Changes in Teacher Education for Early Childhood Endorsement

ISBE Proposed Grade Span Configuration ISBE reconfigured a new grade span configuration that will enhance teacher preparation, practice and efficacy, including deeper content knowledge and use of developmentally appropriate practices. Statewide committees developed new program standards for teacher education endorsement programs in early childhood, elementary, and middle schools grade spans. Early Childhood: Birth –Grade 2 Elementary: Grade 1-6 Middle School: Grade 5-8 High School: Grade 9-12

Early Childhood Endorsement Grade Span Configuration: The Early Childhood Endorsement will be a Birth through Grade Two endorsement. Rules state: The endorsement for self-contained general education in grades Birth through grade two shall be affixed to the professional educator license.    5/26/2018

Early Childhood Advisory Group (ECAG) ECAG was developed to help guide changes in teacher education for early childhood endorsement programs (birth-grade 2) Illinois State University’s Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP) has facilitated ECAG work on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education ECAG representation among stakeholders across the early learning continuum, including community and school-based sites, community college faculty, and four-year universities ECAG work began in November of 2011 through April 2012. ECAG took a one year hiatus while the grade span configuration was being determined and EMAG standards drafted, and resumed in March 2013 5/26/2018

ECAG Representation Four-Year Universities Chicago State University Columbia College Chicago DePaul University Erikson Institute Illinois State University Kendall College National Louis University Northern Illinois University Rockford University Roosevelt University Southern Illinois University- Carbondale Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville University of Illinois-Chicago University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana Western Illinois University Community Colleges Heartland Community College Highland Community College Illinois Valley Community College Morton College Community- and School-Based Sites Chicago Public Schools District#300 Granite City School District #9 Harvey School District #152 Madison Park Elementary School Springfield School District #186 Triad CUSD #2 Wood River-Hartford School District #15 5/26/2018

ECAG Representation (cont’d) Illinois Education Institutions Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Other Participants Baby Talk Early Head Start Illinois Action for Children Illinois Education Association Illinois Federation of Teachers Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies McCormick Foundation Ounce of Prevention 5/26/2018

ECAG Meeting Dates November 29, 2011 December 9, 2011 January 11, 2012 February 8, 2012 March 13, 2012 April 11, 2012 March 25, 2013 May 6, 2013 June 12, 2013 July 17, 2013 August 14, 2013 September 12, 2013 October 15, 2013 5/26/2018

ECAG Work Areas Reviewing current program standards: Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IPTS) Social/Emotional Standards NAEYC Standards WIDA standards CEC Standards Drafting Science and Social Studies content standards language for birth- grade 2 Drafting assessment standards for birth-grade 2 Reviewing and integrating requirements related to English Learners in early childhood settings Reviewing and recommending dispositions Reviewing and recommending clinical experiences Addressing articulation between two-year and four-year institutions 5/26/2018

ECAG Subcommittee Work Areas Math content standards for birth-grade 2 ELA content standards for birth-grade 2 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Program Standards: In addition to the standards that all teacher education programs have to align to according to Illinois School Administrative Code (Standards for All Illinois Teachers—see 23 Ill. Admin. Code 24) (e.g., IPTS, Social-Emotional Learning), all early childhood endorsement programs shall align to the 2010 National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards for Initial and Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Clinical and Field Experiences The ECAG members recommend that early childhood teacher endorsement programs align the clinical and field experience requirements with those outlined in the NAEYC teacher education standards and CAEP standards for programs that go through CAEP accreditation Field experiences and clinical practice in at least two of the three early childhood age groups (birth – age 3, 3 through 5, 5 through 8 years) AND in the variety of settings that offer early education (early school grades, child care centers and homes, Head Start programs). 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Content Standards English Language Arts (ELA) Content Standards English Learner support is embedded in the content standards.  Standards the subcommittee drew upon: EMAG ELA Standards Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS) Common Core State Standards (CCSS) International Reading Association (IRA) Professional Reading Standards NAEYC Standards Illinois Professional Teaching Standards 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Under Discussion Math Content Standards Discussions and revisions are still underway on the ECAG Math standards English Learner support is embedded in the content standards. Standards the subcommittee drew upon: EMAG Math standards Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS) Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Early Math Initiative Recommendations What Works Clearinghouse practice guide for early childhood mathematics National Governors’ Association committee recommendations on early childhood mathematics instruction NAEYC Illinois Professional Teaching Standards 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Science and Social Studies Standards Recommendations Coursework that addresses at least three areas of sciences defined by the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards and Next Generation Science Standards (e.g., physical, life, and earth and space); Coursework that addresses the ten thematic strands defined by the National Council for Social studies (culture; time, continuity, and change; people, places and environments; individual development and identity; individuals, groups, and institutions; power, authority, and governance; production, distribution, and consumption; science, technology, and society; global connections; civic ideals and practices) as they relate to the disciplinary standards (history, geography, civics and government, economics, and psychology). ECAG did not draft standards like the math and ELA because the State has not officially adopted science or social studies standards like it has for the Common Core. 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Assessment Standards The ECAG members have developed and recommended that a separate set of standards be adopted for early childhood endorsement programs for teacher candidates learning about assessments in early childhood teacher preparation programs. The assessment standards are not content specific but encompass all content areas. 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Professional Preparation Alignment ECAG members have recommend that the Gateways to Opportunity Entitlement ECE Level 5 credential be integrated into Early Childhood Program standards This recommendation requires that all Illinois early childhood endorsement teacher education programs be entitled for the Gateways to Opportunity ECE Level 5 program within three years of program redesign. The Illinois State Board of Education would accept the Gateways entitlement review process as evidence of fulfilling the Gateways credential program criteria. 5/26/2018

Early Childhood Endorsement Program Recommendations Professional Preparation Alignment Rationale for Gateways Integration Ease 2 to 4 year program articulation by capitalizing on the inherent vertical alignment between Level 4 (at 2 year program level) and Level 5 (Bachelor’s level). Ensures that content and field experiences at the Birth to Age 3 age level are included in early childhood programs. Serves as a touchstone for ensuring that the early childhood workforce has a common knowledge, language, content and pedagogy about best practices in teaching young children regardless of where the are at in their career pathway. 5/26/2018

Program Standard Requirements for 4 Year ECE Programs Existing Requirements Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (since 2010) Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (Revised Early Learning Standards) Illinois Social Emotional Learning Standards ECE ESL/Bilingual programs (WIDA) ECE Special Education (DEC—Council for Exceptional Children) ECAG Recommendations: Existing + the Following NAEYC Gateways to Opportunity Level 5 Benchmarks and Competencies Content Standards: Math ELA Social Studies Science Assessment Proposed deadline: July 1, 2016 new deadline for no admissions to old programs. Candidates enrolled in old program have to complete by July 1, 2019 5/26/2018

Remaining Work Once standards are all approved by the ECAG membership, the standards will undergo the rules writing process at the Illinois State Board of Education. This will convert standards into rules- language Standards will be open to public comment, in which ISBE invites feedback from the public on the rules and carefully reviews this feedback when making final determinations 5/26/2018

Elementary and Middle Grade Program Standards

Questions? Contact Information Laura Kalmes (lekalme@ilstu.edu)