104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1850 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Mary Edly-Allen SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning teacher evaluation plans, provides that for teachers not in contractual continued service who participate in a new teacher induction and mentoring program established by the school district in which they are employed, non-evaluative mentor observation and feedback may be used in place of one evaluation observation. LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1850 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Mary Edly-Allen SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning teacher evaluation plans, provides that for teachers not in contractual continued service who participate in a new teacher induction and mentoring program established by the school district in which they are employed, non-evaluative mentor observation and feedback may be used in place of one evaluation observation. LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1850 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Mary Edly-Allen SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning teacher evaluation plans, provides that for teachers not in contractual continued service who participate in a new teacher induction and mentoring program established by the school district in which they are employed, non-evaluative mentor observation and feedback may be used in place of one evaluation observation.
LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
A BILL FOR
SB1850LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 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 24A-5 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/24A-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5)
7 Sec. 24A-5. Content of evaluation plans. This Section does
8 not apply to teachers assigned to schools identified in an
9 agreement entered into between the board of a school district
10 operating under Article 34 of this Code and the exclusive
11 representative of the district's teachers in accordance with
12 Section 34-85c of this Code.
13 Each school district to which this Article applies shall
14 establish a teacher evaluation plan which ensures that each
15 teacher in contractual continued service is evaluated at least
16 once in the course of every 2 or 3 school years as provided in
17 this Section.
18 Each school district shall establish a teacher evaluation
19 plan that ensures that:
20 (1) each teacher not in contractual continued service
21 is evaluated at least once every school year; and
22 (2) except as otherwise provided in this Section, each
23 teacher in contractual continued service is evaluated at
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1850 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Mary Edly-Allen SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning teacher evaluation plans, provides that for teachers not in contractual continued service who participate in a new teacher induction and mentoring program established by the school district in which they are employed, non-evaluative mentor observation and feedback may be used in place of one evaluation observation.
LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
A BILL FOR
105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5
LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 2 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 2 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 2 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 least once in the course of every 2 school years. However,
2 any teacher in contractual continued service whose
3 performance is rated as either "needs improvement" or
4 "unsatisfactory" must be evaluated at least once in the
5 school year following the receipt of such rating.
6 No later than September 1, 2022, each school district must
7 establish a teacher evaluation plan that ensures that each
8 teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is
9 rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is evaluated at
10 least once in the course of the 3 school years after receipt of
11 the rating and implement an informal teacher observation plan
12 established by agency rule and by agreement of the joint
13 committee established under subsection (b) of Section 24A-4 of
14 this Code that ensures that each teacher in contractual
15 continued service whose performance is rated as either
16 "excellent" or "proficient" is informally observed at least
17 once in the course of the 2 school years after receipt of the
18 rating.
19 For the 2022-2023 school year only, if the Governor has
20 declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant
21 to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act,
22 a school district may waive the evaluation requirement of all
23 teachers in contractual continued service whose performances
24 were rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the
25 last school year in which the teachers were evaluated under
26 this Section.
SB1850 - 2 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 3 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 3 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 3 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section
2 or any other Section of this Code, a principal shall not be
3 prohibited from evaluating any teachers within a school during
4 his or her first year as principal of such school. If a
5 first-year principal exercises this option in a school
6 district where the evaluation plan provides for a teacher in
7 contractual continued service to be evaluated once in the
8 course of every 2 or 3 school years, as applicable, then a new
9 2-year or 3-year evaluation plan must be established.
10 For teachers not in contractual continued service who
11 participate in a new teacher induction and mentoring program
12 established by the school district in which they are employed,
13 non-evaluative mentor observation and feedback may be used in
14 place of one evaluation observation.
15 The evaluation plan shall comply with the requirements of
16 this Section and of any rules adopted by the State Board of
17 Education pursuant to this Section.
18 The plan shall include a description of each teacher's
19 duties and responsibilities and of the standards to which that
20 teacher is expected to conform, and shall include at least the
21 following components:
22 (a) personal observation of the teacher in the
23 classroom by the evaluator, unless the teacher has no
24 classroom duties.
25 (b) consideration of the teacher's attendance,
26 planning, instructional methods, classroom management,
SB1850 - 3 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 4 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 4 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 4 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 where relevant, and competency in the subject matter
2 taught.
3 (c) by no later than the applicable implementation
4 date, consideration of student growth as a significant
5 factor in the rating of the teacher's performance.
6 (d) prior to September 1, 2012, rating of the
7 performance of teachers in contractual continued service
8 as either:
9 (i) "excellent", "satisfactory" or
10 "unsatisfactory"; or
11 (ii) "excellent", "proficient", "needs
12 improvement" or "unsatisfactory".
13 (e) on and after September 1, 2012, rating of the
14 performance of all teachers as "excellent", "proficient",
15 "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory".
16 (f) specification as to the teacher's strengths and
17 weaknesses, with supporting reasons for the comments made.
18 (g) inclusion of a copy of the evaluation in the
19 teacher's personnel file and provision of a copy to the
20 teacher.
21 (h) within 30 school days after the completion of an
22 evaluation rating a teacher in contractual continued
23 service as "needs improvement", development by the
24 evaluator, in consultation with the teacher, and taking
25 into account the teacher's ongoing on-going professional
26 responsibilities including his or her regular teaching
SB1850 - 4 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 5 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 5 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 5 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 assignments, of a professional development plan directed
2 to the areas that need improvement and any supports that
3 the district will provide to address the areas identified
4 as needing improvement.
5 (i) within 30 school days after completion of an
6 evaluation rating a teacher in contractual continued
7 service as "unsatisfactory", development and commencement
8 by the district of a remediation plan designed to correct
9 deficiencies cited, provided the deficiencies are deemed
10 remediable. In all school districts the remediation plan
11 for unsatisfactory, tenured teachers shall provide for 90
12 school days of remediation within the classroom, unless an
13 applicable collective bargaining agreement provides for a
14 shorter duration. In all school districts evaluations
15 issued pursuant to this Section shall be issued within 10
16 days after the conclusion of the respective remediation
17 plan. However, the school board or other governing
18 authority of the district shall not lose jurisdiction to
19 discharge a teacher in the event the evaluation is not
20 issued within 10 days after the conclusion of the
21 respective remediation plan.
22 (j) participation in the remediation plan by the
23 teacher in contractual continued service rated
24 "unsatisfactory", an evaluator and a consulting teacher
25 selected by the evaluator of the teacher who was rated
26 "unsatisfactory", which consulting teacher is an
SB1850 - 5 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 6 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 6 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 6 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 educational employee as defined in the Illinois
2 Educational Labor Relations Act, has at least 5 years'
3 teaching experience, and a reasonable familiarity with the
4 assignment of the teacher being evaluated, and who
5 received an "excellent" rating on his or her most recent
6 evaluation. Where no teachers who meet these criteria are
7 available within the district, the district shall request
8 and the applicable regional office of education shall
9 supply, to participate in the remediation process, an
10 individual who meets these criteria.
11 In a district having a population of less than 500,000
12 with an exclusive bargaining agent, the bargaining agent
13 may, if it so chooses, supply a roster of qualified
14 teachers from whom the consulting teacher is to be
15 selected. That roster shall, however, contain the names of
16 at least 5 teachers, each of whom meets the criteria for
17 consulting teacher with regard to the teacher being
18 evaluated, or the names of all teachers so qualified if
19 that number is less than 5. In the event of a dispute as to
20 qualification, the State Board shall determine
21 qualification.
22 (k) a mid-point and final evaluation by an evaluator
23 during and at the end of the remediation period,
24 immediately following receipt of a remediation plan
25 provided for under subsections (i) and (j) of this
26 Section. Each evaluation shall assess the teacher's
SB1850 - 6 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 7 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 7 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 7 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 performance during the time period since the prior
2 evaluation; provided that the last evaluation shall also
3 include an overall evaluation of the teacher's performance
4 during the remediation period. A written copy of the
5 evaluations and ratings, in which any deficiencies in
6 performance and recommendations for correction are
7 identified, shall be provided to and discussed with the
8 teacher within 10 school days after the date of the
9 evaluation, unless an applicable collective bargaining
10 agreement provides to the contrary. These subsequent
11 evaluations shall be conducted by an evaluator. The
12 consulting teacher shall provide advice to the teacher
13 rated "unsatisfactory" on how to improve teaching skills
14 and to successfully complete the remediation plan. The
15 consulting teacher shall participate in developing the
16 remediation plan, but the final decision as to the
17 evaluation shall be done solely by the evaluator, unless
18 an applicable collective bargaining agreement provides to
19 the contrary. Evaluations at the conclusion of the
20 remediation process shall be separate and distinct from
21 the required annual evaluations of teachers and shall not
22 be subject to the guidelines and procedures relating to
23 those annual evaluations. The evaluator may but is not
24 required to use the forms provided for the annual
25 evaluation of teachers in the district's evaluation plan.
26 (l) reinstatement to the evaluation schedule set forth
SB1850 - 7 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 8 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 8 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 8 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 in the district's evaluation plan for any teacher in
2 contractual continued service who achieves a rating equal
3 to or better than "satisfactory" or "proficient" in the
4 school year following a rating of "needs improvement" or
5 "unsatisfactory".
6 (m) dismissal in accordance with subsection (d) of
7 Section 24-12 or Section 24-16.5 or 34-85 of this Code of
8 any teacher who fails to complete any applicable
9 remediation plan with a rating equal to or better than a
10 "satisfactory" or "proficient" rating. Districts and
11 teachers subject to dismissal hearings are precluded from
12 compelling the testimony of consulting teachers at such
13 hearings under subsection (d) of Section 24-12 or Section
14 24-16.5 or 34-85 of this Code, either as to the rating
15 process or for opinions of performances by teachers under
16 remediation.
17 (n) After the implementation date of an evaluation
18 system for teachers in a district as specified in Section
19 24A-2.5 of this Code, if a teacher in contractual
20 continued service successfully completes a remediation
21 plan following a rating of "unsatisfactory" in an overall
22 performance evaluation received after the foregoing
23 implementation date and receives a subsequent rating of
24 "unsatisfactory" in any of the teacher's overall
25 performance evaluation ratings received during the
26 36-month period following the teacher's completion of the
SB1850 - 8 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 9 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 9 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 9 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
1 remediation plan, then the school district may forgo
2 remediation and seek dismissal in accordance with
3 subsection (d) of Section 24-12 or Section 34-85 of this
4 Code.
5 (o) Teachers who are due to be evaluated in the last
6 year before they are set to retire shall be offered the
7 opportunity to waive their evaluation and to retain their
8 most recent rating, unless the teacher was last rated as
9 "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory". The school
10 district may still reserve the right to evaluate a teacher
11 provided the district gives notice to the teacher at least
12 14 days before the evaluation and a reason for evaluating
13 the teacher.
14 Nothing in this Section or Section 24A-4 shall be
15 construed as preventing immediate dismissal of a teacher for
16 deficiencies which are deemed irremediable or for actions
17 which are injurious to or endanger the health or person of
18 students in the classroom or school, or preventing the
19 dismissal or non-renewal of teachers not in contractual
20 continued service for any reason not prohibited by applicable
21 employment, labor, and civil rights laws. Failure to strictly
22 comply with the time requirements contained in Section 24A-5
23 shall not invalidate the results of the remediation plan.
24 Nothing contained in Public Act 98-648 repeals,
25 supersedes, invalidates, or nullifies final decisions in
26 lawsuits pending on July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public
SB1850 - 9 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850- 10 -LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b SB1850 - 10 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 10 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b
SB1850 - 10 - LRB104 03472 LNS 13495 b