Bill Text: IL SB2245 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Literary and Justice for All Act. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt and make available to school districts a rubric by which districts may evaluate curricula and select and implement evidence-based, culturally inclusive core reading instruction programs, a template to develop literacy plans, and guidance on evidence-based practices. Requires the State Board to develop training opportunities in teaching reading and a comprehensive literacy plan for this State. Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program, the requirements to receive a Professional Educator License, taking a test in reading foundations for certain licensure, and the requirements for educators trained in other states or countries. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-10 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB2245 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2245-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2245 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
105 ILCS 5/2-3.51 from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51
105 ILCS 5/21B-20
105 ILCS 5/21B-30
105 ILCS 5/21B-35
Creates the Literary and Justice for All Act. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt and make available to school districts a rubric by which districts may evaluate curricula and select and implement evidence-based, culturally inclusive core reading instruction programs, a template to develop literacy plans, and guidance on evidence-based practices. Requires the State Board to develop training opportunities in teaching reading and a comprehensive literacy plan for this State. Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program, the requirements to receive a Professional Educator License, taking a test in reading foundations for certain licensure, and the requirements for educators trained in other states or counties. Effective immediately.
LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
A BILL FOR
SB2245 LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Literacy and Justice for All Act.
Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly makes all of the
following findings:
(1) Literacy is not only critical for individuals'
ability to earn income, secure housing, participate in
their healthcare, support their children's education,
pursue happiness, and navigate the world but also
collectively foundational to our community and democracy.
(2) The World Literacy Foundation found that low
literacy is a major contributor to inequality and
increases the likelihood of poor physical and mental
health, workplace accidents, misuse of medication,
participation in crime, and welfare dependency, all of
which have substantial additional social and economic
costs.
(3) Fifty percent of Illinois' third graders met,
exceeded, or approached learning standards in English
language arts according to the Illinois Assessment of
Readiness with the other half of students not meeting or

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partially meeting standards; this represents a 10
percentage-point swing from the 2019 pre-pandemic rates
when 60% of students met, exceeded, or approached learning
standards.
(4) Thirty-three percent of Illinois' fourth graders
achieved proficient or advanced reading scores on the 2022
National Assessment of Educational Progress with another
29% meeting basic reading proficiency and the remaining
38% scoring below basic reading proficiency.
(5) Research from the Annie E. Casey Institute found
that students who are not proficient readers in third
grade are 4 times more likely not to finish high school; if
those students are from low-income families, they are more
than 6 times more likely not to finish high school.
(6) Research consistently finds that a diverse,
well-trained, and expanding pool of teachers, in
conjunction with curricula responsive to the strengths and
needs of diverse student populations, improves educational
outcomes for all students.
(7) An appropriate curriculum blends the learning
needs of students with their developmental needs and
increases in complexity with every new stage of childhood.
(8) Oral language development is a prerequisite for
reading and writing that is nurtured from birth through
talking, reading, story-telling, singing, nursery rhymes,
and other language exposure and, as younger children

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develop, through intentional dialogue with rich
vocabulary; home visiting programs, access to books,
high-quality childcare and preschool, and lived
experiences strengthen students' opportunity to build
oracy skills, vocabulary, and background knowledge,
leading to higher-level cognitive thinking.
(9) Reading builds new neural pathways in the brain as
people, usually children, learn to connect the sounds in
language to letters on a page to the meaning of the text;
however, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to
literacy, as learners will require different dosages
within different areas of literacy instruction to meet
their individual needs.
(10) Reading and writing have a reciprocal
relationship, as each strengthens the other, and students
benefit when their instruction is closely intertwined.
(11) English learners benefit from a comprehensive
literacy approach that recognizes the value of
multilingualism by enveloping all areas of literacy
instruction with a deep focus on oral language development
and encouraging students to make connections between
English and their home language.
(12) Teachers deserve the tools to be knowledgeable
about the cultural practices and language system of the
children they serve, including those children who speak
language variations of English, such as African-American

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English (AAE); AAE has a linguistic structure that is a
systematic and rule-governed variation of General American
English.
(13) Research shows that direct, systematic,
cumulative, and explicit reading instruction that is
focused on the foundational reading skills of phonemic
awareness, phonics or decoding, spelling or encoding,
vocabulary development that includes morphology, oral
language development, reading fluency, and reading
comprehension that includes syntax and building background
or content knowledge, is highly effective in teaching
young children to read.
(14) High literacy achievement across all demographic
groups is an essential indicator of educational equity
within this State; strengthening early literacy
instruction and support for students in Illinois will pay
dividends in the future by empowering students, providing
the skills they will need to graduate, find fulfilling
careers, and be productive members of their communities
and of our democracy.
(15) Ensuring that every child has access to
high-quality, research-aligned, developmentally
appropriate reading instruction implemented using a
comprehensive approach is a foundational component of this
State's public education system and a responsibility
shared among federal, State, and local education agencies.

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Section 10. State Board of Education assistance;
comprehensive literacy plan.
(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt and make
available all of the following to each publicly funded school
district:
(1) A rubric by which districts may evaluate curricula
and select and implement evidence-based, culturally
inclusive core reading instruction programs. The rubric
shall address:
(A) systematic and explicit approaches to phonemic
awareness, decoding (phonics), and encoding(spelling);
(B) vocabulary development, including morphology,
and reading fluency;
(C) oral language development;
(D) reading comprehension, including syntax and
building background (content) knowledge; and
(E) cultural inclusivity.
(2) A template to support districts when developing
comprehensive, district-wide literacy plans that include
support for special student populations, including
multilingual, diverse, and gifted students.
(3) Guidance on evidence-based practices for effective
structures for training and deploying literacy coaches to
support teachers and close opportunity gaps among student
demographic groups.

SB2245 - 6 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
(b) On or after September 1, 2024, the State Board of
Education shall develop and make available evidence-based
training opportunities in teaching reading. Such training
shall focus on systematic and explicit instruction in the
areas of phonemic awareness, decoding (phonics), encoding
(spelling), vocabulary development, including morphology, oral
language development, reading fluency, and reading
comprehension, including syntax and building background
(content) knowledge and include rigorous evaluations of
learning throughout and at the end of the training. This
support shall include:
(1) development of a microcredential or a series of
microcredentials in comprehensive, evidence-based
literacy instruction to be affixed to professional
educator licenses upon successful demonstration of the
skill, completion of the required coursework or
assessment, or both;
(2) creation and dissemination of a tool that school
districts, educators, and the public may use to evaluate
professional development and training programs related to
structured literacy instruction; and
(3) in partnership with one or more high-quality
providers of evidence-based professional development or
training in the content and principles of effective
language and literacy instruction, development of online
training modules on evidence-based literacy instruction

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accepted for continuing professional development units.
(c) On or before October 1, 2023, in consultation with
education stakeholders, the State Board Education shall
develop and adopt a comprehensive literacy plan for this
State, which shall be updated as needed. The State Board shall
annually compile and post on its website information about
progress on the comprehensive literacy plan.
Section 90. The School Code is amended by changing
Sections 2-3.51, 21B-20, 21B-30, and 21B-35 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.51) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51)
Sec. 2-3.51. Reading Improvement Block Grant Program. To
improve the reading and study skills of children from
kindergarten through sixth grade in school districts. The
State Board of Education is authorized to administer a Reading
Improvement Block Grant Program. As used in this Section:
"School district" includes those schools designated as
"laboratory schools".
"Scientifically based reading research" means the
application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures
to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development,
reading instruction, and reading difficulties. The term
includes research that employs systematic, empirical methods
that draw on observation or experiment, involves rigorous data
analysis that is adequate to test the stated hypotheses and to

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justify the general conclusions drawn, relies on measurements
or observational methods that provide valid data across
evaluators and observers and across multiple measurements and
observations, and has been accepted by peer-reviewed journal
or approved by a panel of independent experts through a
comparably rigorous, objective and scientific review.
(a) Funds for the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program
shall be distributed to school districts on the following
basis: 70% of monies shall be awarded on the prior year's best
3 months average daily attendance and 30% shall be distributed
on the number of economically disadvantaged (E.C.I.A. Chapter
I) pupils in the district, provided that the State Board may
distribute an amount not to exceed 2% of the monies
appropriated for the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program
for the purpose of providing teacher training and re-training
in the teaching of reading. Program funds shall be distributed
to school districts in 2 semi-annual installments, one payment
on or before October 30, and one payment prior to April 30, of
each year. The State Board shall promulgate rules and
regulations necessary for the implementation of this program.
If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement Block
Grant Program for a given fiscal year is less than
$15,000,000, then the State Board shall limit eligibility to
school districts that have been placed in Tier 1 or Tier 2
pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15
of this Code and shall impose additional eligibility criteria

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to limit the number of approved applicants to a cohort
sufficient for each selected district to provide adequate
training and ongoing coaching support to each teacher of
students in kindergarten through grade 2 and special education
teachers and evidence-based curriculum investments. Programs
provided with grant funds shall not replace quality classroom
reading instruction, but shall instead supplement such
instruction.
(a-5) Reading Improvement Block Grant Program funds shall
be used by school districts in the following manner:
(1) to hire reading specialists, reading teachers, and
reading aides in order to provide early reading
intervention in kindergarten through grade 2 and programs
of continued reading support for students in grades 3
through 6;
(2) in kindergarten through grade 2, to establish
short-term tutorial early reading intervention programs
for children who are at risk of failing to learn to read;
these programs shall (i) focus on scientifically based
research and best practices with proven long-term results,
(ii) identify students in need of help no later than the
middle of first grade, (iii) provide ongoing training for
teachers in the program, (iv) focus instruction on
strengthening a student's phonemic awareness, phonics,
fluency, and comprehension skills, (v) provide a means to
document and evaluate student growth, and (vi) provide

SB2245 - 10 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
properly trained staff;
(3) to continue direct reading instruction for grades
3 through 6;
(4) in grades 3 through 6, to establish programs of
support for students who demonstrate a need for continued
assistance in learning to read and in maintaining reading
achievement; these programs shall (i) focus on
scientifically based research and best practices with
proven long-term results, (ii) provide ongoing training
for teachers and other staff members in the program, (iii)
focus instruction on strengthening a student's phonics,
fluency, and comprehension skills in grades 3 through 6,
(iv) provide a means to evaluate and document student
growth, and (v) provide properly trained staff;
(5) in grades K through 6, to provide both
evidence-based, high-quality core literacy curriculum
materials that consider the unique needs of English
learners for concurrent oral language practice and
high-quality screening assessments designed to inform
instruction in English language arts and literacy
classroom reading materials for students; each district
may allocate up to 25% of the funds for this purpose; and
(6) to provide a long-term professional development
program for classroom teachers, administrators, and other
appropriate staff; the program shall (i) focus on
scientifically based research and best practices with

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proven long-term results, (ii) provide a means to evaluate
student progress in reading as a result of the training,
(iii) and be provided by approved staff development
providers.
If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement Block
Grant Program for a given fiscal year is less than
$15,000,000, then grant recipients shall prioritize
evidence-based curricula and materials, training, and ongoing
coaching support for kindergarten through grade 3 teachers and
special education teachers.
(a-10) If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement
Block Grant Program for a given fiscal year is at least
$15,000,000, then Reading Improvement Block Grant Program
funds shall be made available to each eligible school district
submitting an approved application developed by the State
Board beginning with the 1998-99 school year. Applications
shall include a proposed assessment method or methods for
measuring the reading growth of students who receive direct
instruction as a result of the funding and the impact of staff
development activities on student growth in reading. Such
methods may include the reading portion of the assessments
required under Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code. At the end of
each school year the district shall report performance of
progress results to the State Board. Districts not
demonstrating performance progress using an approved
assessment method shall not be eligible for funding in the

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third or subsequent years until such progress is established.
If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement Block
Grant Program for a given fiscal year is less than
$15,000,000, then the State Board may establish additional
eligibility criteria and shall select a cohort of school
districts that have been placed in Tier 1 or Tier 2 pursuant to
paragraph (3) of subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15 of this
Code to participate.
(a-15) The State Superintendent of Education, in
cooperation with the school districts participating in the
program, shall annually report to the leadership of the
General Assembly on the results of the Reading Improvement
Block Grant Program and the progress being made on improving
the reading skills of students in kindergarten through the
sixth grade.
(b) (Blank).
(c) (Blank).
(d) Grants under the Reading Improvement Block Grant
Program shall be awarded provided there is an appropriation
for the program, and funding levels for each district shall be
prorated according to the amount of the appropriation for any
fiscal year in which at least $15,000,000 has been
appropriated.
(e) (Blank).
(f) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 98-972, eff. 8-15-14.)

SB2245 - 13 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
(105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
required to be licensed must have one of the following
licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2023, a short-term
substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
individuals certified or certificated or required to be
certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed
under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
30 following one full year of the license being issued.
The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
licenses and endorsements under this Section.
(1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
have successfully completed an approved educator
preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,

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the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
the exceptional child, including without limitation
children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
successfully completed coursework in evidence-based
methods of reading that include explicit and repeated
focus on phonemic awareness, a systematic approach to
phonics (decoding), spelling instruction (encoding),
vocabulary development, including morphology, reading
fluency, oral language development, and reading
comprehension, including syntax and background (content)
knowledge, and reading in the content area, and (v) have
met all other criteria established by rule of the State
Board of Education shall be issued a Professional Educator
License. All Professional Educator Licenses are valid
until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license
being issued. The Professional Educator License shall be
endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in which the
individual is eligible to practice. For an early childhood
education endorsement, an individual may satisfy the
student teaching requirement of his or her early childhood
teacher preparation program through placement in a setting
with children from birth through grade 2, and the
individual may be paid and receive credit while student
teaching. The student teaching experience must meet the
requirements of and be approved by the individual's early
childhood teacher preparation program.

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Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
that limits the license holder to one particular position
or does not require completion of an approved educator
program or both.
An individual with an Educator License with
Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
with the following endorsements:
(A) (Blank).
(B) Alternative provisional educator. An
alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
applicant who, at the time of applying for the
endorsement, has done all of the following:
(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
college or university with a minimum of a
bachelor's degree.
(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of

SB2245 - 16 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
Code.
(iii) Passed a content area test, as required
under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
superintendent in a school district's central office.
This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
done all of the following:
(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
college or university with a minimum of a master's
degree in a management field other than education.
(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
years in a management level position in a field
other than education.
(iii) Successfully completed the first phase
of an alternative route to superintendent
endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55

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of this Code.
(iv) Passed a content area test required under
Section 21B-30 of this Code.
The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
order to complete one full year of serving as a
superintendent or assistant superintendent.
(D) (Blank).
(E) Career and technical educator. A career and
technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education
or an accredited trade and technical institution and
has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
education in each area to be taught.
The career and technical educator endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
An individual who holds a valid career and
technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
degree may substitute teach in career and technical
education classrooms.
(F) (Blank).
(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A

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transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
all of the following requirements:
(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
writing ability in the language other than English
in which transitional bilingual education is
offered.
(ii) Has the ability to successfully
communicate in English.
(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
previous to his or her applying for a transitional
bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
comparable teaching certificate or comparable
authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
a degree from an institution of higher learning in
a foreign country that the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher
learning in the United States.
A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years

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of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
renewed.
Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
replaced for any reason.
(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
other than English in the public schools, an
individual who holds an Educator License with
Stipulations may also apply for a language
endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
following requirements:
(i) Holds a transitional bilingual
endorsement.
(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
language for which the endorsement is to be issued
by passing the applicable language content test
required by the State Board of Education.
(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
a regionally accredited institution of higher
education or, for individuals educated in a
country other than the United States, holds a
degree from an institution of higher learning in a
foreign country that the State Educator

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Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher
learning in the United States.
(iv) (Blank).
A language endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
grade 12 for the same validity period as the
individual's transitional bilingual educator
endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
and shall not be renewed.
(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
international educator endorsement on an Educator
License with Stipulations may be issued to an
individual who is being recruited by a particular
school district that conducts formal recruitment
programs outside of the United States to secure the
services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
the following requirements:
(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
grade level for which he or she will be employed.
(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
subject to be taught.
(iv) Has an adequate command of the English

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language.
A holder of a visiting international educator
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
programs in the language that was the medium of
instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
provided that he or she passes the English Language
Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
skills in English identified by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board.
A visiting international educator endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
years and shall not be renewed.
(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
educator endorsement on an Educator License with
Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
(i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
paraprofessional competency test under subsection
(c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
of age and will be using the Educator License with
Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten
through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age

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of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
may be renewed through application and payment of the
appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
this Code. An individual who holds only a
paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
to additional requirements in order to renew the
endorsement.
(K) Chief school business official. A chief school
business official endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
years of full-time administrative experience in school
business management or 2 years of university-approved
practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
State Board of Education for the preparation of school
business administrators and by passage of the
applicable State tests, including an applicable
content area test.
The chief school business official endorsement may
also be affixed to the Educator License with
Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a

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master's degree in business administration, finance,
accounting, or public administration and who completes
an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
business management from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education and passes the
applicable State tests, including an applicable
content area test. This endorsement shall be required
for any individual employed as a chief school business
official.
The chief school business official endorsement on
an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
license holder completes renewal requirements as
required for individuals who hold a Professional
Educator License endorsed for chief school business
official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
Education.
The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
program at an Illinois institution of higher education

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and who has not successfully completed an
evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
who meets all of the following requirements:
(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
(ii) Has completed an approved educator
preparation program at an Illinois institution.
(iii) Has passed an applicable content area
test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
minimum score on that assessment, as established
by the State Board of Education in consultation
with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
Board.
A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
be renewed.
(M) (Blank).
(N) Specialized services. A specialized services
endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
License may be issued to qualified applicants for
substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching

SB2245 - 25 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
educator preparation program in this State and have earned
at least 90 credit hours.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
has had his or her Professional Educator License or
Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
Substitute Teaching License.
A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
contract because of an emergency situation, then a
district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
office of education within 5 business days after the
employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency
situation. An emergency situation is one in which an
unforeseen vacancy has occurred and (i) a teacher is
unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii)
teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous

SB2245 - 26 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
indications, and the district is actively engaged in
advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
vacant position.
There is no limit on the number of days that a
substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
Professional Educator License or Educator License with
Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
this Code.
A school district may not require an individual who
holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
(4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2023, the State Board of
Education may issue a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
License. A Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may be
issued to a qualified applicant for substitute teaching in

SB2245 - 27 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
all grades of the public schools, prekindergarten through
grade 12. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not
eligible for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term
Substitute Teaching License must hold an associate's
degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
individual has had his or her Professional Educator
License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
is under contract, a school district may not hire an
individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public

SB2245 - 28 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
school. This paragraph (4) is inoperative on and after
July 1, 2023.
(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-711, eff.
1-1-23; 102-712, eff. 4-27-22; 102-713, eff. 1-1-23; 102-717,
eff. 4-29-22; 102-894, eff. 5-20-22; revised 12-13-22.)
(105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
(a) (Blank).
(b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
examinations and indicators must be based on national and
State professional teaching standards, as determined by the
State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
implement and administer this Section.
(c) (Blank).
(c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other

SB2245 - 29 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
21B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
(d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
shall be no exception to this requirement. No candidate shall
be allowed to student teach or serve as the teacher of record
until he or she has passed the applicable content area test.
(d-5) All applicants seeking a State license after October
1, 2025 in the areas of early childhood education, early
childhood special education, elementary education in grades
one through 6, reading specialist, reading teacher, learning
behavior specialist I, special education general curriculum,
director of special education, and principal as instruction
leader shall take a test in reading foundations, which shall
include assessment of the applicant's understanding of
phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print and the
alphabetic principle, the role of phonics in promoting reading
development, word analysis skills and strategies, vocabulary
development, linguistics, morphology, application of reading
comprehension skills and strategies, and methods for assessing
reading development. The test in reading foundations must also
assess applicants' knowledge of assessment, differentiation,
and intervention with respect to each component of reading for
English learners, students with disabilities, and students
with advanced skills in some areas of reading.

SB2245 - 30 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
Candidates need not achieve a particular score on the test
in reading foundations; however, candidates who achieve a
passing score shall earn a notation on their transcript and an
additional credential on their Professional Educator License,
and this information shall be considered during each
preparation program's reaccreditation process. The State Board
shall aggregate and publish the number of candidates in each
preparation program who take the test in reading foundations
and the number who pass the test. The State Board shall cover
the costs of the assessment, and no candidate or preparation
program shall be charged a fee for the assessment. Candidates
who have taken the test previously need not take it again for
additional licensure areas, though they may choose to do so.
(e) (Blank).
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this Article,
beginning on September 1, 2015, all candidates completing
teacher preparation programs in this State and all candidates
subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required to pass a
teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
and Licensure Board. A candidate may not be required to submit
test materials by video submission. Subject to appropriation,
an individual who holds a Professional Educator License and is
employed for a minimum of one school year by a school district
designated as Tier 1 under Section 18-8.15 may, after
application to the State Board, receive from the State Board a

SB2245 - 31 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
refund for any costs associated with completing the teacher
performance assessment under this subsection.
(g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
organization or tests designed by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
Preparation and Licensure Board. The tests shall be
administered not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and
place as may be designated by the State Board of Education, in
consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
Board.
The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this

SB2245 - 32 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
Code in the English language and in the language of the
transitional bilingual education program requested by the
applicant.
(h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
(i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
testing requirements under this Section shall include, without
limitation, provisions governing test selection, test
validation, and determination of a passing score for all tests
except the reading foundations test, administration of the
tests, frequency of administration, applicant fees, frequency
of applicants taking the tests, the years for which a score is
valid, and appropriate special accommodations. The State Board
of Education shall develop such rules as may be needed to
ensure uniformity from year to year in the level of difficulty
for each form of an assessment. The State Board shall base its
rules concerning the passing score on the reading foundations
test on the recommended cut-score determined in the formal
standard-setting process.
(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-220, eff. 8-7-19;
101-594, eff. 12-5-19; 102-301, eff. 8-26-21.)
(105 ILCS 5/21B-35)
Sec. 21B-35. Minimum requirements for educators trained in
other states or countries.

SB2245 - 33 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
(a) Any applicant who has not been entitled by an
Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
institution of higher education applying for a Professional
Educator License endorsed in a teaching field or school
support personnel area must meet the following requirements:
(1) the applicant must:
(A) hold a comparable and valid educator license
or certificate, as defined by rule, with similar grade
level and content area credentials from another state,
with the State Board of Education having the authority
to determine what constitutes similar grade level and
content area credentials from another state;
(B) have a bachelor's degree from a regionally
accredited institution of higher education; and
(C) (blank); or
(2) the applicant must:
(A) have completed a state-approved program for
the licensure area sought, including coursework
concerning (i) methods of instruction of the
exceptional child, (ii) evidence-based methods of
reading that include explicit and repeated focus on
phonemic awareness, a systematic approach to phonics
(decoding), spelling instruction (encoding),
vocabulary development, including morphology, reading
fluency, oral language development, and reading
comprehension, including syntax and background

SB2245 - 34 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
(content) knowledge, and reading in the content area,
and (iii) instructional strategies for English
learners;
(B) have a bachelor's degree from a regionally
accredited institution of higher education;
(C) have successfully met all Illinois examination
requirements, except that:
(i) (blank);
(ii) an applicant who has successfully
completed a test of content, as defined by rules,
at the time of initial licensure in another state
is not required to complete a test of content; and
(iii) an applicant for a teaching endorsement
who has successfully completed an evidence-based
assessment of teacher effectiveness, as defined by
rules, at the time of initial licensure in another
state is not required to complete an
evidence-based assessment of teacher
effectiveness; and
(D) for an applicant for a teaching endorsement,
have completed student teaching or an equivalent
experience or, for an applicant for a school service
personnel endorsement, have completed an internship or
an equivalent experience.
(b) In order to receive a Professional Educator License
endorsed in a teaching field or school support personnel area,

SB2245 - 35 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
applicants trained in another country must meet all of the
following requirements:
(1) Have completed a comparable education program in
another country.
(2) Have had transcripts evaluated by an evaluation
service approved by the State Superintendent of Education.
(3) Have a degree comparable to a degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education.
(4) Have completed coursework aligned to standards
concerning (i) methods of instruction of the exceptional
child, (ii) evidence-based methods of reading that include
explicit and repeated focus on phonemic awareness, a
systematic approach to phonics (decoding), spelling
instruction (encoding), vocabulary development, including
morphology, reading fluency, oral language development,
and reading comprehension, including syntax and background
(content) knowledge, and reading in the content area, and
(iii) instructional strategies for English learners.
(5) (Blank).
(6) (Blank).
(7) Have successfully met all State licensure
examination requirements. Applicants who have successfully
completed a test of content, as defined by rules, at the
time of initial licensure in another country shall not be
required to complete a test of content. Applicants for a
teaching endorsement who have successfully completed an

SB2245 - 36 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness, as
defined by rules, at the time of initial licensure in
another country shall not be required to complete an
evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness.
(8) Have completed student teaching or an equivalent
experience.
(9) (Blank).
(b-5) All applicants who have not been entitled by an
Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
institution of higher education and applicants trained in
another country applying for a Professional Educator License
endorsed for principal or superintendent must hold a master's
degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher
education and hold a comparable and valid educator license or
certificate with similar grade level and subject matter
credentials, with the State Board of Education having the
authority to determine what constitutes similar grade level
and subject matter credentials from another state, or must
meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Have completed an educator preparation program
approved by another state or comparable educator program
in another country leading to the receipt of a license or
certificate for the Illinois endorsement sought.
(2) Have successfully met all State licensure
examination requirements, as required by Section 21B-30 of
this Code. Applicants who have successfully completed a

SB2245 - 37 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
test of content, as defined by rules, at the time of
initial licensure in another state or country shall not be
required to complete a test of content.
(2.5) Have completed an internship, as defined by
rule.
(3) (Blank).
(4) Have completed coursework aligned to standards
concerning (i) methods of instruction of the exceptional
child, (ii) evidence-based methods of reading that include
explicit and repeated focus on phonemic awareness, a
systematic approach to phonics (decoding), spelling
instruction (encoding), vocabulary development, including
morphology, reading fluency, oral language development,
and reading comprehension, including syntax and background
(content) knowledge, and reading in the content area, and
(iii) instructional strategies for English learners.
(4.5) (Blank).
(5) Have completed a master's degree.
(6) Have successfully completed teaching, school
support, or administrative experience as defined by rule.
(b-7) All applicants who have not been entitled by an
Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois
institution of higher education applying for a Professional
Educator License endorsed for Director of Special Education
must hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education and must hold a comparable and

SB2245 - 38 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
valid educator license or certificate with similar grade level
and subject matter credentials, with the State Board of
Education having the authority to determine what constitutes
similar grade level and subject matter credentials from
another state, or must meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Have completed a master's degree.
(2) Have 2 years of full-time experience providing
special education services.
(3) Have successfully completed all examination
requirements, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
Applicants who have successfully completed a test of
content, as identified by rules, at the time of initial
licensure in another state or country shall not be
required to complete a test of content.
(4) Have completed coursework aligned to standards
concerning (i) methods of instruction of the exceptional
child, (ii) evidence-based methods of reading that include
explicit and repeated focus on phonemic awareness, a
systematic approach to phonics (decoding), spelling
instruction (encoding), vocabulary development, including
morphology, reading fluency, oral language development,
and reading comprehension, including syntax and background
(content) knowledge, and reading in the content area, and
(iii) instructional strategies for English learners.
(b-10) All applicants who have not been entitled by an
Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois

SB2245 - 39 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
institution of higher education applying for a Professional
Educator License endorsed for chief school business official
must hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education and must hold a comparable and
valid educator license or certificate with similar grade level
and subject matter credentials, with the State Board of
Education having the authority to determine what constitutes
similar grade level and subject matter credentials from
another state, or must meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Have completed a master's degree in school
business management, finance, or accounting.
(2) Have successfully completed an internship in
school business management or have 2 years of experience
as a school business administrator.
(3) Have successfully met all State examination
requirements, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
Applicants who have successfully completed a test of
content, as identified by rules, at the time of initial
licensure in another state or country shall not be
required to complete a test of content.
(4) Have completed modules aligned to standards
concerning methods of instruction of the exceptional
child, methods of reading and reading in the content area,
and instructional strategies for English learners.
(c) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such

SB2245 - 40 - LRB103 25647 RJT 51996 b
rules as may be necessary to implement this Section.
(Source: P.A. 101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20;
102-539, eff. 8-20-21.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.