Educator Certification, Recertification and Preparation

Professional Development

The basis for all professional development is that 1) each activity must improve the administrator’s knowledge of instructional practices and administrative procedures; 2) maintain the basic level of competence required for initial certification; and 3) improve skills and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching performance in clinical settings, and assessment of levels of student performance.

When submitting a Statement of Assurance electronically on the Educator Certification System (www.isbe.net/ecs), complete information must be provided if appropriate credit is to be awarded. Regional Offices of Education and the State Superintendent of Education will be looking for the following criteria.

1. Activities must be clearly identifiable as professional development. For example, claiming “Faculty Meetings” does not provide any indication that the administrator received professional development that could be counted. In fact, facilitating a faculty meeting is probably one of the administrator’s job responsibilities. However, if a presentation was given on supporting the new reading program at that meeting, then it should be noted as “Workshop on Reading First” or some clearly identifiable title. Any workshop, symposium or training should carry that designation so that the professional development activity is clearly understood when reviewed at the state level. Another example that was submitted is “Learning the process of coordination and facilitation of textbook adoption.” Once again, it is not clear if this was some sort of formal training or if the administrator just learned it on his own. In order to receive the credit, this could have been identified as a “training” if appropriate.
   
   
2. Activities that may be counted include, but not limited to, the following:
   1. Completion of college or university courses;
   2. Participation in state and national conferences of professional organizations or in workshops, seminars, symposia, or other, similar training events;
   3. Teaching college/university courses or making presentations at conferences, workshops, seminars, symposia, or other similar training events;
   4. Providing formal mentoring to one or more other administrators;
   5. Independent study; and
   6. Other activities related to the Illinois School Leader Standards and other applicable standards such as developing or revising school programs, participating in Administrators’ Academy courses, and other similar projects.

It is important to note that not everything an administrator does may count toward satisfying the professional development hours.

Only activities that increase the administrator’s knowledge and/or skills AND address the following purposes may count: 1) improve the administrator’s knowledge of instructional practices and administrative procedures; 2) maintain the basic level of competence required for initial certification; and 3) improve skills and knowledge regarding the improvement of teaching performance in clinical settings, and assessment of levels of student performance. (Section 21-7.1 of the School Code).

Activities that are part of the administrator’s job responsibilities such as facilitating faculty meetings; attending school board meetings; participating on text book committees; maintaining membership on parent committees; attendance at athletic camps and other such activities do not count. If there is a professional development component in a faculty meeting, it should be clearly identified by wording such as “Addressing Bullying in Our School” training.
To ensure that each Request for Verification is approved, administrators should use the criteria described above and avoid any activities that are unclear or may not count.

CREDITS

• 15 hours for each semester hour of college credit earned or taught (graduate or undergraduate)
• 1 hour for each hour of the administrator’s direct participation in a relevant activity other than college coursework

EVIDENCE OF COMPLETION

All administrators are expected to maintain written documentation for each of the professional development activities for which credit is claimed. This evidence will be required in the event of a random audit conducted by a Regional Office of Education or the Illinois State Board of Education. Evidence should be maintained by the administrator for two years after the renewal of the certificate.

Evidence should include some type of documentation that identifies the number of hours being claimed, the date, and a title or description of the activity.

The type of evidence may vary with the activity. For example, attending a workshop or seminar would simply require an agenda or an attendance list or registration form with the administrator’s name listed. Listening to presentations on tape or on line at a web site would require some sort of short summary report of what the content was and the date, time and title of the presentation. For activities that do not normally have documentation, administrators should create the appropriate written evidence (such as a summary report). The evidence will vary, but should clearly identify the activity, support the claim for appropriate credit and meet the criteria identified above.

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