(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80a)

Sec. 2-3.80a. Agricultural science teacher education.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall develop an agricultural science teacher education training continuum beginning at the secondary level and shall provide grants to the following:

(1) institutions of higher education that offer State-approved agricultural science teacher preparation programs; and

(2) public community colleges in this State that provide an articulated agricultural science teacher education course of study.

(b) The funds provided by the State Board of Education under subsection (a) of this Section may be used to support the following activities:

(1) Teacher education candidate recruitment and retention incentives.

(2) Having Master teachers and practitioners assist with various aspects of the recruitment of potential candidates and the preparation of those candidates as skilled and qualified teachers of agricultural education.

(3) Establishing, delivering, arranging for, or providing financial support for professional development experiences for new agricultural science teachers during their first 5 years of teaching.

(4) Professional development for faculty in universities' agricultural education teacher preparation programs and for community college agriculture faculty responsible for instruction in agricultural education teacher preparation transfer programs.

(Source: P.A. 95-153, eff. 1-1-08; 96-404, eff. 8-13-09.)