State of Illinois Teacher Certification, Recertification and ECS

Current Certification System Became effective on Feb. 15, There are three levels of teaching certificates with the system.

LEVEL ONE: Initial Certificates 4-year renewal cycle (All new teachers start here) You must complete equivalent of four full years of teaching experience. (Renew after 4 calendar years if you have not totaled four full years of teaching time) You must complete a professional development option.

-Advanced education-related degree, earned any time prior to application -National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process -Approved Induction and Mentoring Program -12 semester hours of graduate-level coursework towards an advanced, education-related degree -Subsequent Illinois certificate or endorsement -Requirements for becoming “highly qualified” in another teaching area for NCLB purposes -Four semester hours of approved graduate-level coursework in one of the following: Assessment of One’s Own Teaching Performance OR National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification preparation -Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs) Initial Cert. Professional Development Options

FY09FY10FY11FY12FY13FY14FY15FY16 ½ time Renew Initial ½ time 4 full years Move to Standard Full time ½ time Renew Initial ½ time 4 full years Move to Standard Full time 4 full years Move to Standard Examples of Ways to Achieve Four Full Years of Teaching Experience on an Initial Certificate

After you complete your 4 full years of teaching, you will need to verify your teaching experience so you can move to the second level of certification (Standard).

How do you verify teaching experience? Acquire letter(s) from district administrator(s) including: ~Administator’s signature ~School Letterhead

Validity of Initial Certificate After the fourth full year of teaching experience the Initial Certificate becomes invalid and you apply for a Standard Certificate (Apply at the end of the school year)

What if I have not done a professional development option after four years of teaching? The teacher may request a one year reinstatement from the Regional Office

ECS – Educator Certification System One of the first things you will need to do is create an account on ECS so you can… Track your credentials and teacher certification information recorded at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Add professional development activities and hours Register certificates online (if you are comfortable with this method) Renew certificates online (if you are comfortable with this method) Change your exemption status when you move from an Initial to a Standard certificate

To Create an ECS Account Log on to ECS through our website or through the ISBE website

Application Process to go from Initial Certificate to Standard Certificate 5 Steps…

Step 1 A) Complete the Assurance Statement on the Educator Certification System (ECS) then B) Submit the Assurance Statement on the Educator Certification System (ECS) These are actually separate processes.

Step 2 Submit letters of teaching experience to your Regional Office of Education after May 1 st of your fourth year.

Step 3 File certificate application with the Regional Office or on Educator Certification System (ECS)

Step 4 Pay $30 application fee per certificate held.

Step 5 In order to teach, you must register your new Standard certificate with the Regional Office or on ECS The $25 registration fee covers all Certificates held for a five-year cycle.

LEVEL TWO: Standard Certificates (5-year renewal cycle) Apply for this after completing 4 full years of teaching experience. ~Valid for 5 years at a time ~Complete a professional development option

Once On A Standard or Master Certificate…

Teachers are required to: Complete Creditable Professional Development Units (CPDU) Maintain evidence of completion – 2 pieces for each activity you do Request approval for travel from their Regional Office (30 days prior to travel) Submit assurance statement.

Once you move to a Standard Certificate, you will have to log on to ECS and change your Professional Development Exemption Status to match your current employment status.

Valid and Active ~Teaching or counseling in a public school ~Must do professional development Valid and Exempt ~Teaching in a private school, vocational teachers, substitute teachers, retired teachers ~Not required to do professional development It is the teacher’s responsibility to change their teaching status on the ECS system. So, on ECS, you… Standard Certificate Status on ECS

If a teacher’s certificate status was Valid/Exempt AND Valid/Active during their renewal cycle, they must complete the proportionate professional development credits for their Valid/Active year(s) only. Example: 5-year cycle 2 years Valid/Active and 3 years Valid/Exempt Must do professional development for those 2 years of Valid/Active status, but not for the other 3.

If a teacher is employed less than half time, their professional development requirement is reduced by half. Example: Taught less than ½ time for 5 years Requirement is 60 CPDUs rather than 120

TEACHERS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES OR MASTER CERTIFICATES…

Advanced Degree - Master’s Degree Master Certificate – Completed the Master Certificate Program (NBPTS) Need to be obtained prior to the beginning of the certificate’s renewal cycle.

Professional Development Reductions: If you have a Master’s Degree: Complete only two-thirds of professional development requirement (80 CPDUs instead of 120) If you have multiple Master’s Degrees, Master Certificate, Ed. Specialists or Doctorate: Complete one-third of professional development requirement (40 CPDUs instead of 120)

STANDARD CERTIFICATE Professional Development Options That Meet Requirements for Renewal :

-Complete 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 One’s Own Teaching Performance or NBPTS preparation -Earn CEUs/CPDUs in activities listed in the Certificate Renewal Manual. -The complete renewal cycle requirement must total 120 CPDUs (Must be through an approved provider)

Professional Development Values Credible Educator Units(CEUs) = 5 CPDUs One hour of college credit = 15 CPDUs

Professional Development must include at least one of the following purposes: A. Improve your knowledge & skills in your current area of certification, endorsement, or teaching assignment. B. Develop your knowledge & skills in one or more of the state’s priority areas (math, reading, technology, standards or assessment, & special education). C. Develop/improve your knowledge & skills related to your school improvement plan. D. Expand your knowledge & skills in an additional field or advance toward acquisition of an additional certificate or endorsement. E. Activities that focus on adapting/modifying curriculum in the fundamental area of learning to assist students with disabilities.

Purpose E (Corey H.-Special Education) Regular education teachers using CPDUs for their must have 20% of the credits in Purpose E Special education teachers must have 50% of their CPDUs in Purpose E

Standard Certificate Renewal Process

Step 1 Complete your Statement of Assurance on ECS You may submit your statement after Sept. 1 of your fifth or last year of your renewal cycle.

Step 2 The Regional Superintendent will approve your Assurance Statement

Step 3 Register your certificate on ECS or through the Regional Office.

Registration Fee: $5 per Year Standard Certificate (5 years - $25) Master Certificate ( Not Master’s Degree ) (10 years - $50)

You need to maintain copies of your professional development through the next recertification cycle, including 2 pieces of evidence. The state of Illinois requires random audits.

If a teacher has completed all required activities and filed their Statement of Assurance, they may begin to accumulate credit for their next renewal cycle after April 1 of the fifth year of their renewal cycle.

If you have certification questions please contact us at the Regional Office of Education or