Bill Text: IL HB2495 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides qualifications for child care directors, early childhood teachers, and school-age workers at day care centers. Provides criteria that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall use to review and approve early childhood teacher credentialing programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-10 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB2495 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB2495-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2495 Introduced , by Rep. Hoan Huynh SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
225 ILCS 10/7.11 new
225 ILCS 10/7.12 new
225 ILCS 10/7.13 new
Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides qualifications for child care directors, early childhood teachers, and school-age workers at day care centers. Provides criteria that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall use to review and approve early childhood teacher credentialing programs.
LRB103 24847 AMQ 51180 b
A BILL FOR
HB2495 LRB103 24847 AMQ 51180 b
AN ACT concerning regulation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Child Care Act of 1969 is amended by adding
Sections 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, and 7.14 as follows:
(225 ILCS 10/7.11 new)
Sec. 7.11. Standards for licensing of child care director
at day care center.
(a) The child care director of a facility serving the same
number of groups of preschool and school-age children or more
groups of preschool children than groups of school-age
children shall have achieved:
(1) (A) 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of
credit from an accredited college or university with 18
semester hours or 27 quarter hours in courses related
directly to child care or child development from birth to
age 12; (B) a bachelor's degree with a major focusing on a
human or social science or world history; or (C) a
secondary school education degree and subdiscipline with a
focus on human or social science, including, but not
limited to, social studies, family studies, human ecology,
world history, sociology of education, or Bachelor of Arts
degree-socio-psycho- or ethno-linguistics/reading.

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(2) (A) 2 years, or 3,120 clock hours, of child
development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten,
elementary school, or licensed day care center; (B) 30
semester hours, or 45 quarter hours, of college credits
with 10 semester hours, or 15 quarter hours, in courses
related directly to child care or child development; and
(C) proof of enrollment in an accredited college or
university until 2 years of college credit has been
achieved. A total of 18 semester hours, or 27 quarter
hours, in courses related directly to child care or child
development are required to be obtained within the total 2
years of college credits; or
(3) (A) completion of a credentialing program approved
in accordance with Section 7.13; (B) completion of 12
semester hours, or 18 quarter hours, in courses related to
child care or child development from birth to age 12 at an
accredited college or university; and (C) 2 years, or
3,120 clock hours, in child development experience in a
nursery school, kindergarten, or licensed day care center.
(b) The child care director of a facility serving more
groups of school-age children than groups of preschool
children shall have achieved:
(1) 60 semester hours, or 90 quarter hours, of credit
from an accredited college or university with 18 semester
hours or 27 quarter hours in courses related to child care
or child development, elementary school education,

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physical education, recreation, camping, or other related
fields, including courses related to school-age children;
or
(2) (A) 2 years, or 3,120 clock hours, of child
development experience in a recreational program,
kindergarten, elementary school, licensed day care center
serving school-age children, or license-exempt school-age
child care program operated by a public or private school;
(B) 30 semester hours, or 45 quarter hours, of college
credits with 10 semester hours, or 15 quarter hours, in
courses related directly to child care or child
development, elementary education, physical education,
recreation, camping, or other related fields; and (C)
proof of enrollment in an accredited college or university
until 2 years of college credit have been achieved. A
total of 18 semester hours, or 27 quarter hours, in
courses related directly to child care or child
development, elementary education, physical education,
recreation, camping, or other related fields, including
courses related to school-age children, is required to be
obtained within the total 2 years of college credits; or
(3) (A) a bachelor's degree in a major discipline with
a focus on a deeper and broader understanding of people
such as a human or social science or world history; or (B)
a bachelor's degree in secondary education and a
subdiscipline with a focus on a deeper and broader

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understanding of people such as a human or social science,
social studies, family studies, human ecology, world
history, sociology of education, or Bachelor of Arts
degree-socio-psycho- or ethno-linguistics/reading, or
related people sciences.
(c) When a program or site serves only school-age
children, qualifications for the school-age director
responsible for multiple sites and the site coordinators shall
meet both of the following requirements for education and
experience:
(1) 60 semester hours, or 90 quarter hours, of credit
from an accredited college or university, with 18 semester
hours, or 27 quarter hours, in courses related to
school-age childcare, child development, elementary
education child care or child development, adolescent or
elementary education, physical education, recreation,
camping, or other related fields; or any social or human
science bachelor's degree; and
(2) (A) at least 1,560 clock hours of child
development experience in a recreational program, a
licensed day care center, or a licensed school serving
school-age children; or (B) 160 hours of child development
experience in a recreational program, a licensed day care
center, or a licensed school serving school-age children,
plus 12 semester hours, or 18 quarter hours, acquired in
any department of any accredited college in

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administration, public administration, social work
administration, business administration, organizational
science, accounting, or other courses relevant to
administering a program and its regulations.
(d) Completion of a training program accredited by the
American Montessori Society or Association Montessori
Internationale may be substituted for the courses directly
related to child care or child development required by this
Section. A person holding a Montessori preprimary credential
may serve as director to children through age 6. A person
holding a Montessori primary or elementary credential may
serve as director to children 6 years of age or older.
(225 ILCS 10/7.12 new)
Sec. 7.12. Standards for licensing of early childhood
teachers and school-age workers at day care centers.
(a) Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall
be at least 19 years of age.
(b) Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall
have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.
(c) An early childhood teacher responsible for a group of
children that includes infants, toddler, or preschool age
children shall have achieved:
(1) 60 semester hours, or 90 quarter hours, of credits
from an accredited college or university with 6 semester
hours, or 9 quarter hours, in courses related directly to

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child care and child development from birth to age 6;
(2) one year, or 1,560 clock hours, of child
development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten,
or licensed day care center and 30 semester hours, or 45
quarter hours, of credits from an accredited college or
university with 6 semester hours, or 9 quarter hours, in
courses related directly to child care and child
development from birth to age 6; or
(3) completion of credentialing programs approved by
the Department in accordance with Section 7.13.
(d) A school-age worker shall be at least 19 years of age
and at least 5 years older than the oldest child with whom the
school-age worker works.
(e) A newly employed school-age worker responsible for
only one group of school-age children shall have achieved:
(1) (A) 30 semester hours, or 45 quarter hours, of
credit from an accredited college or university with 6
semester hours, or 9 quarter hours, related to: school-age
child care, education, or child development, each defined
as inclusive of early childhood through adolescence, any
social or human science courses from any university
department, subject matter, or teaching methods courses,
physical education, recreation, camping, or other related
fields; (B) a bachelor's degree with a major focusing on a
human or social science or world history; or (C) a
secondary school education degree and subdiscipline with a

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focus on human or social science, including, but not
limited to, social studies, family studies, human ecology,
world history, sociology of education, or Bachelor of Arts
degree-socio-psycho- or ethno-linguistics/reading;
(2) 1,560 clock hours of experience in a recreational
program, licensed day care center serving school-age
children, or a license-exempt school-age child care
program operated by a public or private school and 6
semester hours, or 9 quarter hours, of credit from an
accredited college or university related to school-age
child care, child development, adolescent or elementary
education, physical education, recreation, camping, or
other related fields; or
(3) a high school diploma or equivalency certificate,
plus 3,120 clock hours of experience in a recreational
program, kindergarten, or licensed day care center serving
school-age children or a license-exempt school-age child
care program operated by a public or private school.
(f) Completion of a training program accredited by the
American Montessori Society or Association Montessori
Internationale may be substituted for the courses directly
related to child care or child development required by this
Section. A person holding a Montessori preprimary credential
may supervise children through age 6. A person holding a
Montessori primary or elementary credential may supervise
children 6 years of age or older.

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(g) A person who was deemed qualified as a child care
worker or school-age worker prior to January 1, 1985 continues
to be deemed qualified as an early childhood teacher or
school-age worker.
(h) Early childhood teachers and school-age workers are
responsible for the planning and supervision of a group of
children. Early childhood workers and school-age workers are
also responsible for supervising persons assigned to assist
their group who are not similarly qualified.
(225 ILCS 10/7.13 new)
Sec. 7.13. Early childhood teacher credentialing program.
(a) The Department shall use the following criteria to
review and approve early childhood teacher credentialing
programs:
(1) candidates must be at least 18 years of age;
(2) candidates must have at least a high school
diploma or equivalency certificate; and
(3) the credentialing program must require a minimum
of 640 clock hours of documented experience within the
past 5 years or 1200 clock hours working with children
ages zero to 12 in a public or private school operated
nursery school, kindergarten, licensed day care center, or
in a public or a private elementary school for a minimum of
one school year.
(b) The credentialing process must include:

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(1) the child care director's recommendation in
support of the candidate;
(2) a review of the applicant's interaction with
children under direct supervision by an impartial person;
(3) a minimum of 120 clock hours of broad-based
training that has been completed successfully and has been
documented. One semester hour of college credits in early
childhood education is equivalent to 15 clock hours of
formal in-service training. This training may be completed
through:
(A) early childhood education courses at an
accredited college or university; or
(B) documented seminars and workshops pertaining
to the growth and education of children zero to 12
years of age at educational conferences of recognized
national or State associations, agencies, or
educational institutions; and
(4) a professional resource file or portfolio that
demonstrates the understanding of core professional
content areas, including, but not limited to, the
following:
(A) principles of child growth and development;
(B) planning a safe, healthy learning environment;
(C) advancing children's physical and intellectual
development;
(D) supporting children's social and emotional

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development;
(E) establishing productive relationships among
family, school, and community;
(F) managing an effective program operation;
(G) maintaining a commitment to professionalism;
(H) observing and recording children's behavior;
and
(I) understanding the development of children's
language.