Public Act 098-0413
 
HB2420 EnrolledLRB098 07890 NHT 37975 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 
21-25 and 21B-25 as follows:
 


    (105 ILCS 5/21-25)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-25)




    (Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2013)
    Sec. 21-25. School service personnel certificate. 

    (a) For purposes of this Section, "school service 
personnel" means persons employed and performing appropriate 
services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary 
school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement 
with a governing body or board of control or a charter school 
operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law in a 
position requiring a school service personnel certificate.
    Subject to the provisions of Section 21-1a, a school 
service
personnel certificate shall be issued to those 
applicants of good
character, good health, a citizen of the 
United States and at least 19
years of age who have a 
Bachelor's degree with not fewer than 120
semester hours from a 
regionally accredited institution of higher learning and
who 
meets the requirements established by the State Superintendent 
of
Education in consultation with the State Teacher 
Certification Board.  A
school service personnel certificate 
with a school nurse endorsement may be
issued to a person who 
holds a bachelor of science degree from an institution
of 
higher learning accredited by the North Central Association or 
other
comparable regional accrediting association.
 Persons 
seeking any other endorsement on the school service personnel

certificate shall be recommended for the endorsement by a 
recognized teacher
education institution as having completed a 
program of preparation approved by
the State Superintendent of 
Education in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification 
Board.

    (b) Until August 30, 2002, a school service personnel 
certificate endorsed
for school social work may be issued to a 
student who has completed a school
social work program that has 
not been approved by the State Superintendent of
Education, 
provided that each of the following conditions is met:


        (1) The program was offered by a recognized, public 
    teacher education
institution that first enrolled students 
    in its master's degree program in
social work in 1998;


        (2) The student applying for the school service 
    personnel certificate was
enrolled in the institution's 
    master's degree program in social work on or
after May 11, 
    1998;


        (3) The State Superintendent verifies that the student 
    has completed
coursework that is substantially similar to 
    that required in approved school
social work programs, 
    including (i) not fewer than 600 clock hours of a

    supervised internship in a school setting or (ii) if the 
    student has completed
part of a supervised internship in a 
    school setting prior to the effective date
of this 
    amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly and receives 
    the prior
approval of the State Superintendent, not fewer 
    than 300 additional clock hours
of supervised work in a 
    public school setting under the supervision of a
certified 
    school social worker who certifies that the supervised work 
    was
completed in a satisfactory manner; and


        (4) The student has passed a test of basic skills and 
    the test of subject
matter knowledge required by Section 
    21-1a.

    This subsection (b) does not apply after August 29, 2002.

    (c) A school service personnel certificate shall be 
endorsed
with the area of Service as
determined by the State 
Superintendent of Education in consultation with
the State 
Teacher Certification Board.

    The holder of such certificate shall be entitled to all of 
the rights
and privileges granted holders of a valid teaching 
certificate, including
teacher benefits, compensation and 
working conditions.

    When the holder of such certificate has earned a master's 
degree,
including 8 semester hours of graduate professional 
education from a
recognized institution of higher learning, and 
has at least 2 years of
successful school experience while 
holding such certificate, the
certificate may be endorsed for 
supervision.

    (d) Persons who have successfully achieved National Board 
certification through the National Board for Professional 
Teaching Standards shall be issued a Master School Service 
Personnel Certificate, valid for 10 years and renewable 
thereafter every 10 years through compliance with requirements 
set forth by the State Board of Education, in consultation with 
the State Teacher Certification Board.  However, each holder of 
a Master School Service Personnel Certificate shall be eligible 
for a corresponding position in this State in the areas for 
which he or she holds a Master Certificate without satisfying 
any other requirements of this Code, except for those 
requirements pertaining to criminal background checks.

    (e)  School service personnel certificates are renewable 
every 5 years and may be renewed as provided in this Section. 
Requests for renewals must be submitted, in a format prescribed 
by the State Board of Education, to the regional office of 
education responsible for the school where the holder is 
employed.
    Upon completion of at least 80 hours of continuing 
professional development as provided in this subsection (e), a 
person who holds a valid school service personnel certificate 
shall have his or her certificate renewed for a period of 5 
years.  A person who (i) holds an active license issued by the 
State as a clinical professional counselor, a professional 
counselor, a marriage and family therapist, a clinical social 
worker, a social worker, or a speech-language pathologist; (ii)  
holds national certification as a Nationally Certified School 
Psychologist from the National School Psychology Certification 
Board; (iii) is nationally certified as a National Certified 
School Nurse from the National Board for Certification of 
School Nurses; (iv)  is nationally certified as a National 
Certified Counselor or National Certified School Counselor 
from the National Board for Certified Counselors; or (v)  holds 
a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American 
Speech-Language-Hearing Association
shall be deemed to have 
satisfied the continuing professional development requirements 
established by the State Board of Education and the State 
Teacher Certification Board to renew a school service personnel 
certificate.
    School service personnel certificates may be renewed by the 
State Teacher Certification Board based upon proof of 
continuing professional development. The State Board of 
Education shall (i) establish a procedure for renewing school 
service personnel certificates, which shall include without 
limitation annual timelines for the renewal process and the 
components set forth in this Section; (ii) approve or 
disapprove the providers of continuing professional 
development activities; and (iii) provide, on a timely basis to 
all school service personnel certificate holders, regional 
superintendents of schools, school districts, and others with 
an interest in continuing professional development, 
information about the standards and requirements established 
pursuant to this subsection (e).
    Any school service personnel certificate held by an 
individual employed and performing services in an Illinois 
public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, 
or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or 
board of control in a certificated school service personnel 
position or in a charter school in compliance with the Charter 
Schools Law must be maintained Valid and Active through 
certificate renewal activities specified in the certificate 
renewal procedure established pursuant to this Section, 
provided that a holder of a Valid and Active certificate who is 
only employed on either a part-time basis or day-to-day basis 
as a substitute shall pay only the required registration fee to 
renew his or her certificate and maintain it as Valid and 
Active. All other school service personnel certificates held 
may be maintained as Valid and Exempt through the registration 
process provided for in the certificate renewal procedure 
established pursuant to Section 21-14 of this Code. A Valid and 
Exempt certificate must be immediately activated, through 
procedures developed by the State Board of Education upon the 
certificate holder becoming employed and performing services 
in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, 
secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a 
governing body or board of control in a certificated school 
service personnel position or in a charter school operating in 
compliance with the Charter Schools Law. A holder of a Valid 
and Exempt certificate may activate his or her certificate 
through procedures provided for in the certificate renewal 
procedure established pursuant to this Section.
    A school service personnel certificate that has been 
maintained as Valid and Active for the 5 years of the 
certificate's validity shall be renewed as Valid and Active 
upon the certificate holder (i) completing the National Board 
for Professional Teaching Standards process in an area of 
concentration comparable to the holder's school service 
personnel certificate of endorsement or (ii) earning 80 
continuing professional development units as described in this 
Section. If, however, the certificate holder has maintained the 
certificate as Valid and Exempt for a portion of the 5-year 
period of validity, the number of continuing professional 
development units needed to renew the certificate as Valid and 
Active must be proportionately reduced by the amount of time 
the certificate was Valid and Exempt. If a certificate holder 
is employed and performs services requiring the holder's school 
service personnel certificate on a part-time basis for all or a 
portion of the certificate's 5-year period of validity, the 
number of continuing professional development units needed to 
renew the certificate as Valid and Active shall be reduced by 
50% for the amount of time the certificate holder has been 
employed and performing such services on a part-time basis. 
"Part-time" means less than 50% of the school day or school 
term.
    Beginning July 1, 2008, in order to satisfy the 
requirements for continuing professional development provided 
for in this Section, each Valid and Active school service 
personnel certificate holder shall complete professional 
development activities that address the certificate or those 
certificates that are required of his or her certificated 
position, if the certificate holder is employed and performing 
services in an Illinois public or State operated elementary 
school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement 
with a governing body or board of control, or that certificate 
or those certificates most closely related to his or her 
teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed in a 
charter school. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection 
(e), the certificate holder's activities must address and must 
reflect the following continuing professional development 
purposes:
        (1) Advance both the certificate holder's knowledge

    and skills consistent with the Illinois Standards for the 
    service area in which the certificate is endorsed in order 
    to keep the certificate holder current in that area.
        (2) Develop the certificate holder's knowledge and 
    skills in areas determined by the State Board of Education 
    to be critical for all school service personnel.
        (3) Address the knowledge, skills, and goals of the 
    certificate holder's local school improvement plan, if the 
    certificate holder is employed in an Illinois public or 
    State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or 
    cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or 
    board of control.
        (4) Address the needs of serving students with 
    disabilities, including adapting and modifying clinical or 
    professional practices to meet the needs of students with 
    disabilities and serving such students in the least 
    restrictive environment.
        (5) Address the needs of serving students who are the 
    children of immigrants, including, if the certificate 
    holder is employed as a counselor in an Illinois public or 
    State-operated secondary school, opportunities for higher 
    education for students who are undocumented immigrants. 
    The coursework or continuing professional development 
units ("CPDU") required under this subsection (e) must total 80 
CPDUs or the equivalent and must address 4 of the 5 purposes 
described in items (1) through (5) of this subsection (e).  
Holders of school service personnel certificates may fulfill 
this obligation with any combination of semester hours or CPDUs 
as follows:
        (A)  Collaboration and partnership activities related 
    to improving the school service personnel certificate 
    holder's knowledge and skills, including (i) participating 
    on collaborative planning and professional improvement 
    teams and committees; (ii) peer review and coaching; (iii) 
    mentoring in a formal mentoring program, including service 
    as a consulting teacher participating in a remediation 
    process formulated under Section 24A-5 of this Code; (iv) 
    participating in site-based management or decision-making 
    teams, relevant committees, boards, or task forces 
    directly related to school improvement plans; (v) 
    coordinating community resources in schools, if the 
    project is a specific goal of the school improvement plan; 
    (vi) facilitating parent education programs for a school, 
    school district, or regional office of education directly 
    related to student achievement or school improvement 
    plans; (vii) participating in business, school, or 
    community partnerships directly related to student 
    achievement or school improvement plans; or (viii) 
    supervising a student teacher (student services personnel) 
    or teacher education candidate in clinical supervision, 
    provided that the supervision may be counted only once 
    during the course of 5 years.
        (B)  Coursework from a regionally accredited 
    institution of higher learning related to one of the 
    purposes listed in items (1) through (4) of this subsection 
    (e), which shall apply at the rate of 15 continuing 
    professional development units per semester hour of credit 
    earned during the previous 5-year period when the status of 
    the holder's school service personnel certificate was 
    Valid and Active.  Proportionate reductions shall apply 
    when the holder's status was Valid and Active for less than 
    the 5-year period preceding the renewal.
        (C) Teaching college or university courses in areas 
    relevant to the certificate area being renewed, provided 
    that the teaching may be counted only once during the 
    course of 5 years.
        (D)  Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, or 
    symposiums designed to improve the certificate holder's 
    knowledge and skills in the service area and applicable to 
    the purposes listed in items (1) through (5) of this 
    subsection (e).  One CPDU shall be awarded for each hour of 
    attendance.  No one shall receive credit for conferences, 
    workshops, institutes, seminars, or symposiums that are 
    designed for entertainment, promotional, or commercial 
    purposes or that are solely inspirational or motivational.  
    The State Superintendent of Education and regional 
    superintendents of schools are authorized to review the 
    activities and events provided or to be provided under this 
    subdivision (D) and to investigate complaints regarding 
    those activities and events.  Either the State 
    Superintendent of Education or a regional superintendent 
    of schools may recommend that the State Board of Education 
    disapprove those activities and events considered to be 
    inconsistent with this subdivision (D).
        (E) Completing non-university credit directly related 
    to student achievement, school improvement plans, or State 
    priorities.
        (F) Participating in or presenting at workshops, 
    seminars, conferences, institutes, or symposiums.
        (G) Training as external reviewers for quality 
    assurance.
        (H) Training as reviewers of university teacher 
    preparation programs.
        (I) Other educational experiences related to improving 
    the school service personnel's knowledge and skills as a 
    teacher, including (i) participating in action research 
    and inquiry projects; (ii) traveling related to one's 
    assignment and directly related to school service 
    personnel achievement or school improvement plans and 
    approved by the regional superintendent of schools or his 
    or her designee at least 30 days prior to the travel 
    experience, provided that the traveling shall not include 
    time spent commuting to destinations where the learning 
    experience will occur; (iii) participating in study groups 
    related to student achievement or school improvement 
    plans;  (iv) serving on a statewide education-related 
    committee, including without limitation the State Teacher 
    Certification Board, State Board of Education strategic 
    agenda teams, or the State Advisory Council on Education of 
    Children with Disabilities; (v) participating in 
    work/learn programs or internships; or (vi) developing a 
    portfolio of student and teacher work.
        (J) Professional leadership experiences related to 
    improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, 
    including (i) participating in curriculum development or 
    assessment activities at the school, school district, 
    regional office of education, State, or national level; 
    (ii) participating in team or department leadership in a 
    school or school district; (iii) participating on external 
    or internal school or school district review teams; (iv) 
    publishing educational articles, columns, or books 
    relevant to the certificate area being renewed; or (v) 
    participating in non-strike-related professional 
    association or labor organization service or activities 
    related to professional development.

    (f)  This Section is repealed on June 30, 2013. 
(Source: P.A. 97-233, eff. 8-1-11; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; 
97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-25)
    Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued 
under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be 
specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each 
content area, school support area, and administrative area for 
which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized 
institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs 
shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to 
applicants who meet all of the requirements for the endorsement 
or endorsements, including passing any required tests. The 
State Superintendent of Education shall randomly audit 
institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are being 
followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being 
recommended.
        (1)  The State Board of Education, in consultation with 
    the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall 
    establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area 
    endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator 
    License. These rules shall outline the requirements for 
    obtaining each endorsement.
        (2) In addition to any and all grade level and content 
    area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of 
    Education, in consultation with the State Educator 
    Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the 
    requirements for the following endorsements:
            (A) General administrative endorsement.  A general 
        administrative endorsement shall be added to a 
        Professional Educator License, provided that an 
        approved program has been completed. An individual 
        holding a general administrative endorsement may work 
        only as a principal or assistant principal or in a 
        related or similar position, as determined by the State 
        Superintendent of Education, in consultation with the 
        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
            Beginning on September 1, 2014, the general 
        administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued. 
        Individuals who hold a valid and registered 
        administrative certificate with a general 
        administrative endorsement issued under Section 21-7.1 
        of this Code or a Professional Educator License with a 
        general administrative endorsement issued prior to 
        September  1, 2014 and who have served for at least one 
        full year during the 5 years prior in a position 
        requiring a general administrative endorsement shall, 
        upon request to the State Board of Education and 
        through July 1, 2015, have their respective general 
        administrative endorsement converted to a principal 
        endorsement on the Professional Educator License.  
        Candidates shall not be admitted to an approved general 
        administrative preparation program after September 1, 
        2012.
            All other individuals holding a valid and 
        registered administrative certificate with a general 
        administrative endorsement issued pursuant to Section 
        21-7.1 of this Code or a general administrative 
        endorsement on a Professional Educator License issued 
        prior to September  1, 2014 shall have the general 
        administrative endorsement converted to a principal 
        endorsement on a Professional Educator License upon 
        request to the State Board of Education and by 
        completing one of the following pathways:
                (i) Passage of the State principal assessment 
            developed by the State Board of Education.
                (ii) Through July 1, 2019, completion of an 
            Illinois Educators' Academy course designated by 
            the State Superintendent of Education.
                (iii) Completion of a principal preparation 
            program established and approved pursuant to 
            Section 21B-60 of this Code and applicable rules.
            Individuals who do not choose to convert the 
        general administrative endorsement on the 
        administrative certificate issued pursuant to Section 
        21-7.1 of this Code or on the Professional Educator 
        License shall continue to be able to serve in any 
        position previously allowed under paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (e) of Section 21-7.1 of this Code.
            The general administrative endorsement on the 
        Professional Educator License is available only to 
        individuals who, prior to September 1, 2014, had such 
        an endorsement on the administrative certificate 
        issued pursuant to Section 21-7.1 of this Code or who 
        already have a Professional Educator License and have 
        completed a general administrative program and who do 
        not choose to convert the general administrative 
        endorsement to a principal endorsement pursuant to the 
        options in this Section.
            (B) Principal endorsement.  A principal endorsement 
        shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of 
        any holder who qualifies by having all of the 
        following:
                (i)  Successful completion of a principal 
            preparation program approved in accordance with 
            Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable 
            rules.
                (ii)  Four years of teaching in a public school 
            or nonpublic school recognized by the State Board 
            of Education; however, the State Board of 
            Education, in consultation with the State Educator 
            Preparation and Licensure Board, shall allow, by 
            rules, for fewer than 4 years of experience based 
            on meeting standards set forth in such rules, 
            including without limitation a review of 
            performance evaluations or other evidence of 
            demonstrated qualifications.
                (iii)  A master's degree or higher from a 
            regionally accredited college or university.
            (C) Chief school business official endorsement.  A 
        chief school business official endorsement shall be 
        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any 
        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or 
        higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience 
        in school business management or 2 years of 
        university-approved practical experience, and a 
        minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a 
        program approved by the State Board of Education for 
        the preparation of school business administrators and 
        by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief 
        school business official endorsement may also be 
        affixed to the Professional Educator License of any 
        holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in 
        business administration, finance, or accounting and 
        who completes an additional 6 semester hours of 
        internship in school business management from a 
        regionally accredited institution of higher education 
        and passes the applicable State tests. This 
        endorsement shall be required for any individual 
        employed as a chief school business official.
            (D) Superintendent endorsement.  A superintendent 
        endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional 
        Educator License of any holder who has completed a 
        program approved by the State Board of Education for 
        the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had 
        at least 2 years of experience employed as a full-time 
        principal, director of special education, or chief 
        school business official in the public schools 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 where a majority of the teachers are required 
        to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a 
        public school in this State, and has passed the 
        required State tests; or of any holder who has 
        completed a program from out-of-state that has a 
        program with recognition standards comparable to those 
        approved by the State Superintendent of Education and 
        holds the general administrative, principal, or chief 
        school business official endorsement and who has had 2 
        years of experience as  a principal, director of special 
        education, or chief school business official while 
        holding a valid educator license or certificate 
        comparable in validity and educational and experience 
        requirements and has passed the appropriate State 
        tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The 
        superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to 
        serve only as a superintendent or assistant 
        superintendent.
            (E) Teacher leader endorsement.  It shall be the 
        policy of this State to improve the quality of 
        instructional leaders by providing a career pathway 
        for teachers interested in serving in leadership 
        roles, but not as principals. The State Board of 
        Education, in consultation with the State Educator 
        Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher 
        leader endorsement under this subdivision (E).  Persons 
        who meet and successfully complete the requirements of 
        the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader 
        endorsement on the Professional Educator License for 
        serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may 
        qualify to serve in such positions as department 
        chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction 
        leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by 
        the district. The endorsement shall be available to 
        those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator 
        License, (ii)  hold a master's degree or higher from a 
        regionally accredited institution, (iii) have 
        completed a program of study that has been approved by 
        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the 
        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and 
        (iv) have taken coursework in all of the following 
        areas:
                (I)  Leadership.
                (II)  Designing professional development to 
            meet teaching and learning needs.
                (III)  Building school culture that focuses on 
            student learning.
                (IV)  Using assessments to improve student 
            learning and foster school improvement.
                (V)  Building collaboration with teachers and 
            stakeholders.
            A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in 
        this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement may 
        evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of this 
        Code, provided that the individual has completed the 
        evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of this 
        Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate 
        personnel under the respective school district's 
        collective bargaining agreement.
            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 teacher leader endorsement program 
        and to specify the positions for which this endorsement 
        shall be required.
            (F)  Special education endorsement.  A special 
        education endorsement in one or more areas shall be 
        affixed to a Professional Educator License for any 
        individual that meets those requirements established 
        by the State Board of Education in rules.  Special 
        education endorsement areas shall include without 
        limitation the following:
                (i)  Learning Behavior Specialist I;
                (ii)  Learning Behavior Specialist II;
                (iii)  Speech Language Pathologist;
                (iv)  Blind or Visually Impaired;
                (v)  Deaf-Hard of Hearing; and
                (vi)  Early Childhood Special Education.
        Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary, 
        the State Board of Education, in consultation with the 
        State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may 
        add additional areas of special education by rule.
            (G) School support personnel endorsement.  School 
        support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but 
        are not limited to, school counselor, marriage and 
        family therapist, school psychologist, school speech 
        and language pathologist, school nurse, and school 
        social worker.   This endorsement is for individuals who 
        are not teachers or administrators, but still require 
        licensure to work in an instructional support position 
        in a public or State-operated elementary school, 
        secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement 
        with a governing body or board of control or a charter 
        school operating in compliance with the Charter 
        Schools Law.  The school support personnel endorsement  
        shall be affixed to the Professional Educator License 
        and shall meet all of the requirements established in 
        any rules adopted to implement this subdivision (G).    
        The holder of such an endorsement is entitled to all of 
        the rights and privileges granted holders of any other 
        Professional Educator License, including teacher 
        benefits, compensation, and working conditions.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.