Section 27.350  General Curricular Standards for Special Education Teachers

By October 1, 2025, all candidates for an endorsement in Special Education will be required to complete a program aligned to the standards set forth in Standards for Endorsements in Special Education (see 23 Ill. Adm. Code 28) available at https://www.cec.sped.org /Standards. (No later amendments to or editions of these guidelines are incorporated.)  The standards effective until September 30, 2025 are as follows:

a)         This Section establishes standards relative to the general curriculum that shall apply to the issuance of special education teaching endorsements pursuant to Article 21B of the School Code [105 ILCS 5].  The standards set forth in this Part shall apply both to candidates for the respective endorsements and to the programs that prepare them.  Beginning July 1, 2005, approval of any teacher preparation program in special education shall be based on the congruence of that program's or course's content with the standards identified in this Section, and beginning on October 1, 2006, the examinations required for issuance of a special education teaching endorsement shall cover the standards included in this Section.

b)         Mathematics

The competent special education teacher demonstrates proficiency in the use of mathematics; understands, communicates, and connects the major concepts, procedures, and reasoning processes of mathematics that define number systems and number sense, geometry, measurement, statistics, probability and algebra; and promotes all students' ability to apply, interpret, and construct mathematical thinking skills in a variety of situations.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent special education teacher:

A)        understands various approaches used (estimation, mental mathematics, manipulative modeling, numerical/ geometric/algebraic pattern recognition and technology) to analyze mathematical ideas, solve problems and investigate real-world situations.

B)        understands approaches used (estimation, mental mathematics, manipulative modeling, numerical/geometric/algebraic pattern recognition and technology) to interpret and communicate mathematical information, reasoning, concepts, applications and procedures.

C)        understands concepts of math including numeration, geometry, measurement, statistics/probability and algebra.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent special education teacher:

A)        demonstrates proficiency in mathematics.

B)        selects and uses a wide range of manipulatives, instructional resources and technologies to support the learning of mathematics.

C)        develops appropriate lesson plans that incorporate curriculum and instructional strategies with individualized education goals and benchmarks.

D)        evaluates general curricula and determines the scope and sequence of the academic content area of mathematics.

E)        utilizes resources and materials that are developmentally and functionally valid.

F)         applies principles of instruction for generalized math skills to teaching domestic, community, school, recreational or vocational skills that require mathematics.

G)        plans and implements individualized, systematic instructional programs to teach priority mathematic skills.

H)        incorporates the Illinois Learning Standards in areas of mathematics in the development of instruction and IEPs.

c)         Reading

The competent special education teacher has a general understanding of reading and reading instruction and knows how to assess, teach and support the education of students with disabilities.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent special education teacher:

A)        knows theoretical models and philosophies of reading education and their relevance to instruction.

B)        knows the scope and sequences for reading instruction at all developmental levels.

C)        understands, respects and values cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity and knows how these differences can influence learning to read.

D)        understands the differences between reading skills and strategies and the role each plays in reading development.

E)        knows a wide range of high-quality literature for students.

F)         understands models of reading diagnosis that include students' proficiency with print conventions, word recognition and analysis, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, self-monitoring and motivation.

G)        knows a wide variety of informal and formal assessments of reading, writing, spelling and oral language.

H)        is aware of a variety of individualized and group instructional interventions or programs for students with reading problems.

I)         plans and models the use of comprehension strategies across content areas.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent special education teacher:

A)        adjusts reading instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners (e.g., gifted students, those for whom English is a second language, those with disabilities, and those who speak non-standard dialects).

B)        locates, evaluates, and uses literature for readers of all abilities and ages.

C)        uses various tools to estimate the readability of texts.

D)        uses technology to support reading and writing instruction.

E)        determines strengths and needs of individual students in the areas of reading, writing and spelling.

F)         determines students' reading levels (independent, instructional, frustrational).

G)        gathers and interprets information for diagnosis of the reading problems of individual students.

H)        develops individual educational plans for students with severe learning problems related to literacy.

I)         interprets and explains diagnostic information for classroom teachers, families and other specialists to use in planning instructional programs.

J)         designs, implements and evaluates appropriate reading programs for small groups and individuals.

K)        incorporates the Illinois Learning Standards in areas of reading in the development of instruction and IEPs.

d)         Natural and Social Sciences

The competent special education teacher understands the fundamental concepts and principles related to the natural and social sciences.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent special education teacher:

A)        understands scientific investigation and inquiry skills across the sciences to conduct experiments and solve problems.

B)        understands principles and procedures, including safety practices, related to the design and implementation of scientific investigations and the application of inquiry skills and processes to develop explanations of natural phenomena.

C)        understands the relationship among the social science disciplines.

D)        understands that science is a process involving observation, inference, and experimentation.

E)        understands the relationship between the social sciences and other learning areas.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent special education teacher:

A)        demonstrates and uses appropriate strategies to engage students in acquiring new knowledge through the use of scientific thinking and reasoning.

B)        selects and uses a wide range of instructional resources, modes of inquiry and technologies to support learning in the natural and social sciences.

C)        develops appropriate lesson plans that incorporate curriculum and instructional strategies with individualized education goals and benchmarks.

D)        models the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society.

E)        models and teaches the appropriate use of scientific methods (e.g., gathering, organizing, mapping, interpreting, and analyzing).

F)         incorporates the Illinois Learning Standards in areas of natural and social science in the development of instruction and IEPs.

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 8630, effective May 12, 2020)