HB 210 — SCH CD-TEACHING CERT RENEWAL

HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b AN ACT concerning education.

(1) by earning HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -2- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b 5 semester hours of credit in a recognized institution of higher learning in the field of professional education or in courses related to the holder's contractual teaching duties;

(1) establish a procedure for renewing Standard HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -3- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b Teaching Certificates, which shall include but not be limited to annual timelines for the renewal process and the components set forth in subsections (d) through (k) of this Section;

(d) Any Standard Teaching Certificate held by an individual employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control in a certificated teaching position or a charter school in compliance with the Charter Schools Law must be maintained Valid and Active through certificate renewal activities specified in the certificate renewal HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -4- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b procedure established pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, provided that a holder of a Valid and Active certificate who is only employed on either a part-time basis or day-to-day basis as a substitute teacher shall pay only the required registration fee to renew his or her certificate and maintain it as Valid and Active.

(iv) completing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process as described in subdivision (D) of paragraph (3) of this HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -5- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b subsection (e);

Certificate holders with multiple certificates shall develop a certificate renewal plan that addresses only HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -6- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b that certificate or those certificates that are required of his or her certificated teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, or that certificate or those certificates most closely related to his or her teaching position, if the certificate holder is employed in a charter school.

(D) Expand the certificate holder's knowledge and skills in an additional teaching field or toward the acquisition of another teaching certificate, endorsement, HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -7- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b or relevant education degree.

(A) completion of an advanced degree from an HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -8- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b approved institution in an education-related field;

(F) collaboration and partnership activities HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -9- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b related to improving the teacher's knowledge and skills as a teacher, including the following:

(i) completing undergraduate or graduate credit earned from a regionally accredited institution in coursework relevant to the certificate area being renewed, including coursework HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -10- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b that incorporates induction activities and development of a portfolio of both student and teacher work that provides experience in reflective practices, provided the coursework meets Illinois Professional Teaching Standards or Illinois Content Area Standards and supports the essential characteristics of quality professional development;

(ii) observing programs or teaching in schools, related businesses, or industry that is systematic, purposeful, and relevant to certificate HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -11- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b renewal;

or HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -12- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b (v) participating in non-strike related professional association or labor organization service or activities related to professional development.

If the local professional development committee does not approve the proposed modification, the certificate holder may appeal that determination to the regional HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -13- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b professional development review committee, as set forth in paragraph (4) of this subsection (e).

HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -14- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b (4) assist in the development of professional development plans based upon needs identified in certificate renewal plans;

one superintendent or chief administrator of the school district, charter school, or cooperative or joint agreement or his or her HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -15- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b designee;

All individuals selected to serve on local professional development committees must be known to demonstrate the best practices in teaching or their HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -16- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b respective field of practice.

The State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board shall jointly provide local professional HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -17- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b development committee members with a training manual, and the members shall certify that they have received and read the manual.

(C) the local professional development committee has recommended the renewal of the certificate holder's Standard Teaching Certificate and forwarded the recommendation, along with all supporting documentation as jointly required by the State Board of Education and HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -18- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b the State Teacher Certification Board, to the regional superintendent of schools;

This committee shall HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -19- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b consist of at least 4 classroom teachers, one non-administrative certificated educational employee, 2 administrators, and one at-large member who shall be either (i) a parent, (ii) a member of the business community, (iii) a community member, or (iv) an administrator, with preference given to an individual chosen from among those persons listed in items (i), (ii), and (iii) in order to secure representation of an interest not already represented on the committee.

Regional professional development review committee meetings shall be scheduled so HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -20- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b as not to interfere with the committee members' regularly scheduled teaching duties, except when otherwise permitted by the policies of or agreed to or approved by the school district, charter school, or governing body or board of control of a cooperative or joint agreement, or its designee, provided that the school district, charter school, or governing body or board of control shall not unreasonably withhold permission for a committee member to attend regional professional development review committee meetings.

The committee shall have 45 days from receipt of HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -21- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b a certificate holder's appeal to make its recommendation to the regional superintendent of schools.

The State Teacher Certification Board shall review the regional superintendent of school's recommendation, the regional professional development review committee's recommendation, if any, and the local professional development committee's recommendation HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -22- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b and all relevant documentation to verify whether the certificate holder has met the renewal criteria set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of this Section.

(j) Holders of Valid and Exempt Standard and Master Teaching Certificates who are not employed and performing services in an Illinois public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -23- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b with a governing body or board of control, in a certificated teaching position, may voluntarily activate their certificates by developing and submitting a certificate renewal plan to the regional superintendent of schools of the regional office of education for the geographic area where their teaching is done, who, or whose designee, shall approve the plan and serve as the certificate holder's local professional development committee.

The HB0210 EngrossedEnrolled -24- LRB093 03786 NHT 03821 b first report of this evaluation shall be presented to the General Assembly on January 1, 2005 and on January 1 of every third year thereafter.