Public Act 094-1034
 
SB2202 Enrolled LRB094 16365 NHT 51616 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
21-2.1 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21-2.1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2.1)
    Sec. 21-2.1. Early childhood certificate.
    (a) An early childhood certificate shall be valid for 4
years for teaching children up to 6 years of age, exclusive of
children enrolled in kindergarten, in facilities approved by
the State Superintendent of Education. Beginning July 1, 1988,
such certificate shall be valid for 4 years for Teaching
children through grade 3 in facilities approved by the State
Superintendent of Education. Subject to the provisions of
Section 21-1a, it shall be issued to persons who have graduated
from a recognized institution of higher learning with a
bachelor's degree and with not fewer than 120 semester hours
including professional education or human development or,
until July 1, 1992, to persons who have early childhood
education instruction and practical experience involving
supervised work with children under 6 years of age or with
children through grade 3. Such persons shall be recommended for
the early childhood certificate by a recognized institution as
having completed an approved program of preparation which
includes the requisite hours and academic and professional
courses and practical experience approved by the State
Superintendent of Education in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board. The student teaching portion of
such practical experience may be satisfied through placement in
any of grades pre-kindergarten (which consists of children from
3 years through 5 years of age) through 3, provided that the
student is under the active supervision of a cooperating
teacher who is certified and qualified in early childhood
education. Paraprofessionals with at least one year of
experience in a school or community-based early childhood
setting who are enrolled in early-childhood teacher
preparation programs may be paid and receive credit while
student teaching with their current employer, provided that
their student teaching experience meets the requirements of
their early-childhood teacher preparation program.
    (b) Beginning February 15, 2000, Initial and Standard Early
Childhood Education Certificates shall be issued to persons who
meet the criteria established by the State Board of Education.
(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-811, eff. 1-26-99;
91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)