A teacher who has primary responsibility for teaching content in core academic subjects will be considered “highly qualified” if he or she:
a) holds an elementary or a special K-12 certificate with an endorsement for self-contained general elementary education and has passed the Elementary/Middle Grades test; or
b) holds an elementary or a special K-12 certificate valid for the subjects taught and has passed the content-area test applicable to that endorsement; or
c) holds an early childhood certificate that is valid for the primary grades and has passed the Early Childhood test (applicable only through Grade 3); or
d) holds an elementary, an early childhood, or a special K-12 certificate valid for the subjects taught and qualifies with 100 points under the Illinois HOUSSE, if applicable.