Requirements for Certification
IX. Renewing Standard Certificates
Legislation that went into effect June 30, 2004, significantly
changed the requirements for renewing the Standard/Master
certificate, simplifying the application process and adding
several professional development options. Teachers will
submit forms directly to their Regional Office of Education
or Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) if
the employing district and its exclusive representative,
if any, agree to keep the LPDC. Teachers are still required
to complete professional development.
Renewal Process
Teachers who are required to maintain their certificates
as valid and active for any part of their validity period
must submit the following:
Important Changes to Procedures
Teachers are no longer required to:
- create or submit Certificate Renewal Plans,
- submit Claims for Credit, or
- request approval from an LPDC for activities.
Teachers are required to:
- complete creditable professional development activities;
- maintain evidence of completion;
- request approval for travel from their Regional Office
of Education, or LPDC, if applicable;
- submit assurance statement.
LPDCs ARE NOT REQUIRED
A district may continue to have an LPDC by agreement
between the teachers' exclusive representative and the
administration. The LPDC's function will be to review
Statement of Assurance forms at the end of teachers' validity
cycle and recommend teachers for renewal.
Teachers in districts that no longer have an LPDC do
not need an LPDC recommendation and must apply for renewal
directly to the Regional Office of Education.
TEACHERS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES OR MASTER CERTIFICATES
Beginning with the certificate holder's second renewal
cycle, reductions in professional development requirements
apply to teachers who held their degrees or certificates
prior to beginning their second cycle requiring professional
development for renewal as follows:
- Teachers with a master's degree in an education-related
field need to complete two-thirds of the professional
development requirement.
- Teachers with more than one master's degree, an educational
specialist, or doctorate need to complete one-third
of the professional development requirement.
- Teachers with a Master Certificate obtained as a result
of NBPTS certification need to complete one-third of
the professional development requirement.
Professional Development Options That Meet Requirements
for Renewal
Teachers may use one of the following or a combination
of college coursework and CEUs/CPDUs to qualify for renewal
of their teaching certificates:
- Complete an advanced degree
- Meet Illinois criteria for becoming highly qualified
in another teaching area*
- Complete National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS) certification process
- Earn eight semester hours of college coursework in
education-related program
- Earn subsequent Illinois certificate or endorsement*
- Complete four semester hours of graduate coursework
in Assessment of Teaching
Performance or NBPTS preparation*
- Earn CEUs/CPDUs in activities listed below (For definitions,
CPDUs earned and evidence, click on Certificate Renewal
Update on our website at www.isbe.net or see CeRTS.)
*Indicates new options.
Creditable Activities for CPDUs/CEUs
Regular education teachers using CPDUs/CEUs for all
or part of their professional development must have 20%
pertaining to serving students in the least restrictive
environment; special education teachers must have 50%.
- Collaborative planning and professional improvement
teams
- Peer review and peer coaching
- Mentor, recipient or remediating teacher
- Site-based management or decision-making teams, boards
or task forces
- Coordinating community resources
- Facilitating parent education programs
- Business, school or community partnerships
- Supervising a student teacher
- College coursework
- Teaching college courses
- Workshops, seminars, conferences, institutes, symposia (require approved providers)
- Presenting at workshops, seminars, conferences, etc.
- Training as external reviewers
- Training as reviewers of university teacher preparation
programs
- Action research and inquiry projects
- Observing programs or teaching in schools, business
or industry
- Travel (requires prior approval of LPDC or Regional
Superintendent)
- Study groups
- Statewide education-related committee
- Work-learn programs or internships
- Portfolio of student and teacher work
- Curriculum development or assessment activities
- Team or department leadership
- External/internal school or district review teams
- Publishing education articles, columns or books
- Non-strike related professional association or union
service related to professional development
- "Other" activities aligned to one of the
above activities
Important Changes for Professional Development Activities
New legislation made the following changes in approval
and crediting of professional development activities:
- No credit may be earned for activities or events that
are designed for entertainment, promotional or commercial
purposes or those that are solely inspirational or motivational.
The State Superintendent of Education or a Regional
Superintendent of Education will investigate complaints
and review the activities, which may result in a recommendation
to disapprove them.
- If there is no responsible LPDC, a Regional Superintendent
or his/her designee must approve travel 30 days prior
to the travel experience.
- The State Teacher Certification Board and the State
Board of Education have the authority to jointly disapprove
professional development activities and events offered
by providers of conferences, workshops, institutes,
seminars, symposia and similar training activities.
Additional Notes
Holders of Master Certificates can now qualify for certificate
renewal by completing the NBPTS recertification process.
Holders of Master Certificates in science or social science
can teach in any of the subject areas within those fields,
including those taught at an advanced level.
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Illinois State Board of Education
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Springfield, IL 62777
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