Public Act 103-0488
 
SB1488 EnrolledLRB103 27722 RJT 54099 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-30 and 21B-50 as follows:
 

    (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)

 
  
    Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
    (a)  (Blank).
    (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) Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act 
of the 103rd General Assembly through August 31, 2025, no 
candidate completing a teacher preparation program in this 
State or candidate subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code is 
required to pass a teacher performance assessment. Except as 
otherwise provided in this Article, beginning on September 1, 
2015 until the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
103rd General Assembly and beginning again on September 1, 
2025, 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. A candidate may not be required to submit test 
materials by video submission. 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. 
    (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is 
created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective 
teacher performance assessment systems for implementation 
across all educator preparation programs in this State, with 
the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and 
supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system. 
Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial, 
ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force 
shall consist of all of the following members:
        (1)   One member of the Senate, appointed by the 
    President of the Senate.
        (2)   One member of the Senate, appointed by the 
    Minority Leader of the Senate.
        (3)   One member of the House of Representatives, 
    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
        (4) One member of the House of Representatives, 
    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of 
    Representatives.
        (5) One member who represents a statewide professional 
    teachers' organization, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (6) One member who represents a different statewide 
    professional
teachers' organization, appointed by the 
    State Superintendent of Education.
        (7) One member from a statewide organization 
    representing school principals, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (8) One member from a statewide organization 
    representing regional superintendents of schools, 
    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (9) One member from a statewide organization 
    representing school administrators, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (10) One member representing a school district 
    organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the 
    State Superintendent of Education.
        (11) One member of an association representing rural 
    and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent 
    of Education.
        (12) One member representing a suburban school 
    district, appointed by the State Superintendent of 
    Education.
        (13) One member from a statewide organization 
    representing school districts in the southern suburbs of 
    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent 
    of Education.
        (14) One member from a statewide organization 
    representing large unit school districts, appointed by the 
    State Superintendent of Education.
        (15) One member from a statewide organization 
    representing school districts in the collar counties of 
    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent 
    of Education.
        (16) Three members, each representing a different 
    public university in this State and each a current member 
    of the faculty of an approved educator preparation 
    program, appointed by the State Superintendent of 
    Education.
        (17) Three members, each  representing a different 
    4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and 
    each a current member of the faculty of an approved 
    educator preparation program, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education, 
    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (19) One member representing a statewide policy 
    organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students 
    and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of 
    Education.
        (20)   One member representing a statewide organization 
    focused on research-based education policy to support a 
    school system that prepares all students for college, a 
    career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (21)   Two members representing an early childhood 
    advocacy organization, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (22) One member representing a statewide organization 
    that partners with educator preparation programs and 
    school districts to support the growth and development of 
    preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent 
    of Education. 
        (23) One member representing a statewide organization 
    that advocates for educational equity and racial justice 
    in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of 
    Education.
        (24) One member representing a statewide organization 
    that represents school boards, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education.
        (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years, 
    served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education. 
    Members of the Task Force shall serve without 
compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of 
the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent 
meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force, 
who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of 
Education. The State Board of Education shall provide 
administrative and other support to the Task Force.
    On or before August 1, 2024, the Task Force shall report on 
its work, including recommendations on a teacher performance 
assessment system in this State, to the State Board of 
Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is 
dissolved upon submission of this report. 
    (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. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 
101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
 
    (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 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 
    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 State Board's teacher performance 
    assessment, if required under Section 21B-30, no later 
    than the end of the first semester of the second year of 
    residency, 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 
    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) (Blank).
        (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 of Education to be reviewed for equivalency.
        (4)  Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection 
    (b) of this Section.
        (5)  Has passed a 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.
    (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 Educator License.
    (f)  The State Board of Education, in consultation with the 
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such 
rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the 
Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.

(Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-822, eff. 1-1-19; 
101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19; 101-643, eff. 
6-18-20; 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.)
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.