Public Act 100-0118
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Public Act 100-0118 | ||||
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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 adding Section | ||||
2-3.80c as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80c new) | ||||
Sec. 2-3.80c. Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force. | ||||
(a) The General Assembly recognizes that agriculture is the | ||||
most basic and singularly important industry in the State, that | ||||
agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and | ||||
economic stability of the State, and that the maintenance of | ||||
this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and | ||||
qualified agriculture educators to train future generations of | ||||
agriculturalists. | ||||
In 2016, to respond to the ongoing teacher shortage in | ||||
agriculture education in Illinois, the General Assembly passed | ||||
Public Act 99-826, which deemed agriculture education as an | ||||
area of critical need in Illinois. | ||||
(b) There is created the Agriculture Education Shortage | ||||
Task Force consisting of the following members: | ||||
(1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President | ||||
of the Senate; | ||||
(2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority |
Leader of the Senate; | ||
(3) one member of the House of Representatives | ||
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; | ||
(4) one member of the House of Representatives | ||
appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of | ||
Representatives; and | ||
(5) the following members, who shall be appointed by | ||
the State Superintendent of Education within 30 days after | ||
the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th | ||
General Assembly: | ||
(A) one representative of the State Board of | ||
Education; | ||
(B) one member representing a statewide | ||
professional teachers' association appointed with the | ||
advice of the Committee established under subsection | ||
(d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code; | ||
(C) one member representing a different statewide | ||
professional teachers' association appointed with the | ||
advice of the Committee established under subsection | ||
(d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code; | ||
(D) one member representing a different | ||
professional teachers' association in a city having a | ||
population of over 500,000 appointed with the advice of | ||
the Committee established under subsection (d) of | ||
Section 2-3.80 of this Code; | ||
(E) one member who is a community college |
agriculture education teacher appointed with the | ||
advice of the Committee established under subsection | ||
(d) of Section 2-3.80 of this Code; | ||
(F) one member who is a university agriculture | ||
education teacher appointed with the advice of the | ||
Committee established under subsection (d) of Section | ||
2-3.80 of this Code; | ||
(G) one member representing a statewide | ||
association representing superintendents; | ||
(H) one member representing a statewide | ||
association representing principals; | ||
(I) one member representing a statewide | ||
association representing school board members; | ||
(J) one representative of a school district in a | ||
city having a population exceeding 500,000; | ||
(K) one member representing an education advocacy | ||
group that works with parents; and | ||
(L) one representative of an education public | ||
policy organization. | ||
(c) The Agriculture Education Shortage Task Force shall | ||
first meet at the call of the State Superintendent of Education | ||
within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act | ||
of the 100th General Assembly, and following meetings shall be | ||
at the call of the Chairperson, who shall be elected by a | ||
majority of appointed members at the first meeting of the Task | ||
Force. The State Board of Education shall provide |
administrative support for the Task Force. | ||
(d) Members of the Task Force shall serve without | ||
compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel and related | ||
expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose. | ||
(e) The Task Force shall meet at least 3 times and shall | ||
review the following: | ||
(1) the number of agriculture education teachers in | ||
this State and the type of license held; | ||
(2) the number of graduates who have graduated from an | ||
approved agriculture education program of a public | ||
university in this State in each of the past 4 years; | ||
(3) the number of agriculture education position | ||
openings at secondary education programs in this State in | ||
each of the past 4 years; and | ||
(4) licensure standards, including national licensure | ||
standards, for the agricultural education endorsement on a | ||
professional educator license or an educator license with | ||
stipulations. | ||
(f) The Task Force shall issue a report to the Governor and | ||
the General Assembly, which must be approved by a majority vote | ||
of appointed members and must include recommendations | ||
regarding: | ||
(1) recruitment and retention of agriculture education | ||
teachers, including recommendations on funding for | ||
existing incentive programs; | ||
(2) participation in federal programs that may assist |
in the recruitment and retention of agriculture teachers; | ||
and | ||
(3) other subjects determined by the members of the | ||
Task Force. | ||
(g) The Task Force shall report its findings to the | ||
Governor and General Assembly on or before January 1, 2019, | ||
and, upon filing its report, the Task Force is dissolved. | ||
(h) This Section is repealed on February 1, 2019.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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