Section 75.210  Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants under this Subpart C shall be as specified in Section 2-3.80 of the School Code.  For purposes of eligibility, an "approved agricultural education program" is one that:

a)         offers a series of courses that are sequential in one or more pathways listed at https://www.ilaged.org/courseoutlines and includes:

1)         at least one introductory course and one skills (Group 3) course for which no less than two credits are awarded for the successful completion of the course sequence, as defined in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.440(c) (Additional Criteria for High Schools); and

2)         courses with content that aligns with the courses approved by the State Board of Education that are listed at https://www.ilaged.org/courseoutlines;

b)         unless otherwise exempt under Section 2-3.80 of the School Code, includes a State and nationally affiliated chapter of the National FFA Organization;

c)         provides for supervised agricultural experiences, including record keeping (also see Section 75.220(d)); and

d)         employs qualified instructional staff, each of whom either:

1)         holds a current and valid professional educator license endorsed for teaching for grades 6 through 12 and for agricultural education as set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1 (Public Schools Evaluation, Recognition and Supervision) and has 2,000 hours of work experience in a field related to agriculture, food or natural resources; or 

2)         holds an educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical educator or provisional career and technical educator issued pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25 (Educator Licensure) and endorsed for a skill area in agricultural education.  (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.70 or 25.72, respectively.)

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)