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Council on Teacher Education
130 Education Building
1310 South Sixth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
URL: http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/cte/
Executive Director: 333-2804
Associate Director/Certification Officer: 333-7195
Certification Services: 333-7195
Clinical Experience Services: 333-2804
Educational Career Services: 333-0740
The Council on Teacher Education formulates, modifies, implements, and monitors compliance with policies related to the education of educators. The Council also facilitates communication and promotes collaboration among all participants involved in the preparation and continuing professional development of educators. It is responsible for the coordination of teacher education curricula at the Urbana-Champaign campus and serves as the liaison between the campus and state certification authorities.
Six colleges of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offer degree programs in teacher education: the Colleges of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; Applied Life Studies; Education; Fine and Applied Arts; Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the Graduate College. The program for the certification of school social workers is offered by the School of Social Work. The list of teacher education curricula can be found at the end of this section.
Students may consult their teacher education advisers or the certification officer for additional information about academic regulations and other policies affecting teacher education. Consult the Executive Director of the Council for information about the Grievance Policy and Procedures for Students Enrolled in Certification Programs under the Purview of the Council on Teacher Education.
Requirements
ADMISSIONS
Applicants to teacher education curricula must meet the admission requirements of the colleges and departments offering the chosen curricula. A student whose cumulative grade point average is less than the stated minimum may apply for admission and will be considered individually on a petition basis if enrollment vacancies exist in the college and curriculum to which the student seeks admission. If admitted, the student may be placed on provisional status by the Council on Teacher Education for failure to maintain the requisite GPA. To be in compliance with recent state legislation, all students entering teacher education programs must also demonstrate basic proficiency in reading, mathematics, and language arts.
Applicants are advised that certain felony convictions, enumerated in Articles 10-21.9 and 21-23a of the School Code of Illinois, prohibit certification or employment in public schools. Questions pertaining to this matter should be addressed to the certification officer.
CONTINUATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION
To be eligible for continuation in teacher education, candidates must have University of Illinois and cumulative grade point averages of 2.5 (A = 4.0) or higher. In addition, candidates must meet grade-point requirements specific to their programs. The Council on Teacher Education reviews each student's academic progress every semester. Students who do not meet the grade point average criteria will receive warning letters from the Council advising them that their entry into student teaching and their receiving recommendations for certification from the University are at risk. Students will be directed to their college deans for more information.
In addition, faculty committees screen students' files before and after student teaching to assess the overall record of their performance in the program. Teaching effectiveness is influenced not only by academic proficiency, but also by the personal characteristics of the teacher. Therefore, faculty members take these characteristics into account as they evaluate students' progress in the program. Teaching effectiveness can also be influenced by the teacher's health. For this reason, the University provides counseling and medical services for all students. A student wishing additional information about these services may call or visit the council office.
Because it is essential that counseling and medical services be offered as soon as the need becomes apparent, teacher education advisers and faculty members are asked to recommend for assistance or examination any student about whom they feel concern. A student who is recommended for assistance or examination will receive a written request to make an appointment to discuss the situation. It is a requirement of the Council on Teacher Education that a student who receives such a request must respond. Failure to do so will jeopardize the student's continuation in teacher education. During the appointment, the student will be informed of the counseling and medical services available at the University. The student's use of these services is usually optional. In exceptional cases, however, the Council may require a student to satisfactorily complete a mental health or physical examination with one of the campus services. Students who wish to continue in teacher education must comply with such referrals.
STUDENT TEACHING
Undergraduate students should apply for student teaching placement assignments upon completing 55 semester hours of credit. Graduate students should consult with their adviser about the timing of requests for placement. Student teaching application forms are available in the college student teaching office that houses each program. (Students may obtain referrals to the appropriate office by contacting the council's district liaison.) A student seeking placement in student teaching should contact the appropriate college office of student teaching no later than the October 1 of the academic year preceding the desired placement to determine departmental deadlines and meeting dates. Although departments may set earlier deadlines, the latest date for application will be the last day of classes for the fall semester. Students who apply after their departments' deadlines cannot be guaranteed a student teaching assignment during the next academic year. A student who will not be on campus during the fall semester, bu t who expects to enroll in educational practice (student teaching) during the next school year, should secure an application form from his or her college's office of student teaching before leaving campus.
On completion of 75 or more semester hours, a student who has submitted an application will receive a student teaching assignment pending verification that he or she (1) has completed all professional education course work and 100 hours of early field experience, (2) has University of Illinois and cumulative grade point averages of 2.5 (A = 4.0) or higher, (3) has the minimum grade point average required for his or her program, (4) has received a recommendation for placement in student teaching from the appropriate faculty committee, and (5) has satisfactorily completed a criminal background check.
Only those students officially registered in teacher education curricula are eligible for student teaching placements. Students who are on academic or disciplinary probation will not be permitted to student teach. Graduate students pursuing teacher certification through completion of undergraduate program requirements are required to petition the Council for permission to student teach. The Council reserves the right to deny student teaching placement to students whose performance in course work or in early field experiences has been judged to be unsatisfactory by professional standards, including scholarship, ethics, and responsibility, as determined by the faculty and staff in consultation with cooperating school personnel. Satisfactory performance is not based solely on grades. Students may also be denied a student teaching placement for health reasons or for failure to satisfactorily complete a criminal background check.
Students in teacher education should anticipate and plan for student teaching assignments. For most students, additional expense will be incurred during the semester in which student teaching is scheduled. Students cannot be guaranteed assignments in local schools. While attempts will be made to honor such requests, this is not always possible because the number of available sites is limited.
Students are expected to complete all field experiences, including student teaching, at the University of Illinois. Under extenuating circumstances, a student who wishes to complete student teaching through another university, yet receive a University of Illinois degree and recommendation for certification, must secure the prior approval of his or her adviser, college, and the Council on Teacher Education via petition. The petition must be supported by verification from the other university that it will accept the student as a student teacher and will comply with all Council on Teacher Education requirements. Approvals of such arrangements are infrequent, and students should expect to incur additional costs. Consult the Executive Director or Associate Director of the Council for additional information.
Candidates for certification as administrators or school social workers should consult with their advisers regarding procedures for clinical placement.
Teacher Certification
A student who completes all of the course work and other requirements in a program approved for purposes of certification by the Illinois State Board of Education is entitled to receive the recommendation of the University for the appropriate certificate, provided the candidate (1) is a U.S. citizen or legally present and authorized to work, is of good character and in good health, and is at least 19 years of age; (2) is recommended for certification by his or her program coordinator or department chairperson on the basis of criteria approved by the Council; (3) has University of Illinois and cumulative grade point averages of 2.5 (A =4.0) or higher; and (4) has the minimum grade point average required in his or her program.
In some instances a student may be denied a recommendation for certification but be granted a degree by his or her college. A student who believes that the recommendation for certification has been withheld unjustly may seek redress through the grievance policy established by the Council on Teacher Education. A copy of the policy and the allied procedures may be obtained from the Executive Director of the Council.
General Education
Candidates for certification are required to complete course work that includes the theoretical and practical understanding generally expected of a liberally educated person. General education includes developing knowledge related to the arts, communications, history, literature, mathematics, philosophy, sciences, and the social studies from multicultural and global perspectives. This requirement is satisfied by the University of Illinois general education pattern incorporated into all undergraduate teacher education programs.
Teacher Certification Tests
All applicants for certification as teachers, school administrators, and school service personnel must pass tests mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education as a condition for certification. An applicant must pass a test in basic skills (reading, writing, grammar, and mathematics) and a separate test in his or her major area. For further information, contact the certification officer or certification specialist.
Time Limit on Certification
Because certification requirements are subject to change as a result of new mandates from the Illinois State Teacher Certification Board and the Illinois General Assembly, the University is unable to guarantee a recommendation for certification to anyone who applies for certification later than one year after graduation from an approved program. A student completing an approved program is urged to apply for certification during his or her last term on campus. Applications for certification are available in the council office.
Background Investigation of Applicants for field placement and Employment
Illinois school districts are required by state law to conduct criminal background investigations for applicants for certified and noncertified positions with a school district. Several school districts are requiring that applicants for field placements be subjected to a criminal background review prior to placement in the school districts.
All candidates for public school certification in programs under the purview of the Council on Teacher Education are required to submit to a criminal background check by the Illinois State Police prior to their initial field experience in the schools.
Candidates whose check results in a status of "no record" may be placed in the schools.
Candidates whose check results in a status of "pending" may be placed in the schools, unless their fingerprints are required for further check by the Illinois State Police.
A candidate whose name check or fingerprint check results in confirmation of a criminal record will not be permitted in the schools unless his/her case is acted on favorably by the campus Case Review Committee appointed by the Director of Admissions and Records. For purposes of any such review, a member of the Council on Teacher Education or a designee will join the review. The recommendation of the Case Review Committee will be communicated to the Director of Admissions who will inform the Executive Director of the Council on Teacher Education of the recommendation.
Final decisions regarding the placement of students in schools reside with the relevant department/college, with the exception of those students whose criminal histories prohibit them from attaining certification. The relevant department/college is responsible for securing placements for all students. The relevant program coordinator will consult with the school district before placing the candidate in that district. Candidates will be informed that if their background check includes evidence of a criminal history, the nature of that history might prohibit them from being placed in a given school district and that the district has the right to refuse any placement. Students with criminal histories that prohibit them from attaining public school certification may not be placed in any schools. In the event that no district will accept a student because of his/her criminal history, the relevant department/college is responsible for assisting the student in choosing an alternative course of study.
The criminal background check will normally be conducted at the time that the candidate enters the program and will be valid as long as the candidate remains a continuous student. If, however, a candidate interrupts his/her program for one semester or longer, another criminal background check will normally be required upon his/her reentry.
This policy applies to all candidates who require field placements. Candidates are responsible for all fees connected with this procedure.
Each applicant for employment in a school district in Illinois is required to authorize the employing school district to initiate a criminal background check which may include a request for fingerprints. A school district may employ a person only after a background check has been initiated and may not knowingly employ a person who has been convicted of a felony or of attempting to commit certain offenses enumerated in The School Code of Illinois. This criminal background check is in addition to that required for field placements at the University of Illinois.
Special Services
Educational career services
The Educational Career Services Office assists in the placement and career planning of students and alumni who are registered with the ECS and who are actively seeking education-related employment in schools, colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, and other settings. Services offered include the following: (1) the electronic storage and distribution of educational placement files for individuals who have completed at least one course in any department or college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; (2) the publication of an online Job Vacancy Bulletin, available 24 hours daily, which lists notices of more than 20,000 job vacancies that are sent to the office annually; (3) a director and placement counselor, who are available by appointment to provide career information and guidance to individuals, groups, and classes; (4) seminars on topics related to the job search in education; (5) a career information center offering information about careers in education; and (6) on-campus interviews and a job fair with school and college recruiters from Illinois and other states. Students, faculty members, administrators, alumni, and others who are seeking education-related employment information are welcome to contact the Educational Career Services Office at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 140 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820; phone: (217) 333-0740; Fax: (217) 333-5689; e-mail: ecso@uiuc.edu; Web page: ecso.ed.uiuc.edu.
Curricula
A student seeking certification must complete the requirements of both his or her chosen curriculum and the Council on Teacher Education. Teacher education curricula and the colleges and departments that offer them are listed below. All teacher education curricula have been approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Students are advised that certification requirements may be altered at any time by the State Teacher Certification Board or the legislature. In such cases, students may be compelled to satisfy the new requirements to qualify for the University's recommendation for certification.
COLLEGE OF Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Agricultural education* COLLEGE OF APPLIED LIFE STUDIES Physical education: curriculum and instruction* COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Early childhood education Education of persons with moderate and severe disabilities* Elementary education* Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching** COLLEGE OF FINE AND APPLIED ARTS Art education* Music education* COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES Biology Chemistry Computer science*** Earth science English French* German* Latin* Mathematics Physics Russian* Social studies Spanish* Speech**** GRADUATE COLLEGE Graduate-level certification programs are offered in the areas listed below. For additional information, contact the certification officer or departmental office indicated. ADMINISTRATION: General Administrative: Department of Educational Organization and Leadership (Option for Special Education) Superintendent: Department of Educational Organization and Leadership AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION* (Option for Provisional Vocational Certification) Department of Human and Community Development COLLABORATIVE/RESOURCE TEACHER: LD, S/ED, EMH* Department of Special Education EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Department of Curriculum and Instruction EDUCATION OF PERSONS WITH MODERATE AND SEVERE DISABILITIES: TMH/PH* Department of Special Education ELEMENTARY EDUCATION* Department of Curriculum and Instruction GERMAN* Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures MUSIC* School of Music SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER School of Social Work SPANISH* Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IMPAIRED* Department of Speech and Hearing Science*Individuals completing these programs who wish to be able to teach departmentalized subjects in grades five through eight must complete additional course work. Contact the certification officer for additional information.
**This minor is a required component of the teaching option within the following Science and Letters majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: biology, chemistry, English, geology, history, mathematics, physics, and speech. It is available only to students registered in these programs.
***Individuals interested in computer science education should contact the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for information regarding this program.
****Individuals interested in speech education should consult the academic adviser in the Department of Speech Communication
If the chosen curriculum requires a minor, it must be selected from the list of approved teacher education minors below. Students should be aware that the state recognizes teaching fields that are not listed below and does not recognize, as teaching fields, some that are. Students may obtain teaching endorsements for any fields for which they satisfy the state minimum requirements. Contact the certification officer for additional information regarding the endorsement fields available and the qualifications for each. Endorsement requirements are also listed on the web at http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/cte/cert/index.html.
Students who enroll in advanced foreign language, chemistry, or mathematics courses as a result of performance on a placement examination are often eligible to receive prerequisite credit for teacher certification purposes only. A student who is qualified to receive prerequisite credit and who has declared one of these areas as his or her major or minor should consult his or her teacher education adviser.
TEACHER EDUCATION MINORS Art education Biology Chemistry Cinema studies* Computer science Earth science Economics English English as a second language French General science German History Instructional applications of computers* Italian Journalism Latin Mathematics Physical education Physical science Physics Portuguese Psychology Rhetoric Russian Social studies Spanish Speech Urban studies* Women's studies**These minors do not lead to endorsements for additional teaching fields.
Produced by the Computing and Communications Services Office (CCSO) and the Office of Publications and Marketing for the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The University of Illinois is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. Cover photograph by Don Hamerman.