Section 25.365  Endorsement for Director of Special Education

This endorsement, to be affixed to a PEL, shall be required for directors and assistant directors of special education. 

a)         Each candidate for the director of special education endorsement shall hold a master's degree or equivalent awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education. For the purposes of this subsection (a), "equivalent" shall mean the completion of a degree beyond the bachelor's degree level (e.g., juris doctor (J.D.), doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), doctor of education (Ed.D.)).

b)         Each candidate shall:

1)         have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of directors of special education pursuant to Subpart C or a comparable approved program specific to directors of special education in another state or country or hold a comparable certificate or license issued by another state or country, provided that the requirements met by the applicant for the out-of-state program or certificate or license included completion of at least one course each in:

A)        special education law;

B)        special education finance;

C)        supervision of programs for children with disabilities; and

D)        cross-categorical special education methods; or

2)         submit, along with the application for the endorsement and the applicable fee, a copy of a letter of approval as an administrator of special education issued by the State Board at any time; or

3)         submit, along with the application for the endorsement and the applicable fee, evidence of holding an administrative certificate or a PEL endorsed for an administrative position and having completed 30 semester hours of coursework, distributed as follows:

A)        at least one course in each of the areas described in subsection (b)(1); and

B)        additional coursework to reach the required total of 30 semester hours, chosen from the areas of:

i)          curricular adaptations/modifications and assistive technology;

ii)         facilitation of the least restrictive environment for all students;

iii)        characteristics of students with disabilities;

iv)        collaboration with parents and school personnel;

v)         transition services for students with disabilities; and

vi)        educational and psychological diagnosis and remedial techniques.

c)         Each candidate shall have two years' full-time experience providing special education services:

1)         in the public schools, as a special education teacher, a speech-language pathologist, a school social worker, or a school psychologist; or

2)         in a nonpublic school, if the candidate holds the appropriate corresponding Illinois PEL endorsed in a special education teaching field or for school support personnel as speech-language pathologist, school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, or marriage and family therapist.

d)         Each candidate shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test (see Section 25.710).

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 7269, effective June 3, 2021)