Public Act 099-0130

HB2807 Enrolled LRB099 04274 NHT 24299 b

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

21B-45 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/21B-45)

Sec. 21B-45. Professional Educator License renewal.

(a) Individuals holding a Professional Educator License

are required to complete the licensure renewal requirements as

specified in this Section, unless otherwise provided in this

Code.

Individuals holding a Professional Educator License shall

meet the renewal requirements set forth in this Section, unless

otherwise provided in this Code. If an individual holds a

license endorsed in more than one area that has different

renewal requirements, that individual shall follow the renewal

requirements for the position for which he or she spends the

majority of his or her time working.

(b) All Professional Educator Licenses not renewed as

provided in this Section shall lapse on September 1 of that

year. Lapsed licenses may be immediately reinstated upon (i)

payment by the applicant of a $500 penalty to the State Board

of Education or, for individuals holding an Educator License

with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement

only, payment by the applicant of a $150 penalty to the State

Board of Education or (ii) the demonstration of proficiency by

completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally

accredited institution of higher education in the content area

that most aligns with one or more of the educator's endorsement

areas. Any and all back fees, including without limitation

registration fees owed from the time of expiration of the

license certificate until the date of reinstatement, shall be

paid and kept in accordance with the provisions in Article 3 of

this Code concerning an institute fund and the provisions in

Article 21B of this Code concerning fees and requirements for

registration. Licenses not registered in accordance with

Section 21B-40 of this Code shall lapse after a period of 6

months from the expiration of the last year of registration. An

unregistered license is invalid after September 1 for

employment and performance of services in an Illinois public or

State-operated school or cooperative and in a charter school.

Any license or endorsement may be voluntarily surrendered by

the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered license, except a

substitute teaching license issued under Section 21B-20 of this

Code, shall be treated as a revoked license.

(c) From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, in order to

satisfy the requirements for licensure renewal provided for in

this Section, each professional educator licensee with an

administrative endorsement who is working in a position

requiring such endorsement shall complete one Illinois

Administrators' Academy course, as described in Article 2 of

this Code, per fiscal year.

(d) Beginning July 1, 2014, in order to satisfy the

requirements for licensure renewal provided for in this

Section, each professional educator licensee may create a

professional development plan each year. The plan shall address

one or more of the endorsements that are required of his or her

educator position if the licensee is employed and performing

services in an Illinois public or State-operated school or

cooperative. If the licensee is employed in a charter school,

the plan shall address that endorsement or those endorsements

most closely related to his or her educator position. Licensees

employed and performing services in any other Illinois schools

may participate in the renewal requirements by adhering to the

same process.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the

licensee's professional development activities shall align

with one or more of the following criteria:

(1) activities are of a type that engage participants

over a sustained period of time allowing for analysis,

discovery, and application as they relate to student

learning, social or emotional achievement, or well-being;

(2) professional development aligns to the licensee's

performance;

(3) outcomes for the activities must relate to student

growth or district improvement;

(4) activities align to State-approved standards; and

(5) higher education coursework.

(e) For each renewal cycle, each professional educator

licensee shall engage in professional development activities.

Within 60 days after the conclusion of a professional

development activity, the licensee shall enter electronically

into the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) the name,

date, and location of the activity, the number of professional

development hours, and the provider's name. The following

provisions shall apply concerning professional development

activities:

(1) Each licensee shall complete a total of 120 hours

of professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in

order to renew the license, except as otherwise provided in

this Section.

(2) Beginning with his or her first full 5-year cycle,

any licensee with an administrative endorsement who is not

working in a position requiring such endorsement shall

complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as

described in Article 2 of this Code, in each 5-year renewal

cycle in which the administrative endorsement was held for

at least one year. The Illinois Administrators' Academy

course may count toward the total of 120 hours per 5-year

cycle.

(3) Any licensee with an administrative endorsement

who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or

an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in

an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day shall

complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course, as

described in Article 2 of this Code, each fiscal year in

addition to 100 hours of professional development per

5-year renewal cycle in accordance with this Code.

(4) Any licensee holding a current National Board for

Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) master teacher

designation shall complete a total of 60 hours of

professional development per 5-year renewal cycle in order

to renew the license.

(5) Licensees working in a position that does not

require educator licensure or working in a position for

less than 50% for any particular year are considered to be

exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration

fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the

license.

(6) Licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits

from a State retirement system shall notify the State Board

of Education using ELIS, and the license shall be

maintained in retired status. An individual with a license

in retired status shall not be required to complete

professional development activities or pay registration

fees until returning to a position that requires educator

licensure. Upon returning to work in a position that

requires the Professional Educator License, the licensee

shall immediately pay a registration fee and complete

renewal requirements for that year. A license in retired

status cannot lapse.

(7) For any renewal cycle in which professional

development hours were required, but not fulfilled, the

licensee shall complete any missed hours to total the

minimum professional development hours required in this

Section prior to September 1 of that year. For any fiscal

year or renewal cycle in which an Illinois Administrators'

Academy course was required but not completed, the licensee

shall complete any missed Illinois Administrators' Academy

courses prior to September 1 of that year. The licensee may

complete all deficient hours and Illinois Administrators'

Academy courses while continuing to work in a position that

requires that license until September 1 of that year.

(8) Any licensee who has not fulfilled the professional

development renewal requirements set forth in this Section

at the end of any 5-year renewal cycle is ineligible to

register his or her license and may submit an appeal to the

State Superintendent of Education for reinstatement of the

license.

(9) If professional development opportunities were

unavailable to a licensee, proof that opportunities were

unavailable and request for an extension of time beyond

August 31 to complete the renewal requirements may be

submitted from April 1 through June 30 of that year to the

State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. If an

extension is approved, the license shall remain valid

during the extension period.

(10) Individuals who hold exempt licenses prior to the

effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General

Assembly shall commence the annual renewal process with the

first scheduled registration due after the effective date

of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.

(f) At the time of renewal, each licensee shall respond to

the required questions under penalty of perjury.

(g) The following entities shall be designated as approved

to provide professional development activities for the renewal

of Professional Educator Licenses:

(1) The State Board of Education.

(2) Regional offices of education and intermediate

service centers.

(3) Illinois professional associations representing

the following groups that are approved by the State

Superintendent of Education:

(A) school administrators;

(B) principals;

(C) school business officials;

(D) teachers, including special education

teachers;

(E) school boards;

(F) school districts;

(G) parents; and

(H) school service personnel.

(4) Regionally accredited institutions of higher

education that offer Illinois-approved educator

preparation programs.

(5) Illinois public school districts, charter schools

authorized under Article 27A of this Code, and joint

educational programs authorized under Article 10 of this

Code for the purposes of providing career and technical

education or special education services.

(6) A not-for-profit organization that, as of the

effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General

Assembly, has had or has a grant from or a contract with

the State Board of Education to provide professional

development services in the area of English Language

Learning to Illinois school districts, teachers, or

administrators.

(7) Museums as defined in Section 10 of the Museum

Disposition of Property Act.

(h) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this Section

shall make available professional development opportunities

that satisfy at least one of the following:

(1) increase the knowledge and skills of school and

district leaders who guide continuous professional

development;

(2) improve the learning of students;

(3) organize adults into learning communities whose

goals are aligned with those of the school and district;

(4) deepen educator's content knowledge;

(5) provide educators with research-based

instructional strategies to assist students in meeting

rigorous academic standards;

(6) prepare educators to appropriately use various

types of classroom assessments;

(7) use learning strategies appropriate to the

intended goals;

(8) provide educators with the knowledge and skills to

collaborate; or

(9) prepare educators to apply research to

decision-making.

(i) Approved providers under subsection (g) of this Section

shall do the following:

(1) align professional development activities to the

State-approved national standards for professional

learning;

(2) meet the professional development criteria for

Illinois licensure renewal;

(3) produce a rationale for the activity that explains

how it aligns to State standards and identify the

assessment for determining the expected impact on student

learning or school improvement;

(4) maintain original documentation for completion of

activities; and

(5) provide license holders with evidence of

completion of activities.

(j) The State Board of Education shall conduct annual

audits of approved providers, except for school districts,

which shall be audited by regional offices of education and

intermediate service centers. The State Board of Education

shall complete random audits of licensees.

(1) Approved providers shall annually submit to the

State Board of Education a list of subcontractors used for

delivery of professional development activities for which

renewal credit was issued and other information as defined

by rule.

(2) Approved providers shall annually submit data to

the State Board of Education demonstrating how the

professional development activities impacted one or more

of the following:

(A) educator and student growth in regards to

content knowledge or skills, or both;

(B) educator and student social and emotional

growth; or

(C) alignment to district or school improvement

plans.

(3) The State Superintendent of Education shall review

the annual data collected by the State Board of Education,

regional offices of education, and intermediate service

centers in audits to determine if the approved provider has

met the criteria and should continue to be an approved

provider or if further action should be taken as provided

in rules.

(k) Registration fees shall be paid for the next renewal

cycle between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each

5-year renewal cycle using ELIS. If all required professional

development hours for the renewal cycle have been completed and

entered by the licensee, the licensee shall pay the

registration fees for the next cycle using a form of credit or

debit card.

(l) Beginning July 1, 2014, any professional educator

licensee endorsed for school support personnel who is employed

and performing services in Illinois public schools and who

holds an active and current professional license issued by the

Department of Financial and Professional Regulation related to

the endorsement areas on the Professional Educator License

shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional

development requirements provided for in this Section. Such

individuals shall be required to pay only registration fees to

renew the Professional Educator License. An individual who does

not hold a license issued by the Department of Financial and

Professional Regulation shall complete professional

development requirements for the renewal of a Professional

Educator License provided for in this Section.

(m) Appeals to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure

Board must be made within 30 days after receipt of notice from

the State Superintendent of Education that a license will not

be renewed based upon failure to complete the requirements of

this Section. A licensee may appeal that decision to the State

Educator Preparation and Licensure Board in a manner prescribed

by rule.

(1) Each appeal shall state the reasons why the State

Superintendent's decision should be reversed and shall be

sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the

State Board of Education.

(2) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board

shall review each appeal regarding renewal of a license

within 90 days after receiving the appeal in order to

determine whether the licensee has met the requirements of

this Section. The State Educator Preparation and Licensure

Board may hold an appeal hearing or may make its

determination based upon the record of review, which shall

consist of the following:

(A) the regional superintendent of education's

rationale for recommending nonrenewal of the license,

if applicable;

(B) any evidence submitted to the State

Superintendent along with the individual's electronic

statement of assurance for renewal; and

(C) the State Superintendent's rationale for

nonrenewal of the license.

(3) The State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board

shall notify the licensee of its decision regarding license

renewal by certified mail, return receipt requested, no

later than 30 days after reaching a decision. Upon receipt

of notification of renewal, the licensee, using ELIS, shall

pay the applicable registration fee for the next cycle

using a form of credit or debit card.

(n) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be

necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11; 98-610, eff. 12-27-13;

98-1147, eff. 12-31-14.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon

becoming law.