Bill Text: IL SB3488 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning teacher certification.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-10 - Referred to Assignments [SB3488 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SB3488-Introduced.html

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96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2009 and 2010 SB3488 Introduced 2/10/2010, by Sen. Dan Cronin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/21-2 from Ch. 122, par. 21-2
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning teacher certification.
LRB096 20531 MJR 36217 b
A BILL FOR
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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 Section
21-2 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/21-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2)
Sec. 21-2. Grades of certificates.
(a) All certificates issued under this Article shall be
State certificates valid, except as limited in Section 21-1, in
every school district coming under the the provisions of this
Act and shall be limited in time and designated as follows:
Provisional vocational certificate, temporary provisional
vocational certificate, early childhood certificate,
elementary school certificate, special certificate, secondary
certificate, school service personnel certificate,
administrative certificate, provisional certificate, and
substitute certificate. The requirement of student teaching
under close and competent supervision for obtaining a teaching
certificate may be waived by the State Teacher Certification
Board upon presentation to the Board by the teacher of evidence
of 5 years successful teaching experience on a valid
certificate and graduation from a recognized institution of
higher learning with a bachelor's degree.

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(b) Initial Teaching Certificate. Persons who (1) have
completed an approved teacher preparation program, (2) are
recommended by an approved teacher preparation program, (3)
have successfully completed the Initial Teaching Certification
examinations required by the State Board of Education, and (4)
have met all other criteria established by the State Board of
Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification
Board, shall be issued an Initial Teaching Certificate valid
for 4 years of teaching, as defined in Section 21-14 of this
Code. Initial Teaching Certificates shall be issued for
categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and
Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Article, an Initial Teaching
Certificate shall be automatically extended for one year for
all persons who (i) have been issued an Initial Teaching
Certificate that expires on June 30, 2004 and (ii) have not
met, prior to July 1, 2004, the Standard Certificate
requirements under paragraph (c) of this Section. An
application and fee shall not be required for this extension.
(b-5) A person who holds an out-of-state certificate and

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who is otherwise eligible for a comparable Illinois certificate
may be issued an Initial Certificate if that person has not
completed 4 years of teaching. Upon completion of 4 years of
teaching, the person is eligible for a Standard Certificate.
Beginning July 1, 2004, an out-of-state candidate who has
already earned a second-tier certificate in another state is
not subject to any Standard Certificate eligibility
requirements stated in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this
Section other than completion of the 4 years of teaching. An
out-of-state candidate who has completed less than 4 years of
teaching and does not hold a second-tier certificate from
another state must meet the requirements stated in paragraph
(2) of subsection (c) of this Section, proportionately reduced
by the amount of time remaining to complete the 4 years of
teaching.
(c) Standard Certificate.
(1) Persons who (i) have completed 4 years of teaching, as
defined in Section 21-14 of this Code, with an Initial
Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching Certificate and
have met all other criteria established by the State Board of
Education in consultation with the State Teacher Certification
Board, (ii) have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid
equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the
United States, or have completed 4 years of teaching in a
nonpublic Illinois elementary or secondary school with an
Initial Certificate or an Initial Alternative Teaching

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Certificate, and have met all other criteria established by the
State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board, or (iii) were issued teaching
certificates prior to February 15, 2000 and are renewing those
certificates after February 15, 2000, shall be issued a
Standard Certificate valid for 5 years, which may be renewed
thereafter every 5 years by the State Teacher Certification
Board based on proof of continuing education or professional
development. Beginning July 1, 2003, persons who have completed
4 years of teaching, as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of
this paragraph (1), have successfully completed the
requirements of paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection
(c), and have met all other criteria established by the State
Board of Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board, shall be issued Standard Certificates.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section,
beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid out-of-state
certificates and have completed 4 years of teaching on a valid
equivalent certificate in another State or territory of the
United States shall be issued comparable Standard
Certificates. Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold valid
out-of-state certificates as described in subsection (b-5) of
this Section are subject to the requirements of paragraphs (2)
through (4) of this subsection (c), as required in subsection
(b-5) of this Section, in order to receive a Standard
Certificate. Standard Certificates shall be issued for

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categories corresponding to Early Childhood, Elementary,
Secondary, and Special K-12, with special certification
designations for Special Education, Bilingual Education,
fundamental learning areas (including Language Arts, Reading,
Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and
Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language), and other areas
designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board.
(2) This paragraph (2) applies only to those persons
required to successfully complete the requirements of this
paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). In order
to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate, a person must
satisfy one of the following requirements:
(A) Completion of a program of induction and mentoring
for new teachers that is based upon a specific plan
approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board. Nothing in this
Section, however, prohibits an induction or mentoring
program from operating prior to approval. Holders of
Initial Certificates issued before September 1, 2007 must
complete, at a minimum, an approved one-year induction and
mentoring program. Holders of Initial Certificates issued
on or after September 1, 2007 must complete an approved
2-year induction and mentoring program. The plan must
describe the role of mentor teachers, the criteria and
process for their selection, and how all the following

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components are to be provided:
(i) Assignment of a formally trained mentor
teacher to each new teacher for a specified period of
time, which shall be established by the employing
school or school district, provided that a mentor
teacher may not directly or indirectly participate in
the evaluation of a new teacher pursuant to Article 24A
of this Code or the evaluation procedure of the school.
(ii) Formal mentoring for each new teacher.
(iii) Support for each new teacher in relation to
the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the
content-area standards applicable to the new teacher's
area of certification, and any applicable local school
improvement and professional development plans.
(iv) Professional development specifically
designed to foster the growth of each new teacher's
knowledge and skills.
(v) Formative assessment that is based on the
Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and designed
to provide feedback to the new teacher and
opportunities for reflection on his or her
performance, which must not be used directly or
indirectly in any evaluation of a new teacher pursuant
to Article 24A of this Code or the evaluation procedure
of the school and which must include the activities
specified in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and (B)(iii) of

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this paragraph (2).
(vi) Assignment of responsibility for coordination
of the induction and mentoring program within each
school district participating in the program.
(B) Successful completion of 4 semester hours of
graduate-level coursework on the assessment of one's own
performance in relation to the Illinois Professional
Teaching Standards. The coursework must be approved by the
State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board; must be offered either by an
institution of higher education, by such an institution in
partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a
regional office of education, or by another entity
authorized to issue college credit; and must include
demonstration of performance through all of the following
activities for each of the Illinois Professional Teaching
Standards:
(i) Observation, by the course instructor or
another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's
classroom practice (the observation may be recorded
for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and
describing how the new teacher made content meaningful
for students; how the teacher motivated individuals
and the group and created an environment conducive to
positive social interactions, active learning, and
self-motivation; what instructional strategies the

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teacher used to encourage students' development of
critical thinking, problem solving, and performance;
how the teacher communicated using written, verbal,
nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and
how the teacher maintained standards of professional
conduct and provided leadership to improve students'
learning.
(ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor
or another experienced teacher, of written
documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments,
assessment instruments, and samples of students' work)
prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The
documentation must provide evidence of classroom
performance related to Illinois Professional Teaching
Standards 1 through 9, with an emphasis on how the
teacher used his or her understanding of students,
assessment data, and subject matter to decide on
learning goals; how the teacher designed or selected
activities and instructional materials and aligned
instruction to the relevant Illinois Learning
Standards; how the teacher adapted or modified
curriculum to meet individual students' needs; and how
the teacher sequenced instruction and designed or
selected student assessment strategies.
(iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on
the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her

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practice, which was observed under clause (B)(i) of
this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (B)(ii)
of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths,
weaknesses, and implications for improvement according
to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.
(C) Successful completion of a minimum of 4 semester
hours of graduate-level coursework addressing preparation
to meet the requirements for certification by the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The
coursework must be approved by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board, and must be offered either by an
institution of higher education, by such an institution in
partnership with a teachers' association or union or with a
regional office of education, or by another entity
authorized to issue college credit. The course must address
the 5 NBPTS Core Propositions and relevant standards
through such means as the following:
(i) Observation, by the course instructor or
another experienced teacher, of the new teacher's
classroom practice (the observation may be recorded
for later viewing) for the purpose of identifying and
describing how the new teacher made content meaningful
for students; how the teacher motivated individuals
and the group and created an environment conducive to
positive social interactions, active learning, and

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self-motivation; what instructional strategies the
teacher used to encourage students' development of
critical thinking, problem solving, and performance;
how the teacher communicated using written, verbal,
nonverbal, and visual communication techniques; and
how the teacher maintained standards of professional
conduct and provided leadership to improve students'
learning.
(ii) Review and analysis, by the course instructor
or another experienced teacher, of written
documentation (i.e., lesson plans, assignments,
assessment instruments, and samples of students' work)
prepared by the new teacher for at least 2 lessons. The
documentation must provide evidence of classroom
performance, including how the teacher used his or her
understanding of students, assessment data, and
subject matter to decide on learning goals; how the
teacher designed or selected activities and
instructional materials and aligned instruction to the
relevant Illinois Learning Standards; how the teacher
adapted or modified curriculum to meet individual
students' needs; and how the teacher sequenced
instruction and designed or selected student
assessment strategies.
(iii) Demonstration of professional expertise on
the part of the new teacher in reflecting on his or her

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practice, which was observed under clause (C)(i) of
this paragraph (2) and documented under clause (C)(ii)
of this paragraph (2), in terms of teaching strengths,
weaknesses, and implications for improvement.
(C-5) Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 12
semester hours of graduate credit towards an advanced
degree in an education-related field from an accredited
institution of higher education.
(D) Receipt of an advanced degree from an accredited
institution of higher education in an education-related
field that is earned by a person either while he or she
holds an Initial Teaching Certificate or prior to his or
her receipt of that certificate.
(E) Accumulation of 60 continuing professional
development units (CPDUs), earned by completing selected
activities that comply with paragraphs (3) and (4) of this
subsection (c). However, for an individual who holds an
Initial Teaching Certificate on the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, the number of
CPDUs shall be reduced to reflect the teaching time
remaining on the Initial Teaching Certificate.
(F) Completion of a nationally normed,
performance-based assessment, if made available by the
State Board of Education in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board, provided that the cost to the
person shall not exceed the cost of the coursework

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described in clause (B) of this paragraph (2).
(G) Completion of requirements for meeting the
Illinois criteria for becoming "highly qualified" (for
purposes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public
Law 107-110) in an additional teaching area.
(H) Receipt of a minimum 12-hour, post-baccalaureate,
education-related professional development certificate
issued by an Illinois institution of higher education and
developed in accordance with rules adopted by the State
Board of Education in consultation with the State Teacher
Certification Board.
(I) Completion of the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process.
(J) Receipt of a subsequent Illinois certificate or
endorsement pursuant to Article 21 of this Code.
(3) This paragraph (3) applies only to those persons
required to successfully complete the requirements of this
paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons
who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph
(2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may
earn credit through completion of coursework, workshops,
seminars, conferences, and other similar training events that
are pre-approved by the State Board of Education, in
consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board, for
the purpose of reflection on teaching practices in order to
address all of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards

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necessary to obtain a Standard Teaching Certificate. These
activities must meet all of the following requirements:
(A) Each activity must be designed to advance a
person's knowledge and skills in relation to one or more of
the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or in
relation to the content-area standards applicable to the
teacher's field of certification.
(B) Taken together, the activities completed must
address each of the Illinois Professional Teaching
Standards as provided in clauses (B)(i), (B)(ii), and
(B)(iii) of paragraph (2) of this subsection (c).
(C) Each activity must be provided by an entity
approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation
with the State Teacher Certification Board, for this
purpose.
(D) Each activity, integral to its successful
completion, must require participants to demonstrate the
degree to which they have acquired new knowledge or skills,
such as through performance, through preparation of a
written product, through assembling samples of students'
or teachers' work, or by some other means that is
appropriate to the subject matter of the activity.
(E) One CPDU shall be available for each hour of direct
participation by a holder of an Initial Teaching
Certificate in a qualifying activity. An activity may be
attributed to more than one of the Illinois Professional

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Teaching Standards, but credit for any activity shall be
counted only once.
(4) This paragraph (4) applies only to those persons
required to successfully complete the requirements of this
paragraph under paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). Persons
who seek to satisfy the requirements of clause (E) of paragraph
(2) of this subsection (c) through accumulation of CPDUs may
earn credit from the following, provided that each activity is
designed to advance a person's knowledge and skills in relation
to one or more of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
or in relation to the content-area standards applicable to the
person's field or fields of certification:
(A) Collaboration and partnership activities related
to improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher,
including all of the following:
(i) Peer review and coaching.
(ii) 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.
(iii) Facilitating parent education programs
directly related to student achievement for a school,
school district, or regional office of education.
(iv) Participating in business, school, or
community partnerships directly related to student
achievement.

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(B) Teaching college or university courses in areas
relevant to a teacher's field of certification, provided
that the teaching may only be counted once during the
course of 4 years.
(C) Conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, and
symposiums related to improving a person's knowledge and
skills as a teacher, including all of the following:
(i) Completing non-university credit directly
related to student achievement, the Illinois
Professional Teaching Standards, or content-area
standards.
(ii) Participating in or presenting at workshops,
seminars, conferences, institutes, and symposiums.
(iii) (Blank).
(iv) Training as reviewers of university teacher
preparation programs.
An activity listed in this clause (C) is creditable
only if its provider is approved for this purpose by the
State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
Teacher Certification Board.
(D) Other educational experiences related to improving
a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including all
of the following:
(i) Participating in action research and inquiry
projects.
(ii) Observing programs or teaching in schools,

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related businesses, or industry that is systematic,
purposeful, and relevant to a teacher's field of
certification.
(iii) Participating in study groups related to
student achievement, the Illinois Professional
Teaching Standards, or content-area standards.
(iv) Participating in work/learn programs or
internships.
(v) Developing a portfolio of students' and
teacher's work.
(E) Professional leadership experiences related to
improving a person's knowledge and skills as a teacher,
including all of the following:
(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) (Blank).
(iv) Publishing educational articles, columns, or
books relevant to a teacher's field of certification.
(v) Participating in non-strike related activities
of a professional association or labor organization
that are related to professional development.
(5) A person must complete the requirements of this
subsection (c) before the expiration of his or her Initial

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Teaching Certificate and must submit assurance of having done
so to the regional superintendent of schools or a local
professional development committee authorized by the regional
superintendent to submit recommendations to him or her for this
purpose.
Within 30 days after receipt, the regional superintendent
of schools shall review the assurance of completion submitted
by a person and, based upon compliance with all of the
requirements for receipt of a Standard Teaching Certificate,
shall forward to the State Board of Education a recommendation
for issuance of the Standard Certificate or non-issuance. The
regional superintendent of schools shall notify the affected
person if the recommendation is for non-issuance of the
Standard Certificate. A person who is considered not to be
eligible for a Standard Certificate and who has received the
notice of non-issuance may appeal this determination to the
Regional Professional Development Review Committee (RPDRC).
The recommendation of the regional superintendent and the
RPDRC, along with all supporting materials, must then be
forwarded to the State Board of Education for a final
determination.
Upon review of a regional superintendent of school's
recommendations, the State Board of Education shall issue
Standard Teaching Certificates to those who qualify and shall
notify a person, in writing, of a decision denying a Standard
Teaching Certificate. Any decision denying issuance of a

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Standard Teaching Certificate to a person may be appealed to
the State Teacher Certification Board.
(6) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Teacher Certification Board, may adopt rules to implement
this subsection (c) and may periodically evaluate any of the
methods of qualifying for a Standard Teaching Certificate
described in this subsection (c).
(7) The changes made to paragraphs (1) through (5) of this
subsection (c) by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
Assembly shall apply to those persons who hold or are eligible
to hold an Initial Certificate on or after the effective date
of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and shall
be given effect upon their application for a Standard
Certificate.
(8) Beginning July 1, 2004, persons who hold a Standard
Certificate and have acquired one master's degree in an
education-related field are eligible for certificate renewal
upon completion of two-thirds of the continuing professional
development units specified in subdivision (E) of paragraph (3)
of subsection (e) of Section 21-14 of this Code. Persons who
hold a Standard Certificate and have acquired a second master's
degree, an education specialist, or a doctorate in an
education-related field or hold a Master Certificate are
eligible for certificate renewal upon completion of one-third
of the continuing professional development units specified in
subdivision (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section

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21-14 of this Code.
(d) Master Certificate. Persons who have successfully
achieved National Board certification through the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be issued a
Master 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 teacher who holds a
Master Certificate shall be eligible for a teaching 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. A holder of a Master Certificate in an area
of science or social science is eligible to teach in any of the
subject areas within those fields, including those taught at
the advanced level, as defined by the State Board of Education
in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board. A
teacher who holds a Master Certificate shall be deemed to meet
State certification renewal requirements in the area or areas
for which he or she holds a Master Certificate for the 10-year
term of the teacher's Master Certificate.
(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)