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Public Act 100-0822
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| SB3536 Enrolled | LRB100 19134 AXK 34399 b |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section |
21B-50 as follows:
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(105 ILCS 5/21B-50) |
Sec. 21B-50. Alternative educator licensure program. |
(a) There is established an alternative educator licensure |
program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure |
Program for Teachers. |
(b) The Beginning on January 1, 2013, the Alternative |
Educator Licensure Program for Teachers may be offered by a |
recognized institution approved to offer educator preparation |
programs by the State Board of Education, in consultation with |
the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. |
The program shall be comprised of 4 phases: |
(1) A course of study that at a minimum includes |
instructional planning; instructional strategies, |
including special education, reading, and English language |
learning; classroom management; and the assessment of |
students and use of data to drive instruction. |
(2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's |
assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a |
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co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must |
hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an |
alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to |
enter the residency and must complete additional program |
requirements that address required State and national |
standards, pass the assessment of professional teaching |
before entering the second residency year, as required |
under phase (3) of this subsection (b), and be recommended |
by the principal or qualified equivalent of a principal, as |
required under subsection (d) of this Section, and the |
program coordinator to continue with the second year of the |
residency. |
(3) A second year of residency, which shall include the |
candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position |
for one school year. The candidate must be assigned an |
experienced teacher to act as a mentor and coach the |
candidate through the second year of residency. |
(4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's |
teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or |
qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under |
subsection (d) of this Section, and the program |
coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency. If |
there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about the |
candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may |
complete one additional year of residency teaching under a |
professional development plan developed by the principal |
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or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At the |
completion of the third year, a candidate must have |
positive evaluations and a recommendation for full |
licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent |
and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator |
License shall be issued. |
Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to |
satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content |
matter requirements established by law. |
(c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an |
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of |
teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a |
preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code |
or charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic school in |
which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure |
necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State |
and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have |
the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in |
this State, but may be renewed for a third year if needed to |
complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for |
Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an |
individual who meets all of the following requirements: |
(1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college |
or university with a bachelor's degree or higher. |
(2) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or |
greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another scale. |
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(3) Has completed a major in the content area if |
seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if |
seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special |
education endorsement, has completed a major in the content |
area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics, or |
one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a |
major in a content area for any level of teaching, he or |
she must submit transcripts to the State Board |
Superintendent of Education to be reviewed for |
equivalency. |
(4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection |
(b) of this Section. |
(5) Has passed a test of basic skills and content area |
test required for the specific endorsement for admission |
into the program, as required under Section 21B-30 of this |
Code. |
A candidate possessing the alternative provisional |
educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any |
other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school who |
are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if any, |
but a school is not required to provide these benefits during |
the years of residency if the candidate is serving only as a |
co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of |
record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any |
other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be |
counted towards tenure. |
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(d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative |
Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a |
school district, including without limitation a preschool |
educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or |
charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in this |
State in which the chief administrator is required to have the |
licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in |
this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required |
to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public |
school in this State. A recognized institution that partners |
with a public school district administering a preschool |
educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code must |
require a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates in the |
program. A recognized institution that partners with an |
eligible entity administering a preschool educational program |
under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that is not a public |
school district must require a principal or qualified |
equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates |
in the program. The program presented for approval by the State |
Board of Education must demonstrate the supports that are to be |
provided to assist the provisional teacher during the 2-year |
residency period. These supports must provide additional |
contact hours with mentors during the first year of residency. |
(e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection |
(b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section |
21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a Professional |