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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 Sections
5 21B-30 and 21B-50 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
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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) Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act
12 of the 103rd General Assembly through August 31, 2025, no
13 candidate completing a teacher preparation program in this
14 State or candidate subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code is
15 required to pass a teacher performance assessment. Except as
16 otherwise provided in this Article, beginning on September 1,
17 2015 until the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
18 103rd General Assembly and beginning again on September 1,
19 2025, all candidates completing teacher preparation programs
20 in this State and all candidates subject to Section 21B-35 of
21 this Code are required to pass a teacher performance
22 assessment approved by the State Board of Education, in
23 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
24 Board. A candidate may not be required to submit test
25 materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, an
26 individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
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1 employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
2 designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
3 application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
4 refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
5 performance assessment under this subsection.
6 (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is
7 created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective
8 teacher performance assessment systems for implementation
9 across all educator preparation programs in this State, with
10 the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and
11 supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system.
12 Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial,
13 ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force
14 shall consist of all of the following members:
15 (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
16 President of the Senate.
17 (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
18 Minority Leader of the Senate.
19 (3) One member of the House of Representatives,
20 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
21 (4) One member of the House of Representatives,
22 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
23 Representatives.
24 (5) One member who represents a statewide professional
25 teachers' organization, appointed by the State
26 Superintendent of Education.
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1 (6) One member who represents a different statewide
2 professional teachers' organization, appointed by the
3 State Superintendent of Education.
4 (7) One member from a statewide organization
5 representing school principals, appointed by the State
6 Superintendent of Education.
7 (8) One member from a statewide organization
8 representing regional superintendents of schools,
9 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
10 (9) One member from a statewide organization
11 representing school administrators, appointed by the State
12 Superintendent of Education.
13 (10) One member representing a school district
14 organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the
15 State Superintendent of Education.
16 (11) One member of an association representing rural
17 and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent
18 of Education.
19 (12) One member representing a suburban school
20 district, appointed by the State Superintendent of
21 Education.
22 (13) One member from a statewide organization
23 representing school districts in the southern suburbs of
24 the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
25 of Education.
26 (14) One member from a statewide organization
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1 representing large unit school districts, appointed by the
2 State Superintendent of Education.
3 (15) One member from a statewide organization
4 representing school districts in the collar counties of
5 the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
6 of Education.
7 (16) Three members, each representing a different
8 public university in this State and each a current member
9 of the faculty of an approved educator preparation
10 program, appointed by the State Superintendent of
11 Education.
12 (17) Three members, each representing a different
13 4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and
14 each a current member of the faculty of an approved
15 educator preparation program, appointed by the State
16 Superintendent of Education.
17 (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education,
18 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
19 (19) One member representing a statewide policy
20 organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students
21 and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of
22 Education.
23 (20) One member representing a statewide organization
24 focused on research-based education policy to support a
25 school system that prepares all students for college, a
26 career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State
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1 Superintendent of Education.
2 (21) Two members representing an early childhood
3 advocacy organization, appointed by the State
4 Superintendent of Education.
5 (22) One member representing a statewide organization
6 that partners with educator preparation programs and
7 school districts to support the growth and development of
8 preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent
9 of Education.
10 (23) One member representing a statewide organization
11 that advocates for educational equity and racial justice
12 in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of
13 Education.
14 (24) One member representing a statewide organization
15 that represents school boards, appointed by the State
16 Superintendent of Education.
17 (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years,
18 served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State
19 Superintendent of Education.
20 Members of the Task Force shall serve without
21 compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of
22 the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent
23 meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force,
24 who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of
25 Education. The State Board of Education shall provide
26 administrative and other support to the Task Force.
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1 On or before August 1, 2024, the Task Force shall report on
2 its work, including recommendations on a teacher performance
3 assessment system in this State, to the State Board of
4 Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is
5 dissolved upon submission of this report.
6 (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
7 performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
8 time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
9 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
10 Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
11 organization or tests designed by the State Board of
12 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
13 and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
14 assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
15 tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
16 person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
17 of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
18 the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
19 score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
20 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
21 Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
22 administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
23 place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
24 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
25 Board.
26 The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
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1 the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
2 applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
3 subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
4 Code in the English language and in the language of the
5 transitional bilingual education program requested by the
6 applicant.
7 (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
8 provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
9 district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
10 (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
11 testing requirements under this Section shall include without
12 limitation provisions governing test selection, test
13 validation and determination of a passing score,
14 administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
15 applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
16 years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
17 accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
18 such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
19 year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
20 (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
21 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
22 (105 ILCS 5/21B-50)
23 Sec. 21B-50. Alternative Educator Licensure Program.
24 (a) There is established an alternative educator licensure
25 program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure
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1 Program for Teachers.
2 (b) The Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
3 Teachers may be offered by a recognized institution approved
4 to offer educator preparation programs by the State Board of
5 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
6 and Licensure Board.
7 The program shall be comprised of 4 phases:
8 (1) A course of study that at a minimum includes
9 instructional planning; instructional strategies,
10 including special education, reading, and English language
11 learning; classroom management; and the assessment of
12 students and use of data to drive instruction.
13 (2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's
14 assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a
15 co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must
16 hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an
17 alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to
18 enter the residency and must complete additional program
19 requirements that address required State and national
20 standards, pass the State Board's teacher performance
21 assessment, if required under Section 21B-30, no later
22 than the end of the first semester of the second year of
23 residency, as required under phase (3) of this subsection
24 (b), and be recommended by the principal or qualified
25 equivalent of a principal, as required under subsection
26 (d) of this Section, and the program coordinator to
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1 continue with the second year of the residency.
2 (3) A second year of residency, which shall include
3 the candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching
4 position for one school year. The candidate must be
5 assigned an experienced teacher to act as a mentor and
6 coach the candidate through the second year of residency.
7 (4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's
8 teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or
9 qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under
10 subsection (d) of this Section, and the program
11 coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency.
12 If there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about
13 the candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may
14 complete one additional year of residency teaching under a
15 professional development plan developed by the principal
16 or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At
17 the completion of the third year, a candidate must have
18 positive evaluations and a recommendation for full
19 licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent
20 and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator
21 License shall be issued.
22 Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to
23 satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content
24 matter requirements established by law.
25 (c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
26 Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of
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1 teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a
2 preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this
3 Code or charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic
4 school in which the chief administrator is required to have
5 the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in
6 this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required
7 to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public
8 school in this State, but may be renewed for a third year if
9 needed to complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program
10 for Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an
11 individual who meets all of the following requirements:
12 (1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college
13 or university with a bachelor's degree or higher.
14 (2) (Blank).
15 (3) Has completed a major in the content area if
16 seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if
17 seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special
18 education endorsement, has completed a major in the
19 content area of reading, English/language arts,
20 mathematics, or one of the sciences. If the individual
21 does not have a major in a content area for any level of
22 teaching, he or she must submit transcripts to the State
23 Board of Education to be reviewed for equivalency.
24 (4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection
25 (b) of this Section.
26 (5) Has passed a content area test required for the
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1 specific endorsement for admission into the program, as
2 required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
3 A candidate possessing the alternative provisional
4 educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any
5 other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school
6 who are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if
7 any, but a school is not required to provide these benefits
8 during the years of residency if the candidate is serving only
9 as a co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of
10 record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any
11 other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be
12 counted towards tenure.
13 (d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative
14 Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a
15 school district, including without limitation a preschool
16 educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or
17 charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in
18 this State in which the chief administrator is required to
19 have the licensure necessary to be a principal in a public
20 school in this State and in which a majority of the teachers
21 are required to have the licensure necessary to be instructors
22 in a public school in this State. A recognized institution
23 that partners with a public school district administering a
24 preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this
25 Code must require a principal to recommend or evaluate
26 candidates in the program. A recognized institution that
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1 partners with an eligible entity administering a preschool
2 educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that
3 is not a public school district must require a principal or
4 qualified equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate
5 candidates in the program. The program presented for approval
6 by the State Board of Education must demonstrate the supports
7 that are to be provided to assist the provisional teacher
8 during the 2-year residency period. These supports must
9 provide additional contact hours with mentors during the first
10 year of residency.
11 (e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection
12 (b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section
13 21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a
14 Professional Educator License.
15 (f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
16 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
17 rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the
18 Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
19 (Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-822, eff. 1-1-19;
20 101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19; 101-643, eff.
21 6-18-20; 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.)
22 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23 becoming law.
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