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Public Act 102-0713 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | ||||
21B-15 and 21B-20 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/21B-15) | ||||
Sec. 21B-15. Qualifications of educators. | ||||
(a) No one may be licensed to teach or supervise or be | ||||
otherwise employed in the public schools of this State who is | ||||
not of good character and at least 19 years of age , except as | ||||
otherwise provided in subparagraph (J) of subsection (2) of | ||||
Section 21B-20 . | ||||
In determining good character under this Section, the | ||||
State Superintendent of Education shall take into | ||||
consideration the disciplinary actions of other states or | ||||
national entities against certificates or licenses issued by | ||||
those states and held by individuals from those states. In | ||||
addition, any felony conviction of the applicant may be taken | ||||
into consideration; however, no one may be licensed to teach | ||||
or supervise in the public schools of this State who has been | ||||
convicted of (i) an offense set forth in subsection (b) of | ||||
Section 21B-80 of this Code until 7 years following the end of | ||||
the sentence for the criminal offense or (ii) an offense set |
forth in subsection (c) of Section 21B-80 of this Code. Unless | ||
the conviction is for an offense set forth in Section 21B-80 of | ||
this Code, an applicant must be permitted to submit character | ||
references or other written material before such a conviction | ||
or other information regarding the applicant's character may | ||
be used by the State Superintendent of Education as a basis for | ||
denying the application. | ||
(b) No person otherwise qualified shall be denied the | ||
right to be licensed or to receive training for the purpose of | ||
becoming an educator because of a physical disability, | ||
including, but not limited to, visual and hearing | ||
disabilities; nor shall any school district refuse to employ a | ||
teacher on such grounds, provided that the person is able to | ||
carry out the duties of the position for which he or she | ||
applies. | ||
(c) No person may be granted or continue to hold an | ||
educator license who has knowingly altered or misrepresented | ||
his or her qualifications, in this State or any other state, in | ||
order to acquire or renew the license. Any other license | ||
issued under this Article held by the person may be suspended | ||
or revoked by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | ||
Board, depending upon the severity of the alteration or | ||
misrepresentation. | ||
(d) No one may teach or supervise in the public schools nor | ||
receive for teaching or supervising any part of any public | ||
school fund who does not hold an educator license granted by |
the State Superintendent of Education as provided in this | ||
Article. However, the provisions of this Article do not apply | ||
to a member of the armed forces who is employed as a teacher of | ||
subjects in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of any | ||
school, nor to an individual teaching a dual credit course as | ||
provided for in the Dual Credit Quality Act. | ||
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the | ||
school board of a school district may grant to a teacher of the | ||
district a leave of absence with full pay for a period of not | ||
more than one year to permit the teacher to teach in a foreign | ||
state under the provisions of the Exchange Teacher Program | ||
established under Public Law 584, 79th Congress, and Public | ||
Law 402, 80th Congress, as amended. The school board granting | ||
the leave of absence may employ, with or without pay, a | ||
national of the foreign state wherein the teacher on the leave | ||
of absence is to teach if the national is qualified to teach in | ||
that foreign state and if that national is to teach in a grade | ||
level similar to the one that was taught in the foreign state. | ||
The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State | ||
Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt rules as | ||
may be necessary to implement this subsection (e).
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(f) No person shall be denied a license issued under this | ||
Article solely based on his or her citizenship status or | ||
immigration status. The General Assembly finds and declares | ||
that this subsection (f) is a State law within the meaning of | ||
subsection (d) of Section 1621 of Title 8 of the United States |
Code. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the requirements | ||
to obtain a license that are not directly related to | ||
citizenship status or immigration status. Nothing in this | ||
subsection shall be construed to grant eligibility for | ||
obtaining any public benefit other than a license issued under | ||
this Article. | ||
(Source: P.A. 99-667, eff. 7-29-16; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17; | ||
100-1078, eff. 1-1-19 .) | ||
(105 ILCS 5/21B-20) | ||
Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of | ||
Education shall implement a system of educator licensure, | ||
whereby individuals employed in school districts who are | ||
required to be licensed must have one of the following | ||
licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an | ||
educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute | ||
teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term | ||
substitute teaching license. References in law regarding | ||
individuals certified or certificated or required to be | ||
certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall | ||
also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed | ||
under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June | ||
30 following one full year of the license being issued. | ||
The State Board of Education, in consultation with the | ||
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such | ||
rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for |
licenses and endorsements under this Section. | ||
(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i) | ||
have successfully completed an approved educator | ||
preparation program and are recommended for licensure by | ||
the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation | ||
program, (ii) have successfully completed the required | ||
testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have | ||
successfully completed coursework on the psychology of, | ||
the identification of, and the methods of instruction for | ||
the exceptional child, including without limitation | ||
children with learning disabilities, (iv) have | ||
successfully completed coursework in methods of reading | ||
and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other | ||
criteria established by rule of the State Board of | ||
Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License. | ||
All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30 | ||
immediately following 5 years of the license being issued. | ||
The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with | ||
specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is | ||
eligible to practice. For an early childhood education | ||
endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student | ||
teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher | ||
preparation program through placement in a setting with | ||
children from birth through grade 2, and the individual | ||
may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The | ||
student teaching experience must meet the requirements of |
and be approved by the individual's early childhood | ||
teacher preparation program. | ||
Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the | ||
Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements | ||
shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework | ||
in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable | ||
content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule. | ||
(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator | ||
License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement | ||
that limits the license holder to one particular position | ||
or does not require completion of an approved educator | ||
program or both. | ||
An individual with an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or | ||
any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher | ||
who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason. | ||
An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued | ||
with the following endorsements: | ||
(A) (Blank). | ||
(B) Alternative provisional educator. An | ||
alternative provisional educator endorsement on an | ||
Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an | ||
applicant who, at the time of applying for the | ||
endorsement, has done all of the following: | ||
(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited | ||
college or university with a minimum of a |
bachelor's degree. | ||
(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of | ||
the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for | ||
Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this | ||
Code. | ||
(iii) Passed a content area test, as required | ||
under Section 21B-30 of this Code. | ||
The alternative provisional educator endorsement is | ||
valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a | ||
third year by an individual meeting the requirements set | ||
forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code. | ||
(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An | ||
alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on | ||
an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the | ||
holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant | ||
superintendent in a school district's central office. | ||
This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant | ||
who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has | ||
done all of the following: | ||
(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited | ||
college or university with a minimum of a master's | ||
degree in a management field other than education. | ||
(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5 | ||
years in a management level position in a field | ||
other than education. | ||
(iii) Successfully completed the first phase |
of an alternative route to superintendent | ||
endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55 | ||
of this Code. | ||
(iv) Passed a content area test required under | ||
Section 21B-30 of this Code. | ||
The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in | ||
order to complete one full year of serving as a | ||
superintendent or assistant superintendent. | ||
(D) (Blank). | ||
(E) Career and technical educator. A career and | ||
technical educator endorsement on an Educator License | ||
with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who | ||
has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a | ||
regionally accredited institution of higher education | ||
or an accredited trade and technical institution and | ||
has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of | ||
education in each area to be taught. | ||
The career and technical educator endorsement on | ||
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until | ||
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the | ||
endorsement being issued and may be renewed. | ||
An individual who holds a valid career and | ||
technical educator endorsement on an Educator License | ||
with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's | ||
degree may substitute teach in career and technical | ||
education classrooms. |
(F) Part-time provisional career and technical | ||
educator or provisional career and technical educator. | ||
A part-time provisional career and technical educator | ||
endorsement or a provisional career and technical | ||
educator endorsement on an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a | ||
minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill | ||
for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It | ||
is the responsibility of each employing school board | ||
and regional office of education to provide | ||
verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent | ||
of Education at the time the application is submitted | ||
that no qualified teacher holding a Professional | ||
Educator License or an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations with a career and technical educator | ||
endorsement is available and that actual circumstances | ||
require such issuance. | ||
The provisional career and technical educator | ||
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | ||
is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years | ||
of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for | ||
5 years. | ||
A part-time provisional career and technical | ||
educator endorsement on an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations may be issued for teaching no more than 2 | ||
courses of study for grades 6 through 12. The |
part-time provisional career and technical educator | ||
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | ||
is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years | ||
of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for | ||
5 years if the individual makes application for | ||
renewal. | ||
An individual who holds a provisional or part-time | ||
provisional career and technical educator endorsement | ||
on an Educator License with Stipulations but does not | ||
hold a bachelor's degree may substitute teach in | ||
career and technical education classrooms. | ||
(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A | ||
transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an | ||
Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for | ||
the purpose of providing instruction in accordance | ||
with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who | ||
provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets | ||
all of the following requirements: | ||
(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and | ||
writing ability in the language other than English | ||
in which transitional bilingual education is | ||
offered. | ||
(ii) Has the ability to successfully | ||
communicate in English. | ||
(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years | ||
previous to his or her applying for a transitional |
bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and | ||
comparable teaching certificate or comparable | ||
authorization issued by a foreign country or holds | ||
a degree from an institution of higher learning in | ||
a foreign country that the State Educator | ||
Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be | ||
the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a | ||
regionally accredited institution of higher | ||
learning in the United States. | ||
A transitional bilingual educator endorsement | ||
shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, | ||
is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years | ||
of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be | ||
renewed. | ||
Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator | ||
endorsement shall not be employed to replace any | ||
presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be | ||
replaced for any reason. | ||
(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to | ||
alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language | ||
other than English in the public schools, an | ||
individual who holds an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations may also apply for a language | ||
endorsement, provided that the applicant provides | ||
satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the | ||
following requirements: |
(i) Holds a transitional bilingual | ||
endorsement. | ||
(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the | ||
language for which the endorsement is to be issued | ||
by passing the applicable language content test | ||
required by the State Board of Education. | ||
(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from | ||
a regionally accredited institution of higher | ||
education or, for individuals educated in a | ||
country other than the United States, holds a | ||
degree from an institution of higher learning in a | ||
foreign country that the State Educator | ||
Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be | ||
the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a | ||
regionally accredited institution of higher | ||
learning in the United States. | ||
(iv) (Blank). | ||
A language endorsement on an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through | ||
grade 12 for the same validity period as the | ||
individual's transitional bilingual educator | ||
endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations | ||
and shall not be renewed. | ||
(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting | ||
international educator endorsement on an Educator | ||
License with Stipulations may be issued to an |
individual who is being recruited by a particular | ||
school district that conducts formal recruitment | ||
programs outside of the United States to secure the | ||
services of qualified teachers and who meets all of | ||
the following requirements: | ||
(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a | ||
bachelor's degree issued in the United States. | ||
(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the | ||
grade level for which he or she will be employed. | ||
(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the | ||
subject to be taught. | ||
(iv) Has an adequate command of the English | ||
language. | ||
A holder of a visiting international educator | ||
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | ||
shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education | ||
programs in the language that was the medium of | ||
instruction in his or her teacher preparation program, | ||
provided that he or she passes the English Language | ||
Proficiency Examination or another test of writing | ||
skills in English identified by the State Board of | ||
Education, in consultation with the State Educator | ||
Preparation and Licensure Board. | ||
A visiting international educator endorsement on | ||
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5 | ||
years and shall not be renewed. |
(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional | ||
educator endorsement on an Educator License with | ||
Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a | ||
high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and | ||
(i) either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of | ||
60 semester hours of credit from a regionally | ||
accredited institution of higher education ; (ii) or | ||
has passed a paraprofessional competency test under | ||
subsection (c-5) of Section 21B-30 ; or (iii) is at | ||
least 18 years of age and will be using the Educator | ||
License with Stipulations exclusively for grades | ||
prekindergarten through grade 8, until the individual | ||
reaches the age of 19 years and otherwise meets the | ||
criteria for a paraprofessional educator endorsement | ||
pursuant to this subparagraph (J) . The | ||
paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid until | ||
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the | ||
endorsement being issued and may be renewed through | ||
application and payment of the appropriate fee, as | ||
required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An | ||
individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator | ||
endorsement is not subject to additional requirements | ||
in order to renew the endorsement. | ||
(K) Chief school business official. A chief school | ||
business official endorsement on an Educator License | ||
with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who |
qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2 | ||
years of full-time administrative experience in school | ||
business management or 2 years of university-approved | ||
practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester | ||
hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the | ||
State Board of Education for the preparation of school | ||
business administrators and by passage of the | ||
applicable State tests, including an applicable | ||
content area test. | ||
The chief school business official endorsement may | ||
also be affixed to the Educator License with | ||
Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a | ||
master's degree in business administration, finance, | ||
accounting, or public administration and who completes | ||
an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school | ||
business management from a regionally accredited | ||
institution of higher education and passes the | ||
applicable State tests, including an applicable | ||
content area test. This endorsement shall be required | ||
for any individual employed as a chief school business | ||
official. | ||
The chief school business official endorsement on | ||
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until | ||
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the | ||
endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the | ||
license holder completes renewal requirements as |
required for individuals who hold a Professional | ||
Educator License endorsed for chief school business | ||
official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such | ||
rules as may be adopted by the State Board of | ||
Education. | ||
The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules | ||
necessary to implement Public Act 100-288. | ||
(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional | ||
in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License | ||
with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has | ||
completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation | ||
program at an Illinois institution of higher education | ||
and who has not successfully completed an | ||
evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but | ||
who meets all of the following requirements: | ||
(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree. | ||
(ii) Has completed an approved educator | ||
preparation program at an Illinois institution. | ||
(iii) Has passed an applicable content area | ||
test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code. | ||
(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based | ||
assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a | ||
minimum score on that assessment, as established | ||
by the State Board of Education in consultation | ||
with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | ||
Board. |
A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an | ||
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one | ||
full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not | ||
be renewed. | ||
(M) (Blank). | ||
(N) Specialized services. A specialized services | ||
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations | ||
may be issued as defined and specified by rule. | ||
(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching | ||
License may be issued to qualified applicants for | ||
substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools, | ||
prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching | ||
Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for | ||
a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's | ||
degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution | ||
of higher education. | ||
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years. | ||
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute | ||
teaching in every county of this State. If an individual | ||
has had his or her Professional Educator License or | ||
Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked, | ||
then that individual is not eligible to obtain a | ||
Substitute Teaching License. | ||
A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a | ||
licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing | ||
board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under |
contract because of an emergency situation, then a | ||
district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer | ||
than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the | ||
district if the district notifies the appropriate regional | ||
office of education within 5 business days after the | ||
employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency | ||
situation. An emergency situation is one in which an | ||
unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is | ||
unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) | ||
teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous | ||
indications, and the district is actively engaged in | ||
advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the | ||
vacant position. | ||
There is no limit on the number of days that a | ||
substitute teacher may teach in a single school district, | ||
provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer | ||
than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under | ||
contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who | ||
holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License | ||
with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school | ||
days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the | ||
same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on | ||
the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do | ||
not apply to any school district operating under Article | ||
34 of this Code. | ||
A school district may not require an individual who |
holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator | ||
License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute | ||
Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher. | ||
(4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning | ||
on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of | ||
Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching | ||
License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be | ||
issued to a qualified applicant for substitute teaching in | ||
all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through | ||
grade 12. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not | ||
eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term | ||
Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate's | ||
degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a | ||
regionally accredited institution of higher education. | ||
Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for | ||
substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an | ||
individual has had his or her Professional Educator | ||
License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or | ||
revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a | ||
Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. | ||
The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this | ||
Code apply to short-term substitute teachers. | ||
An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching | ||
License may teach no more than 5 consecutive days per | ||
licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher | ||
absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who |
is under contract, a school district may not hire an | ||
individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching | ||
License. An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute | ||
Teaching License must complete the training program under | ||
Section 10-20.67 or 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible | ||
to teach at a public school. This paragraph (4) is | ||
inoperative on and after July 1, 2023.
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(Source: P.A. 100-8, eff. 7-1-17; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17; | ||
100-288, eff. 8-24-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-821, eff. | ||
9-3-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, | ||
eff. 8-7-19; 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
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