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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.