VII. Teaching Certificates That Do Not Require Completion of an Approved Program

Substitute Certificate

A substitute certificate, valid for four fiscal years, may be issued for teaching in all grades of the common schools when no appropriate fully certified teacher is available to teach in a substitute capacity. A person holding a substitute certificate may teach only in place of a certified teacher under contract for a maximum of 90 school days in any single district in any single year; the City of Chicago is excluded from this limitation. Applicants may obtain a Temporary Employment Authorization from their regional superintendent who will determine if the applicant qualifies for certification. Requirements for this certificate are as follows:

1. The applicant holds a regular certificate; or
2. The applicant holds a bachelor's degree either from an institution accredited by the North Central Association of Schools or other comparable regional accrediting agency, or from a recognized teacher education institution; or
3. The applicant can provide proof of two years of teaching experience in an elementary or secondary school and 60 semester hours of credit, including six semester hours in professional education from a recognized institution of higher learning.

A substitute certificate is valid for four years and may not be renewed. Upon its expiration the holder must apply for a new certificate.

An individual who holds an elementary, secondary, early childhood or special certificate may serve as a substitute teacher for 120 days per district per year in all grades (K-12).

Provisional Vocational and Temporary Provisional Vocational Certificates

A provisional vocational certificate or a temporary provisional vocational certificate may be issued to individuals who have work experience in specific skill areas for which school districts have state-approved reimbursable vocational programs. These certificate types are valid in grades K-12 when issued prior to July 1, 2004; when issued on or after July 1, 2004 the provisional vocational certificates are valid in grades 7-12, while the temporary provisional vocational is valid only at grade 11-12 in the skill endorsement.

Applicants who seek either of these certificates must complete the ISBE Form 73-03C, "Application for Certificate," indicating the program title for which they are being employed, and the employing school district must sign the application form indicating their interest in employing the applicant. In addition, the applicant must attach ISBE Form 73-23, "Application for Provisional Vocational Certificate," and forward original letters of experience from employers, or notarized statements if the applicant has been self-employed, outlining the work experience relating to the skill area. The following are the specific requirements for each certificate type:

Requirements for the Provisional Vocational Certificate

1. Official transcripts showing 60 semester hours of credit from a recognized teacher education institution and
2. Documented evidence of 2,000 hours of work experience in the skill area.

This certificate has a five year period of registration and may be renewed upon payment of registration fees.

Requirements for the Temporary Provisional Vocational Certificate

1. This certificate may be issued only when the employing board certifies to the satisfaction and approval of the regional superintendent of schools that no qualified teacher holding a regular certificate or a provisional vocational certificate is available and that actual circumstances and need require such issuance.
2. Applicants must have documented evidence of 8,000 hours of work experience in the specific skill area to be taught.

This certificate is valid for one year and may be renewed. Renewal requires proof that the holder has completed three semester hours of credit during the previous year.

Part-Time Provisional Certificate

Individuals may qualify for a renewable part-time provisional certificate valid for two years for teaching no more than two courses of study at the 6-12 level. The certificate may be issued to professionals and crafts persons who meet one of the following requirements:

1. 60 semester hours of credit from a recognized institution of higher learning, 9 semester hours of which are to be in the skill to be certified for teaching, or
2. 4,000 hours of work experience in the skill to be certified for teaching.

To be issued in a skill area, the skill area must be part of a school district's curriculum, and the skill area for which the applicant has coursework or experience must be taught in grades 6-12. This certificate will not be issued in subjects for which there are existing secondary subject area requirements listed under "Staff Qualifications".

Visiting International Teacher Certificate

School districts participating in teacher exchange programs and in other programs that recruit foreign teachers to teach in their districts may choose to require a Visiting International Teacher Certificate, valid for three years and non-renewable, if the district wants to ensure the employee meets NCLB requirements for highly qualified teachers. This certificate will be issued for early childhood, elementary, secondary and special grade levels. To qualify for this certificate, the district must be certain the teacher

1. holds the equivalent of a bachelor's degree issued in the U.S.;
2. has been prepared as a teacher at the grade level for which he or she will be employed;
3. has adequate content knowledge in the subject matter to be taught, through possession of a major in the content area to be taught or by passing one or more examinations in the content area;
4. has an adequate command of the English language; and.
5. does not have a criminal history that would bar the individual from employment as specified in Section 10-21.9(c) of the School Code.

To ascertain the degree equivalence, grade-level equivalence and knowledge of the subject matter, the district may initially utilize published analyses of foreign education systems from the National Association of Foreign Student Affairs and from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. An initial determination of English language competence may be made through administration of the Nelson-Denny reading examination requiring a passing score in English equivalent to grade level 10.7 and an oral proficiency interview in the English language described by the American Council on Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) with an oral proficiency rating of 2+. The recruiting district will also provide a description of the background check done for each teacher and assure that each teacher had such a review performed with results indicating that the applicant has no disqualifying criminal violation described in the statutes.

The applicant will apply for the Visiting International Teacher Certificate appropriate to the grade level or subject matter to be taught. To provide substantiation of the conclusions reached by the district in its initial review, the application and fee must be forwarded with the district's own determination of the applicant's qualifications and the evaluation of the applicant's foreign credentials. The foreign credentials evaluation must be completed by one of the acceptable sources listed on the ISBE web site. We also require diplomas, degrees, professional titles and examination results from the terminal or periodic examinations required by the applicant's degree-granting institution, and English language translations of those documents.

Applicants for this certificate will not be required to pass the examinations of the Illinois Certification Testing System. Those persons who wish to teach their native language will be considered qualified if the language of instruction used by the degree-granting institution is the teacher's native language.

Individuals wishing to apply for this certificate must file form ISBE 73-03F, "Application for Visiting International Teacher Certificate," with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools.

Transitional Bilingual Certificate

The transitional bilingual certificate is valid for a period of six years for teaching subject matter using the languages of endorsement in approved bilingual education programs in grades K-12 of the common schools. The certificate must be registered with the regional superintendent of the county wherein the holder is teaching. Upon the expiration of a transitional bilingual certificate, a regional superintendent may grant a single two-year renewal of that certificate, provided that the individual furnishes evidence of enrollment in an approved teacher education program or of enrollment in coursework designed to qualify the holder for a standard certificate.

General Requirements.
The applicants must be legally present in the United States and possess legal authorization for employment.

Requirements of Prior Education or Certification.
Applicants must:

1. Possess a current and valid certificate issued by the State of Illinois, or
2. Have possessed within five years prior to the date of application a valid teaching certificate or comparable legal authorization issued by a foreign country or by a state or possession or territory of the United States, or
3. Hold a degree from an institution of higher learning in a foreign country which the Certification Board determines to be the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States. Applicants must submit a certified transcript from the foreign institution. The Certification Board will determine equivalency by comparing the applicants' courses of study to that required for a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States on factors including:
   1. the applicants' length of study at the foreign institution (which shall be equivalent to four years of postsecondary study after the age of eighteen);
   2. the number of credit hours or similar units of instruction which the applicants have successfully completed (which shall be the equivalent of 120 semester hours);
   3. the content of the applicants' courses and the distribution of courses among the various disciplines constituting a bachelor's degree program in the United States (which shall include the equivalent of a 32-semester-hour major field of study);
   4. the applicants' grades or similar evidence of successful academic performance;
   5. the foreign institution's accreditation status, if any.

Language Requirements

1. Applicants must demonstrate adequate speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills in a non-English language in which transitional bilingual education is offered in Illinois. This requirement may be fulfilled in one of the following ways:
   1. The applicants present evidence of having graduated from a teacher preparation institution or an institution of higher education in which the medium of instruction was a non-English language in which transitional bilingual education is offered in Illinois and for which certification is sought.
   2. The applicants successfully complete the required examination in the non-English language in which transitional bilingual education is offered in Illinois and for which certification is sought. If no examination for transitional bilingual education in the target language is provided in the list of available bilingual proficiency examinations, the required examination shall be another examination administered by the State Board of Education. The selection, development, and administration of each such examination shall conform to the requirements of the Illinois Administrative Rules to the extent feasible in light of the rate of incidence of the target language in Illinois.
2. The applicants must demonstrate adequate speaking, reading, writing, and grammar skills in English. This requirement may be fulfilled in one of the following ways:
   1. Applicants present evidence of having graduated from an institution of higher education in which the medium of instruction was English.
   2. Applicants successfully complete the English Language Proficiency Examination.
3. Individuals enrolled in an approved bilingual certification program who passed the Spanish language proficiency examination required by the program prior to July 1, 2001, shall be exempt from retaking a Spanish language proficiency test after that date, provided that:
   1. the university that operates the program forwards to the State Board of Education no later than November 1, 2001, a list of the names and Social Security Numbers of those persons in its program who have passed the examination;
   2. the individuals' names appear on the list submitted by the university in whose program they are enrolled; and
   3. the individuals submit an application for bilingual certification based upon the institution's recommendation for certification no later than June 30, 2006.

Appeals - Re-scoring

A limited appeal shall be available to applicants found ineligible for certification because of failure to meet the language requirements on the basis of an examination in a language not listed in the schedule of language proficiency assessments. An affected individual wishing to initiate such an appeal shall notify the State Board of Education in writing within six weeks after release of the test results to candidates. The appeal shall be limited to a request for re-scoring. The State Board of Education shall honor each such request unless no individual who has the necessary language competency and who was not involved in the original scoring is available.

Bilingual and ESL Teacher Approval

Teachers in approved bilingual education programs may possess either a Transitional Bilingual Certificate or a valid Illinois teaching certificate and a statement of approval authorizing employment as a bilingual education teacher issued by the State Board of Education or an endorsement on their full certificates for a bilingual program. A statement of approval is a letter indicating the teacher has met the minimum requirements to serve in a bilingual or ESL position at the grade level of the certificate the teacher holds; the approval is also recorded on the Teacher Certification Information System.

Since the bilingual certificate is valid for only six years and may only be renewed for a single two-year period, it is anticipated that current holders will seek to obtain an Initial or Standard certificate and qualify for approval or endorsement as a bilingual teacher or teacher of English as a Second Language. Approvals will only be issued to applicants who already possess a regular teaching certificate and will be limited to the grade levels or subjects for which the teaching certificate is valid.

A. Approval to teach Bilingual Education

Approval as a bilingual teacher may be obtained by first making application through a Regional Office of Education on ISBE Form 73-49, "Request for Approval as a Bilingual or ESL Teacher." A statement of approval will be issued to individuals meeting the following requirements:

1. A valid Illinois teacher certificate;
2. Bilingual clinical experience totaling 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience in bilingual programs;
3. Successful completion of a language examination in the non-English language to be taught;
4. Credits totaling 18 semester hours distributed among the following course areas:
   1. Foundations of Bilingual Education,
   2. Assessment of Bilingual Students,
   3. Methods and Materials for Teaching Limited-English-Proficient Students in Bilingual Programs,
   4. Cross-Cultural Studies for Teaching Limited-English-Proficient Students,
   5. Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language.

B. Approval to teach English as a Second Language

Approval to teach ESL in the context of a state-approved bilingual education program may be obtained by making application through a Regional Office of Education on ISBE Form 73-49, "Request for Approval as a Bilingual or ESL Teacher." The same requirements apply to the ESL endorsement on a full certificate. The requirements for obtaining this approval are as follows:

1. A valid Illinois teaching certificate;
2. ESL clinical experience equal to 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience with ESL students;
3. Credits totaling 18 semester hours distributed among the following course areas.
   1. Linguistics,
   2. Theoretical Foundations of Teaching ESL,
   3. Assessment of the Bilingual Student,
   4. Methods and Materials for Teaching ESL,
   5. Cross-Cultural Studies for Teaching Limited-English-Proficient Students.

Individuals who obtain an ESL approval may teach in this capacity only at the grade level for which their regular certificate is valid. Individuals who hold an elementary certificate and who qualify for bilingual approval, however, may teach ESL in grades K-6, as well as all other subject areas of a bilingual education program in the language for which they have approval.

Paraprofessional Approvals (Teacher Aides)

NCLB Requirements for Paraprofessionals

• All persons newly hired in an instructional capacity in programs funded by Title I funds after January 8, 2002, must be highly qualified by
  • having 60 semester hours of credit or
  • having at least an associate's degree or
  • passing a state examination covering instruction in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Persons employed as paraprofessionals before 1/8/02 have until January 8, 2006, to meet this requirement

State Requirements for Paraprofessionals (Excluding Title I Funded)

All persons serving as paraprofessionals must have a statement of approval to serve as a paraprofessional (teacher aide) that is granted when the applicants are

• U.S. citizens or non-citizens who are legally present and authorized for employment;
• Of good character;
• Free from communicable disease;
• High school graduates or possession of an equivalent to a high school degree and
• In possession of one of the following credentials:
1. 30 semester hours of college credit from a regionally accredited institution or
2. Proof of completing a paraprofessional training program approved by the Illinois Community College Board or ISBE in consultation with the State Teacher Certification Board or
3. Passing score on the ETS ParaPro test or
4. Passing score on the ACT WorkKeys test and
   • A satisfactory rating for observation of classroom performance or
   • A district letter attesting to effective classroom performance in employment.

Those assigned to students with disabilities in positions not funded under Title I on or before June 30, 2005, have until July 1, 2007, to meet the requirements for approval as a paraprofessional.

State Requirements for Service in Title I Funded Positions

Persons employed in programs supported by Title I funds must have

1. An associate's degree or
2. 60 semester hours or
3. An acceptable score on the ParaPro or WorkKeys test or
4. 30 semester hours of credit or must have completed an approved paraprofessional training program and earned 300 professional training points (PTP).

Professional Training Points can be earned by

• Work experience as a paraprofessional — 30 PTPs per year of service, maximum 150 points
• College credits beyond the required 30 semester hours — 15 PTPs per credit hour
• Completion of the Paraprofessional Test Preparation Curriculum developed by the Illinois Community College Board in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education — 15 PTPs
• Professional development activity — 1 PTP per hour

This application may be made on a form ISBE 73-95, "Request for Paraprofessional Approval/Approval for Paraprofessional Employment in Title I Positions". There is no fee for this approval, but the form must be filed with a regional superintendent of schools. A paraprofessional approval statement will be issued and will indicate whether the holder meets the NCLB requirements.

Approval of Educational Interpreters: Sign Language Interpreters and Cued Speech Interpreters

Each educational interpreter in the public schools shall

• be of good character and
• be a citizen of the United States or legally present and authorized for employment and
• be physically fit and freedom from tuberculosis.
• hold a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

Beginning July 1, 2006, assignment as an educational interpreter in the public schools shall require a statement of approval from the State Superintendent of Education valid either for sign language interpreting or for cued speech interpreting. Each individual who is required to hold a statement of approval shall submit an application to the State Superintendent, accompanied by the $30 fee required under Section 21-12 of the School Code and evidence that he or she meets the requirements applicable to the type and level of approval sought.

Initial Approval

1. Each applicant shall have:
   1. completed 30 semester hours of college credit from one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education; or
   2. passed the Educational Interpreter Knowledge Assessment (EIKA); or
   3. passed the written examination administered by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID); or
   4. achieved the score identified as passing by the Illinois State Board of Education on either the ParaPro test or the WorkKeys test.
2. Sign Language Interpreters: Each applicant for initial approval as a sign language interpreter shall have:
   1. attained a rating of Level 3.0 or above on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA); or
   2. received a certificate issued by the RID; or
   3. scored at the "passing" level or above on the examination of the American Consortium of Certified Interpreters (ACCI).
3. Cued Speech Interpreters: Each applicant for initial approval as a cued speech interpreter shall have:
   1. attained a rating of Category 4 or above on the Basic Cued Speech Proficiency Rating administered by Testing, Evaluation and Certification Unit, Inc. (TEC Unit); or
   2. attained Transliteration Skills Certification from TEC Unit at level 3 or above.

Standard Approval

1. Each applicant shall:
   1. have completed 60 semester hours of college credit from one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education; or
   2. hold an associate's degree issued by a regionally accredited institution of higher education; or
   3. have passed one of the examinations required for initial approval
2. Sign Language Interpreters: Each applicant for standard approval as a sign language interpreter shall:
   1. have attained a rating of Level 3.5 or above on the EIPA; or
   2. provide evidence that he or she was employed as a sign language interpreter in the Illinois public schools during the 2005-06 school year and holds certification from the RID.
3. Cued Speech Interpreters: Each applicant for standard approval as a cued speech interpreter shall have attained Transliteration Skills Certification at Level 3 or above.

Master Approval

1. Each applicant shall have met the requirements for a Standard Approval
2. Sign Language Interpreters: Each applicant for master approval as a sign language interpreter shall have attained a rating of Level 4.5 or above on the EIPA.
3. Cued Speech Interpreters: Each applicant for master approval as a cued speech interpreter shall have attained Transliteration Skills Certification at Level 4 or above.

Emergency Approval

1. Each applicant shall have completed 10 semester hours of college credit from one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education.
2. Sign Language Interpreters: Each applicant for approval as a sign language interpreter shall have:
   1. attained a rating of Level 3.0 or above on the EIPA; or
   2. received a certificate issued by the RID; or
   3. scored at the "passing" level or above on the examination of the ACCI.
3. Cued Speech Interpreters: Each applicant for approval as a cued speech interpreter shall have:
   1. attained a rating of Category 4 or above on the Basic Cued Speech Proficiency Rating; or
   2. attained Transliteration Skills Certification at level 3 or above.

Validity; Renewal

1. Initial approval shall be valid for four years of interpreting within the eight-year period following its issuance, provided that the approval of an individual who completes four years of interpreting shall continue to be valid through the immediately following June 30. Initial approval shall not be renewable. An individual need not have Initial approval to qualify for standard or master approval.
2. Standard approval shall be valid for five years, with the first year ending on June 30 following the issue date, and shall be renewable upon presentation of evidence that, during the five-year period of the approval's validity, the individual has:
   1. completed 40 hours of continuing education; or
   2. completed 25 hours of continuing education and received certification from RID or from ACCI.
3. Master approval shall be valid for ten years, with the first year ending on June 30 following the issue date, and shall be renewable upon presentation of evidence that, during the ten-year period of the approval's validity, the individual has:
   1. completed 80 hours of continuing education; or
   2. completed 65 hours of continuing education and received certification from RID or from ACCI.
4. Emergency approval shall be valid for two years, with the first year ending on June 30 following the issue date, and shall not be renewable.

Continuing Education

1. An individual may accrue hours of continuing education by participating in conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, symposia, or other, similar training events that:
   1. are designed to improve the skills and knowledge of interpreters for the deaf; or
   2. are organized by an entity that is approved pursuant to Section 25.855 or 25.860 of Part 25 of the 23 Illinois Administrative Code and address educational concerns.
2. An individual may accrue the required credit for continuing education by completing college coursework that is part of an interpreter training program offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an Illinois community college.
   • One course of at least three semester hours may be used to fulfill 100 percent of the requirement for renewal of standard approval or
   • 50 percent of the requirement for renewal of master approval.
   • Two courses totaling at least six semester hours may be used to fulfill 100 percent of the requirement for renewal of master approval.
3. Holders of approval at the master level only may accrue up to 20 hours of continuing education for mentoring provided to holders of initial or standard approval.
4. Each individual shall be required to accrue at least 60 percent of the required hours of continuing education in activities under (1)(A), (2), or, if applicable, (3) above, in any combination.
5. Evidence of Completion
   1. Along with his or her statement of approval, each individual who will be required to complete continuing education as a condition of renewal shall be furnished with a log format enabling him or her to record the activities completed. For any activity completed under (1) above, the individual shall present the attendance form provided by the entity organizing the event, except that the organizer's signature on the log form shall suffice in cases where participants receive no other written verification of their attendance.
   2. As evidence of completion for college coursework, the individual shall present a grade report or official transcript issued by the institution indicating that he or she has passed the course or courses.
   3. As evidence of completion for mentoring, the individual shall present the signature of an authorized representative of the
      employing entity on the log format provided, documenting the formal mentoring arrangement and the time spent.

Revocation
The provisions of revocation of paraprofessional approvals shall apply to the revocation of approval for educational interpreters.

back to download page