Legislation sponsored by State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) to make it easier for former teachers to return to the classroom was approved by the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Wednesday afternoon. Caulkins legislation will reduce the penalty for renewing an expired Professional Educator License.
“We have a teacher shortage in Illinois,” said Rep. Caulkins. “The state is currently discouraging retired educators by charging individuals a $500 penalty to return to the classroom. The state should not be in the business of penalizing former teachers that want to come back and help educate our next generation.”
House Bill 4382 sponsored by State Representative Dan Caulkins provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon payment by the applicant of a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed, with the maximum penalty of $100. Under current law, if an individual’s educator license is lapsed, that individual would have to pay a $500 penalty to reinstate their license.
Caulkins added, “The sooner we make it easier for former teachers to return to the classroom, the better off we will be. We should encourage experienced educators to return to the classroom rather than penalizing them for allowing their teaching license to lapse.”