Section 1.720  Requirements for Teachers of  Middle Grades

The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this Section shall be subject to the exception stated in subsection (c) of this Section with respect to any school in which the instructional format for any of Grades 5 through 8 is being changed from a self-contained to a departmentalized configuration. Additional requirements shall apply to middle-grades assignments and endorsements beginning February 1, 2012 (see subsection (d) of this Section).

a)         The requirements of this Section apply to teachers first employed after September 1, 1973, in departmentalized grades 5 through 8 ("middle-grade teachers").  Teachers first employed in grades 5 through 8 prior to September 1, 1973, or employed in non-departmentalized grades 5 through 8, are subject to the requirements of Section 1.710 of this Part.  To qualify as a middle-grade teacher, the teacher must have either completed the coursework identified in subsection (a)(1) of this Section prior to July 1, 1997, or completed the coursework identified in subsection (a)(2) of this Section.  The "major teaching assignment" is the subject taught for more time than any other subject.  In mathematics and reading, and for library information specialists, there is specific coursework that must be included among the 18 semester hours to be earned; see subsections (a)(3), (4), and (5) of this Section.  Further, new requirements for reading and library information specialists will apply to persons who apply for these endorsements on or after July 1, 2006, as well as to other persons who have not completed the 18-hour requirements prior to that date.  See subsections (a)(4) and (5) of this Section.

1)         18 semester hours in the subject matter area of major teaching assignment (e.g., language arts, mathematics, general science, social science, music), unless the subject taught is a foreign language and Section 25.86 of the State Board's rules for Certification (23 Ill. Adm. Code 25) applies.  Where a teacher is assigned to deliver instruction in two or more areas (e.g., English and social science or mathematics and science), the teacher shall meet the requirements of this subsection (a)(1) for the major teaching assignment and have no fewer than 5 semester hours in each other subject taught.

2)         18 semester hours in the subject matter area of major teaching assignment (e.g., language arts, mathematics, general science, social science, music), unless the subject taught is a foreign language and Section 25.86 of the State Board's rules for Certification applies.  Where a middle-grade teacher is assigned to deliver instruction in two or more areas (e.g., English and social science or mathematics and science), the teacher shall meet the requirements of this subsection (a)(2) for the major teaching assignment and have no fewer than 9 semester hours in each other subject taught.  In addition:

A)        3 semester hours of coursework, approved by the college of education or other institutional unit governing teacher education, that includes middle-grade philosophy, middle-grade curriculum and instruction, and instructional methods for designing and teaching developmentally appropriate programs (i.e., addressing the cognitive, emotional and physical development of each child) in the middle grades, including content area (e.g., science, social sciences) reading instruction.

B)        3 semester hours of coursework, approved by the college of education or other institutional unit governing teacher education, that includes educational psychology focusing on the developmental characteristics of early adolescents, the nature and needs of early adolescents, and the role of the middle-grade teacher in assessment, coordination and referral of students to health and social services.

3)         For teachers of mathematics in grades 5 through 8 first employed on or after September 1, 1985, the required 18 semester hours in the field shall include three semester hours in the methods of teaching mathematics in those grades and 15 semester hours to be selected from four of the following areas:

A)        Math content courses for elementary teachers;

B)        Calculus;

C)        Modern algebra or number theory;

D)        Geometry;

E)         Computer science;

F)         Probability and statistics;

G)        History of mathematics.

4)         For major assignments in reading in any of departmentalized grades 5 through 8:

A)        persons first employed on or after September 1, 1978, but before July 1, 2004, are required to have completed the 18 semester hours described in Section 1.740 of this Part;

B)        persons first employed on or after July 1, 2004, shall be required to have completed either the 18 semester hours described in Section 1.740 of this Part or 18 semester hours in the field that include a practicum and address at least five of the six topics listed at 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.100(i), provided that:

i)          the individual completes all the required coursework on or before June 30, 2006; or

ii)         the individual applies for the reading endorsement on or before June 30, 2006, and completes any coursework identified on a related deficiency statement no later than one year after the date of that statement; and

C)        new requirements for an endorsement in this field apply to persons who have not met the requirements of either subsection (a)(4)(A) or (B) of this Section; see also 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.100(i) and Section 1.745 of this Part.

5)         Persons first employed on or after September 1, 1978, as media professionals or library information specialists serving any of grades 5 through 8 are required to have completed 18 semester hours in the field that address administration, organization (cataloging and classification), reference, and selection of materials, provided that the individual completes all the required coursework on or before June 30, 2006, or has applied for the endorsement on or before June 30, 2006, and completes any coursework identified on a related deficiency statement no later than one year after the date of that statement.  New requirements for an endorsement in this field apply to persons who have not qualified on the basis of 18 semester hours; see also 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.100 and Section 1.755 of this Part.  The provisions of subsection (a)(2) of this Section notwithstanding, no individual who has completed only nine semester hours in the field may serve in this capacity unless assigned pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.464.

b)         Beginning July 1, 2004, no individual may be assigned to teach in departmentalized grades 5 through 8 unless he or she holds a certificate that is valid for the grade level or levels to be taught and:

1)         holds a middle-grades endorsement applicable to the subject area; or

2)         meets the relevant requirements of this Section; or

3)         met the requirements of this Section or their predecessor requirements at a time when they were applicable, as confirmed by the employing district's verification of the individual's qualifications; or

4)         is assigned pursuant to Section 1.745(b)(3) or 1.755(c) of this Part; or

5)         is assigned pursuant to authorization received under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.464 (Short-Term Authorization for Positions Otherwise Unfilled).

c)         A school district may also assign certain other teachers to departmentalized positions in any of Grades 5 through 8 for the 2009-10 school year and thereafter as described in this subsection (c).

1)         A teacher who was employed in the district during the school year immediately preceding the year when the instructional format in that teacher's school is changed to a departmentalized configuration and who was appropriately certified for his or her position but does not meet the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section may be assigned to a departmentalized position in any of Grades 5 through 8 (or any of Grades 6 through 8 for the holder of a secondary certificate) for a period not to exceed three school years, provided that he or she has already completed at least nine semester hours of coursework in the subject of the major teaching assignment.  If specific coursework is required for the major teaching assignment under subsection (a) of this Section, the teacher shall have completed nine semester hours that will count toward an endorsement in that subject.

2)         The school district shall notify the responsible regional superintendent of schools of all assignments made pursuant to this subsection (c) no more than 30 days after they occur.  Further, the school district shall maintain on file for each teacher assigned in accordance with this subsection (c) a plan that:

A)        includes a statement of intent signed by the individual, stipulating that he or she will complete all requirements for the middle-grades endorsement in the subject of his or her major teaching assignment;

B)        provides a list of the coursework and experiences that the individual will complete in order to qualify; and

C)        identifies the institution of higher education where the individual will complete the requirements.

3)         No individual may be assigned for more than three school years without attaining the relevant endorsement, and no individual may be assigned for a third school year unless he or she has completed the six semester hours required under subsection (a)(2) of this Section.

4)         If an individual is assigned to deliver instruction in two or more subjects, he or she shall have completed no fewer than nine semester hours in each subject.  If subsection (a) of this Section requires specific coursework for any of the subjects taught, the teacher shall have completed nine semester hours that will count toward an endorsement in that subject.

d)         New Requirements Applicable in 2012

All coursework that forms part of an application for a middle-grades endorsement received on or after February 1, 2012, or that is used in determining the eligibility of an individual to be first assigned to teach a particular subject in the middle grades on or after that date, must have been passed with a grade no lower than "C" or equivalent in order to be counted towards fulfillment of the applicable requirements.

(Source:  Amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 15193, effective October 20, 2009)