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Public Act 102-0730 Public Act 0730 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
Public Act 102-0730 | HB4257 Enrolled | LRB102 20917 CMG 29806 b |
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| 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 | 21B-45 as follows: | (105 ILCS 5/21B-45) | Sec. 21B-45. Professional Educator License renewal. | (a) Individuals holding a Professional Educator License | are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as | specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this | Code. | Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall | meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section, | unless otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds | a license endorsed in more than one area that has different | renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal | requirements for the position for which he or she spends the | majority of his or her time working. | (b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as | provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that | year. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, if | a license holder's electronic mail address is available, the | State Board of Education shall send him or her notification |
| electronically that his or her license will lapse if not | renewed, to be sent no more than 6 months prior to the license | lapsing. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon | (i) payment by the applicant of a $500 penalty to the State | Board of Education or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by | completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally | accredited institution of higher education in the content area | that most aligns with one or more of the educator's | endorsement areas. Any and all back fees, including without | limitation registration fees owed from the time of expiration | of the license until the date of reinstatement, shall be paid | and kept in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of this | Code concerning an institute fund and the provisions in | Article 21B of this Code concerning fees and requirements for | registration. Licenses not registered in accordance with | Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6 | months from the expiration of the last year of registration or | on January 1 of the fiscal year following initial issuance of | the license. An unregistered license is invalid after | September 1 for employment and performance of services in an | Illinois public or State-operated school or cooperative and in | a charter school. Any license or endorsement may be | voluntarily surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily | surrendered license shall be treated as a revoked license. An | Educator License with Stipulations with only a | paraprofessional endorsement does not lapse.
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| (c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to | satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in | this Section, each professional educator licensee with an | administrative endorsement who is working in a position | requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois | Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of | this Code, per fiscal year. | (c-5) All licenses issued by the State Board of Education | under this Article that expire on June 30, 2020 and have not | been renewed by the end of the 2020 renewal period shall be | extended for one year and shall expire on June 30, 2021. | (d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the | requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this | Section, each professional educator licensee may create a | professional development plan each year. The plan shall | address one or more of the endorsements that are required of | his or her educator position if the licensee is employed and | performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated | school or cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a | charter school, the plan shall address that endorsement or | those endorsements most closely related to his or her educator | position. Licensees employed and performing services in any | other Illinois schools may participate in the renewal | requirements by adhering to the same process. | Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the | licensee's professional development activities shall align |
| with one or more of the following criteria: | (1) activities are of a type that engage participants | over a sustained period of time allowing for analysis, | discovery, and application as they relate to student | learning, social or emotional achievement, or well-being; | (2) professional development aligns to the licensee's | performance; | (3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student | growth or district improvement; | (4) activities align to State-approved standards;
and | (5) higher education coursework. | (e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator | licensee shall engage in professional development activities. | Prior to renewal, the licensee shall enter electronically into | the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name, | date, and location of the activity, the number of professional | development hours, and the provider's name. The following | provisions shall apply concerning professional development | activities: | (1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours | of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in | order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided | in this Section. | (2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle, | any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not | working in a position requiring such endorsement is not |
| required to complete Illinois Administrators' Academy | courses, as described in Article 2 of this Code. Such | licensees must complete one Illinois Administrators' | Academy course within one year after returning to a | position that requires the administrative endorsement. | (3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement | who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or | an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in | an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall | complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as | described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in | addition to 100 hours of professional development per | 5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code. | However, for the 2021-2022 school year only, a licensee | under this paragraph (3) is not required to complete an | Illinois Administrators' Academy course. | (4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for | Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher | designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of | professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order | to renew the license. | (5) Licensees working in a position that does not | require educator licensure or working in a position for | less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be | exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration | fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the |
| license. | (6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits | from a State of Illinois retirement system shall notify | the State Board of Education using ELIS, and the license | shall be maintained in retired status. For any renewal | cycle in which a licensee retires during the renewal | cycle, the licensee must complete professional development | activities on a prorated basis depending on the number of | years during the renewal cycle the educator held an active | license. If a licensee retires during a renewal cycle, the | licensee must notify the State Board of Education using | ELIS that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in | retired status and must show proof of completion of | professional development activities on a prorated basis | for all years of that renewal cycle for which the license | was active. An individual with a license in retired status | shall not be required to complete professional development | activities or pay registration fees until returning to a | position that requires educator licensure. Upon returning | to work in a position that requires the Professional | Educator License, the licensee shall immediately pay a | registration fee and complete renewal requirements for | that year. A license in retired status cannot lapse. | Beginning on January 6, 2017 (the effective date of Public | Act 99-920) through December 31, 2017, any licensee who | has retired and whose license has lapsed for failure to |
| renew as provided in this Section may reinstate that | license and maintain it in retired status upon providing | proof to the State Board of Education using ELIS that the | licensee is retired and is not working in a position that | requires a Professional Educator License. | (7) For any renewal cycle in which professional | development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the | licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the | minimum professional development hours required in this | Section prior to September 1 of that year. Professional | development hours used to fulfill the minimum required | hours for a renewal cycle may be used for only one renewal | cycle. For any fiscal year or renewal cycle in which an | Illinois Administrators' Academy course was required but | not completed, the licensee shall complete any missed | Illinois Administrators' Academy courses prior to | September 1 of that year. The licensee may complete all | deficient hours and Illinois Administrators' Academy | courses while continuing to work in a position that | requires that license until September 1 of that year. | (8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the | professional development renewal requirements set forth in | this Section at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is | ineligible to register his or her license and may submit | an appeal to the State Superintendent of Education for | reinstatement of the license. |
| (9) If professional development opportunities were | unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were | unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond | August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be | submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an | extension is approved, the license shall remain valid | during the extension period. | (10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to | December 27, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act | 98-610) shall commence the annual renewal process with the | first scheduled registration due after December 27, 2013 | (the effective date of Public Act 98-610). | (11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this | subsection (e), if a licensee earns more than the required | number of professional development hours during a renewal | cycle, then the licensee may carry over any hours earned | from April 1 through June 30 of the last year of the | renewal cycle. Any hours carried over in this manner must | be applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois | Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those | courses may not be carried over. | (f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to | the required questions under penalty of perjury. | (f-5) The State Board of Education shall conduct random | audits of licensees to verify a licensee's fulfillment of the |
| professional development hours required under this Section. | Upon completion of a random audit, if it is determined by the | State Board of Education that the licensee did not complete | the required number of professional development hours or did | not provide sufficient proof of completion, the licensee shall | be notified that his or her license has lapsed. A license that | has lapsed under this subsection may be reinstated as provided | in subsection (b). | (g) The following entities shall be designated as approved | to provide professional development activities for the renewal | of Professional Educator Licenses: | (1) The State Board of Education. | (2) Regional offices of education and intermediate | service centers. | (3) Illinois professional associations representing | the following groups that are approved by the State | Superintendent of Education: | (A) school administrators; | (B) principals; | (C) school business officials; | (D) teachers, including special education | teachers; | (E) school boards; | (F) school districts; | (G) parents; and | (H) school service personnel. |
| (4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher | education that offer Illinois-approved educator | preparation programs and public community colleges subject | to the Public Community College Act. | (5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools | authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint | educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this | Code for the purposes of providing career and technical | education or special education services. | (6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of December | 31, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-1147), has | had or has a grant from or a contract with the State Board | of Education to provide professional development services | in the area of English Learning to Illinois school | districts, teachers, or administrators. | (7) State agencies, State boards, and State | commissions. | (8) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum | Disposition of Property Act. | (h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this | Section shall make available professional development | opportunities that satisfy at least one of the following: | (1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and | district leaders who guide continuous professional | development; | (2) improve the learning of students; |
| (3) organize adults into learning communities whose | goals are aligned with those of the school and district; | (4) deepen educator's content knowledge; | (5) provide educators with research-based | instructional strategies to assist students in meeting | rigorous academic standards; | (6) prepare educators to appropriately use various | types of classroom assessments; | (7) use learning strategies appropriate to the | intended goals; | (8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to | collaborate; | (9) prepare educators to apply research to decision | making; | (10) provide educators with training on inclusive | practices in the classroom that examines instructional and | behavioral strategies that improve academic and | social-emotional outcomes for all students, with or | without disabilities, in a general education setting; or | (11) beginning on July 1, 2022, provide educators with | training on the physical
and mental health needs of | students, student safety, educator ethics, professional | conduct, and
other topics that address the well-being of | students and improve the academic and social-emotional
| outcomes of students. | (i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this |
| Section shall do the following: | (1) align professional development activities to the | State-approved national standards for professional | learning; | (2) meet the professional development criteria for | Illinois licensure renewal; | (3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains | how it aligns to State standards and identify the | assessment for determining the expected impact on student | learning or school improvement; | (4) maintain original documentation for completion of | activities; | (5) provide license holders with evidence of | completion of activities; | (6) request an Illinois Educator Identification Number | (IEIN) for each educator during each professional | development activity; and | (7) beginning on July 1, 2019, register annually with | the State Board of Education prior to offering any | professional development opportunities in the current | fiscal year. | (j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual | audits of a subset of approved providers, except for school | districts, which shall be audited by regional offices of | education and intermediate service centers. The State Board of | Education shall ensure that each approved provider, except for |
| a school district, is audited at least once every 5 years. The | State Board of Education may conduct more frequent audits of | providers if evidence suggests the requirements of this | Section or administrative rules are not being met. | (1) (Blank). | (2) Approved providers shall comply with the | requirements in subsections (h) and (i) of this Section by | annually submitting data to the State Board of Education | demonstrating how the professional development activities | impacted one or more of the following: | (A) educator and student growth in regards to | content knowledge or skills, or both; | (B) educator and student social and emotional | growth; or | (C) alignment to district or school improvement | plans. | (3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review | the annual data collected by the State Board of Education, | regional offices of education, and intermediate service | centers in audits to determine if the approved provider | has met the criteria and should continue to be an approved | provider or if further action should be taken as provided | in rules. | (k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal | cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each | 5-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional |
| development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed | and entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the | registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or | debit card. | (l) Any professional educator licensee endorsed for school | support personnel who is employed and performing services in | Illinois public schools and who holds an active and current | professional license issued by the Department of Financial and | Professional Regulation or a national certification board, as | approved by the State Board of Education, related to the | endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License shall | be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional | development requirements provided for in this Section. Such | individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to | renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who | does not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial | and Professional Regulation shall complete professional | development requirements for the renewal of a Professional | Educator License provided for in this Section. | (m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and | Licensure Board
must be made within 30 days after receipt of | notice from the State Superintendent of Education that a | license will not be renewed based upon failure to complete the | requirements of this Section. A licensee may appeal that | decision to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board | in a manner prescribed by rule. |
| (1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State | Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be | sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the | State Board of Education. | (2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board | shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license | within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to | determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of | this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure | Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its | determination based upon the record of review, which shall | consist of the following: | (A) the regional superintendent of education's | rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license, | if applicable; | (B) any evidence submitted to the State | Superintendent along with the individual's electronic | statement of assurance for renewal; and | (C) the State Superintendent's rationale for | nonrenewal of the license. | (3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board | shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding | license renewal by certified mail, return receipt | requested, no later than 30 days after reaching a | decision. Upon receipt of notification of renewal, the | licensee, using ELIS, shall pay the applicable |
| registration fee for the next cycle using a form of credit | or debit card. | (n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be | necessary to implement this Section. | (Source: P.A. 101-85, eff. 1-1-20; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19; | 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-676, eff. 12-3-21.)
| Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | becoming law.
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Effective Date: 5/6/2022
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