HB 5286 Legislative Alert
The ISHA Division for Legislative & Regulatory Affairs needs you to contact your state SENATORS in support of House Bill 5286!
HB 5286 is sponsored by Representative Mike Bost (House), and Senators Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and Christine Radogno (Senate). This bill will amend the School Code and allow individuals working for 4 years in the capacity of school support personnel (SLPs, School Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors) to obtain a principal endorsement. In the current Legislator Licensure Act, school service personnel with non-teaching endorsements cannot obtain a principal endorsement.
Please contact your state senator via email or phone. Ask him or her to vote YES for HB 5286.
Talking points:
• Prior to 2011, school service personnel were allowed to obtain principal endorsements. There are many speech-language pathologists serving the Illinois public schools as administrators. They are doing excellent work, and are highly regarded by their peers.
• Without this bill, schools will be limited in their personnel choices. Only classroom teachers with 4 years of experience may pursue a principal endorsement.
• With this bill, school boards can diversify their administrative personnel, and meet growing needs with experienced and licensed school personnel.
• The passage of this bill will return opportunities to school service personnel, as well as flexibility to school boards in meeting their administrative needs.
This bill has passed the House. It is now in the Senate, where it has faced opposition. ISBE is against the bill. All of the professional organizations that represent school service personnel are in favor of the bill.
