HB 2950

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Full Text of HB2950
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	HB2950 - 104th General Assembly
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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB2950
Introduced 2/6/2025, by Rep. Laura Faver Dias
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
See Index
Amends the School Code. Allows, if an assessment is determined to be non-uniform, a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an applicable content area test but who: holds at least a bachelor's degree; has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution; has passed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness; and has attempted an applicable content area test that has been determined to be non-uniform and has not attempted any uniform content area tests. Provides that the process by which the State Board of Education evaluates content area tests shall be public information and shall be made available on the website of the State Board. Requires the State Board to evaluate each content area test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content test is non-uniform. Provides that if a content test is determined to be non-uniform, the State Board shall: convene one or more committees to review the content, bias, and passing score requirements of that content test and recommend changes to improve uniformity; offer the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement as an option until the new assessment is determined to be uniform; provide an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did not pass the most recent version of the content area test; and implement a process by which candidates who attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for provisional licensure. Provides that if the State Board finds that the content area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have passed that content area exam.
LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
A BILL FOR
		HB2950		LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1    AN ACT concerning education.
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
521B-20 and 21B-30 as follows:
6    (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
7    Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
8Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
9whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
10required to be licensed must have one of the following
11licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
12educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
13teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2028, a short-term
14substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
15individuals certified or certificated or required to be
16certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
17also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed
18under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
1930 following one full year of the license being issued.
20    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
22rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
23licenses and endorsements under this Section.
		HB2950	- 2 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
2    have successfully completed an approved educator
3    preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
4    the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
5    program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
6    testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
7    successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
8    the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
9    the exceptional child, including, without limitation,
10    children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
11    successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
12    and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
13    criteria established by rule of the State Board of
14    Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
15    All Professional Educator Licenses are valid until June 30
16    immediately following 5 years of the license being issued.
17    The Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
18    specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is
19    eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
20    endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
21    teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
22    preparation program through placement in a setting with
23    children from birth through grade 2, and the individual
24    may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
25    student teaching experience must meet the requirements of
26    and be approved by the individual's early childhood
		HB2950	- 3 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1    teacher preparation program.
2        Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
3    Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
4    shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
5    in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
6    content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
7        (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
8    License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
9    that limits the license holder to one particular position
10    or does not require completion of an approved educator
11    program or both.
12        An individual with an Educator License with
13    Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
14    any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
15    who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
16        An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
17    with the following endorsements:
18            (A) (Blank).
19            (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
20        alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
21        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
22        applicant who, at the time of applying for the
23        endorsement, has done all of the following:
24                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
25            college or university with a minimum of a
26            bachelor's degree.
		HB2950	- 4 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1                (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
2            the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
3            Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
4            Code.
5                (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
6            under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
7        The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
8    valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
9    third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
10    forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
11            (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
12        alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
13        an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
14        holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
15        superintendent in a school district's central office.
16        This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
17        who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
18        done all of the following:
19                (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
20            college or university with a minimum of a master's
21            degree in a management field other than education.
22                (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
23            years in a management level position in a field
24            other than education.
25                (iii) Successfully completed the first phase
26            of an alternative route to superintendent
		HB2950	- 5 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1            endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
2            of this Code.
3                (iv) Passed a content area test required under
4            Section 21B-30 of this Code.
5            The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
6        order to complete one full year of serving as a
7        superintendent or assistant superintendent.
8            (D) (Blank).
9            (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
10        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
11        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
12        has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
13        regionally accredited institution of higher education
14        or an accredited trade and technical institution and
15        has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
16        education in each area to be taught.
17            The career and technical educator endorsement on
18        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
19        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
20        endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
21            An individual who holds a valid career and
22        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
23        with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
24        degree may substitute teach in career and technical
25        education classrooms.
26            An individual who holds a valid career and
		HB2950	- 6 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
2        with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
3        privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
4        Educator License.
5            (F) (Blank).
6            (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
7        transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
8        Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
9        the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
10        with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
11        provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
12        all of the following requirements:
13                (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
14            writing ability in the language other than English
15            in which transitional bilingual education is
16            offered.
17                (ii) Has the ability to successfully
18            communicate in English.
19                (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
20            previous to his or her applying for a transitional
21            bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
22            comparable teaching certificate or comparable
23            authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
24            a degree from an institution of higher learning in
25            a foreign country that the State Educator
26            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
		HB2950	- 7 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
2            regionally accredited institution of higher
3            learning in the United States.
4            A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
5        shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
6        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
7        of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
8        renewed.
9            Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
10        endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
11        presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
12        replaced for any reason.
13            (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
14        alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
15        other than English in the public schools, an
16        individual who holds an Educator License with
17        Stipulations may also apply for a language
18        endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
19        satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
20        following requirements:
21                (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
22            endorsement.
23                (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
24            language for which the endorsement is to be issued
25            by passing the applicable language content test
26            required by the State Board of Education.
		HB2950	- 8 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1                (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
2            a regionally accredited institution of higher
3            education or, for individuals educated in a
4            country other than the United States, holds a
5            degree from an institution of higher learning in a
6            foreign country that the State Educator
7            Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
8            the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
9            regionally accredited institution of higher
10            learning in the United States.
11                (iv) (Blank).
12            A language endorsement on an Educator License with
13        Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
14        grade 12 for the same validity period as the
15        individual's transitional bilingual educator
16        endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
17        and shall not be renewed.
18            (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
19        international educator endorsement on an Educator
20        License with Stipulations may be issued to an
21        individual who is being recruited by a particular
22        school district that conducts formal recruitment
23        programs outside of the United States to secure the
24        services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
25        the following requirements:
26                (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
		HB2950	- 9 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1            bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
2                (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
3            grade level for which he or she will be employed.
4                (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
5            subject to be taught.
6                (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
7            language.
8            A holder of a visiting international educator
9        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
10        shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
11        programs in the language that was the medium of
12        instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
13        provided that he or she passes the English Language
14        Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
15        skills in English identified by the State Board of
16        Education, in consultation with the State Educator
17        Preparation and Licensure Board.
18            A visiting international educator endorsement on
19        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
20        years and shall not be renewed.
21            (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
22        educator endorsement on an Educator License with
23        Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
24        high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
25        (i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
26        semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
		HB2950	- 10 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
2        paraprofessional competency test under subsection
3        (c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
4        of age and will be using the Educator License with
5        Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten
6        through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age
7        of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
8        paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
9        subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
10        endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
11        following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
12        may be renewed through application and payment of the
13        appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
14        this Code. An individual who holds only a
15        paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
16        to additional requirements in order to renew the
17        endorsement.
18            (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
19        business official endorsement on an Educator License
20        with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
21        qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
22        years of full-time administrative experience in school
23        business management or 2 years of university-approved
24        practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
25        hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
26        State Board of Education for the preparation of school
		HB2950	- 11 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        business administrators and by passage of the
2        applicable State tests, including an applicable
3        content area test.
4            The chief school business official endorsement may
5        also be affixed to the Educator License with
6        Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
7        master's degree in business administration, finance,
8        accounting, or public administration and who completes
9        an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
10        business management from a regionally accredited
11        institution of higher education and passes the
12        applicable State tests, including an applicable
13        content area test. This endorsement shall be required
14        for any individual employed as a chief school business
15        official.
16            The chief school business official endorsement on
17        an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
18        June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
19        endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
20        license holder completes renewal requirements as
21        required for individuals who hold a Professional
22        Educator License endorsed for chief school business
23        official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
24        rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
25        Education.
26            The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
		HB2950	- 12 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
2            (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
3        in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
4        with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
5        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
6        program at an Illinois institution of higher education
7        and who has not successfully completed an
8        evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
9        who meets all of the following requirements:
10                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
11                (ii) Has completed an approved educator
12            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
13                (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
14            test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
15                (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
16            assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
17            minimum score on that assessment, as established
18            by the State Board of Education in consultation
19            with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
20            Board.
21            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
22        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
23        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
24        be renewed.
25            (M) Provisional in-state educator. If an 
26        assessment is determined to be non-uniform according 
		HB2950	- 13 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        to subsection (i-5) of 21B-30, a provisional in-state 
2        educator endorsement on an Educator License with 
3        Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has 
4        completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation 
5        program at an Illinois institution of higher education 
6        and who has not successfully completed an applicable 
7        content area test but who meets all of the following 
8        requirements:
9                (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
10                (ii) Has completed an approved educator 
11            preparation program at an Illinois institution.
12                (iii) Has passed an evidence-based assessment 
13            of teacher effectiveness, as required by Section 
14            21B-30. If an evidence-based assessment of teacher 
15            effectiveness is not required by Section 21B-30 at 
16            the time a candidate applies for this provisional 
17            in-state educator endorsement on an Educator 
18            License with Stipulations, candidates shall not be 
19            eligible under this subsection.
20                (iv) Has attempted an applicable content area 
21            test that has been determined to be non-uniform 
22            per subsection (i-5) of 21B-30 and has not 
23            attempted any uniform content area tests.
24            A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an 
25        Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one 
26        full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not 
		HB2950	- 14 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1        be renewed. [(Blank).]
2            (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
3        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
4        may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
5            (O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
6        provisional career and technical educator endorsement
7        on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
8        to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
9        work experience in the skill for which the applicant
10        is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
11        board and regional office of education shall provide
12        verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
13        of Education at the time the application is submitted
14        that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
15        Educator License or an Educator License with
16        Stipulations with a career and technical educator
17        endorsement is available to teach and that actual
18        circumstances require such issuance.
19            A provisional career and technical educator
20        endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
21        is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
22        of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
23            An individual who holds a provisional career and
24        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
25        with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
26        career and technical education classrooms.
		HB2950	- 15 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1            An individual who holds a provisional career and
2        technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
3        with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
4        privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
5        Educator License.
6        (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
7    License may be issued to qualified applicants for
8    substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
9    prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
10    Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
11    a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
12    degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
13    of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
14    educator preparation program in this State and have earned
15    at least 90 credit hours.
16        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
17        Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
18    teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
19    has had his or her Professional Educator License or
20    Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
21    then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
22    Substitute Teaching License.
23        A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
24    licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
25    board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
26    contract because of an emergency situation, then a
		HB2950	- 16 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1    district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
2    than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
3    district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
4    office of education within 5 business days after the
5    employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
6    position. A district may continue to employ that same
7    substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
8    calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
9    is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
10    30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
11    written request with the appropriate regional office of
12    education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
13    that the position remains vacant and the district
14    continues to actively seek qualified candidates and
15    provides documentation that it has provided training
16    specific to the position, including training on meeting
17    the needs of students with disabilities and English
18    learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
19    granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
20    emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
21    has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
22    fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
23    capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
24    or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
25    candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
26    advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
		HB2950	- 17 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1    vacant position.
2        There is no limit on the number of days that a
3    substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
4    provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
5    than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
6    through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
7    days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
8    same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
9    Professional Educator License or Educator License with
10    Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
11    for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
12    school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
13    number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
14    apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
15    this Code.
16        A school district may not require an individual who
17    holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
18    License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
19    Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
20        (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
21    on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
22    apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
23    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
24    Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
25    applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
26    public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
		HB2950	- 18 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1    Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible
2    for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
3    Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
4    completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
5    accredited institution of higher education.
6        Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
7    substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
8    individual has had his or her Professional Educator
9    License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
10    revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
11    Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
12        The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
13    Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
14        An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
15    License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
16    licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
17    absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
18    is under contract, a school district may not hire an
19    individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
20    License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
21    to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
22    Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
23    holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
24    complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
25    34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
26    school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
		HB2950	- 19 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1    Section are valid for 5 years.
2(Source: P.A. 102-711, eff. 1-1-23; 102-712, eff. 4-27-22;
3102-713, eff. 1-1-23; 102-717, eff. 4-29-22; 102-894, eff.
45-20-22; 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
5103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23; 103-617, eff.
67-1-24.)
7    (105 ILCS 5/21B-30)
8    Sec. 21B-30. Educator testing.
9    (a) (Blank).
10    (b) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
11State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall design
12and implement a system of examinations, which shall be
13required prior to the issuance of educator licenses. These
14examinations and indicators must be based on national and
15State professional teaching standards, as determined by the
16State Board of Education, in consultation with the State
17Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
18Education may adopt such rules as may be necessary to
19implement and administer this Section.
20    (c) (Blank).
21    (c-5) The State Board must adopt rules to implement a
22paraprofessional competency test. This test would allow an
23applicant seeking an Educator License with Stipulations with a
24paraprofessional educator endorsement to obtain the
25endorsement if he or she passes the test and meets the other
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1requirements of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of Section
221B-20 other than the higher education requirements.
3    (d) All applicants seeking a State license shall be
4required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area
5of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. There
6shall be no exception to this requirement.
7    (d-5) The State Board shall consult with any applicable
8vendors within 90 days after July 28, 2023 (the effective date
9of Public Act 103-402) to develop a plan to transition the test
10of content area knowledge in the endorsement area of
11elementary education, grades one through 6, by July 1, 2026 to
12a content area test that contains testing elements that cover
13bilingualism, biliteracy, oral language development,
14foundational literacy skills, and developmentally appropriate
15higher-order comprehension and on which a valid and reliable
16language and literacy subscore can be determined. The State
17Board shall base its rules concerning the passing subscore on
18the language and literacy portion of the test on the
19recommended cut-score determined in the formal
20standard-setting process. Candidates need not achieve a
21particular subscore in the area of language and literacy. The
22State Board shall aggregate and publish the number of
23candidates in each preparation program who take the test and
24the number who pass the language and literacy portion.
25    (e) (Blank).
26    (f) Beginning on August 4, 2023 (the effective date of
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1Public Act 103-488) through August 31, 2025, no candidate
2completing a teacher preparation program in this State or
3candidate subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code is required
4to pass a teacher performance assessment. Except as otherwise
5provided in this Article, beginning on September 1, 2015 until
6August 4, 2023 (the effective date of Public Act 103-488) and
7beginning again on September 1, 2025, all candidates
8completing teacher preparation programs in this State and all
9candidates subject to Section 21B-35 of this Code are required
10to pass a teacher performance assessment approved by the State
11Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
12Preparation and Licensure Board. A candidate may not be
13required to submit test materials by video submission. Subject
14to appropriation, an individual who holds a Professional
15Educator License and is employed for a minimum of one school
16year by a school district designated as Tier 1 under Section
1718-8.15 may, after application to the State Board, receive
18from the State Board a refund for any costs associated with
19completing the teacher performance assessment under this
20subsection.
21    (f-5) The Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force is
22created to evaluate potential performance-based and objective
23teacher performance assessment systems for implementation
24across all educator preparation programs in this State, with
25the intention of ensuring consistency across programs and
26supporting a thoughtful and well-rounded licensure system.
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1Members appointed to the Task Force must reflect the racial,
2ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. The Task Force
3shall consist of all of the following members:
4        (1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
5    President of the Senate.
6        (2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the
7    Minority Leader of the Senate.
8        (3) One member of the House of Representatives,
9    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
10        (4) One member of the House of Representatives,
11    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
12    Representatives.
13        (5) One member who represents a statewide professional
14    teachers' organization, appointed by the State
15    Superintendent of Education.
16        (6) One member who represents a different statewide
17    professional teachers' organization, appointed by the
18    State Superintendent of Education.
19        (7) One member from a statewide organization
20    representing school principals, appointed by the State
21    Superintendent of Education.
22        (8) One member from a statewide organization
23    representing regional superintendents of schools,
24    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
25        (9) One member from a statewide organization
26    representing school administrators, appointed by the State
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1    Superintendent of Education.
2        (10) One member representing a school district
3    organized under Article 34 of this Code, appointed by the
4    State Superintendent of Education.
5        (11) One member of an association representing rural
6    and small schools, appointed by the State Superintendent
7    of Education.
8        (12) One member representing a suburban school
9    district, appointed by the State Superintendent of
10    Education.
11        (13) One member from a statewide organization
12    representing school districts in the southern suburbs of
13    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
14    of Education.
15        (14) One member from a statewide organization
16    representing large unit school districts, appointed by the
17    State Superintendent of Education.
18        (15) One member from a statewide organization
19    representing school districts in the collar counties of
20    the City of Chicago, appointed by the State Superintendent
21    of Education.
22        (16) Three members, each representing a different
23    public university in this State and each a current member
24    of the faculty of an approved educator preparation
25    program, appointed by the State Superintendent of
26    Education.
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1        (17) Three members, each representing a different
2    4-year nonpublic university or college in this State and
3    each a current member of the faculty of an approved
4    educator preparation program, appointed by the State
5    Superintendent of Education.
6        (18) One member of the Board of Higher Education,
7    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
8        (19) One member representing a statewide policy
9    organization advocating on behalf of multilingual students
10    and families, appointed by the State Superintendent of
11    Education.
12        (20) One member representing a statewide organization
13    focused on research-based education policy to support a
14    school system that prepares all students for college, a
15    career, and democratic citizenship, appointed by the State
16    Superintendent of Education.
17        (21) Two members representing an early childhood
18    advocacy organization, appointed by the State
19    Superintendent of Education.
20        (22) One member representing a statewide organization
21    that partners with educator preparation programs and
22    school districts to support the growth and development of
23    preservice teachers, appointed by the State Superintendent
24    of Education.
25        (23) One member representing a statewide organization
26    that advocates for educational equity and racial justice
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1    in schools, appointed by the State Superintendent of
2    Education.
3        (24) One member representing a statewide organization
4    that represents school boards, appointed by the State
5    Superintendent of Education.
6        (25) One member who has, within the last 5 years,
7    served as a cooperating teacher, appointed by the State
8    Superintendent of Education.
9    Members of the Task Force shall serve without
10compensation. The Task Force shall first meet at the call of
11the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent
12meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the Task Force,
13who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of
14Education. The State Board of Education shall provide
15administrative and other support to the Task Force.
16    On or before October 31, 2024, the Task Force shall report
17on its work, including recommendations on a teacher
18performance assessment system in this State, to the State
19Board of Education and the General Assembly. The Task Force is
20dissolved upon submission of this report.
21    (g) The content area knowledge test and the teacher
22performance assessment shall be the tests that from time to
23time are designated by the State Board of Education, in
24consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
25Board, and may be tests prepared by an educational testing
26organization or tests designed by the State Board of
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1Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
2and Licensure Board. The test of content area knowledge shall
3assess content knowledge in a specific subject field. The
4tests must be designed to be racially neutral to ensure that no
5person taking the tests is discriminated against on the basis
6of race, color, national origin, or other factors unrelated to
7the person's ability to perform as a licensed employee. The
8score required to pass the tests shall be fixed by the State
9Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator
10Preparation and Licensure Board. The State Board of
11Education's rules for scoring the content area knowledge test
12may include scoring and retaking of each test section
13separately and independently. The tests shall be administered
14not fewer than 3 times a year at such time and place as may be
15designated by the State Board of Education, in consultation
16with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.
17    The State Board shall implement a test or tests to assess
18the speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills of
19applicants for an endorsement or a license issued under
20subdivision (G) of paragraph (2) of Section 21B-20 of this
21Code in the English language and in the language of the
22transitional bilingual education program requested by the
23applicant.
24    (g-5) The process by which the State Board of Education, 
25or any entity designated by the State Board of Education, 
26evaluates content area tests to determine content validity, 
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1absence of bias, or scores required to pass shall be public 
2information and shall be made available on the website of the 
3State Board of Education, including, but not limited to:
4        (1) details related to the process by which members 
5    are selected to form a committee or group to make such 
6    determinations;
7        (2) the names, titles, and organizational affiliations 
8    of the members of any such group;
9        (3) the agendas and minutes of each meeting of any 
10    such group, except that the complete text of individual 
11    test questions shall not be public information if they 
12    remain in the bank of questions to be used in active 
13    content area tests; however, minutes of the discussion of 
14    the content of those individual questions shall be public 
15    to the maximum extent practicable that does not provide 
16    candidates an advantage in correctly answering those 
17    questions; and
18        (4) any determinations, recommendations, or decisions 
19    made by any such group regarding tests or individual test 
20    items.
21    (h) Except as provided in Section 34-6 of this Code, the
22provisions of this Section shall apply equally in any school
23district subject to Article 34 of this Code.
24    (i) The rules developed to implement and enforce the
25testing requirements under this Section shall include, without
26limitation, provisions governing test selection, test
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1validation, and determination of a passing score,
2administration of the tests, frequency of administration,
3applicant fees, frequency of applicants taking the tests, the
4years for which a score is valid, and appropriate special
5accommodations. The State Board of Education shall develop
6such rules as may be needed to ensure uniformity from year to
7year in the level of difficulty for each form of an assessment.
8    (i-5) The State Board shall evaluate each content area 
9test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but 
10not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content 
11test is non-uniform if, in the first fiscal year in which it is 
12available:
13        (1) the overall percentage of candidates passing that 
14    form of the content area test is 10 or more percentage 
15    points lower than the percentage of candidates who passed 
16    the most recent uniform content area test required by the 
17    State Board for the same license or endorsement in either 
18    of the 2 preceding fiscal years; or
19        (2) the percentage of candidates, in any demographic 
20    subgroup comprising at least 10 total test attempts, 
21    passing that form of the content area test is 15 or more 
22    percentage points lower than the percentage of candidates 
23    in that demographic subgroup who passed the previous form 
24    of that content area test in either of the 2 preceding 
25    fiscal years for which that demographic subgroup comprised 
26    at least 10 total test attempts.
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1    An assessment first introduced prior to January 1, 2017 
2shall be considered uniform, and an assessment introduced on 
3or after January 1, 2017 that does not meet the criteria in 
4paragraph (1) or (2) shall be considered uniform.
5    If a content test is determined to be non-uniform as 
6described in this Section, the State Board of Education shall:
7        (1) convene, or require any applicable vendors to 
8    convene, one or more committees to review the content, 
9    bias, and passing score requirements of that content test 
10    and recommend changes to improve uniformity, subject to 
11    the transparency guidelines in subsection (g-5);
12        (2) offer, or require any applicable vendors to offer, 
13    the most recent uniform content area test required by the 
14    State Board for the same license or endorsement as an 
15    option until the new assessment is determined to be 
16    uniform;
17        (3) provide, or require any applicable vendors to 
18    provide, an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform 
19    content area test required by the State Board for the same 
20    license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did 
21    not pass the most recent version of the content area test, 
22    at no cost to these candidates; and
23        (4) implement a process by which candidates who 
24    attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for 
25    provisional licensure as described in paragraph (M) of 
26    subsection (2) of Section 21-20B.
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1    (i-10) If the State Board finds that the content area test 
2forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the 
3level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those 
4exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content 
5area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, 
6and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content 
7area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of 
8the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content 
9area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have 
10passed that content area exam.
11    This subsection is inoperable when each of the content 
12area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 have been 
13replaced by a new and uniform version of that content area 
14test.
15(Source: P.A. 102-301, eff. 8-26-21; 103-402, eff. 7-28-23;
16103-488, eff. 8-4-23; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-780, eff.
178-2-24; 103-811, eff. 8-9-24; 103-846, eff. 8-9-24.)
		HB2950	- 31 -	LRB104 08422 LNS 18474 b
1
  INDEX
2
  Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    105 ILCS 5/21B-20
4    105 ILCS 5/21B-30