104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2950 Introduced , by Rep. Laura Faver Dias SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index Amends the School Code. Allows, if an assessment is determined to be non-uniform, a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an applicable content area test but who: holds at least a bachelor's degree; has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution; has passed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness; and has attempted an applicable content area test that has been determined to be non-uniform and has not attempted any uniform content area tests. Provides that the process by which the State Board of Education evaluates content area tests shall be public information and shall be made available on the website of the State Board. Requires the State Board to evaluate each content area test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content test is non-uniform. Provides that if a content test is determined to be non-uniform, the State Board shall: convene one or more committees to review the content, bias, and passing score requirements of that content test and recommend changes to improve uniformity; offer the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement as an option until the new assessment is determined to be uniform; provide an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did not pass the most recent version of the content area test; and implement a process by which candidates who attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for provisional licensure. Provides that if the State Board finds that the content area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have passed that content area exam. LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2950 Introduced , by Rep. Laura Faver Dias SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index Amends the School Code. Allows, if an assessment is determined to be non-uniform, a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an applicable content area test but who: holds at least a bachelor's degree; has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution; has passed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness; and has attempted an applicable content area test that has been determined to be non-uniform and has not attempted any uniform content area tests. Provides that the process by which the State Board of Education evaluates content area tests shall be public information and shall be made available on the website of the State Board. Requires the State Board to evaluate each content area test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content test is non-uniform. Provides that if a content test is determined to be non-uniform, the State Board shall: convene one or more committees to review the content, bias, and passing score requirements of that content test and recommend changes to improve uniformity; offer the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement as an option until the new assessment is determined to be uniform; provide an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did not pass the most recent version of the content area test; and implement a process by which candidates who attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for provisional licensure. Provides that if the State Board finds that the content area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have passed that content area exam. LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2950 Introduced , by Rep. Laura Faver Dias SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
See Index See Index
See Index
Amends the School Code. Allows, if an assessment is determined to be non-uniform, a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an applicable content area test but who: holds at least a bachelor's degree; has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution; has passed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness; and has attempted an applicable content area test that has been determined to be non-uniform and has not attempted any uniform content area tests. Provides that the process by which the State Board of Education evaluates content area tests shall be public information and shall be made available on the website of the State Board. Requires the State Board to evaluate each content area test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content test is non-uniform. Provides that if a content test is determined to be non-uniform, the State Board shall: convene one or more committees to review the content, bias, and passing score requirements of that content test and recommend changes to improve uniformity; offer the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement as an option until the new assessment is determined to be uniform; provide an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did not pass the most recent version of the content area test; and implement a process by which candidates who attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for provisional licensure. Provides that if the State Board finds that the content area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have passed that content area exam.
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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 Sections
5 21B-20 and 21B-30 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
7 Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
8 Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
9 whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
10 required to be licensed must have one of the following
11 licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
12 educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
13 teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2028, a short-term
14 substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
15 individuals certified or certificated or required to be
16 certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
17 also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed
18 under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
19 30 following one full year of the license being issued.
20 The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
22 rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
23 licenses and endorsements under this Section.
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2950 Introduced , by Rep. Laura Faver Dias SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
See Index See Index
See Index
Amends the School Code. Allows, if an assessment is determined to be non-uniform, a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an applicable content area test but who: holds at least a bachelor's degree; has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution; has passed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness; and has attempted an applicable content area test that has been determined to be non-uniform and has not attempted any uniform content area tests. Provides that the process by which the State Board of Education evaluates content area tests shall be public information and shall be made available on the website of the State Board. Requires the State Board to evaluate each content area test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content test is non-uniform. Provides that if a content test is determined to be non-uniform, the State Board shall: convene one or more committees to review the content, bias, and passing score requirements of that content test and recommend changes to improve uniformity; offer the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement as an option until the new assessment is determined to be uniform; provide an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did not pass the most recent version of the content area test; and implement a process by which candidates who attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for provisional licensure. Provides that if the State Board finds that the content area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have passed that content area exam.
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A BILL FOR
See Index
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1 (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
2 have successfully completed an approved educator
3 preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
4 the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
5 program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
6 testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
7 successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
8 the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
9 the exceptional child, including, without limitation,
10 children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
11 successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
12 and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
13 criteria established by rule of the State Board of
14 Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
15 All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30
16 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued.
17 The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
18 specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is
19 eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
20 endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
21 teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
22 preparation program through placement in a setting with
23 children from birth through grade 2, and the individual
24 may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
25 student teaching experience must meet the requirements of
26 and be approved by the individual's early childhood
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1 teacher preparation program.
2 Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
3 Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
4 shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
5 in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
6 content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
7 (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
8 License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
9 that limits the license holder to one particular position
10 or does not require completion of an approved educator
11 program or both.
12 An individual with an Educator License with
13 Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
14 any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
15 who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
16 An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
17 with the following endorsements:
18 (A) (Blank).
19 (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
20 alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
21 Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
22 applicant who, at the time of applying for the
23 endorsement, has done all of the following:
24 (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
25 college or university with a minimum of a
26 bachelor's degree.
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1 (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
2 the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
3 Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
4 Code.
5 (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
6 under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
7 The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
8 valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
9 third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
10 forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
11 (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
12 alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
13 an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
14 holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
15 superintendent in a school district's central office.
16 This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
17 who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
18 done all of the following:
19 (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
20 college or university with a minimum of a master's
21 degree in a management field other than education.
22 (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
23 years in a management level position in a field
24 other than education.
25 (iii) Successfully completed the first phase
26 of an alternative route to superintendent
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1 endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
2 of this Code.
3 (iv) Passed a content area test required under
4 Section 21B-30 of this Code.
5 The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
6 order to complete one full year of serving as a
7 superintendent or assistant superintendent.
8 (D) (Blank).
9 (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
10 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
11 with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
12 has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
13 regionally accredited institution of higher education
14 or an accredited trade and technical institution and
15 has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
16 education in each area to be taught.
17 The career and technical educator endorsement on
18 an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
19 June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
20 endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
21 An individual who holds a valid career and
22 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
23 with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
24 degree may substitute teach in career and technical
25 education classrooms.
26 An individual who holds a valid career and
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1 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
2 with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
3 privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
4 Educator License.
5 (F) (Blank).
6 (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
7 transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
8 Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
9 the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
10 with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
11 provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
12 all of the following requirements:
13 (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
14 writing ability in the language other than English
15 in which transitional bilingual education is
16 offered.
17 (ii) Has the ability to successfully
18 communicate in English.
19 (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
20 previous to his or her applying for a transitional
21 bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
22 comparable teaching certificate or comparable
23 authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
24 a degree from an institution of higher learning in
25 a foreign country that the State Educator
26 Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
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1 the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
2 regionally accredited institution of higher
3 learning in the United States.
4 A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
5 shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
6 is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
7 of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
8 renewed.
9 Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
10 endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
11 presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
12 replaced for any reason.
13 (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
14 alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
15 other than English in the public schools, an
16 individual who holds an Educator License with
17 Stipulations may also apply for a language
18 endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
19 satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
20 following requirements:
21 (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
22 endorsement.
23 (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
24 language for which the endorsement is to be issued
25 by passing the applicable language content test
26 required by the State Board of Education.
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1 (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
2 a regionally accredited institution of higher
3 education or, for individuals educated in a
4 country other than the United States, holds a
5 degree from an institution of higher learning in a
6 foreign country that the State Educator
7 Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
8 the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
9 regionally accredited institution of higher
10 learning in the United States.
11 (iv) (Blank).
12 A language endorsement on an Educator License with
13 Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
14 grade 12 for the same validity period as the
15 individual's transitional bilingual educator
16 endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
17 and shall not be renewed.
18 (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
19 international educator endorsement on an Educator
20 License with Stipulations may be issued to an
21 individual who is being recruited by a particular
22 school district that conducts formal recruitment
23 programs outside of the United States to secure the
24 services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
25 the following requirements:
26 (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
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1 bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
2 (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
3 grade level for which he or she will be employed.
4 (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
5 subject to be taught.
6 (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
7 language.
8 A holder of a visiting international educator
9 endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
10 shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
11 programs in the language that was the medium of
12 instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
13 provided that he or she passes the English Language
14 Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
15 skills in English identified by the State Board of
16 Education, in consultation with the State Educator
17 Preparation and Licensure Board.
18 A visiting international educator endorsement on
19 an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
20 years and shall not be renewed.
21 (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
22 educator endorsement on an Educator License with
23 Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
24 high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
25 (i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
26 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
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1 institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
2 paraprofessional competency test under subsection
3 (c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
4 of age and will be using the Educator License with
5 Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten
6 through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age
7 of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
8 paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
9 subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
10 endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
11 following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
12 may be renewed through application and payment of the
13 appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
14 this Code. An individual who holds only a
15 paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
16 to additional requirements in order to renew the
17 endorsement.
18 (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
19 business official endorsement on an Educator License
20 with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
21 qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
22 years of full-time administrative experience in school
23 business management or 2 years of university-approved
24 practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
25 hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
26 State Board of Education for the preparation of school
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1 business administrators and by passage of the
2 applicable State tests, including an applicable
3 content area test.
4 The chief school business official endorsement may
5 also be affixed to the Educator License with
6 Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
7 master's degree in business administration, finance,
8 accounting, or public administration and who completes
9 an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
10 business management from a regionally accredited
11 institution of higher education and passes the
12 applicable State tests, including an applicable
13 content area test. This endorsement shall be required
14 for any individual employed as a chief school business
15 official.
16 The chief school business official endorsement on
17 an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
18 June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
19 endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
20 license holder completes renewal requirements as
21 required for individuals who hold a Professional
22 Educator License endorsed for chief school business
23 official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
24 rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
25 Education.
26 The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
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1 necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
2 (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
3 in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
4 with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
5 completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
6 program at an Illinois institution of higher education
7 and who has not successfully completed an
8 evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
9 who meets all of the following requirements:
10 (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
11 (ii) Has completed an approved educator
12 preparation program at an Illinois institution.
13 (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
14 test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
15 (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
16 assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
17 minimum score on that assessment, as established
18 by the State Board of Education in consultation
19 with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
20 Board.
21 A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
22 Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
23 full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
24 be renewed.
25 (M) Provisional in-state educator. If an
26 assessment is determined to be non-uniform according
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1 to subsection (i-5) of 21B-30, a provisional in-state
2 educator endorsement on an Educator License with
3 Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
4 completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
5 program at an Illinois institution of higher education
6 and who has not successfully completed an applicable
7 content area test but who meets all of the following
8 requirements:
9 (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
10 (ii) Has completed an approved educator
11 preparation program at an Illinois institution.
12 (iii) Has passed an evidence-based assessment
13 of teacher effectiveness, as required by Section
14 21B-30. If an evidence-based assessment of teacher
15 effectiveness is not required by Section 21B-30 at
16 the time a candidate applies for this provisional
17 in-state educator endorsement on an Educator
18 License with Stipulations, candidates shall not be
19 eligible under this subsection.
20 (iv) Has attempted an applicable content area
21 test that has been determined to be non-uniform
22 per subsection (i-5) of 21B-30 and has not
23 attempted any uniform content area tests.
24 A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
25 Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
26 full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
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1 be renewed. (Blank).
2 (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
3 endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
4 may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
5 (O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
6 provisional career and technical educator endorsement
7 on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
8 to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
9 work experience in the skill for which the applicant
10 is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
11 board and regional office of education shall provide
12 verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
13 of Education at the time the application is submitted
14 that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
15 Educator License or an Educator License with
16 Stipulations with a career and technical educator
17 endorsement is available to teach and that actual
18 circumstances require such issuance.
19 A provisional career and technical educator
20 endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
21 is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
22 of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
23 An individual who holds a provisional career and
24 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
25 with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
26 career and technical education classrooms.
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1 An individual who holds a provisional career and
2 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
3 with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
4 privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
5 Educator License.
6 (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
7 License may be issued to qualified applicants for
8 substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
9 prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
10 Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
11 a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
12 degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
13 of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
14 educator preparation program in this State and have earned
15 at least 90 credit hours.
16 Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
17 Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
18 teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
19 has had his or her Professional Educator License or
20 Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
21 then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
22 Substitute Teaching License.
23 A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
24 licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
25 board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
26 contract because of an emergency situation, then a
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1 district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
2 than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
3 district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
4 office of education within 5 business days after the
5 employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
6 position. A district may continue to employ that same
7 substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
8 calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
9 is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
10 30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
11 written request with the appropriate regional office of
12 education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
13 that the position remains vacant and the district
14 continues to actively seek qualified candidates and
15 provides documentation that it has provided training
16 specific to the position, including training on meeting
17 the needs of students with disabilities and English
18 learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
19 granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
20 emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
21 has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
22 fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
23 capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
24 or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
25 candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
26 advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
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1 vacant position.
2 There is no limit on the number of days that a
3 substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
4 provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
5 than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
6 through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
7 days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
8 same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
9 Professional Educator License or Educator License with
10 Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
11 for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
12 school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
13 number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
14 apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
15 this Code.
16 A school district may not require an individual who
17 holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
18 License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
19 Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
20 (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
21 on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
22 apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
23 Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
24 Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
25 applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
26 public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
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1 Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible
2 for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
3 Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
4 completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
5 accredited institution of higher education.
6 Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
7 substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
8 individual has had his or her Professional Educator
9 License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
10 revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
11 Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
12 The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
13 Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
14 An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
15 License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
16 licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
17 absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
18 is under contract, a school district may not hire an
19 individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
20 License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
21 to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
22 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
23 holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
24 complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
25 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
26 school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
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1 Section are valid for 5 years.
2 (Source: P.A. 102-711, eff. 1-1-23; 102-712, eff. 4-27-22;
3 102-713, eff. 1-1-23; 102-717, eff. 4-29-22; 102-894, eff.
4 5-20-22; 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
5 103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23; 103-617, eff.
6 7-1-24.)
7 (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
8 Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
9 (a) (Blank).
10 (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
11 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
12 and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
13 required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
14 examinations and indicators must be based on national and
15 State professional teaching standards, as determined by the
16 State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
17 Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
18 Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
19 implement and administer this Section.
20 (c) (Blank).
21 (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
22 paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
23 applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
24 paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
25 endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
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1 requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
2 21B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
3 (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
4 required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
5 of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
6 shall be no exception to this requirement.
7 (d-5) The State Board shall consult with any applicable
8 vendors within 90 days after July 28, 2023 (the effective date
9 of Public Act 103-402) to develop a plan to transition the test
10 of content area knowledge in the endorsement area of
11 elementary education, grades one through 6, by July 1, 2026 to
12 a content area test that contains testing elements that cover
13 bilingualism, biliteracy, oral language development,
14 foundational literacy skills, and developmentally appropriate
15 higher-order comprehension and on which a valid and reliable
16 language and literacy subscore can be determined. The State
17 Board shall base its rules concerning the passing subscore on
18 the language and literacy portion of the test on the
19 recommended cut-score determined in the formal
20 standard-setting process. Candidates need not achieve a
21 particular subscore in the area of language and literacy. The
22 State Board shall aggregate and publish the number of
23 candidates in each preparation program who take the test and
24 the number who pass the language and literacy portion.
25 (e) (Blank).
26 (f) Beginning on August 4, 2023 (the effective date of
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1 Public Act 103-488) through August 31, 2025, no candidate
2 completing a teacher preparation program in this State or
3 candidate subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code is required
4 to pass a teacher performance assessment. Except as otherwise
5 provided in this Article, beginning on September 1, 2015 until
6 August 4, 2023 (the effective date of Public Act 103-488) and
7 beginning again on September 1, 2025, all candidates
8 completing teacher preparation programs in this State and all
9 candidates subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required
10 to pass a teacher performance assessment approved by the State
11 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
12 Preparation and Licensure Board. A candidate may not be
13 required to submit test materials by video submission. Subject
14 to appropriation, an individual who holds a Professional
15 Educator License and is employed for a minimum of one school
16 year by a school district designated as Tier 1 under Section
17 18-8.15 may, after application to the State Board, receive
18 from the State Board a refund for any costs associated with
19 completing the teacher performance assessment under this
20 subsection.
21 (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is
22 created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective
23 teacher performance assessment systems for implementation
24 across all educator preparation programs in this State, with
25 the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and
26 supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system.
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1 Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial,
2 ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force
3 shall consist of all of the following members:
4 (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
5 President of the Senate.
6 (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
7 Minority Leader of the Senate.
8 (3) One member of the House of Representatives,
9 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
10 (4) One member of the House of Representatives,
11 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
12 Representatives.
13 (5) One member who represents a statewide professional
14 teachers' organization, appointed by the State
15 Superintendent of Education.
16 (6) One member who represents a different statewide
17 professional teachers' organization, appointed by the
18 State Superintendent of Education.
19 (7) One member from a statewide organization
20 representing school principals, appointed by the State
21 Superintendent of Education.
22 (8) One member from a statewide organization
23 representing regional superintendents of schools,
24 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
25 (9) One member from a statewide organization
26 representing school administrators, appointed by the State
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1 Superintendent of Education.
2 (10) One member representing a school district
3 organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the
4 State Superintendent of Education.
5 (11) One member of an association representing rural
6 and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent
7 of Education.
8 (12) One member representing a suburban school
9 district, appointed by the State Superintendent of
10 Education.
11 (13) One member from a statewide organization
12 representing school districts in the southern suburbs of
13 the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
14 of Education.
15 (14) One member from a statewide organization
16 representing large unit school districts, appointed by the
17 State Superintendent of Education.
18 (15) One member from a statewide organization
19 representing school districts in the collar counties of
20 the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
21 of Education.
22 (16) Three members, each representing a different
23 public university in this State and each a current member
24 of the faculty of an approved educator preparation
25 program, appointed by the State Superintendent of
26 Education.
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1 (17) Three members, each representing a different
2 4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and
3 each a current member of the faculty of an approved
4 educator preparation program, appointed by the State
5 Superintendent of Education.
6 (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education,
7 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
8 (19) One member representing a statewide policy
9 organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students
10 and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of
11 Education.
12 (20) One member representing a statewide organization
13 focused on research-based education policy to support a
14 school system that prepares all students for college, a
15 career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State
16 Superintendent of Education.
17 (21) Two members representing an early childhood
18 advocacy organization, appointed by the State
19 Superintendent of Education.
20 (22) One member representing a statewide organization
21 that partners with educator preparation programs and
22 school districts to support the growth and development of
23 preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent
24 of Education.
25 (23) One member representing a statewide organization
26 that advocates for educational equity and racial justice
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1 in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of
2 Education.
3 (24) One member representing a statewide organization
4 that represents school boards, appointed by the State
5 Superintendent of Education.
6 (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years,
7 served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State
8 Superintendent of Education.
9 Members of the Task Force shall serve without
10 compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of
11 the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent
12 meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force,
13 who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of
14 Education. The State Board of Education shall provide
15 administrative and other support to the Task Force.
16 On or before October 31, 2024, the Task Force shall report
17 on its work, including recommendations on a teacher
18 performance assessment system in this State, to the State
19 Board of Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is
20 dissolved upon submission of this report.
21 (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
22 performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
23 time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
24 consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
25 Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
26 organization or tests designed by the State Board of
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1 Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
2 and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
3 assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
4 tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
5 person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
6 of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
7 the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
8 score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
9 Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
10 Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
11 Education's rules for scoring the content area knowledge test
12 may include scoring and retaking of each test section
13 separately and independently. The tests shall be administered
14 not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and place as may be
15 designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
16 with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
17 The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
18 the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
19 applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
20 subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
21 Code in the English language and in the language of the
22 transitional bilingual education program requested by the
23 applicant.
24 (g-5) The process by which the State Board of Education,
25 or any entity designated by the State Board of Education,
26 evaluates content area tests to determine content validity,
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1 absence of bias, or scores required to pass shall be public
2 information and shall be made available on the website of the
3 State Board of Education, including, but not limited to:
4 (1) details related to the process by which members
5 are selected to form a committee or group to make such
6 determinations;
7 (2) the names, titles, and organizational affiliations
8 of the members of any such group;
9 (3) the agendas and minutes of each meeting of any
10 such group, except that the complete text of individual
11 test questions shall not be public information if they
12 remain in the bank of questions to be used in active
13 content area tests; however, minutes of the discussion of
14 the content of those individual questions shall be public
15 to the maximum extent practicable that does not provide
16 candidates an advantage in correctly answering those
17 questions; and
18 (4) any determinations, recommendations, or decisions
19 made by any such group regarding tests or individual test
20 items.
21 (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
22 provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
23 district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
24 (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
25 testing requirements under this Section shall include, without
26 limitation, provisions governing test selection, test
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1 validation, and determination of a passing score,
2 administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
3 applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
4 years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
5 accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
6 such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
7 year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
8 (i-5) The State Board shall evaluate each content area
9 test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but
10 not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content
11 test is non-uniform if, in the first fiscal year in which it is
12 available:
13 (1) the overall percentage of candidates passing that
14 form of the content area test is 10 or more percentage
15 points lower than the percentage of candidates who passed
16 the most recent uniform content area test required by the
17 State Board for the same license or endorsement in either
18 of the 2 preceding fiscal years; or
19 (2) the percentage of candidates, in any demographic
20 subgroup comprising at least 10 total test attempts,
21 passing that form of the content area test is 15 or more
22 percentage points lower than the percentage of candidates
23 in that demographic subgroup who passed the previous form
24 of that content area test in either of the 2 preceding
25 fiscal years for which that demographic subgroup comprised
26 at least 10 total test attempts.
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1 An assessment first introduced prior to January 1, 2017
2 shall be considered uniform, and an assessment introduced on
3 or after January 1, 2017 that does not meet the criteria in
4 paragraph (1) or (2) shall be considered uniform.
5 If a content test is determined to be non-uniform as
6 described in this Section, the State Board of Education shall:
7 (1) convene, or require any applicable vendors to
8 convene, one or more committees to review the content,
9 bias, and passing score requirements of that content test
10 and recommend changes to improve uniformity, subject to
11 the transparency guidelines in subsection (g-5);
12 (2) offer, or require any applicable vendors to offer,
13 the most recent uniform content area test required by the
14 State Board for the same license or endorsement as an
15 option until the new assessment is determined to be
16 uniform;
17 (3) provide, or require any applicable vendors to
18 provide, an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform
19 content area test required by the State Board for the same
20 license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did
21 not pass the most recent version of the content area test,
22 at no cost to these candidates; and
23 (4) implement a process by which candidates who
24 attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for
25 provisional licensure as described in paragraph (M) of
26 subsection (2) of Section 21-20B.
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1 (i-10) If the State Board finds that the content area test
2 forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the
3 level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those
4 exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content
5 area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025,
6 and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content
7 area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of
8 the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content
9 area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have
10 passed that content area exam.
11 This subsection is inoperable when each of the content
12 area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 have been
13 replaced by a new and uniform version of that content area
14 test.
15 (Source: P.A. 102-301, eff. 8-26-21; 103-402, eff. 7-28-23;
16 103-488, eff. 8-4-23; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-780, eff.
17 8-2-24; 103-811, eff. 8-9-24; 103-846, eff. 8-9-24.)
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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
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