Changes in Certification for Special Education Teachers

As a result of the Corey H. litigation, the federal court ordered the Illinois State Board of Education to implement Transition Rules to guide the transition from the present system of certification for special education teachers to the new system. Several changes in certification will begin January 1, 2002, affecting the requirements for special education "approvals" and authorizations for assignment ("PZZ approvals").

Currently, school districts, special education cooperatives and joint agreements employ teachers who do not have full certification in special education on the basis of approvals and PZZs. Approvals have been granted to teachers who have completed four courses in special education: survey of exceptional children; diagnosis of children with all types of disabilities; characteristics of children with a particular disability; and methods of teaching such children. Approvals in the areas of learning disabilities (LD), social/emotional disorders (S/ED), mental retardation (EMH/TMH) and physically handicapped (PH) have been granted to teachers for an indefinite time period.

Beginning January 1, 2002, approvals will be granted in the area of Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS I), and will be valid for three years only. Teachers must make a transition to an unlimited LBS I endorsement by the end of three years in order to continue teaching students with disabilities. The coursework required for the unlimited LBS I approvals must cover: survey of exceptional children, diagnosis of and characteristics of children with all the disabilities encompassed by the LBS I credential, and methods of teaching such children. Such approvals will probably not be granted on the basis of four college courses, given that the coursework must cover the full range of students encompassed by the LBS I credential, i.e., students with LD, S/ED, MR, PH, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and autism. Limited LBS I approvals will still be granted for categorical areas, subject to the three-year limitation.

Teachers who hold current approvals, issued before December 31, 2001, will receive an LBS I approval that will be either "limited" or "unlimited", depending on the teacher's pre-existing approvals. If the teacher has more than one current approval, and the combination of approvals includes approvals for LD or S/ED and EMH, TMH or PH, then the teacher will receive the unlimited LBS I approval. All others will receive the "limited" LBS I approval. These approvals will continue to be valid indefinitely, and the limitations on the "limited" LBS I approvals will ultimately expire. Teachers who hold current approvals will not need to obtain an LBS I endorsement as is required of those who receive LBS I approvals on or after January 1, 2002.

The above changes to special education approvals apply only to approvals that fall under the LBS I credential - LD, S/ED, EMH, TMH and PH.

Also, beginning January 1, 2002, a short term emergency certification, valid for three years, will replace the current the "authorization for assignment" (PZZ approval). Current PZZs are issued to a school district, special education cooperative or joint agreement, not to the teacher. They are also valid until they expire, usually after two years. The new short-term emergency certificate will be issued to the teacher. At the end of three years, the teacher must make a transition to an unlimited LBS I approval.

In order to obtain a short-term emergency certificate, a teacher must complete the survey of exceptional children course; and one other of the courses currently required for an approval. Those applying for short-term emergency certification must also submit a plan for moving toward an unlimited LBS I approval within three years, and that plan must be validated by the teacher's employer and the college or university that the teacher plans to attend.

Current authorizations for assignment (PZZ approvals) are valid until they expire, and are not renewable. At the time of expiration, teachers to whom the authorizations apply will need to seek short-term emergency certification or some other special education credential in order to continue to serve students with disabilities. Such teachers will not need to obtain an LBS I approval when the authorization for assignment expires, as is required of those who receive short-term emergency certification on or after January 1, 2002.

The above requirements for short-term emergency certification apply only to those authorizations for assignment (PZZs) that fall under the LBS I credential - LD , S/ED, EMH, TMH and PH.

Additionally, under the Transition Rules, special education teachers who have not exchanged their current certificates for the new Standard or Master Certificates and are due to make the exchange in 2002 are allowed to exchange their certificates early.
This "early exchange option" is designed to allow special education teachers to take advantage of and receive credit for continuing professional development activities offered in the area of teaching students with disabilities before July 1, 2002. Included in the definition of "special education teachers" are teachers with approvals and those teaching on authorizations for assignment (PZZ approvals).

In order to receive credit for such activities, special education teachers must have exchanged their certificates for the new Standard or Master Certificates and must file a Certificate Renewal Plan with their local professional development committee.

The requirements for continuing professional development for special education teachers have changed, effective July 1, 2001, and the ISBE has recently distributed a Revision to the Certificate Renewal Manual to reflect those changes. Information regarding the new requirements and the text of the Revision to the Manual may be found at www.isbe.net/certification.