Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows the State Superintendent of Education to issue a short-term approval for a paraprofessional educator to an individual who does not meet the requirements necessary for issuance of an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement. Provides that the short-term approval authorizes an individual to serve as a paraprofessional educator in a school district, including a charter school, or a State-operated program, with the short-term approval expiring on June 30 immediately following the third full fiscal year after the approval was issued without renewal. Provides that upon expiration of the short-term approval, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement to the individual if the individual meets specified requirements.
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1: Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Changes the requirements for issuance of a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations as follows: Requires the applicant to be at least 18 years of age and using the Educator License with Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten through 8 until the individual reaches the age of 19 years or be 19 years of age or older and otherwise meet the criteria for a paraprofessional educator endorsement. Requires the applicant to also meet at least one of the following requirements: (i) hold a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and pass a paraprofessional competency test; (ii) hold an associate degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited institution of higher education; or (iii) if applicable, have been issued a short-term approval for paraprofessionals and have been employed as a paraprofessional educator for each year the short-term approval is valid, have paid the required license renewal fee, and have been determined by the school district to have met specified competencies. Makes other changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 105 ILCS 5/21
Engrossed: 105 ILCS 5/21
Enrolled: 105 ILCS 5/21