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Public Act 91-0609
HB1670 Enrolled LRB9103489NTsb
AN ACT to amend the School Code.
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 21-5b as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/21-5b)
Sec. 21-5b. Alternative certification. The State Board
of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board, shall establish and implement an
alternative certification program under which persons who
meet the requirements of and successfully complete the
program established by this Section shall be issued an
alternative teaching certificate for teaching in the schools
situated in a school district that is located in a city
having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants. The
program shall be limited to not more than 260 new
participants during each year that the program is in effect.
In establishing an alternative certification program under
this Section, the State Board of Education shall designate
the City of Chicago as the area in the State where the
program shall be made available. In addition, The State
Board of Education, in cooperation with a partnership formed
with a university that offers 4-year baccalaureate and
masters degree programs and that is a recognized institution
as defined in Section 21-21 and one or more not-for-profit
organizations in the State which support excellence in
teaching, shall within 30 days after submission by the
partnership approve a course of study developed by the
partnership that persons in the program must successfully
complete in order to satisfy one criterion for issuance of an
alternative certificate under this Section. The Alternative
Teacher Certification program course of study must include
the current content and skills contained in the university's
current courses for State certification which have been
approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board, as the
requirement for State teacher certification.
The alternative certification program established under
this Section shall be known as the Alternative Teacher
Certification program. The Alternative Teacher Certification
Program shall be offered by the submitting partnership and
may be offered in conjunction with one or more not-for-profit
organizations in the State which support excellence in
teaching. The program shall be comprised of the following 3
phases: (a) the first phase is the course of study offered on
an intensive basis in education theory, instructional
methods, and practice teaching; (b) the second phase is the
person's assignment to a full-time teaching position for one
school year; and (c) the third phase is a comprehensive
assessment of the person's teaching performance by school
officials and the partnership participants and a
recommendation by the partner institution of higher education
to the State Board of Education that the person be issued a
standard alternative teaching certificate. Successful
completion of the Alternative Teacher Certification program
shall be deemed to satisfy any other practice or student
teaching and subject matter requirements established by law.
A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
shall be issued under this Section 21-5b to persons who at
the time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
certificate under this Section:
(1) have graduated from an accredited college or
university with a bachelor's degree;
(2) have successfully completed the first phase of
the Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided
in this Section; and
(3) have passed the tests of basic skills and
subject matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a; and
(4) have been employed for a period of at least 5
years in an area requiring application of the
individual's education; however, this requirement does
not apply with respect to a provisional alternative
teaching certificate for teaching in schools situated in
a school district that is located in a city having a
population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.
A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
under this Section shall be treated as a regularly certified
teacher for purposes of compensation, benefits, and other
terms and conditions of employment afforded teachers in the
school who are members of a bargaining unit represented by an
exclusive bargaining representative, if any.
Until February 15, 2000, a standard alternative teaching
certificate, valid for 4 years for teaching in the schools
situated in a school district that is located in a city
having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants and
renewable as provided in Section 21-14, shall be issued under
this Section 21-5b to persons who first complete the
requirements for the provisional alternative teaching
certificate and who at the time of applying for a standard
alternative teaching certificate under this Section have
successfully completed the second and third phases of the
Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided in this
Section. Alternatively, beginning February 15, 2000, at the
end of the 4-year validity period, persons who were issued a
standard alternative teaching certificate shall be eligible,
on the same basis as holders of an Initial Teaching
Certificate issued under subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of
this Code, to apply for a Standard Teaching Certificate,
provided they meet the requirements of subsection (c) of
Section 21-2 of this Code and further provided that a person
who does not apply for and receive a Standard Teaching
Certificate shall be able to teach only in schools situated
in a school district that is located in a city having a
population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.
Beginning February 15, 2000, persons who have completed
the requirements for a standard alternative teaching
certificate under this Section shall be issued an Initial
Alternative Teaching Certificate valid for 4 years of
teaching and not renewable. At the end of the 4-year
validity period, these persons shall be eligible, on the same
basis as holders of an Initial Teaching Certificate issued
under subsection (b) of Section 21-2 of this Code, to apply
for a Standard Teaching Certificate, provided they meet the
requirements of subsection (c) of Section 21-2.
This alternative certification program shall be
implemented so that the first provisional alternative
teaching certificates issued under this Section are effective
upon the commencement of the 1997-1998 academic year and the
first standard alternative teaching certificates issued under
this Section are effective upon the commencement of the
1998-1999 academic year.
The State Board of Education, in cooperation with the
partnership establishing the Alternative Teacher
Certification program, shall adopt rules and regulations that
are consistent with this Section and that the State Board of
Education deems necessary to establish and implement the
program.
(Source: P.A. 89-708, eff. 2-14-97.)
Section 10. If and only if Senate Bill 556 of the 91st
General Assembly becomes law, the School Code is amended by
changing Section 21-2 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/21-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)
Sec. 21-2. Grades of certificates.
(a) Until February 15, 2000, all certificates issued
under this Article shall be State certificates valid, except
as limited in Section 21-1, in every school district coming
under the provisions of this Act and shall be limited in time
and designated as follows: Provisional vocational
certificate, temporary provisional vocational certificate,
early childhood certificate, elementary school certificate,
special certificate, high school certificate, school service
personnel certificate, administrative certificate,
provisional certificate, and substitute certificate. The
requirement of student teaching under close and competent
supervision for obtaining a teaching certificate may be
waived by the State Teacher Certification Board upon
presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence of 5
years successful teaching experience on a valid certificate
and graduation from a recognized institution of higher
learning with a bachelor's degree with not less than 120
semester hours and a minimum of 16 semester hours in
professional education.
(b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Beginning February
15, 2000, persons who (1) have completed an approved teacher
preparation program, (2) are recommended by an approved
teacher preparation program, (3) have successfully completed
the Initial Teaching Certification examinations required by
the State Board of Education, and (4) have met all other
criteria established by the State Board of Education in
consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board,
shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid for 4
years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this Code.
Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for categories
corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and
Special K-12, with special certification designations for
Special Education, Bilingual Education, fundamental learning
areas (including Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics,
Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health,
Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas designated
by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Teacher Certification Board.
(c) Standard Certificate. Beginning February 15, 2000,
persons who (1) have completed 4 years of teaching, as
defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial
Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate
and have met all other criteria established by the State
Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board, (2) have completed 4 years of teaching
on a valid equivalent certificate in another State or
territory of the United States, or have completed 4 years of
teaching in a nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary
school with an Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative
Teaching Certificate, and have met all other criteria
established by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board, or (3) were
issued teaching certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and
are renewing those certificates after February 15, 2000,
shall be issued a Standard Certificate valid for 5 years,
which may be renewed thereafter every 5 years by the State
Teacher Certification Board based on proof of continuing
education or professional development. Beginning July 1,
2003, persons who have completed 4 years of teaching, as
described in clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection (c), have
successfully completed the Standard Teaching Certificate
Examinations, and have met all other criteria established by
the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board, shall be issued Standard
Certificates. Standard Certificates shall be issued for
categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development
and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board.
(d) Master Certificate. Beginning February 15, 2000,
persons who have successfully achieved National Board
certification through the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master Certificate,
valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years
through compliance with requirements set forth by the State
Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board.
(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-653, eff. 7-29-98;
90-811, eff. 1-26-99; 91SB0556enrolled.)
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