Bill Text: IL SB1460 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. With regard to the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program, provides that if adequate funds are available, incentives under the Program must include (i) a one-time incentive of $3,000 payable to National Board certified teachers teaching in Tier 1 rural or remote school districts, (ii) an annual incentive of $3,200 for National Board certified teacher rural or remote candidate cohort facilitators, and (iii) an annual incentive of $2,500 for National Board certified teacher rural or remote liaisons; defines terms. Makes the program applicable to qualified educators who are employed by or retired from schools districts (rather than just employed by school districts) and who are in the process of obtaining licensure through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Changes references of poverty or low-performing schools to Tier 1 school districts. Makes other changes.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 101-0333 [SB1460 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SB1460-Engrossed.html

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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 Section
21B-70 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/21B-70)
Sec. 21B-70. Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Poverty or low-performing school" means a school
identified as a priority school under Section 2-3.25d-5 of this
Code or a school in which 50% or more of its students are
eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches.
"National Board certified teacher rural or remote
candidate cohort facilitator" means a National Board certified
teacher who collaborates to advance the goal of supporting
rural or remote candidates through the Illinois National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards Comprehensive Support
System.
"National Board certified teacher rural or remote liaison"
means an individual who supports the National Board certified
teacher leading a rural or remote candidate cohort.
"Qualified educator" means a teacher or school counselor
currently employed in a school district who is in the process

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of obtaining certification through the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards or who has completed
certification and holds a current Professional Educator
License with a National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards designation or a retired teacher or school counselor
who holds a Professional Educator License with a National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards designation.
"Rural or remote" means local codes 33, 41, 42, and 43 of
the New Urban-Centric Locale Codes, as defined by the National
Center for Education Statistics.
"Tier 1" has the meaning given to that term under Section
18-8.15.
(b) Any Beginning on July 1, 2011, any funds appropriated
for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program must be used to
provide monetary assistance and incentives for qualified
educators who are employed by or retired from school districts
and who have or are in the process of obtaining licensure
through the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards. The goal of the program is to improve instruction
and student performance.
The State Board of Education shall allocate an amount as
annually appropriated by the General Assembly for the Illinois
Teaching Excellence Program for (i) application or re-take fees
for each qualified educator seeking to complete certification
through the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards, to be paid directly to the National Board for

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Professional Teaching Standards, and (ii) incentives under
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (c) for each
qualified educator, to be distributed to the respective school
district, and incentives under paragraph (5) of subsection (c),
to be distributed to the respective school district or directly
to the qualified educator. The school district shall distribute
this payment to each eligible teacher or school counselor as a
single payment.
The State Board of Education's annual budget must set out
by separate line item the appropriation for the program. Unless
otherwise provided by appropriation, qualified educators are
eligible for monetary assistance and incentives outlined in
subsections subsection (c) and (d) of this Section.
(c) When there are adequate funds available, monetary
assistance and incentives shall include the following:
(1) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application or
re-take fee for up to 750 teachers or school counselors in
a Tier 1 poverty or low-performing school district who
apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for National Board
certification.
(2) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application or
re-take fee for up to 250 teachers or school counselors in
a school district other than a Tier 1 poverty or
low-performing school district who apply on a first-come,
first-serve basis for National Board certification.
However, if there were fewer than 750 individuals supported

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in item (1) of this subsection (c), then the number
supported in this item (2) may be increased as such that
the combination of item (1) of this subsection (c) and this
item (2) shall equal 1,000 applicants.
(3) A maximum of $1,000 towards the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards' renewal application fee.
(4) (Blank).
(5) An annual incentive equal to $1,500, which shall be
paid to each qualified educator currently employed in a
school district who holds both a National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards designation and a current
corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards and who agrees, in
writing, to provide at least 30 hours of mentoring or
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
professional development or both during the school year to
classroom teachers or school counselors, as applicable.
Funds must be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis,
with priority given to Tier 1 school districts poverty or
low-performing schools. Mentoring shall include, either
singly or in combination, the following:
(A) National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards certification candidates.
(B) National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards re-take candidates.
(C) National Board for Professional Teaching

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Standards renewal candidates.
(D) (Blank).
Funds may also be used for instructional leadership
training for qualified educators interested in supporting
implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards or teaching
and learning priorities of the State Board of Education or
both.
(d) In addition to the monetary assistance and incentives
provided under subsection (c), if adequate funds are available,
incentives shall include the following incentives for the
program in rural or remote school districts, to be distributed
to the respective school district or directly to the qualified
educator:
(1) A one-time incentive of $3,000 payable to National
Board certified teachers teaching in Tier 1 rural or remote
school districts.
(2) An annual incentive of $3,200 for National Board
certified teacher rural or remote candidate cohort
facilitators.
(3) An annual incentive of $2,500 for National Board
certified teacher rural or remote liaisons.
(Source: P.A. 99-193, eff. 7-30-15; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)