Section 25.147  Approval of Programs for Foreign Language Beginning July 1, 2003

a)         Beginning July 1, 2003, approval of programs for foreign language shall no longer be specific to individual languages.  That is, as of that date, an institution with an approved program in any language shall be considered as having approval for any combination of languages, subject to the provisions of this Section.

1)         An institution with an approved foreign language program may add one or more languages to that program at the discretion of the educational unit, provided that the institution shall notify the State Superintendent of Education to this effect in writing no later than three months before instruction in that language is to begin, except when notification is required further in advance under subsection (a)(2) of this Section.  The State Superintendent shall provide this information to the State Teacher Certification Board at the next available meeting of the State Teacher Certification Board.

2)         An institution that intends to add one or more languages to its approved program for which no examination is listed in Section 25.710 of this Part shall notify the State Superintendent of Education no later than six months before instruction in that language is to begin, in order to allow time for the identification of an appropriate language proficiency examination if needed.

3)         An institution that intends to delete one or more languages from its approved foreign language program shall be subject to the requirements of Section 25.165(a) of this Part.

4)         An institution without an approved program in foreign language may apply for approval of a new program under Section 25.145 of this Part.  Such an application shall indicate which languages the program will initially offer.  After initial approval of the program, the institution may add or delete languages as provided in this Section.

b)         Each foreign language program shall, as a requirement for program completion on or after July 1, 2004, require its candidates for certification, other than candidates in Latin and Classical Greek, to complete the Oral Proficiency Interview described in "ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – Speaking" (1999), published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), 6 Executive Plaza, Yonkers, NY  10701 (no later amendments to or editions of these standards are incorporated by this Section) and to attain a score at the "intermediate high" level.  As an alternative to the ACTFL interview, a program may administer another measure of oral proficiency, provided that approval for that measure is first obtained from the State Board of Education based on evidence that it permits identification of proficiency equivalent to the "intermediate high" level on the ACTFL interview.

c)         Pursuant to the standards set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 27.340 (Foreign Language), beginning July 1, 2003, each approved preparation program in foreign language shall lead to candidates' eligibility for a special K-12 certificate.  Beginning July 1, 2004, each individual completing an Illinois approved program shall be required to take and pass the assessment of professional teaching relevant to the special certificate.  However, passage of the APT relevant to the secondary certificate prior to July 1, 2004, will be accepted for issuance of a special K-12 certificate.  The provisions of Section 25.720 of this Part shall apply to each individual already certified in Illinois who seeks an additional certificate in order to teach a foreign language.

d)         Beginning October 1, 2003, out-of-state applicants certified at the K-12 level shall be required to take and pass the assessment of professional teaching relevant to the special certificate.  Beginning October 1, 2003, out-of-state applicants certified at the secondary level may take and pass either the APT relevant to the secondary certificate or the APT relevant to the special certificate and, if eligible, shall receive the applicable certificate. The validity of secondary certification in the language to be taught may be extended to the elementary level pursuant to Section 25.85(a)(2) of this Part.

(Source:  Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 8494, effective April 21, 2006)