Bill Text: IL HB1215 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge. Provides that, subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former or active first responder or military personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military personnel may be charged an application fee under specified provisions. Effective July 1, 2023.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-16 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Chris Miller [HB1215 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HB1215-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | 21B-30 and 21B-40 as follows:
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6 | (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
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7 | Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing. | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) (Blank). | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (a-5) In this Section: | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | "Former or active first responder" means a person who | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | either is currently serving or has formerly served as a law | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | enforcement officer, a firefighter, or emergency medical | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | services personnel as defined in Section 3.5 of the Emergency | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. | |||||||||||||||||||||
15 | "Military personnel" means a person who is currently a | |||||||||||||||||||||
16 | member or who is a retired and honorably discharged member of | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | the Illinois National Guard. | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | and implement a system of examinations, which shall be | |||||||||||||||||||||
22 | required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | examinations and indicators must be based on national and |
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1 | State professional teaching standards, as determined by the | ||||||
2 | State Board of Education, in consultation with the State | ||||||
3 | Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of | ||||||
4 | Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to | ||||||
5 | implement and administer this Section. | ||||||
6 | (c) (Blank). | ||||||
7 | (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a | ||||||
8 | paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an | ||||||
9 | applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a | ||||||
10 | paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the | ||||||
11 | endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other | ||||||
12 | requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section | ||||||
13 | 21B-20 other than the higher education requirements. | ||||||
14 | (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be | ||||||
15 | required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area | ||||||
16 | of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There | ||||||
17 | shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall | ||||||
18 | be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record | ||||||
19 | until he or she has passed the applicable content area test. | ||||||
20 | Subject to appropriation, any candidate who is considered | ||||||
21 | either a former or active first responder or military | ||||||
22 | personnel shall receive a refund for any costs associated with | ||||||
23 | completing a test of content area knowledge under this | ||||||
24 | subsection (d). | ||||||
25 | (e) (Blank). | ||||||
26 | (f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, |
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1 | beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing | ||||||
2 | teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates | ||||||
3 | subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a | ||||||
4 | teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of | ||||||
5 | Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation | ||||||
6 | and Licensure Board. A candidate may not be required to submit | ||||||
7 | test materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation, | ||||||
8 | an individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is | ||||||
9 | employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district | ||||||
10 | designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after | ||||||
11 | application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a | ||||||
12 | refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher | ||||||
13 | performance assessment under this subsection. Subject to | ||||||
14 | appropriation, any candidate who is considered either a former | ||||||
15 | or active first responder or military personnel shall receive | ||||||
16 | a refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher | ||||||
17 | performance assessment under this subsection (f). | ||||||
18 | (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher | ||||||
19 | performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to | ||||||
20 | time are designated by the State Board of Education, in | ||||||
21 | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | ||||||
22 | Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing | ||||||
23 | organization or tests designed by the State Board of | ||||||
24 | Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation | ||||||
25 | and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall | ||||||
26 | assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The |
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1 | tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no | ||||||
2 | person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis | ||||||
3 | of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to | ||||||
4 | the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The | ||||||
5 | score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State | ||||||
6 | Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator | ||||||
7 | Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be | ||||||
8 | administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and | ||||||
9 | place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in | ||||||
10 | consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure | ||||||
11 | Board. | ||||||
12 | The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess | ||||||
13 | the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of | ||||||
14 | applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under | ||||||
15 | subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this | ||||||
16 | Code in the English language and in the language of the | ||||||
17 | transitional bilingual education program requested by the | ||||||
18 | applicant. | ||||||
19 | (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the | ||||||
20 | provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school | ||||||
21 | district subject to Article 34 of this Code. | ||||||
22 | (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the | ||||||
23 | testing requirements under this Section shall include without | ||||||
24 | limitation provisions governing test selection, test | ||||||
25 | validation and determination of a passing score, | ||||||
26 | administration of the tests, frequency of administration, |
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1 | applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the | ||||||
2 | years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special | ||||||
3 | accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop | ||||||
4 | such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to | ||||||
5 | year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
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6 | (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19; | ||||||
7 | 101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
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8 | (105 ILCS 5/21B-40) | ||||||
9 | Sec. 21B-40. Fees. | ||||||
10 | (a) Beginning with the start of the new licensure system | ||||||
11 | established pursuant to this Article, the following fees shall | ||||||
12 | be charged to applicants: | ||||||
13 | (1) A $100 application fee for a Professional Educator | ||||||
14 | License or an Educator License with Stipulations. | ||||||
15 | (1.5) A $50 application fee for a Substitute Teaching | ||||||
16 | License. If the application for a Substitute Teaching | ||||||
17 | License is made and granted after July 1, 2017, the | ||||||
18 | licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee | ||||||
19 | within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall | ||||||
20 | be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if | ||||||
21 | the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of | ||||||
22 | Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the | ||||||
23 | Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full school days | ||||||
24 | within one year of issuance. | ||||||
25 | (1.7) A $25 application fee for a Short-Term |
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1 | Substitute Teaching License. The Short-Term Substitute | ||||||
2 | Teaching License must be registered in at least one region | ||||||
3 | in this State, but does not require a registration fee. | ||||||
4 | The licensee may apply for a refund of the application fee | ||||||
5 | within 18 months of issuance of the new license and shall | ||||||
6 | be issued that refund by the State Board of Education if | ||||||
7 | the licensee provides evidence to the State Board of | ||||||
8 | Education that the licensee has taught pursuant to the | ||||||
9 | Short-Term Substitute Teaching License at least 10 full | ||||||
10 | school days within one year of issuance. The application | ||||||
11 | fee for a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License shall be | ||||||
12 | waived when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a | ||||||
13 | public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the | ||||||
14 | Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. | ||||||
15 | (2) A $150 application fee for individuals who have | ||||||
16 | not been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator | ||||||
17 | preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher | ||||||
18 | education and are seeking any of the licenses set forth in | ||||||
19 | subdivision (1) of this subsection (a). | ||||||
20 | (3) A $50 application fee for each endorsement or | ||||||
21 | approval. | ||||||
22 | (4) A $10 per year registration fee for the course of | ||||||
23 | the validity cycle to register the license, which shall be | ||||||
24 | paid to the regional office of education having | ||||||
25 | supervision and control over the school in which the | ||||||
26 | individual holding the license is to be employed. If the |
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1 | individual holding the license is not yet employed, then | ||||||
2 | the license may be registered in any county in this State. | ||||||
3 | The registration fee must be paid in its entirety the | ||||||
4 | first time the individual registers the license for a | ||||||
5 | particular validity period in a single region. No | ||||||
6 | additional fee may be charged for that validity period | ||||||
7 | should the individual subsequently register the license in | ||||||
8 | additional regions. An individual must register the | ||||||
9 | license (i) immediately after initial issuance of the | ||||||
10 | license and (ii) at the beginning of each renewal cycle if | ||||||
11 | the individual has satisfied the renewal requirements | ||||||
12 | required under this Code. | ||||||
13 | Beginning on July 1, 2017, at the beginning of each | ||||||
14 | renewal cycle, individuals who hold a Substitute Teaching | ||||||
15 | License may apply for a reimbursement of the registration | ||||||
16 | fee within 18 months of renewal and shall be issued that | ||||||
17 | reimbursement by the State Board of Education from funds | ||||||
18 | appropriated for that purpose if the licensee provides | ||||||
19 | evidence to the State Board of Education that the licensee | ||||||
20 | has taught pursuant to the Substitute Teaching License at | ||||||
21 | least 10 full school days within one year of renewal. | ||||||
22 | (5) The license renewal fee for an Educator License | ||||||
23 | with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator | ||||||
24 | endorsement is $25. | ||||||
25 | (a-5) No former or active first responder or military | ||||||
26 | personnel, as defined in Section 21B-30 of this Code, may be |
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1 | charged an application fee under subdivision (1), (1.5), | ||||||
2 | (1.7), (2), or (3) of subsection (a) of this Section. | ||||||
3 | (b) All application fees paid pursuant to subdivisions (1) | ||||||
4 | through (3) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be | ||||||
5 | deposited into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund and | ||||||
6 | shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of | ||||||
7 | Education to provide the technology and human resources | ||||||
8 | necessary for the timely and efficient processing of | ||||||
9 | applications and for the renewal of licenses. Funds available | ||||||
10 | from the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund may also be | ||||||
11 | used by the State Board of Education to support the | ||||||
12 | recruitment and retention of educators, to support educator | ||||||
13 | preparation programs as they seek national accreditation, and | ||||||
14 | to provide professional development aligned with the | ||||||
15 | requirements set forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code. A | ||||||
16 | majority of the funds in the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving | ||||||
17 | Fund must be dedicated to the timely and efficient processing | ||||||
18 | of applications and for the renewal of licenses. The Teacher | ||||||
19 | Certificate Fee Revolving Fund is not subject to | ||||||
20 | administrative charge transfers, authorized under Section 8h | ||||||
21 | of the State Finance Act, from the Teacher Certificate Fee | ||||||
22 | Revolving Fund into any other fund of this State, and moneys in | ||||||
23 | the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund shall not revert | ||||||
24 | back to the General Revenue Fund at any time. | ||||||
25 | The regional superintendent of schools shall deposit the | ||||||
26 | registration fees paid pursuant to subdivision (4) of |
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1 | subsection (a) of this Section into the institute fund | ||||||
2 | established pursuant to Section 3-11 of this Code. | ||||||
3 | (c) The State Board of Education and each regional office | ||||||
4 | of education are authorized to charge a service or convenience | ||||||
5 | fee for the use of credit cards for the payment of license | ||||||
6 | fees. This service or convenience fee shall not exceed the | ||||||
7 | amount required by the credit card processing company or | ||||||
8 | vendor that has entered into a contract with the State Board or | ||||||
9 | regional office of education for this purpose, and the fee | ||||||
10 | must be paid to that company or vendor. | ||||||
11 | (d) If, at the time a certificate issued under Article 21 | ||||||
12 | of this Code is exchanged for a license issued under this | ||||||
13 | Article, a person has paid registration fees for any years of | ||||||
14 | the validity period of the certificate and these years have | ||||||
15 | not expired when the certificate is exchanged, then those fees | ||||||
16 | must be applied to the registration of the new license.
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17 | (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19; | ||||||
18 | 102-867, eff. 5-13-22.)
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19 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||||||
20 | 2023.
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