I. Authority
Under P.A. 90-0548, the Standard teaching certificate is renewable every 5 years by the State Teacher Certification Board ("Certification Board") upon proof of continuing education or professional development. The Certification Board shall use established renewal criteria, shall follow a prescribed renewal process, and shall require school districts and charter schools to establish Local Professional Development Committees (LPDCs) with a specified structure and process for operation. The Certification Board shall also hear appeals.
II. Renewal Criteria
The Certification Board shall renew a Standard teaching certificate upon receiving verification that the following criteria have been successfully completed:
A. A Certificate Renewal Plan (CRP) was filed and approved by the appropriate LPDC;
B. Coursework, continuing education units (CEUs) and/or equivalent activity requirements of the approved plan have been met;
C. Recommendation for renewal by the LPDC, has been forwarded to the appropriate Regional Office of Education (ROE), and the established registration fee has been paid; and
D. Notification that the above criteria have been met will be forwarded by the ROE to the Certification Board within 30 days of receipt of verification.
III. Certificate Renewal Plan
The Certificate Renewal Plan, covering all Standard-teaching certificates held, should include a minimum of three individual improvement goal(s) developed by the educator. The goal(s) will reflect State standards; the district or building's school improvement plan(s) that relate to classroom teaching assignment or position; certificates or designations (endorsements) held; or additional certificate(s), endorsement(s) or advanced educationally relevant degree being pursued. A description of how the goals are to be achieved and an explanation of selected experiences must be included. All coursework, CEUs, and other equivalent activities must meet one or more of the above criteria and be so reflected in the CRP. The CRP should identify potential activities and include projected timelines that will assure completion within the 5-year time frame of the Standard Certificate. A continuing Certificate Renewal Plan, to meet approval, is expected to reflect a variety of experiences across the categories. A Certificate Renewal Plan may include, but is not limited to, the following:
A. Eight semester hours of coursework in an approved program.
B. Twenty Continuing Education Units (20 CEUs), minimum of 100 contact hours.
C. A combination of CEUs, coursework and/or other equivalent activities that meet the above criteria and are included in the CRP, including but not limited to the following:
College/University Coursework
Conferences, Workshops, Institutes, Seminars, and Symposiums
Other Educational Experiences
Professional Leadership Experiences
IV. Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC)
A district or charter school, in conjunction with its exclusive representative, if any, shall establish Local Professional Development Committees (LPDCs) with a specified structure and process for operation and may choose to establish either a district-wide LPDC, building-level LPDCs, grade/age-level LPDCs, department-level LPDCs, or specialty-area LPDCs.
A. LPDC Structure
The LPDC shall consist of at least 3 classroom teachers, 1 administrator and 1 other non-administrative certificate educational employee. Additional members may be added if mutually agreed upon by the district and its exclusive representative, if any. However, a majority of members must be classroom teachers. The term of service shall be determined by the district and its exclusive representative, if any.
B. LPDC Member Selection
The selection of classroom teachers and other non-administrative personnel shall be by the exclusive representative, if any. If none exists, selection shall be by those classroom teachers and non-administrative certificated educational personnel within the LPDC's purview (e.g., by all classroom teachers and non-administrative certificated educational personnel in a building for a building-level LPDC). Administrative personnel shall be selected by the district. The filling of vacancies shall follow the same selection criteria. The LPDC will select a chairperson upon completion of membership selection.
C. LPDC Operation
Within the General Guidelines established by the Certification Board, the LPDC shall perform the following functions:
V. Approval Process
The Certification Board shall set annual deadlines for submission. Certificate holders may apply for renewal at any time prior to the renewal deadline. The Certification Board shall review LPDC recommendations within 30 days of receipt, and shall notify certificate holders within 30 days of the review completion. The Certification Board shall verify that the certificate holder has met the Renewal Criteria described in Section II.
VI. Appeals Process
Unfavorable recommendations may be appealed first to the LPDC, second to the Regional Office of Education (ROE), with a final appeal directed, if necessary, to the Certification Board.
A. Local Appeal Process
The teacher has 30 days to file a written appeal to the decision of the LPDC. The teacher has the right to participate in the presentation of the plan with representation in an appeal hearing. LPDC to have 30 days from date of hearing to respond in writing to the teacher. Approval/disapproval of a teacher's CRP requires a majority vote. The teacher may appeal the decision of the LPDC in writing within 30 days to the Regional Office of Education (ROE).
B. Regional Appeal Process
The ROE shall establish a number of Regional Professional Development Review Teams (RPDRT) for the purpose of handling appeals as are needed by the number of teachers to seek certification. The panel shall consist of at least 4 teachers, 2 administrators, and the regional superintendent or designee.
The majority of the team must be classroom teachers, whose selection shall be in conjunction with the exclusive representative in each district in the ROE service area to be covered by the RPDRT. Members will serve staggered terms of 3 years. All action requires a simple majority of the quorum. The team may require additional documentation or may request the teacher to appear. A record of the vote shall be maintained. The RPDRT has 45 days to respond to the appeal.
C. State Appeal Process
The State Teacher Certification Board shall hold appeal hearings within 60 days of receipt of an appeal request. The Certification Board may request additional documentation or may request that the teacher appear in person. All action requires a simple majority of the quorum. A record of the vote shall be maintained. The Certification Board shall notify the teacher within 7 days in writing of the decision. All decisions of the Certification Board are final.
VII. Transferability of Certificate Renewal Plan
Educators who change work assignments or districts during the course of completing a Certificate Renewal Plan may transfer completed experiences and activities to the new work assignment or district. The transferred CRP must be reviewed by the appropriate Local Professional Development Committee, and may be amended to reflect the educator's new work assignment and/or the school improvement plan(s) of the new school and/or district.
VIII. Inactive Certificates
Illinois standard certificate holders who are not currently employed in a certificated position will be required to develop a Certificate Renewal Plan upon acceptance of a certificated position.
A. Out of State Teachers
Out of state teachers with the equivalent of the Illinois Standard Teaching Certificate shall develop a CRP upon acceptance of a certified position in Illinois.
B. Certificate holders not employed in a certificated position who want to maintain their certificate(s) for use at a later date should annually register and pay a required registration fee with the appropriate Regional Office of Education.
C. Multiple Certification
Teachers with multiple certificates shall have a CRP that addresses only those certificates which are required of their current position.
D. Charter Schools
Charter Schools with certified teaching staff shall establish a Local Professional Development Committee with the purpose of recertifying their teaching staff following the above listed criteria.
IX. Substitute Certificates
A. Persons with Substitute Teaching Certificates are required to annually register and pay a required registration fee with the appropriate Regional Office of Education.
B. Persons who substitute teach with a Standard Teaching Certificate or a Substitute Teaching Certificate on either a part-time or day-to-day basis, pay the required registration fee and are not required to develop a CRP Plan.
C. Persons holding a Standard Teaching Certificate or a Substitute Teaching Certificate, who are employed in a full-time substitute teaching position. are required to develop a CRP Plan and to meet the requirements as outlined above.
11/6/98