Summary of Substitute Senate Bill No. 455 (Public Act No. 18-34)

• Department of Education shall identify research, establish partnerships, modernize educator certification processes, and adopt competitive cut scores for educator assessments by January 1, 2019, with annual reporting on applicant demographic data starting July 1, 2020.

• Creates alternate route to certification programs for persons from alternate professions (paraeducators, veterans, charter school educators, professors, social workers) that include instruction in classroom management and cultural competency, effective July 1, 2019.

• State Board of Education shall issue initial educator certificates valid for three years to persons who complete approved alternate route programs and meet competency requirements under section 10-145f.

• Establishes Minority Teacher Recruitment Policy Oversight Council and expands the Minority Teacher Recruitment Task Force membership to include representatives with expertise in African American, Latino/Puerto Rican, and Asian Pacific American affairs, with task force terminating January 1, 2026.

• Modifies State Board of Education's five-year comprehensive plan to include a policy statement that educator demographics should reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the state's total population.

• Requires local boards of education to develop and implement written plans for minority educator recruitment and allows eligible applicants to retake licensure examinations with costs covered by vendors if scores fall within a prescribed range.