103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB3684 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that if the State Board declares a teacher shortage, then an applicant shall be deemed to have passed a test of content area knowledge. Provides that the State Board shall adopt rules to define a teacher shortage, and shall post and publicly display this definition on the State Board's Internet website. LRB103 37590 RJT 67716 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB3684 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that if the State Board declares a teacher shortage, then an applicant shall be deemed to have passed a test of content area knowledge. Provides that the State Board shall adopt rules to define a teacher shortage, and shall post and publicly display this definition on the State Board's Internet website. LRB103 37590 RJT 67716 b LRB103 37590 RJT 67716 b A BILL FOR
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB3684 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin 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. Provides that if the State Board declares a teacher shortage, then an applicant shall be deemed to have passed a test of content area knowledge. Provides that the State Board shall adopt rules to define a teacher shortage, and shall post and publicly display this definition on the State Board's Internet website.
LRB103 37590 RJT 67716 b LRB103 37590 RJT 67716 b
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A BILL FOR
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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 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 SB3684 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin 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. Provides that if the State Board declares a teacher shortage, then an applicant shall be deemed to have passed a test of content area knowledge. Provides that the State Board shall adopt rules to define a teacher shortage, and shall post and publicly display this definition on the State Board's Internet website.
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LRB103 37590 RJT 67716 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. If the
7 State Board declares a teacher shortage, then an applicant
8 shall be deemed to have passed a test of content area knowledge
9 under this Section. The State Board shall adopt rules to
10 define a teacher shortage, and shall post and publicly display
11 this definition on the State Board's Internet website. There
12 shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
13 be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
14 until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
15 (d-5) The State Board shall consult with any applicable
16 vendors within 90 days after July 28, 2023 (the effective date
17 of Public Act 103-402) this amendatory Act of the 103rd
18 General Assembly to develop a plan to transition the test of
19 content area knowledge in the endorsement area of elementary
20 education, grades one through 6, by July 1, 2026 to a content
21 area test that contains testing elements that cover
22 bilingualism, biliteracy, oral language development,
23 foundational literacy skills, and developmentally appropriate
24 higher-order comprehension and on which a valid and reliable
25 language and literacy subscore can be determined. The State
26 Board shall base its rules concerning the passing subscore on
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1 the language and literacy portion of the test on the
2 recommended cut-score determined in the formal
3 standard-setting process. Candidates need not achieve a
4 particular subscore in the area of language and literacy. The
5 State Board shall aggregate and publish the number of
6 candidates in each preparation program who take the test and
7 the number who pass the language and literacy portion.
8 (e) (Blank).
9 (f) Beginning on August 4, 2023 (the effective date of
10 Public Act 103-488) this amendatory Act of the 103rd General
11 Assembly through August 31, 2025, no candidate completing a
12 teacher preparation program in this State or candidate subject
13 to Section 21B-35 of this Code is required to pass a teacher
14 performance assessment. Except as otherwise provided in this
15 Article, beginning on September 1, 2015 until August 4, 2023
16 (the effective date of Public Act 103-488) this amendatory Act
17 of the 103rd General Assembly and beginning again on September
18 1, 2025, all candidates completing teacher preparation
19 programs in this State and all candidates subject to Section
20 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a teacher performance
21 assessment approved by the State Board of Education, in
22 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
23 Board. A candidate may not be required to submit test
24 materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, an
25 individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
26 employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
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1 designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
2 application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a
3 refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
4 performance assessment under this subsection.
5 (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is
6 created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective
7 teacher performance assessment systems for implementation
8 across all educator preparation programs in this State, with
9 the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and
10 supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system.
11 Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial,
12 ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force
13 shall consist of all of the following members:
14 (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
15 President of the Senate.
16 (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
17 Minority Leader of the Senate.
18 (3) One member of the House of Representatives,
19 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
20 (4) One member of the House of Representatives,
21 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
22 Representatives.
23 (5) One member who represents a statewide professional
24 teachers' organization, appointed by the State
25 Superintendent of Education.
26 (6) One member who represents a different statewide
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1 professional teachers' organization, appointed by the
2 State Superintendent of Education.
3 (7) One member from a statewide organization
4 representing school principals, appointed by the State
5 Superintendent of Education.
6 (8) One member from a statewide organization
7 representing regional superintendents of schools,
8 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
9 (9) One member from a statewide organization
10 representing school administrators, appointed by the State
11 Superintendent of Education.
12 (10) One member representing a school district
13 organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the
14 State Superintendent of Education.
15 (11) One member of an association representing rural
16 and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent
17 of Education.
18 (12) One member representing a suburban school
19 district, appointed by the State Superintendent of
20 Education.
21 (13) One member from a statewide organization
22 representing school districts in the southern suburbs of
23 the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
24 of Education.
25 (14) One member from a statewide organization
26 representing large unit school districts, appointed by the
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1 State Superintendent of Education.
2 (15) One member from a statewide organization
3 representing school districts in the collar counties of
4 the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
5 of Education.
6 (16) Three members, each representing a different
7 public university in this State and each a current member
8 of the faculty of an approved educator preparation
9 program, appointed by the State Superintendent of
10 Education.
11 (17) Three members, each representing a different
12 4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and
13 each a current member of the faculty of an approved
14 educator preparation program, appointed by the State
15 Superintendent of Education.
16 (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education,
17 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
18 (19) One member representing a statewide policy
19 organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students
20 and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of
21 Education.
22 (20) One member representing a statewide organization
23 focused on research-based education policy to support a
24 school system that prepares all students for college, a
25 career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State
26 Superintendent of Education.
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1 (21) Two members representing an early childhood
2 advocacy organization, appointed by the State
3 Superintendent of Education.
4 (22) One member representing a statewide organization
5 that partners with educator preparation programs and
6 school districts to support the growth and development of
7 preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent
8 of Education.
9 (23) One member representing a statewide organization
10 that advocates for educational equity and racial justice
11 in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of
12 Education.
13 (24) One member representing a statewide organization
14 that represents school boards, appointed by the State
15 Superintendent of Education.
16 (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years,
17 served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State
18 Superintendent of Education.
19 Members of the Task Force shall serve without
20 compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of
21 the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent
22 meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force,
23 who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of
24 Education. The State Board of Education shall provide
25 administrative and other support to the Task Force.
26 On or before August 1, 2024, the Task Force shall report on
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1 its work, including recommendations on a teacher performance
2 assessment system in this State, to the State Board of
3 Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is
4 dissolved upon submission of this report.
5 (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
6 performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
7 time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
8 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
9 Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
10 organization or tests designed by the State Board of
11 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
12 and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
13 assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
14 tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
15 person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
16 of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
17 the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
18 score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
19 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
20 Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
21 administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
22 place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
23 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
24 Board.
25 The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
26 the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
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