Full Text of HB4246 102nd General Assembly
HB4246enr 102ND 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 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 | | a $50 $500 penalty to the State Board of Education or (ii) the | 6 | | demonstration of proficiency by completing 9 semester hours of | 7 | | coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher | 8 | | education in the content area that most aligns with one or more | 9 | | of the educator's endorsement areas. Any and all back fees, | 10 | | including without limitation registration fees owed from the | 11 | | time of expiration of the license until the date of | 12 | | reinstatement, shall be paid and kept in accordance with the | 13 | | provisions in Article 3 of this Code concerning an institute | 14 | | fund and the provisions in Article 21B of this Code concerning | 15 | | fees and requirements for registration. Licenses not | 16 | | registered in accordance with Section 21B-40 of this Code | 17 | | shall lapse after a period of 6 months from the expiration of | 18 | | the last year of registration or on January 1 of the fiscal | 19 | | year following initial issuance of the license. An | 20 | | unregistered license is invalid after September 1 for | 21 | | employment and performance of services in an Illinois public | 22 | | or State-operated school or cooperative and in a charter | 23 | | school. Any license or endorsement may be voluntarily | 24 | | surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered | 25 | | license shall be treated as a revoked license. An Educator | 26 | | License with Stipulations with only a paraprofessional |
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| 1 | | endorsement does not lapse.
| 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 engage participants | 4 | | over a sustained period of time allowing for analysis, | 5 | | discovery, and application as they relate to student | 6 | | learning, social or emotional achievement, or well-being; | 7 | | (2) professional development aligns to the licensee's | 8 | | performance; | 9 | | (3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student | 10 | | growth or district improvement; | 11 | | (4) activities align to State-approved standards;
and | 12 | | (5) higher education coursework. | 13 | | (e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator | 14 | | licensee shall engage in professional development activities. | 15 | | Prior to renewal, the licensee shall enter electronically into | 16 | | the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name, | 17 | | date, and location of the activity, the number of professional | 18 | | development hours, and the provider's name. The following | 19 | | provisions shall apply concerning professional development | 20 | | activities: | 21 | | (1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours | 22 | | of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in | 23 | | order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided | 24 | | in this Section. | 25 | | (2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle, | 26 | | any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not |
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| 1 | | working in a position requiring such endorsement is not | 2 | | required to complete Illinois Administrators' Academy | 3 | | courses, as described in Article 2 of this Code. Such | 4 | | licensees must complete one Illinois Administrators' | 5 | | Academy course within one year after returning to a | 6 | | position that requires the administrative endorsement. | 7 | | (3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement | 8 | | who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or | 9 | | an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in | 10 | | an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall | 11 | | complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as | 12 | | described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in | 13 | | addition to 100 hours of professional development per | 14 | | 5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code. | 15 | | (4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for | 16 | | Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher | 17 | | designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of | 18 | | professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order | 19 | | to renew the license. | 20 | | (5) Licensees working in a position that does not | 21 | | require educator licensure or working in a position for | 22 | | less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be | 23 | | exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration | 24 | | fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the | 25 | | license. | 26 | | (6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits |
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| 1 | | from a State of Illinois retirement system shall be listed | 2 | | as retired notify the State Board of Education using ELIS , | 3 | | and the license shall be maintained in retired status. For | 4 | | any renewal cycle in which a licensee retires during the | 5 | | renewal cycle, the licensee must complete professional | 6 | | development activities on a prorated basis depending on | 7 | | the number of years during the renewal cycle the educator | 8 | | held an active license. If a licensee retires during a | 9 | | renewal cycle, the license status must be updated licensee | 10 | | must notify the State Board of Education using ELIS | 11 | | indicating that the licensee wishes to maintain the | 12 | | license in retired status and the licensee must show proof | 13 | | of completion of professional development activities on a | 14 | | prorated basis for all years of that renewal cycle for | 15 | | which the license was active. An individual with a license | 16 | | in retired status shall not be required to complete | 17 | | professional development activities or pay registration | 18 | | fees until returning to a position that requires educator | 19 | | licensure. Upon returning to work in a position that | 20 | | requires the Professional Educator License, the license | 21 | | status shall immediately be updated using ELIS licensee | 22 | | shall immediately pay a registration fee and the licensee | 23 | | shall complete renewal requirements for that year. A | 24 | | retired teacher, even if returning to a position that | 25 | | requires educator licensure, shall not be required to pay | 26 | | registration fees. A license in retired status cannot |
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| 1 | | lapse. Beginning on January 6, 2017 (the effective date of | 2 | | Public Act 99-920) through December 31, 2017, any licensee | 3 | | who has retired and whose license has lapsed for failure | 4 | | to renew as provided in this Section may reinstate that | 5 | | license and maintain it in retired status upon providing | 6 | | proof to the State Board of Education using ELIS that the | 7 | | licensee is retired and is not working in a position that | 8 | | requires a Professional Educator License. | 9 | | (7) For any renewal cycle in which professional | 10 | | development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the | 11 | | licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the | 12 | | minimum professional development hours required in this | 13 | | Section prior to September 1 of that year. Professional | 14 | | development hours used to fulfill the minimum required | 15 | | hours for a renewal cycle may be used for only one renewal | 16 | | cycle. For any fiscal year or renewal cycle in which an | 17 | | Illinois Administrators' Academy course was required but | 18 | | not completed, the licensee shall complete any missed | 19 | | Illinois Administrators' Academy courses prior to | 20 | | September 1 of that year. The licensee may complete all | 21 | | deficient hours and Illinois Administrators' Academy | 22 | | courses while continuing to work in a position that | 23 | | requires that license until September 1 of that year. | 24 | | (8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the | 25 | | professional development renewal requirements set forth in | 26 | | this Section at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is |
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| 1 | | ineligible to register his or her license and may submit | 2 | | an appeal to the State Superintendent of Education for | 3 | | reinstatement of the license. | 4 | | (9) If professional development opportunities were | 5 | | unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were | 6 | | unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond | 7 | | August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be | 8 | | submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the | 9 | | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an | 10 | | extension is approved, the license shall remain valid | 11 | | during the extension period. | 12 | | (10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to | 13 | | December 27, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act | 14 | | 98-610) shall commence the annual renewal process with the | 15 | | first scheduled registration due after December 27, 2013 | 16 | | (the effective date of Public Act 98-610). | 17 | | (11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this | 18 | | subsection (e), if a licensee earns more than the required | 19 | | number of professional development hours during a renewal | 20 | | cycle, then the licensee may carry over any hours earned | 21 | | from April 1 through June 30 of the last year of the | 22 | | renewal cycle. Any hours carried over in this manner must | 23 | | be applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois | 24 | | Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those | 25 | | courses may not be carried over. | 26 | | (f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to |
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| 1 | | the required questions under penalty of perjury. | 2 | | (f-5) The State Board of Education shall conduct random | 3 | | audits of licensees to verify a licensee's fulfillment of the | 4 | | professional development hours required under this Section. | 5 | | Upon completion of a random audit, if it is determined by the | 6 | | State Board of Education that the licensee did not complete | 7 | | the required number of professional development hours or did | 8 | | not provide sufficient proof of completion, the licensee shall | 9 | | be notified that his or her license has lapsed. A license that | 10 | | has lapsed under this subsection may be reinstated as provided | 11 | | in subsection (b). | 12 | | (g) The following entities shall be designated as approved | 13 | | to provide professional development activities for the renewal | 14 | | of Professional Educator Licenses: | 15 | | (1) The State Board of Education. | 16 | | (2) Regional offices of education and intermediate | 17 | | service centers. | 18 | | (3) Illinois professional associations representing | 19 | | the following groups that are approved by the State | 20 | | Superintendent of Education: | 21 | | (A) school administrators; | 22 | | (B) principals; | 23 | | (C) school business officials; | 24 | | (D) teachers, including special education | 25 | | teachers; | 26 | | (E) school boards; |
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| 1 | | (F) school districts; | 2 | | (G) parents; and | 3 | | (H) school service personnel. | 4 | | (4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher | 5 | | education that offer Illinois-approved educator | 6 | | preparation programs and public community colleges subject | 7 | | to the Public Community College Act. | 8 | | (5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools | 9 | | authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint | 10 | | educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this | 11 | | Code for the purposes of providing career and technical | 12 | | education or special education services. | 13 | | (6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of December | 14 | | 31, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-1147), has | 15 | | had or has a grant from or a contract with the State Board | 16 | | of Education to provide professional development services | 17 | | in the area of English Learning to Illinois school | 18 | | districts, teachers, or administrators. | 19 | | (7) State agencies, State boards, and State | 20 | | commissions. | 21 | | (8) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum | 22 | | Disposition of Property Act. | 23 | | (h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this | 24 | | Section shall make available professional development | 25 | | opportunities that satisfy at least one of the following: | 26 | | (1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and |
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| 1 | | district leaders who guide continuous professional | 2 | | development; | 3 | | (2) improve the learning of students; | 4 | | (3) organize adults into learning communities whose | 5 | | goals are aligned with those of the school and district; | 6 | | (4) deepen educator's content knowledge; | 7 | | (5) provide educators with research-based | 8 | | instructional strategies to assist students in meeting | 9 | | rigorous academic standards; | 10 | | (6) prepare educators to appropriately use various | 11 | | types of classroom assessments; | 12 | | (7) use learning strategies appropriate to the | 13 | | intended goals; | 14 | | (8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to | 15 | | collaborate; | 16 | | (9) prepare educators to apply research to decision | 17 | | making; or | 18 | | (10) provide educators with training on inclusive | 19 | | practices in the classroom that examines instructional and | 20 | | behavioral strategies that improve academic and | 21 | | social-emotional outcomes for all students, with or | 22 | | without disabilities, in a general education setting. | 23 | | (i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this | 24 | | Section shall do the following: | 25 | | (1) align professional development activities to the | 26 | | State-approved national standards for professional |
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| 1 | | learning; | 2 | | (2) meet the professional development criteria for | 3 | | Illinois licensure renewal; | 4 | | (3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains | 5 | | how it aligns to State standards and identify the | 6 | | assessment for determining the expected impact on student | 7 | | learning or school improvement; | 8 | | (4) maintain original documentation for completion of | 9 | | activities; | 10 | | (5) provide license holders with evidence of | 11 | | completion of activities; | 12 | | (6) request an Illinois Educator Identification Number | 13 | | (IEIN) for each educator during each professional | 14 | | development activity; and | 15 | | (7) beginning on July 1, 2019, register annually with | 16 | | the State Board of Education prior to offering any | 17 | | professional development opportunities in the current | 18 | | fiscal year. | 19 | | (j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual | 20 | | audits of a subset of approved providers, except for school | 21 | | districts, which shall be audited by regional offices of | 22 | | education and intermediate service centers. The State Board of | 23 | | Education shall ensure that each approved provider, except for | 24 | | a school district, is audited at least once every 5 years. The | 25 | | State Board of Education may conduct more frequent audits of | 26 | | providers if evidence suggests the requirements of this |
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| 1 | | Section or administrative rules are not being met. | 2 | | (1) (Blank). | 3 | | (2) Approved providers shall comply with the | 4 | | requirements in subsections (h) and (i) of this Section by | 5 | | annually submitting data to the State Board of Education | 6 | | demonstrating how the professional development activities | 7 | | impacted one or more of the following: | 8 | | (A) educator and student growth in regards to | 9 | | content knowledge or skills, or both; | 10 | | (B) educator and student social and emotional | 11 | | growth; or | 12 | | (C) alignment to district or school improvement | 13 | | plans. | 14 | | (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review | 15 | | the annual data collected by the State Board of Education, | 16 | | regional offices of education, and intermediate service | 17 | | centers in audits to determine if the approved provider | 18 | | has met the criteria and should continue to be an approved | 19 | | provider or if further action should be taken as provided | 20 | | in rules. | 21 | | (k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal | 22 | | cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each | 23 | | 5-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional | 24 | | development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed | 25 | | and entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the | 26 | | registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or |
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| 1 | | debit card. | 2 | | (l) Any professional educator licensee endorsed for school | 3 | | support personnel who is employed and performing services in | 4 | | Illinois public schools and who holds an active and current | 5 | | professional license issued by the Department of Financial and | 6 | | Professional Regulation or a national certification board, as | 7 | | approved by the State Board of Education, related to the | 8 | | endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License shall | 9 | | be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional | 10 | | development requirements provided for in this Section. Such | 11 | | individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to | 12 | | renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who | 13 | | does not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial | 14 | | and Professional Regulation shall complete professional | 15 | | development requirements for the renewal of a Professional | 16 | | Educator License provided for in this Section. | 17 | | (m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and | 18 | | Licensure Board
must be made within 30 days after receipt of | 19 | | notice from the State Superintendent of Education that a | 20 | | license will not be renewed based upon failure to complete the | 21 | | requirements of this Section. A licensee may appeal that | 22 | | decision to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board | 23 | | in a manner prescribed by rule. | 24 | | (1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State | 25 | | Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be | 26 | | sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the |
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| 1 | | State Board of Education. | 2 | | (2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board | 3 | | shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license | 4 | | within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to | 5 | | determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of | 6 | | this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure | 7 | | Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its | 8 | | determination based upon the record of review, which shall | 9 | | consist of the following: | 10 | | (A) the regional superintendent of education's | 11 | | rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license, | 12 | | if applicable; | 13 | | (B) any evidence submitted to the State | 14 | | Superintendent along with the individual's electronic | 15 | | statement of assurance for renewal; and | 16 | | (C) the State Superintendent's rationale for | 17 | | nonrenewal of the license. | 18 | | (3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board | 19 | | shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding | 20 | | license renewal by certified mail, return receipt | 21 | | requested, no later than 30 days after reaching a | 22 | | decision. Upon receipt of notification of renewal, the | 23 | | licensee, using ELIS, shall pay the applicable | 24 | | registration fee for the next cycle using a form of credit | 25 | | or debit card. | 26 | | (n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be |
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| 1 | | necessary to implement this Section. | 2 | | (Source: P.A. 100-13, eff. 7-1-17; 100-339, eff. 8-25-17; | 3 | | 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-85, eff. | 4 | | 1-1-20; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
| 5 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 6 | | becoming law.
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