Section 1.794  Substitute Teachers; Recruiting Firms

a)         School districts may supplement their substitute teacher recruitment for elementary and secondary schools with the use of recruiting firms.

b)         To qualify for this program, a district not organized under Article 34 of the School Code shall demonstrate to the State Board, using a form designed by the State Board for this purpose, verifying that it has been unable to find an adequate number of substitute teachers and has exhausted all other efforts.

c)         A district organized under Article 34 of the School Code must provide assurance to the State Board, using a form designated by the State Board for this purpose, verifying:

1)         The district is unable to find an adequate number of substitute teachers and has exhausted all other efforts;

2)         The district has prioritized existing substitute teachers over substitute teachers from recruiting firms;

3)         Copies of all substitute teacher contracts will be filed with the district's regional office of education, acting as an extension of the State Board of Education, in an electronic or paper format;

4)         Each recruiting firm contracted by the district shall file an annual report with the district that includes the number of substitute teachers placed in the district, the total cost of the contract to the district, and the percentage of substitute teacher openings that were filled; and

5)         The district has adequate funds to fill and pay for all substitute teacher positions.

d)         Substitute teachers provided by recruiting firms must meet all mandated State laws, rules, and screening requirements for substitute teachers, as well as additional requirements outlined in Section 2-3.173 of the School Code.

e)         A recruiting firm may enter into an agreement with a labor organization that has a collective bargaining agreement with a school district.  (Section 2-3.173 of the School Code)

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 6272, effective April 11, 2022)