State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_SB1895

 
                                              LRB9112848NTksA

 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  School  Code  by  adding Section
 2    2-3.131.

 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 adding Section
 6    2-3.131 as follows:

 7        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.131 new)
 8        Sec. 2-3.131.  Teacher Cadet Program.
 9        (a)  The Teacher Cadet Program is hereby established  and
10    shall  be  operated  by  the  State  Board of Education.  The
11    Program is established for the purpose of introducing  public
12    secondary school pupils to the teaching profession.  The main
13    purpose of the Program is to encourage high school pupils who
14    possess   a  high  level  of  academic  achievement  and  the
15    personality traits found  in  good  teachers  to  consider  a
16    career in teaching.
17        (b)  The  State  Board of Education shall develop a grant
18    program that assists school districts  chosen  by  the  State
19    Board  of  Education  on a competitive basis in offering year
20    long coursework designed to expose pupils to teaching careers
21    and  the  education  system  through  the  development  of  a
22    hands-on curriculum that includes the following elements:
23             (1)  Classroom discussions led  by  the  supervising
24        teacher at the high school.
25             (2)  Hands-on  activities  designed to excite pupils
26        about teaching.
27             (3)  Observation and participation in public  school
28        classrooms.
29             (4)  Interaction  with successful administrators and
30        teachers.
31             (5)  Opportunities  for  high   school   pupils   to
 
                            -2-               LRB9112848NTksA
 1        participate  in classrooms through tutoring, internships,
 2        and classroom observation of teaching.
 3        (c)  A school district that participates in  the  Teacher
 4    Cadet Program shall receive, from funds appropriated for that
 5    purpose, a one-time grant of up to $5,000 for the start-up of
 6    the Program at its school site that will fund the development
 7    of  the  curriculum,  the  purchase  of  materials,  and  the
 8    development  of tutoring, internship, and observation options
 9    for the high school pupils enrolled in the Program.
10        (d)  Subject to the availability of  funding,  the  State
11    Board  of  Education  shall contract for an evaluation of the
12    Teacher Cadet Program and shall report on the  evaluation  to
13    the  General  Assembly  by  January 1, 2004.  This evaluation
14    shall  include  (i)  interviews  with  Program   participants
15    regarding their views on the value of the Program and whether
16    participation   in  the  Program  has  been  instrumental  in
17    encouraging the selection of teaching as a major  in  college
18    or  as a career and (ii) surveys of colleges and universities
19    to determine whether there has been an increase in the number
20    of pupils that indicate an interest in preparing for a career
21    in public education.
22        (e)  The State Board of Education  may  adopt  any  rules
23    necessary to implement and administer this Section.
24        (f)  This Section is repealed on January 1, 2008.

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

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