regionally accredited institution of higher | 26 | | learning in the United States. |
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| 1 | | A transitional bilingual educator endorsement | 2 | | shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, | 3 | | is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years | 4 | | of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be | 5 | | renewed. | 6 | | Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator | 7 | | endorsement shall not be employed to replace any | 8 | | presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be | 9 | | replaced for any reason. | 10 | | (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to | 11 | | alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language | 12 | | other than English in the public schools, an | 13 | | individual who holds an Educator License with | 14 | | Stipulations may also apply for a language | 15 | | endorsement, provided that the applicant provides | 16 | | satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the | 17 | | following requirements: | 18 | | (i) Holds a transitional bilingual | 19 | | endorsement. | 20 | | (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the | 21 | | language for which the endorsement is to be issued | 22 | | by passing the applicable language content test | 23 | | required by the State Board of Education. | 24 | | (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from | 25 | | a regionally accredited institution of higher | 26 | | education or, for individuals educated in a |
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| 1 | | country other than the United States, holds a | 2 | | degree from an institution of higher learning in a | 3 | | foreign country that the State Educator | 4 | | Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be | 5 | | the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a | 6 | | regionally accredited institution of higher | 7 | | learning in the United States. | 8 | | (iv) (Blank). | 9 | | A language endorsement on an Educator License with | 10 | | Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through | 11 | | grade 12 for the same validity period as the | 12 | | individual's transitional bilingual educator | 13 | | endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations | 14 | | and shall not be renewed. | 15 | | (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting | 16 | | international educator endorsement on an Educator | 17 | | License with Stipulations may be issued to an | 18 | | individual who is being recruited by a particular | 19 | | school district that conducts formal recruitment | 20 | | programs outside of the United States to secure the | 21 | | services of qualified teachers and who meets all of | 22 | | the following requirements: | 23 | | (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a | 24 | | bachelor's degree issued in the United States. | 25 | | (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the | 26 | | grade level for which he or she will be employed. |
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| 1 | | (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the | 2 | | subject to be taught. | 3 | | (iv) Has an adequate command of the English | 4 | | language. | 5 | | A holder of a visiting international educator | 6 | | endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | 7 | | shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education | 8 | | programs in the language that was the medium of | 9 | | instruction in his or her teacher preparation program, | 10 | | provided that he or she passes the English Language | 11 | | Proficiency Examination or another test of writing | 12 | | skills in English identified by the State Board of | 13 | | Education, in consultation with the State Educator | 14 | | Preparation and Licensure Board. | 15 | | A visiting international educator endorsement on | 16 | | an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5 | 17 | | years and shall not be renewed. | 18 | | (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional | 19 | | educator endorsement on an Educator License with | 20 | | Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a | 21 | | high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and | 22 | | (i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60 | 23 | | semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited | 24 | | institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a | 25 | | paraprofessional competency test under subsection | 26 | | (c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years |
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| 1 | | of age and will be using the Educator License with | 2 | | Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten | 3 | | through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age | 4 | | of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a | 5 | | paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this | 6 | | subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator | 7 | | endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately | 8 | | following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and | 9 | | may be renewed through application and payment of the | 10 | | appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of | 11 | | this Code. An individual who holds only a | 12 | | paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject | 13 | | to additional requirements in order to renew the | 14 | | endorsement. | 15 | | (K) Chief school business official. A chief school | 16 | | business official endorsement on an Educator License | 17 | | with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who | 18 | | qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2 | 19 | | years of full-time administrative experience in school | 20 | | business management or 2 years of university-approved | 21 | | practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester | 22 | | hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the | 23 | | State Board of Education for the preparation of school | 24 | | business administrators and by passage of the | 25 | | applicable State tests, including an applicable | 26 | | content area test. |
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| 1 | | The chief school business official endorsement may | 2 | | also be affixed to the Educator License with | 3 | | Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a | 4 | | master's degree in business administration, finance, | 5 | | accounting, or public administration and who completes | 6 | | an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school | 7 | | business management from a regionally accredited | 8 | | institution of higher education and passes the | 9 | | applicable State tests, including an applicable | 10 | | content area test. This endorsement shall be required | 11 | | for any individual employed as a chief school business | 12 | | official. | 13 | | The chief school business official endorsement on | 14 | | an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until | 15 | | June 30 immediately following 5 years of the | 16 | | endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the | 17 | | license holder completes renewal requirements as | 18 | | required for individuals who hold a Professional | 19 | | Educator License endorsed for chief school business | 20 | | official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such | 21 | | rules as may be adopted by the State Board of | 22 | | Education. | 23 | | The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules | 24 | | necessary to implement Public Act 100-288. | 25 | | (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional | 26 | | in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License |
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| 1 | | with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has | 2 | | completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation | 3 | | program at an Illinois institution of higher education | 4 | | and who has not successfully completed an | 5 | | evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but | 6 | | who meets all of the following requirements: | 7 | | (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree. | 8 | | (ii) Has completed an approved educator | 9 | | preparation program at an Illinois institution. | 10 | | (iii) Has passed an applicable content area | 11 | | test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code. | 12 | | (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based | 13 | | assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a | 14 | | minimum score on that assessment, as established | 15 | | by the State Board of Education in consultation | 16 | | with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | 17 | | Board. | 18 | | A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an | 19 | | Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one | 20 | | full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not | 21 | | be renewed. | 22 | | (M) (Blank). | 23 | | (N) Specialized services. A specialized services | 24 | | endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | 25 | | may be issued as defined and specified by rule. | 26 | | (O) Provisional career and technical educator. A |
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| 1 | | provisional career and technical educator endorsement | 2 | | on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued | 3 | | to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of | 4 | | work experience in the skill for which the applicant | 5 | | is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school | 6 | | board and regional office of education shall provide | 7 | | verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent | 8 | | of Education at the time the application is submitted | 9 | | that no qualified teacher holding a Professional | 10 | | Educator License or an Educator License with | 11 | | Stipulations with a career and technical educator | 12 | | endorsement is available to teach and that actual | 13 | | circumstances require such issuance. | 14 | | A provisional career and technical educator | 15 | | endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | 16 | | is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years | 17 | | of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed. | 18 | | An individual who holds a provisional career and | 19 | | technical educator endorsement on an Educator License | 20 | | with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in | 21 | | career and technical education classrooms. | 22 | | (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching | 23 | | License may be issued to qualified applicants for | 24 | | substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools, | 25 | | prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching | 26 | | Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for |
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| 1 | | a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's | 2 | | degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution | 3 | | of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved | 4 | | educator preparation program in this State and have earned | 5 | | at least 90 credit hours. | 6 | | Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years. | 7 | | Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute | 8 | | teaching in every county of this State. If an individual | 9 | | has had his or her Professional Educator License or | 10 | | Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked, | 11 | | then that individual is not eligible to obtain a | 12 | | Substitute Teaching License. | 13 | | A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a | 14 | | licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing | 15 | | board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under | 16 | | contract because of an emergency situation, then a | 17 | | district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer | 18 | | than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the | 19 | | district if the district notifies the appropriate regional | 20 | | office of education within 5 business days after the | 21 | | employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant | 22 | | position. A district may continue to employ that same | 23 | | substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90 | 24 | | calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever | 25 | | is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the | 26 | | 30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a |
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| 1 | | written request with the appropriate regional office of | 2 | | education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis | 3 | | that the position remains vacant and the district | 4 | | continues to actively seek qualified candidates and | 5 | | provides documentation that it has provided training | 6 | | specific to the position, including training on meeting | 7 | | the needs of students with disabilities and English | 8 | | learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be | 9 | | granted in writing by the regional office of education. An | 10 | | emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy | 11 | | has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to | 12 | | fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher | 13 | | capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications | 14 | | or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified | 15 | | candidates, and the district is actively engaged in | 16 | | advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the | 17 | | vacant position. | 18 | | There is no limit on the number of days that a | 19 | | substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, | 20 | | provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer | 21 | | than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year | 22 | | through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school | 23 | | days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the | 24 | | same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a | 25 | | Professional Educator License or Educator License with | 26 | | Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days |
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| 1 | | for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same | 2 | | school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the | 3 | | number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not | 4 | | apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of | 5 | | this Code. | 6 | | A school district may not require an individual who | 7 | | holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator | 8 | | License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute | 9 | | Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher. | 10 | | (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning | 11 | | on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may | 12 | | apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a | 13 | | Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term | 14 | | Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified | 15 | | applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the | 16 | | public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12. | 17 | | Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible | 18 | | for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute | 19 | | Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have | 20 | | completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally | 21 | | accredited institution of higher education. | 22 | | Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for | 23 | | substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an | 24 | | individual has had his or her Professional Educator | 25 | | License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or | 26 | | revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a |
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| 1 | | Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. | 2 | | The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this | 3 | | Code apply to short-term substitute teachers. | 4 | | An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching | 5 | | License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per | 6 | | licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher | 7 | | absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who | 8 | | is under contract, a school district may not hire an | 9 | | individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching | 10 | | License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due | 11 | | to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the | 12 | | Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual | 13 | | holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must | 14 | | complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or | 15 | | 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public | 16 | | school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this | 17 | | Section are valid for 5 years. | 18 | | (5) Provisional Educator License. Persons who have | 19 | | completed the required education coursework in a | 20 | | State-approved educator preparation program, an educator | 21 | | preparation program approved by another state, or a | 22 | | comparable educator program in another country, have | 23 | | completed 2 years of student teaching with a satisfactory | 24 | | evaluation of performance, and completed any other | 25 | | requirements set by the State Board of Education, but have | 26 | | failed to pass a content area knowledge test under Section |
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| 1 | | 21B-30 of this Code, shall be issued a Provisional | 2 | | Educator License. A Provisional Educator License shall be | 3 | | valid for 2 years from the date of issuance and may not be | 4 | | renewed. | 5 | | (Source: P.A. 102-711, eff. 1-1-23; 102-712, eff. 4-27-22; | 6 | | 102-713, eff. 1-1-23; 102-717, eff. 4-29-22; 102-894, eff. | 7 | | 5-20-22; 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; | 8 | | 103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23 .) | 9 | | (105 ILCS 5/21B-30) | 10 | | Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing. | 11 | | (a) (Blank). | 12 | | (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the | 13 | | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design | 14 | | and implement a system of examinations, which shall be | 15 | | required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These | 16 | | examinations and indicators must be based on national and | 17 | | State professional teaching standards, as determined by the | 18 | | State Board of Education, in consultation with the State | 19 | | Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of | 20 | | Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to | 21 | | implement and administer this Section. | 22 | | (c) (Blank). | 23 | | (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a | 24 | | paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an | 25 | | applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a |
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| 1 | | paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the | 2 | | endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other | 3 | | requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section | 4 | | 21B-20 other than the higher education requirements. | 5 | | (d) Except as provided in subsection (j), all All | 6 | | applicants seeking a State license shall be required to pass a | 7 | | test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement | 8 | | for which there is an applicable test. There shall be no | 9 | | exception to this requirement. No candidate shall be allowed | 10 | | to student teach or serve as the teacher of record until he or | 11 | | she has passed the applicable content area test. | 12 | | (d-5) The State Board shall consult with any applicable | 13 | | vendors within 90 days after July 28, 2023 ( the effective date | 14 | | of Public Act 103-402) this amendatory Act of the 103rd | 15 | | General Assembly to develop a plan to transition the test of | 16 | | content area knowledge in the endorsement area of elementary | 17 | | education, grades one through 6, by July 1, 2026 to a content | 18 | | area test that contains testing elements that cover | 19 | | bilingualism, biliteracy, oral language development, | 20 | | foundational literacy skills, and developmentally appropriate | 21 | | higher-order comprehension and on which a valid and reliable | 22 | | language and literacy subscore can be determined. The State | 23 | | Board shall base its rules concerning the passing subscore on | 24 | | the language and literacy portion of the test on the | 25 | | recommended cut-score determined in the formal | 26 | | standard-setting process. Candidates need not achieve a |
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| 1 | | particular subscore in the area of language and literacy. The | 2 | | State Board shall aggregate and publish the number of | 3 | | candidates in each preparation program who take the test and | 4 | | the number who pass the language and literacy portion. | 5 | | (e) (Blank). | 6 | | (f) Beginning on August 4, 2023 ( the effective date of | 7 | | Public Act 103-488) this amendatory Act of the 103rd General | 8 | | Assembly through August 31, 2025, no candidate completing a | 9 | | teacher preparation program in this State or candidate subject | 10 | | to Section 21B-35 of this Code is required to pass a teacher | 11 | | performance assessment. Except as otherwise provided in this | 12 | | Article, beginning on September 1, 2015 until August 4, 2023 | 13 | | ( the effective date of Public Act 103-488) this amendatory Act | 14 | | of the 103rd General Assembly and beginning again on September | 15 | | 1, 2025, all candidates completing teacher preparation | 16 | | programs in this State and all candidates subject to Section | 17 | | 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a teacher performance | 18 | | assessment approved by the State Board of Education, in | 19 | | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | 20 | | Board. A candidate may not be required to submit test | 21 | | materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, an | 22 | | individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is | 23 | | employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district | 24 | | designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after | 25 | | application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a | 26 | | refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher |
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| 1 | | performance assessment under this subsection. | 2 | | (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is | 3 | | created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective | 4 | | teacher performance assessment systems for implementation | 5 | | across all educator preparation programs in this State, with | 6 | | the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and | 7 | | supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system. | 8 | | Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial, | 9 | | ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force | 10 | | shall consist of all of the following members: | 11 | | (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the | 12 | | President of the Senate. | 13 | | (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the | 14 | | Minority Leader of the Senate. | 15 | | (3) One member of the House of Representatives, | 16 | | appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. | 17 | | (4) One member of the House of Representatives, | 18 | | appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of | 19 | | Representatives. | 20 | | (5) One member who represents a statewide professional | 21 | | teachers' organization, appointed by the State | 22 | | Superintendent of Education. | 23 | | (6) One member who represents a different statewide | 24 | | professional teachers' organization, appointed by the | 25 | | State Superintendent of Education. | 26 | | (7) One member from a statewide organization |
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| 1 | | representing school principals, appointed by the State | 2 | | Superintendent of Education. | 3 | | (8) One member from a statewide organization | 4 | | representing regional superintendents of schools, | 5 | | appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. | 6 | | (9) One member from a statewide organization | 7 | | representing school administrators, appointed by the State | 8 | | Superintendent of Education. | 9 | | (10) One member representing a school district | 10 | | organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the | 11 | | State Superintendent of Education. | 12 | | (11) One member of an association representing rural | 13 | | and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent | 14 | | of Education. | 15 | | (12) One member representing a suburban school | 16 | | district, appointed by the State Superintendent of | 17 | | Education. | 18 | | (13) One member from a statewide organization | 19 | | representing school districts in the southern suburbs of | 20 | | the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent | 21 | | of Education. | 22 | | (14) One member from a statewide organization | 23 | | representing large unit school districts, appointed by the | 24 | | State Superintendent of Education. | 25 | | (15) One member from a statewide organization | 26 | | representing school districts in the collar counties of |
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| 1 | | the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent | 2 | | of Education. | 3 | | (16) Three members, each representing a different | 4 | | public university in this State and each a current member | 5 | | of the faculty of an approved educator preparation | 6 | | program, appointed by the State Superintendent of | 7 | | Education. | 8 | | (17) Three members, each representing a different | 9 | | 4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and | 10 | | each a current member of the faculty of an approved | 11 | | educator preparation program, appointed by the State | 12 | | Superintendent of Education. | 13 | | (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education, | 14 | | appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. | 15 | | (19) One member representing a statewide policy | 16 | | organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students | 17 | | and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of | 18 | | Education. | 19 | | (20) One member representing a statewide organization | 20 | | focused on research-based education policy to support a | 21 | | school system that prepares all students for college, a | 22 | | career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State | 23 | | Superintendent of Education. | 24 | | (21) Two members representing an early childhood | 25 | | advocacy organization, appointed by the State | 26 | | Superintendent of Education. |
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| 1 | | (22) One member representing a statewide organization | 2 | | that partners with educator preparation programs and | 3 | | school districts to support the growth and development of | 4 | | preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent | 5 | | of Education. | 6 | | (23) One member representing a statewide organization | 7 | | that advocates for educational equity and racial justice | 8 | | in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of | 9 | | Education. | 10 | | (24) One member representing a statewide organization | 11 | | that represents school boards, appointed by the State | 12 | | Superintendent of Education. | 13 | | (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years, | 14 | | served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State | 15 | | Superintendent of Education. | 16 | | Members of the Task Force shall serve without | 17 | | compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of | 18 | | the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent | 19 | | meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force, | 20 | | who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of | 21 | | Education. The State Board of Education shall provide | 22 | | administrative and other support to the Task Force. | 23 | | On or before August 1, 2024, the Task Force shall report on | 24 | | its work, including recommendations on a teacher performance | 25 | | assessment system in this State, to the State Board of | 26 | | Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is |
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| 1 | | dissolved upon submission of this report. | 2 | | (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher | 3 | | performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to | 4 | | time are designated by the State Board of Education, in | 5 | | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | 6 | | Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing | 7 | | organization or tests designed by the State Board of | 8 | | Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation | 9 | | and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall | 10 | | assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The | 11 | | tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no | 12 | | person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis | 13 | | of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to | 14 | | the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The | 15 | | score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State | 16 | | Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator | 17 | | Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be | 18 | | administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and | 19 | | place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in | 20 | | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | 21 | | Board. | 22 | | The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess | 23 | | the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of | 24 | | applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under | 25 | | subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this | 26 | | Code in the English language and in the language of the |
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| 1 | | transitional bilingual education program requested by the | 2 | | applicant. | 3 | | (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the | 4 | | provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school | 5 | | district subject to Article 34 of this Code. | 6 | | (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the | 7 | | testing requirements under this Section shall include, without | 8 | | limitation, provisions governing test selection, test | 9 | | validation, and determination of a passing score, | 10 | | administration of the tests, frequency of administration, | 11 | | applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the | 12 | | years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special | 13 | | accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop | 14 | | such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to | 15 | | year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment. | 16 | | (j) A candidate seeking licensure is not required to pass | 17 | | a test of content area knowledge: | 18 | | (1) in the circumstances provided for issuing a | 19 | | Provisional Educator License under paragraph (5) of | 20 | | Section 21B-20; | 21 | | (2) in the circumstances where the candidate has held | 22 | | a Provisional Educator License for 2 years and is seeking | 23 | | a Provisional Educator License under paragraph (1) of | 24 | | Section 21B-20. | 25 | | (Source: P.A. 102-301, eff. 8-26-21; 103-402, eff. 7-28-23; | 26 | | 103-488, eff. 8-4-23; revised 9-1-23.) |
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| 1 | | Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes | 2 | | changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text | 3 | | that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section | 4 | | represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does | 5 | | not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes | 6 | | made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other | 7 | | Public Act. |
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