Bill Text: IL SB0010 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code to allow a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to an applicant who, among other qualifications, has passed a paraprofessional competency test (instead of allowing the endorsement to be issued only if the applicant holds an associate's degree or a minimum number of higher education credits). Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the test. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the Code to require charter school employees in instructional positions to have passed a content area knowledge test. Makes changes concerning obsolete language. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-5)

Status: (Passed) 2020-02-19 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Terry Link [SB0010 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SB0010-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 101-0594
SB0010 Enrolled LRB101 06120 AXK 51141 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
21B-20, 21B-30, and 27A-10 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
required to be licensed must have one of the following
licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an educator
license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute teaching
license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term substitute
teaching license. References in law regarding individuals
certified or certificated or required to be certified or
certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall also include
individuals licensed or required to be licensed under this
Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June 30
following one full year of the license being issued.
The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
licenses and endorsements under this Section.

(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
have successfully completed an approved educator
preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
the exceptional child, including without limitation
children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
criteria established by rule of the State Board of
Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30
immediately following 5 years of the license being issued.
The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is
eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
preparation program through placement in a setting with
children from birth through grade 2, and the individual may
be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
student teaching experience must meet the requirements of
and be approved by the individual's early childhood teacher

preparation program.
Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
that limits the license holder to one particular position
or does not require completion of an approved educator
program or both.
An individual with an Educator License with
Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
with the following endorsements:
(A) (Blank).
(B) Alternative provisional educator. An
alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
applicant who, at the time of applying for the
endorsement, has done all of the following:
(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
college or university with a minimum of a
bachelor's degree.

(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
Code.
(iii) Passed a content area test, as required
under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
superintendent in a school district's central office.
This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
done all of the following:
(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
college or university with a minimum of a master's
degree in a management field other than education.
(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
years in a management level position in a field
other than education.
(iii) Successfully completed the first phase
of an alternative route to superintendent

endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
of this Code.
(iv) Passed a content area test required under
Section 21B-30 of this Code.
The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
order to complete one full year of serving as a
superintendent or assistant superintendent.
(D) (Blank).
(E) Career and technical educator. A career and
technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has
a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education
or an accredited trade and technical institution and
has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
education in each area to be taught.
The career and technical educator endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
endorsement being issued and may be renewed. For
individuals who were issued the career and technical
educator endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations on or after January 1, 2015, the license
may be renewed if the individual passes a test of work
proficiency, as required under Section 21B-30 of this
Code.

An individual who holds a valid career and
technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's degree
may substitute teach in career and technical education
classrooms.
(F) Part-time provisional career and technical
educator or provisional career and technical educator.
A part-time provisional career and technical educator
endorsement or a provisional career and technical
educator endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a
minimum of 8,000 hours of work experience in the skill
for which the applicant is seeking the endorsement. It
is the responsibility of each employing school board
and regional office of education to provide
verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
of Education at the time the application is submitted
that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
Educator License or an Educator License with
Stipulations with a career and technical educator
endorsement is available and that actual circumstances
require such issuance.
The provisional career and technical educator
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of
the endorsement being issued and may be renewed for 5

years. For individuals who were issued the provisional
career and technical educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations on or after January
1, 2015, the license may be renewed if the individual
passes a test of work proficiency, as required under
Section 21B-30 of this Code.
A part-time provisional career and technical
educator endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations may be issued for teaching no more than 2
courses of study for grades 6 through 12. The part-time
provisional career and technical educator endorsement
on an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
endorsement being issued and may be renewed for 5 years
if the individual makes application for renewal.
An individual who holds a provisional or part-time
provisional career and technical educator endorsement
on an Educator License with Stipulations but does not
hold a bachelor's degree may substitute teach in career
and technical education classrooms.
(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all

of the following requirements:
(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
writing ability in the language other than English
in which transitional bilingual education is
offered.
(ii) Has the ability to successfully
communicate in English.
(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
previous to his or her applying for a transitional
bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
comparable teaching certificate or comparable
authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
a degree from an institution of higher learning in
a foreign country that the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher
learning in the United States.
A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12, is
valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of
the endorsement being issued, and shall not be renewed.
Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
replaced for any reason.

(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
other than English in the public schools, an individual
who holds an Educator License with Stipulations may
also apply for a language endorsement, provided that
the applicant provides satisfactory evidence that he
or she meets all of the following requirements:
(i) Holds a transitional bilingual
endorsement.
(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
language for which the endorsement is to be issued
by passing the applicable language content test
required by the State Board of Education.
(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
a regionally accredited institution of higher
education or, for individuals educated in a
country other than the United States, holds a
degree from an institution of higher learning in a
foreign country that the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher
learning in the United States.
(iv) (Blank).
A language endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through

grade 12 for the same validity period as the
individual's transitional bilingual educator
endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
and shall not be renewed.
(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
international educator endorsement on an Educator
License with Stipulations may be issued to an
individual who is being recruited by a particular
school district that conducts formal recruitment
programs outside of the United States to secure the
services of qualified teachers and who meets all of the
following requirements:
(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
grade level for which he or she will be employed.
(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
subject to be taught.
(iv) Has an adequate command of the English
language.
A holder of a visiting international educator
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
programs in the language that was the medium of
instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
provided that he or she passes the English Language

Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
skills in English identified by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board.
A visiting international educator endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 3
years and shall not be renewed.
(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
educator endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
either holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education or has passed a
paraprofessional competency test under subsection
(c-5) of Section 21B-30. The paraprofessional educator
endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
may be renewed through application and payment of the
appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
this Code. An individual who holds only a
paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
to additional requirements in order to renew the
endorsement.
(K) Chief school business official. A chief school
business official endorsement on an Educator License

with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
years of full-time administrative experience in school
business management or 2 years of university-approved
practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
State Board of Education for the preparation of school
business administrators and by passage of the
applicable State tests, including an applicable
content area test.
The chief school business official endorsement may
also be affixed to the Educator License with
Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
master's degree in business administration, finance,
accounting, or public administration and who completes
an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
business management from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education and passes the
applicable State tests, including an applicable
content area test. This endorsement shall be required
for any individual employed as a chief school business
official.
The chief school business official endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the

license holder completes renewal requirements as
required for individuals who hold a Professional
Educator License endorsed for chief school business
official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
Education.
The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations may 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
evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
who meets all of the following requirements:
(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
(ii) Has completed an approved educator
preparation program at an Illinois institution.
(iii) Has passed an applicable content area
test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
minimum score on that assessment, as established
by the State Board of Education in consultation
with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure

Board.
A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
be renewed.
(M) School support personnel intern. A school
support personnel intern endorsement on an Educator
License with Stipulations may be issued as specified by
rule.
(N) Special education area. A special education
area endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations may be issued as defined and specified by
rule.
(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
License may be issued to qualified applicants for
substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree
or higher from a regionally accredited institution of
higher education.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
has had his or her Professional Educator License or
Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,

then that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute
Teaching License.
A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
contract because of an emergency situation, then a district
may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30
calendar days per each vacant position in the district if
the district notifies the appropriate regional office of
education within 5 business days after the employment of
the substitute teacher in the emergency situation. An
emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
has occurred and (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or
her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of
the district exceed previous indications, and the district
is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed
teacher for the vacant position.
There is no limit on the number of days that a
substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
than 90 school days for any one licensed teacher under
contract in the same school year. A substitute teacher who
holds a Professional Educator License or Educator License
with Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school
days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
same school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on

the number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do
not apply to any school district operating under Article 34
of this Code.
A school district may not require an individual who
holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
(4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of
Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be
issued to a qualified applicant for substitute teaching in
all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through
grade 12. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not
eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term
Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate's
degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
individual has had his or her Professional Educator License
or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.

An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
License may teach no more than 5 consecutive days per
licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who is
under contract, a school district may not hire an
individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
License. An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute
Teaching License must complete the training program under
Section 10-20.67 or 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to
teach at a public school. This paragraph (4) is inoperative
on and after July 1, 2023.
(Source: P.A. 100-8, eff. 7-1-17; 100-13, eff. 7-1-17; 100-288,
eff. 8-24-17; 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-821, eff. 9-3-18;
100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff.
8-7-19.)
(105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
(a) (Blank). This Section applies beginning on July 1,
2012.
(b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
and implement a system of examinations, which shall be required
prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These examinations
and indicators must be based on national and State professional
teaching standards, as determined by the State Board of

Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
and Licensure Board. The State Board of Education may adopt
such rules as may be necessary to implement and administer this
Section.
(c) (Blank).
(c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
21B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
(d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
(e) (Blank).
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, beginning
on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing teacher
preparation programs in this State and all candidates subject
to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a teacher
performance assessment approved by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
and Licensure Board. Subject to appropriation, an individual

who holds a Professional Educator License and is employed for a
minimum of one school year by a school district designated as
Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after application to the
State Board, receive from the State Board a refund for any
costs associated with completing the teacher performance
assessment under this subsection.
(g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
organization or tests designed by the State Board of Education,
in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and
Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The tests
must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
Board.

The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this Code
in the English language and in the language of the transitional
bilingual education program requested by the applicant.
(h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
(i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
testing requirements under this Section shall include without
limitation provisions governing test selection, test
validation and determination of a passing score,
administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop such
rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to year
in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
(Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18;
100-932, eff. 8-17-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff.
8-7-19.)
(105 ILCS 5/27A-10)
Sec. 27A-10. Employees.
(a) A person shall be deemed to be employed by a charter

school unless a collective bargaining agreement or the charter
school contract otherwise provides.
(b) In all school districts, including special charter
districts and districts located in cities having a population
exceeding 500,000, the local school board shall determine by
policy or by negotiated agreement, if one exists, the
employment status of any school district employees who are
employed by a charter school and who seek to return to
employment in the public schools of the district. Each local
school board shall grant, for a period of up to 5 years, a
leave of absence to those of its teachers who accept employment
with a charter school. At the end of the authorized leave of
absence, the teacher must return to the school district or
resign; provided, however, that if the teacher chooses to
return to the school district, the teacher must be assigned to
a position that which requires the teacher's licensure
certification and legal qualifications. The contractual
continued service status and retirement benefits of a teacher
of the district who is granted a leave of absence to accept
employment with a charter school shall not be affected by that
leave of absence.
(c) Charter schools shall employ in instructional
positions, as defined in the charter, individuals who are
licensed certificated under Article 21B 21 of this Code or who
possess the following qualifications:
(i) graduated with a bachelor's degree from an

accredited institution of higher learning;
(ii) been employed for a period of at least 5 years in
an area requiring application of the individual's
education;
(iii) passed a content area knowledge test required
under Section 21B-30 of this Code (blank); and
(iv) demonstrate continuing evidence of professional
growth, which shall include, but not be limited to,
successful teaching experience, attendance at professional
meetings, membership in professional organizations,
additional credits earned at institutions of higher
learning, travel specifically for educational purposes,
and reading of professional books and periodicals.
(c-5) Charter schools employing individuals without
licensure certification in instructional positions shall
provide such mentoring, training, and staff development for
those individuals as the charter schools determine necessary
for satisfactory performance in the classroom.
At least 50% of the individuals employed in instructional
positions by a charter school that is operating in a city
having a population exceeding 500,000 and that is established
on or after April 16, 2003 shall hold teaching licenses
certificates issued under Article 21B 21 of this Code.
At least 75% of the individuals employed in instructional
positions by a charter school that is operating in a city
having a population exceeding 500,000 and that was established

before April 16, 2003 shall hold teaching licenses certificates
issued under Article 21B 21 of this Code.
(c-10) Notwithstanding any provision in subsection (c-5)
to the contrary, in any charter school established before, on,
or after July 30, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act
96-105) this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, at
least 75% of the individuals employed in instructional
positions by the charter school shall hold teaching licenses
certificates issued under Article 21B 21 of this Code beginning
with the 2012-2013 school year. In any charter school
established after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
the 96th General Assembly, at least 75% of the individuals
employed in instructional positions by a charter school shall
hold teaching certificates issued under Article 21 of this Code
by the beginning of the fourth school year during which a
student is enrolled in the charter school. Charter schools may
employ non-licensed non-certificated staff in all other
positions.
(c-15) Charter schools are exempt from any annual cap on
new participants in an alternative educator licensure
certification program. The second and third phases of the
alternative certification program may be conducted and
completed at the charter school, and the alternative
provisional educator endorsement teaching certificate is valid
for 4 years or the length of the charter (or any extension of
the charter), whichever is longer.

(d) A teacher at a charter school may resign his or her
position only if the teacher gives notice of resignation to the
charter school's governing body at least 60 days before the end
of the school term, and the resignation must take effect
immediately upon the end of the school term.
(Source: P.A. 101-220, eff. 8-7-19.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.