Section 25.225  Certification of School Counselors (2004)

An individual who qualifies for an Illinois master school service personnel certificate in school counseling under Section 21-25(d) of the School Code shall not be subject to the requirements of this Section.

a)         Each applicant for the school service personnel certificate endorsed for school counseling shall hold a master's or higher degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education in school counseling, another counseling or related field (e.g., social work or psychology), or an educational field.  (See subsection (h) of this Section.)

b)         Each applicant shall have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of school counselors pursuant to Subpart C of this Part or a comparable approved program in another state or country or hold a comparable certificate issued by another state or country (see Section 25.425 of this Part).

c)         Each candidate shall have completed a supervised counseling practicum of at least 100 clock hours that provided interaction with individuals and groups of school age and included at least 40 hours of direct service work.  Except as provided in subsection (e) of this Section, each applicant shall have completed a structured and supervised internship that is part of an approved program.

1)         The internship shall be of a length that is determined by the approved program to be adequate to enable candidates to meet the standards set forth at 23 Ill. Adm. Code 23.110 but shall entail at least 600 hours and last no less than one semester, during which the candidate shall engage in the performance of various aspects of the counseling role and shall be gradually introduced to the full range of responsibilities associated with that role.  However, the internship for an individual with at least two years of teaching experience may, at the discretion of the institution offering the approved program, consist of no fewer than 400 hours.  In each case at least 240 hours of the internship shall involve direct service work with individuals and groups of school age.

2)         The internship shall occur in a school setting except that, at the discretion of the institution, a maximum of one-third of the hours required may be credited for experiences in other related settings such as hospitals or day care settings that, in the judgment of the institution, expose the candidate to the needs of school-aged children and prepare the candidate to function as a school counselor.

3)         An institution may recommend certification of a candidate who was enrolled in an approved program prior to July 1, 2004, and has completed an internship meeting the requirements applicable at the time of his or her enrollment.

d)         Except as provided in subsections (e) and (f) of this Section, each applicant shall either:

1)         hold or be qualified to hold a teaching certificate; or

2)         have completed, as part of an approved program, coursework addressing:

A)        the structure, organization and operation of the educational system, with emphasis on P-12 schools;

B)        the growth and development of children and youth, and their implications for counseling in schools;

C)        the diversity of Illinois students and the laws and programs that have been designed to meet their unique needs; and

D)        effective management of the classroom and the learning process.

e)         An applicant who holds another state's certification in school counseling shall not be subject to the requirements of subsection (c) or subsection (d) of this Section if he or she presents evidence of at least two years' full-time experience as a school counselor.

f)          An applicant who has completed an approved school counseling program in another state that includes an internship meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section shall not be subject to the requirements of subsection (d) of this Section.

g)         Each candidate shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test (see Section 25.710 of this Part), as well as the test of basic skills, subject to the provisions of Section 25.720 of this Part.  (See also 23 Ill. Adm. Code 23.110.)

h)         An applicant who holds a master's degree in any field other than school counseling, or who holds a bachelor's degree only, shall be required to complete the equivalent of all requirements of an approved school counseling preparation program.  The Illinois institution offering the program shall review the individual's educational and experiential background and identify any of the standards set forth at 23 Ill. Adm. Code 23.110 or other applicable requirements of this Section that the individual's preparation has not addressed.  Upon successful completion of the coursework and experiences offered by the institution that address the identified standards, the applicant shall be eligible to be recommended for certification by entitlement.

i)          Nothing in this Section is intended to preclude the issuance of a provisional certificate under Section 21-10 of the School Code.

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 3413, effective February 22, 2008)