Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall create an introductory content area endorsement for computer science that allows individuals with a Professional Educator License to teach introductory computer science courses in grades 5 through 12. Provides that the endorsement shall require no more than 8 credit hours of graduate-level preparation that includes instruction in introductory computer science concepts and computer science pedagogy. Allows an individual with a Professional Educator License seeking the endorsement to substitute a State Board-approved, one-week, professional development program in introductory high school computer science education for 4 credit hours of the graduate-level preparation in introductory computer science concepts. Provides that the one-week, professional development program may count as 4 credit hours of the graduate-level preparation. Allows an individual with an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement who completes the 8 credit hours of graduate-level preparation to count those credit hours toward completion of the requirements for a Professional Educator License with a computer science endorsement.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 105 ILCS 5/21