Professional Development Providers
Teachers can use a number
of professional development activities to meet requirements
for moving from Initial to Standard
teaching certification and to meet certificate renewal
requirements for Standard/Master early childhood, elementary,
secondary and special teaching certificates. Some of the
activities require an approved provider:
Provider approval is
a simple process that involves creating a login and password,
entering contact information, and agreeing
to a Statement of Assurances in which, among other things,
the provider agrees that activities offered are designed
to help improve teaching skills and knowledge and are aligned
with the Illinois
Professional Teaching Standards and, in
the case of Standard/Master teaching certificates, one or
more of the purposes that
teachers must address, which may include the Standards. The
Induction and Mentoring Programs and the two semester-hour
courses; however, must
meet legislated requirements and, therefore, the actual programs
must also be approved.
All approvals take place through the
Professional Development Providers System (PDP). You can
also enter the system as
a guest to view lists of approved providers and programs. Workshops,
Conference, Symposia, and Similar Trainings
Providers of workshops,
conferences, etc., must distribute two forms: the evaluation
(ISBE 77-21A) and evidence of completion
(77-21B). Providers collect and maintain completed evaluation
forms for three years. The participants keep the evidence
form. Attendance records must be kept for five years. (Providers
offering activities outside of Illinois or in Illinois on
a national level or those that offer online activities are
not required to be approved or distribute the forms.)
In addition
to ISBE 77-21 issued by the provider at the conclusion of
the session or event; educators must have the program
or agenda prepared by the entity sponsoring or conducting
the event that indicates the topics covered and the length
of time devoted to each. Educators maintain the evidence
of completion and the supporting documentation in a portfolio
that must be available in the event they are selected for
audit.
Schools or districts that offer professional development
should note that the evidence form is issued for conferences,
workshops or similar trainings and not for “housekeeping” activities,
and the agenda or program should include presenter names
and topics to clearly denote professional development activities.
The
law allows one CPDU per contact hour.
 Evaluation
for Workshops, Conference, Seminar, etc. (77-21A)
Evidence
of Completion for Workshops, Conference, Seminar, etc. (77-21B)
Notices
of Professional Development--The requirement to submit
a Notice of Professional Development prior to offering
an activity for CPDU/CEU credit has been eliminated.
Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs)
can be earned one per contact hour, excluding breaks and
lunch.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available only
for
professional development activities that include discussion,
critique, or application of what was presented, observed,
learned, or demonstrated. Providers must request approval
to issue CEUs. One CEU is issued for five clock hours. The
CEUs are for teaching certificate renewal only—they
are not approved for licensing requirements for other professionals
through the Department of Professional Regulation.
The two forms of credit are equivalent. One CPDU can be
earned per contact hour and one CEU (five clock hours) is
equivalent to five CPDUs. CPDUs are the lowest common denominator,
and teachers must covert semester hours (15 CPDUs per semester
hour) and CEUs to total varying forms of credit.
Evidence of Completion
Providers of workshops, conferences,
etc. use ISBE Form 77-21B, above. Teachers who take the coursework
use grade slips
or transcripts as evidence of completion. Certificates
of completion are issued by those offering approved Induction
and Mentoring programs.
Standards
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