SE Illinois News

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) has long been a supporter of Illinois teachers and is vocal about getting youths back into schools, and that hasn’t changed since he was elected to the Senate, nor since the announcement of his gubernatorial run.

“This past year has been one of the most challenging for teachers as they’ve had to navigate a new channel in teaching our students and future leaders. Teachers have been resilient in adapting to the closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bailey said in a May 4 video posted to the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus YouTube account. “Our educators have been forced to adjust to a new and shortened curriculum, remote learning and even in ways outside the classroom to make sure that our students were getting fed.”

Bailey has introduced a bill – Senate Bill 49 – to amend the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code to end the video capstone assessment that is currently required for teacher licensure. If approved and signed, the amendment would go into effect on July 1, 2021.

He met with Kyle Thompson, superintendent of the Regional Office of Education #11 in the first week of the month to talk about the future of education in Illinois. Thompson is also a supporter of the bill, and told the SE Illinois News that the video requirement is keeping teachers out of the classroom, although the Illinois Board of Higher Education and Illinois State Board of Education both approve of the added video requirement.

The Senate has not yet voted on this bill.

Another bill on the same topic is up for discussion in the House that has been introduced by a Democrat, which signals bipartisan support, says Thompson. “I’m willing to work with anyone to get some of these barriers removed to entering the teaching profession,  he said.