Requirements for Certification

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V. Endorsement Requirements for Subjects and Requirements for Assignment

A) Primary Level Endorsements

Certificates are not usually endorsed at the primary level, since teaching at that level in most subjects requires only an appropriate certificate and formal training in the subjects taught. However, there are some subjects that require 18 hours, or more, to teach at the middle grades and primary level. Although teachers with middle grades endorsements are automatically qualified in those subjects at the primary level, it is possible a teacher who has the content hours required may wish to have the endorsement at the primary level because they do not have the necessary middle grades pedagogy courses required for a middle grades endorsement. The primary level is K-4 for elementary certificates and K-3 for early childhood certificates.

We therefore will issue primary level endorsements in the following subjects when the applicant does not have the required middle grades pedagogy coursework: English as a Second Language, Bilingual Education, Reading Teacher, Media, Library Information Specialist, and Technology Specialist. Except for the middle grades pedagogy courses, the requirements in the content area are identical with those for the middle grades for each subject.

Middle Grades Endorsements

Endorsements at the middle grades level require 18 semester hours of coursework in the endorsement areas. In addition, all middle grades teachers must have the following pedagogy courses:

• 3 semester hours of coursework that includes middle-grade philosophy, middle-grade curriculum and instruction, and instructional methods for designing and teaching developmentally appropriate programs (i.e., addressing the cognitive, emotional and physical development of each child) in the middle grades, including content-area (e.g., science, social sciences) reading instruction.
• 3 semester hours of coursework, approved by the college of education or other institutional unit governing teacher education that includes educational psychology focusing on the developmental characteristics of early adolescents, the nature and needs of early adolescents, and the role of the middle-grade teacher in assessment, coordination and referral of students to health and social services.

The Elementary certificate may be endorsed in middle grades 5-8; the Secondary certificate may be endorsed in middle grades 6-8 in the following areas:

The following middle grades subjects require a distribution of the 18 semester hours of work in the content area:

Requirements for Middle Grades Bilingual Endorsement:

Persons seeking this endorsement must have a total of 18 semester hours of coursework required below and meet the other requirements:

• A valid professional Illinois teacher certificate.
• Bilingual clinical experience totaling 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience in bilingual programs.
• Successful completion of a language examination in the non-English language to be taught.
• 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.

(Note: these endorsement requirements are identical to the approval requirements)

Requirements for Middle Grades English as a Second Language Endorsement

Persons seeking this endorsement must have a total of 18 semester hours of coursework required below and meet the other requirements:

• A valid professional Illinois teaching certificate.
• ESL clinical experience equal to 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience with ESL students.
• 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

Requirements for Middle Grades Endorsement in Foreign Languages

18 semester hours of content courses in a specific language; see also the requirements for secondary language endorsement that provides several other options for endorsement.

Requirements for Middle Grades Mathematics Endorsement

A three-semester hour course in methods of teaching mathematics in the middle grades and 15 semester hours selected from four of the topics below

1. Math content courses for elementary teachers,
2. Calculus,
3. Modern algebra or number theory,
4. Geometry,
5. Computer science,
6. Probability and statistics,
7. History of mathematics.

Requirements for Middle Grades Media Endorsement
Until June 30,2006

Persons first employed on or after September 1, 1978, as media professionals or library information specialists serving any of grades 5 through 8 are required to have completed 18 semester hours in the field that address

• administration,
• organization (cataloging and classification),
• reference, and
• selection of materials

Library Information Specialist On July 1, 2006

Individuals seeking the middle grades endorsement in Library Information Specialist will be required to complete either a major in the content area or they must have 24 semester hours of content and pass the content test for Library Information Specialist.

Requirements for Reading Specialist Endorsement

See the chart in the secondary level endorsement requirements for this subject; persons completing the approved program may have the endorsement added to cover the grade level of any certificate the applicant holds.

Requirements for Middle Grades Reading Teacher Endorsement

Until June 30, 2006 18 semester hours, including a practicum, selected from five of the following topics:

1. Foundations of reading,
2. Content-area reading,
3. Assessment and diagnosis of reading problems,
4. Developmental and remedial reading instruction and support,
5. Developmental and remedial materials and resources, and
6. Literature appropriate to students across all grade ranges

OR

Until June 30, 2006 18 semester hours of graduate-undergraduate level work in the field, including preparation in the following areas:

1. Foundation or survey of reading fundamentals including reading in the content areas
2. Testing procedures and diagnosis of reading disabilities
3. Diagnostic teaching techniques and materials
4. Clinical or laboratory practicum in reading
5. Literature appropriate for the age of students included in the program.

This standard does not apply to those individuals employed prior to September 1, 1978.

Effective 7/1/06, the middle grades and primary level reading teacher requirements become identical with those for the secondary level reading teacher; see the chart in that section of endorsements.

Requirements for Endorsement in Self-Contained General Education

On July 1, 2005, and thereafter endorsements for Self Contained General Education on any certificate will only be available to persons who complete an approved program for the endorsement and who pass the elementary/middle grades content test. On a secondary certificate, this endorsement will be limited to grades 6-8.

Requirements for Middle Grades Technology Specialist Endorsement

24 semester hours of content and passing the Technology Specialist content test.

Secondary Level Endorsements

New Rules effective July 1, 2004, changed the requirements for endorsing new certificates and for adding new endorsements to previously issued certificates.

Secondary-Level Endorsement Requirements (General):

• A major in the content area indicated on the transcript or 32 semester hours in the content area; OR
• 24 semester hours in content courses completed at one or more institutions and passing the relevant content area test.
• If a person seeks an endorsement in a subject where there is no content test, the default requirement is a major or 32 semester hours of content.

Endorsements with Special Provisions

1. Bilingual Education
2. Driver Education & Safety
3. English as a Second Language
4. Foreign Languages,
5. Library Information Specialist
6. Reading Specialist
7. Reading Teacher,
8. Sciences
9. Self Contained General Education
10. Social Sciences
11. Technology Specialist

Designations

Some endorsements at the secondary level also have an additional requirement or option of obtaining a specific designation within the broad field of the endorsement.

A) Required Designations

B) Optional Designations

Secondary Endorsements with Special Provisions

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in Bilingual Education

Persons seeking this endorsement must have a total of 18 semester hours of coursework required below and meet the other requirements:

• A valid professional Illinois teacher certificate.
• Bilingual clinical experience totaling 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience in bilingual programs.
• Successful completion of a language examination in the non-English language to be taught.
• 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.

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in Driver Education & Safety

This endorsement requires 16 semester hours in the field of driver education and safety, including preparation as follows:

1. 3 semester hours in general safety
2. 5 semester hours in driver education and advanced traffic safety
3. 8 semester hours chosen from two or more of the following areas:
   1. General safety, including traffic and industrial safety
   2. Advanced psychology and sociology
   3. First aid and health education
   4. Instructional materials
4. Teachers assigned to either simulation or multiple-car programs shall have preparation in the use of these methods which shall consist of a minimum of 1 semester hour or its equivalent in each area.

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in English as a Second Language

Persons seeking this endorsement must have a total of 18 semester hours of coursework required below and meet the other requirements:

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

NOTE: The endorsement requirements are identical with the approval requirements.

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in a Foreign Language

1. An endorsement in a foreign language can be obtained by

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in Media
Until June 30,2006

Persons first employed on or after September 1, 1978, as media professionals or library information specialists serving any of grades 9 through 12 are required to have completed 18 semester hours in the field that address

• administration,
• organization (cataloging and classification),
• reference, and
• selection of materials

Library Information Specialist On July 1, 2006

Individuals seeking the secondary level endorsement in Library Information Specialist will be required to complete either a major in the content area or they must have 24 semester hours of content and pass the content test for Library Information Specialist.

Requirements for Endorsement in Reading Specialist

The reading specialist endorsement on the Special certificate is available to persons

• who complete an approved reading specialist program,
• who have a master's or higher degree,
• who pass the reading specialist content-area examination and
• who pass any other applicable examinations required for certification.

This endorsement requires two years of teaching experience. It may also be issued as an endorsement on an existing Early Childhood, Elementary, Special or Secondary certificate for service at the grade level of the certificate. Except as noted under the reading teacher requirements, the reading specialist is the only person authorized to teach reading and to provide technical assistance or professional development to teachers. All persons who were previously issued special certificates in reading were given the new Reading Specialist endorsement.

Note: Language arts teachers are not qualified to teach reading unless they meet reading teacher/reading specialist requirements.

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in Reading Teacher

The Reading Teacher endorsement is the minimum requirement for anyone assigned to teach reading who is not teaching reading as part of general classroom instruction. Teachers who have the endorsement by June 30, 2006, or meet the endorsement requirements in place through June 30, 2006, are also qualified to provide technical assistance to other teachers and to provide professional development to teachers.

A. Until June 30, 2006

1. 18 semester hours of graduate-undergraduate level work in the field, including preparation in the following areas:
1. Foundation or survey of reading fundamentals including reading in the content areas
2. Testing procedures and diagnosis of reading disabilities
3. Diagnostic teaching techniques and materials
4. Clinical or laboratory practicum in reading
5. Literature appropriate for the age of students included in the program.
   
   
2. This standard does not apply to those individuals employed prior to September 1, 1978.

B. Effective July 1, 2006, applicants must

• Pass either the Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist exam and
• Complete at least 24 semester hours of coursework, including a practicum, through an approved reading teacher program and be recommended for the endorsement by the university OR
• Pass the Reading Teacher or Reading specialist exam and complete 24 hours of credit in reading, including a practicum, distributed through the following areas:
  1. Foundations of reading,
  2. Content-Area Reading,
  3. Assessment and diagnosis of reading problems,
  4. Developmental and remedial reading instruction and support,
  5. Developmental and remedial materials and resources, and
  6. Literature appropriate to students in all grade levels.

Applications received prior to a change in requirements will be honored under the requirements then in effect.

Requirements for Endorsement in Self-Contained General Education

On July 1, 2005, and thereafter endorsements for Self Contained General Education on any certificate will only be available to persons who complete an approved program for the endorsement and who pass the elementary/middle grades content test. On a secondary certificate, this endorsement will be limited to grades 6-8.

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in the Social Sciences and Sciences

These areas were once issued in discrete secondary level subjects such as economics and history or physics and chemistry and the teacher was limited to teaching only the subject of endorsement or qualification at the secondary level. The new structure requires extensive knowledge of a core of the entire field of science or social science as well as a specific area of designation where a test is required. An applicant with a designation may teach all subjects included in the field, so a science designation allows the teacher to teach all sciences, but the designation also permits the teacher to teach the subject of designation at the advanced placement or honors level as determined by the district.

Applicants who wish to add endorsements in the social sciences and sciences may be classed in two categories: those who have never held a designation or endorsement and those who hold prior endorsements or designations.

Applicants seeking a first designation
Applicants seeking a first designation must

• complete an approved Illinois program and pass the content area examination for the designation or
• must have 32 semester hours in the field with at least
  1. 12 semester hours in the designation and
  2. some work covering at least two other designations in the field and
  3. pass the content area examination for the designation.

Applicants who already have a designation in the field (science or social science)
Applicants who have a previous designation in either field may obtain an additional designation in the same field by either

• Passing the content area examination for the designation or
• Having 32 semester hours in the designation.
• Applicants for science must have some work in both physical and biological science

Applicants with an endorsement before 7/1/04 in one of the fields seeking a designation
Applicants who have an endorsement under the pre-July, 2004, requirements in the field of science or social science may obtain a designation by passing the new content area test for the designation. They may then obtain subsequent designations as indicated in the preceding paragraph.

Requirements for Secondary Level Endorsement in Technology Specialist

This endorsement is applicable to individuals who teach computer science and who serve as the district technology expert for hardware, networking and programming. It requires a minimum of 24 semester hours of work in the content area and passing the technology specialist content test.

Assignment to Teaching Positions after July 1, 2004

Assignment to a teaching position requires generally that the teacher have a certificate valid for the grade level and hold the requirements for teaching the subject at that grade level. No person is required by law to have an endorsement on a certificate that indicates the subjects the individual is qualified to teach.

Primary level teachers
Teachers at the primary (K-4) level must hold a certificate appropriate to the grade level and have formal training in each subject taught.

Middle grades teachers
Teachers at the middle grades level (5-8) may either be purely self contained elementary teachers or they may be departmentalized; a teacher assigned to self contained for a portion of the day and who is then assigned to teach a specific subject or subjects to a variety of children is serving in a departmentalized situation and needs to hold a certificate valid for the grade level and must comply with the middle grades requirements for the departmentalized subject, or he/she must comply with prior requirements if the teacher met them at a time when they were in effect.

The No Child Left Behind Act, however, does not distinguish between self contained teachers in grades 5-8 or departmentalized teachers; all must meet the same NCLB requirements by passing an examination in the subjects they teach, or having a major in the subjects they teach, or an advanced certificate in the subjects they teach or an advanced degree in the subjects they teach; veteran teachers have additional options.

Secondary level teachers
Beginning with the fall 2004 semester, districts have new options for assignment of appropriately certificated staff to teaching positions.

• Teachers can hold either the requirements for a new endorsement or the requirements for a pre-July 2004 endorsement, provided the teachers held the required certificate and met the requirements for the endorsement at a time when the requirements were still applicable.
  Or
• Teachers can hold either a new endorsement that qualifies them for the position or one of the old endorsements that apply to the position.

The pre-July 2004 secondary requirements/endorsements were more narrowly focused in that the endorsement limited the teacher to a specific course, for instance, physics or chemistry. The new endorsements are designed to make the teacher more broadly prepared and allow a teacher with an endorsement, such as Business, Marketing and Computer Education or English/Language Arts, to teach all the subjects subsumed under the broad umbrella of the endorsement. An English/Language Arts endorsement for example, allows the teacher to teach speech, journalism, literature, grammar, composition, etc., and the Business, Marketing and Computer Education endorsement allows the teacher to teach all the business courses. For a comparison of the preceding endorsements and the 2004 endorsements, see the Appendix.

• New Science and Social Science endorsements have designations that allow the teacher to teach all sciences or all social sciences, but the teacher must pass a test in one designation area of concentration; for example, Social Science-Economics. The designations authorize the science or social science teacher to teach those designations at the honors or advanced placement level, as defined by the district.
• Teachers who have not met the endorsement requirements for the secondary level but who have at least 24 semester hours of content courses may be assigned to the subject for a period of three years during which time they must complete the requirements for an endorsement or they may no longer be assigned to the subject. Teachers employed on this basis are not considered Highly Qualified in the subject for NCLB purposes.
• Teachers who have been granted authorization for assignment to an otherwise unfilled position (see below) may also be assigned for a period of three years.

Authorization to Employ Teachers in Positions Otherwise Unfilled

Districts that find it impossible to fill a position that is not a special education position with a person meeting the requirements for assignment may assign an individual, provided the following requirements are met:

This request must be made on form ISBE 73-96, "Request for Authorization to Employ Teacher in Position Otherwise Unfilled" and must be filed with the responsible regional superintendent.

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