IL
Illinois House Bill HB1215

Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB1215 Compare Versions

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11 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB1215 Introduced , by Rep. Dan Caulkins SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-40 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military personnel may be charged an application fee under specified provisions. Effective July 1, 2023. LRB103 25120 RJT 51457 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB1215 Introduced , by Rep. Dan Caulkins SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-40 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-40 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military personnel may be charged an application fee under specified provisions. Effective July 1, 2023. LRB103 25120 RJT 51457 b LRB103 25120 RJT 51457 b A BILL FOR
22 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB1215 Introduced , by Rep. Dan Caulkins SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
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66 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military personnel may be charged an application fee under specified provisions. Effective July 1, 2023.
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1212 1 AN ACT concerning education.
1313 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
1414 3 represented in the General Assembly:
1515 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
1616 5 21B-30 and 21B-40 as follows:
1717 6 (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
1818 7 Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
1919 8 (a) (Blank).
2020 9 (a-5) In this Section:
2121 10 "Former or active first responder" means a person who
2222 11 either is currently serving or has formerly served as a law
2323 12 enforcement officer, a firefighter, or emergency medical
2424 13 services personnel as defined in Section 3.5 of the Emergency
2525 14 Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act.
2626 15 "Military personnel" means a person who is currently a
2727 16 member or who is a retired and honorably discharged member of
2828 17 the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or
2929 18 the Illinois National Guard.
3030 19 (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
3131 20 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
3232 21 and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
3333 22 required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
3434 23 examinations and indicators must be based on national and
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4242 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military personnel may be charged an application fee under specified provisions. Effective July 1, 2023.
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4545 A BILL FOR
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7171 1 State professional teaching standards, as determined by the
7272 2 State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
7373 3 Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
7474 4 Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
7575 5 implement and administer this Section.
7676 6 (c) (Blank).
7777 7 (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
7878 8 paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
7979 9 applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
8080 10 paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
8181 11 endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
8282 12 requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
8383 13 21B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
8484 14 (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
8585 15 required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
8686 16 of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
8787 17 shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
8888 18 be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
8989 19 until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
9090 20 Subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered
9191 21 either a former or active first responder or military
9292 22 personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with
9393 23 completing a test of content area knowledge under this
9494 24 subsection (d).
9595 25 (e) (Blank).
9696 26 (f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article,
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107107 1 beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing
108108 2 teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates
109109 3 subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a
110110 4 teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of
111111 5 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
112112 6 and Licensure Board. A candidate may not be required to submit
113113 7 test materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation,
114114 8 an individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
115115 9 employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
116116 10 designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
117117 11 application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
118118 12 refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
119119 13 performance assessment under this subsection. Subject to
120120 14 appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former
121121 15 or active first responder or military personnel shall receive
122122 16 a refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
123123 17 performance assessment under this subsection (f).
124124 18 (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
125125 19 performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
126126 20 time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
127127 21 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
128128 22 Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
129129 23 organization or tests designed by the State Board of
130130 24 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
131131 25 and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
132132 26 assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
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143143 1 tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
144144 2 person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
145145 3 of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
146146 4 the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
147147 5 score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
148148 6 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
149149 7 Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
150150 8 administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
151151 9 place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
152152 10 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
153153 11 Board.
154154 12 The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
155155 13 the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
156156 14 applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
157157 15 subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
158158 16 Code in the English language and in the language of the
159159 17 transitional bilingual education program requested by the
160160 18 applicant.
161161 19 (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
162162 20 provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
163163 21 district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
164164 22 (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
165165 23 testing requirements under this Section shall include without
166166 24 limitation provisions governing test selection, test
167167 25 validation and determination of a passing score,
168168 26 administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
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179179 1 applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
180180 2 years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
181181 3 accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
182182 4 such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
183183 5 year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
184184 6 (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
185185 7 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
186186 8 (105 ILCS 5/21B-40)
187187 9 Sec. 21B-40. Fees.
188188 10 (a) Beginning with the start of the new licensure system
189189 11 established pursuant to this Article, the following fees shall
190190 12 be charged to applicants:
191191 13 (1) A $100 application fee for a Professional Educator
192192 14 License or an Educator License with Stipulations.
193193 15 (1.5) A $50 application fee for a Substitute Teaching
194194 16 License. If the application for a Substitute Teaching
195195 17 License is made and granted after July 1, 2017, the
196196 18 licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee
197197 19 within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall
198198 20 be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if
199199 21 the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of
200200 22 Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the
201201 23 Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full school days
202202 24 within one year of issuance.
203203 25 (1.7) A $25 application fee for a Short-Term
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214214 1 Substitute Teaching License. The Short-Term Substitute
215215 2 Teaching License must be registered in at least one region
216216 3 in this State, but does not require a registration fee.
217217 4 The licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee
218218 5 within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall
219219 6 be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if
220220 7 the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of
221221 8 Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the
222222 9 Short-Term Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full
223223 10 school days within one year of issuance. The application
224224 11 fee for a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License shall be
225225 12 waived when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a
226226 13 public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
227227 14 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
228228 15 (2) A $150 application fee for individuals who have
229229 16 not been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator
230230 17 preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher
231231 18 education and are seeking any of the licenses set forth in
232232 19 subdivision (1) of this subsection (a).
233233 20 (3) A $50 application fee for each endorsement or
234234 21 approval.
235235 22 (4) A $10 per year registration fee for the course of
236236 23 the validity cycle to register the license, which shall be
237237 24 paid to the regional office of education having
238238 25 supervision and control over the school in which the
239239 26 individual holding the license is to be employed. If the
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250250 1 individual holding the license is not yet employed, then
251251 2 the license may be registered in any county in this State.
252252 3 The registration fee must be paid in its entirety the
253253 4 first time the individual registers the license for a
254254 5 particular validity period in a single region. No
255255 6 additional fee may be charged for that validity period
256256 7 should the individual subsequently register the license in
257257 8 additional regions. An individual must register the
258258 9 license (i) immediately after initial issuance of the
259259 10 license and (ii) at the beginning of each renewal cycle if
260260 11 the individual has satisfied the renewal requirements
261261 12 required under this Code.
262262 13 Beginning on July 1, 2017, at the beginning of each
263263 14 renewal cycle, individuals who hold a Substitute Teaching
264264 15 License may apply for a reimbursement of the registration
265265 16 fee within 18 months of renewal and shall be issued that
266266 17 reimbursement by the State Board of Education from funds
267267 18 appropriated for that purpose if the licensee provides
268268 19 evidence to the State Board of Education that the licensee
269269 20 has taught pursuant to the Substitute Teaching License at
270270 21 least 10 full school days within one year of renewal.
271271 22 (5) The license renewal fee for an Educator License
272272 23 with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator
273273 24 endorsement is $25.
274274 25 (a-5) No former or active first responder or military
275275 26 personnel, as defined in Section 21B-30 of this Code, may be
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286286 1 charged an application fee under subdivision (1), (1.5),
287287 2 (1.7), (2), or (3) of subsection (a) of this Section.
288288 3 (b) All application fees paid pursuant to subdivisions (1)
289289 4 through (3) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be
290290 5 deposited into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund and
291291 6 shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of
292292 7 Education to provide the technology and human resources
293293 8 necessary for the timely and efficient processing of
294294 9 applications and for the renewal of licenses. Funds available
295295 10 from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund may also be
296296 11 used by the State Board of Education to support the
297297 12 recruitment and retention of educators, to support educator
298298 13 preparation programs as they seek national accreditation, and
299299 14 to provide professional development aligned with the
300300 15 requirements set forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code. A
301301 16 majority of the funds in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving
302302 17 Fund must be dedicated to the timely and efficient processing
303303 18 of applications and for the renewal of licenses. The Teacher
304304 19 Certificate Fee Revolving Fund is not subject to
305305 20 administrative charge transfers, authorized under Section 8h
306306 21 of the State Finance Act, from the Teacher Certificate Fee
307307 22 Revolving Fund into any other fund of this State, and moneys in
308308 23 the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund shall not revert
309309 24 back to the General Revenue Fund at any time.
310310 25 The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the
311311 26 registration fees paid pursuant to subdivision (4) of
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322322 1 subsection (a) of this Section into the institute fund
323323 2 established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code.
324324 3 (c) The State Board of Education and each regional office
325325 4 of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience
326326 5 fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of license
327327 6 fees. This service or convenience fee shall not exceed the
328328 7 amount required by the credit card processing company or
329329 8 vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or
330330 9 regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee
331331 10 must be paid to that company or vendor.
332332 11 (d) If, at the time a certificate issued under Article 21
333333 12 of this Code is exchanged for a license issued under this
334334 13 Article, a person has paid registration fees for any years of
335335 14 the validity period of the certificate and these years have
336336 15 not expired when the certificate is exchanged, then those fees
337337 16 must be applied to the registration of the new license.
338338 17 (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19;
339339 18 102-867, eff. 5-13-22.)
340340 19 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
341341 20 2023.
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