103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1488 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Tom Bennett SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, removes the provision that requires the teacher performance assessment to be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Provides instead that each teacher preparation program in this State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards. Effective July 1, 2023. LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1488 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Tom Bennett SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, removes the provision that requires the teacher performance assessment to be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Provides instead that each teacher preparation program in this State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards. Effective July 1, 2023. LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b A BILL FOR
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1488 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Tom Bennett SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-30
105 ILCS 5/21B-30
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, removes the provision that requires the teacher performance assessment to be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Provides instead that each teacher preparation program in this State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards. Effective July 1, 2023.
LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b
LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b
A BILL FOR
SB1488LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b SB1488 LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b
SB1488 LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b
1 AN ACT concerning education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 21B-30 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
7 Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
8 (a) (Blank).
9 (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
10 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
11 and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
12 required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
13 examinations and indicators must be based on national and
14 State professional teaching standards, as determined by the
15 State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
16 Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
17 Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
18 implement and administer this Section.
19 (c) (Blank).
20 (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
21 paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
22 applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
23 paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1488 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Tom Bennett SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-30
105 ILCS 5/21B-30
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, removes the provision that requires the teacher performance assessment to be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Provides instead that each teacher preparation program in this State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards. Effective July 1, 2023.
LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b
LRB103 27722 RJT 54099 b
A BILL FOR
105 ILCS 5/21B-30
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1 endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
2 requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
3 21B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
4 (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
5 required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
6 of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
7 shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
8 be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
9 until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
10 (e) (Blank).
11 (f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article,
12 beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing
13 teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates
14 subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a
15 teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of
16 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
17 and Licensure Board. Each teacher preparation program in this
18 State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher
19 effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards
20 in order for a candidate to meet the requirements of this
21 subsection (f). A candidate may not be required to submit test
22 materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, an
23 individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
24 employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
25 designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
26 application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
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1 refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
2 performance assessment under this subsection.
3 (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
4 performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
5 time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
6 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
7 Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
8 organization or tests designed by the State Board of
9 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
10 and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
11 assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
12 tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
13 person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
14 of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
15 the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
16 score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
17 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
18 Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
19 administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
20 place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
21 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
22 Board.
23 The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
24 the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
25 applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
26 subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
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1 Code in the English language and in the language of the
2 transitional bilingual education program requested by the
3 applicant.
4 (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
5 provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
6 district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
7 (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
8 testing requirements under this Section shall include without
9 limitation provisions governing test selection, test
10 validation and determination of a passing score,
11 administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
12 applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
13 years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
14 accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
15 such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
16 year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
17 (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
18 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
19 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
20 2023.
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