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91_SB0277
LRB9101399NTsb
1 AN ACT to amend the School Code by changing Section
2 21-5c.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
6 Section 21-5c as follows:
7 (105 ILCS 5/21-5c)
8 Sec. 21-5c. Alternative route to teacher certification.
9 The State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
10 Teacher Certification Board, shall establish and implement an
11 alternative route to teacher certification program under
12 which persons who meet the requirements of and successfully
13 complete the program established by this Section shall be
14 issued an initial teaching certificate for teaching in
15 schools in this State. The State Board of Education shall
16 approve a course of study that persons in the program must
17 successfully complete in order to satisfy one criterion for
18 issuance of a certificate under this Section. The
19 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program course of
20 study must include a compressed and accelerated review of and
21 instruction in the the current content and skills contained
22 in a university's current courses for State certification
23 which have been approved by the State Board of Education, in
24 consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, as
25 the requirement for State teacher certification.
26 The program established under this Section shall be known
27 as the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program.
28 The program may be offered in conjunction with one or more
29 not-for-profit organizations in the State. The program shall
30 be comprised of the following 3 phases: (a) a course of study
31 offered on an intensive basis, not to exceed 3 calendar
-2- LRB9101399NTsb
1 months in duration or, if offered at night, not to exceed one
2 semester in duration, in education theory, instructional
3 methods, and practice teaching; (b) the person's assignment
4 to a full-time teaching position for one school year,
5 including the designation of a mentor teacher to advise and
6 assist the person with that teaching assignment; and (c) a
7 comprehensive assessment of the person's teaching performance
8 by school officials and program participants and a
9 recommendation by the institution of higher education to the
10 State Board of Education that the person be issued an initial
11 teaching certificate. Successful completion of the
12 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program shall be
13 deemed to satisfy any other practice or student teaching and
14 subject matter requirements established by law.
15 A provisional alternative teaching certificate, valid for
16 one year of teaching in the common schools and not renewable,
17 shall be issued under this Section 21-5c to persons who at
18 the time of applying for the provisional alternative teaching
19 certificate under this Section:
20 (1) have graduated from an accredited college or
21 university with a bachelor's degree;
22 (2) have been employed for a period of at least 5
23 years in an area requiring application of the
24 individual's education;
25 (3) have successfully completed the first phase of
26 the Alternative Teacher Certification program as provided
27 in this Section; and
28 (4) have passed the tests of basic skills and
29 subject matter knowledge required by Section 21-1a.
30 An initial teaching certificate, valid for teaching in
31 the common schools, shall be issued under Section 21-3 or
32 21-5 to persons who first complete the requirements for the
33 provisional alternative teaching certificate and who at the
34 time of applying for an initial teaching certificate have
-3- LRB9101399NTsb
1 successfully completed the second and third phases of the
2 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program as
3 provided in this Section.
4 A person possessing a provisional alternative certificate
5 or an initial teaching certificate earned under this Section
6 shall be treated as a regularly certified teacher for
7 purposes of compensation, benefits, and other terms and
8 conditions of employment afforded teachers in the school who
9 are members of a bargaining unit represented by an exclusive
10 bargaining representative, if any.
11 The State Board of Education may adopt rules and
12 regulations that are consistent with this Section and that
13 the State Board deems necessary to establish and implement
14 the program.
15 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)
16 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17 becoming law.