Section 407.140  Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers

a)         Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall be at least 19 years of age.

b)         Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate (GED).

c)         In addition to meeting the requirements of Section 407.100, the early childhood teacher responsible for a group of children that includes infants, toddlers, or preschool-age children shall have achieved:

1)         60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) of credits from an accredited college or university with six semester or nine quarter hours in courses related directly to child care and/or child development, from birth to age six; or

2)         One year (1,560 clock hours) of child development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten, or licensed day care center and 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of credits from an accredited college or university with six semester or nine quarter hours in courses related directly to child care and/or child development, from birth to age six; or

3)         Completion of credentialing programs approved by the Department in accordance with Appendix G of this Part (Early Childhood Teacher Credentialing Programs):

A)        Child Development Associate Credential (Council for Professional Recognition); or

B)        Certified Childcare Professional (National Early Childhood Program Accreditation) (NECPA)); or

C)        Gateways to Opportunity Credentials:

i)          Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Credential Level 3 or higher; or

ii)         The Infant Toddler Credential (ITC) Level 3 or higher.

4)         Licensed day centers may employ individuals who have completed the Gateway Level 1 Early Childhood Credential and are in the process of completing requirements in Section 407.140(c)(1), (2) or (3) in the position of Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher while completing these requirements.

A)        Individuals with at least 2 years (3,120 clock hours) of child development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten, or licensed day care center and at least 30 semester (or 45 quarter) hours of credits from an accredited college or university who are lacking six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) in courses directly related to child care and/or child development from birth to age six must obtain the remaining six semester (or nine quarter) hours during the following 12-month period, and document their enrollment in the required classes (which may include online courses) within six months after the date of their employment as an Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher.

B)        Individuals with one year of child development experience (1,560 clock hours) in a nursery school, kindergarten, or licensed day care center and at least 30 semester hours (or 45 quarters hours) from an accredited college or university, and lacking three semester hours (or 4.5 quarter hours) in courses directly related to child care and/or child development from birth to age six must obtain the remaining three semester (or 4.5 quarter) hours during the following 12-month period, and document their enrollment in the required classes (which may include online courses) within six months after the date of their employment as an Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher.

C)        Individuals who are pursuing a CDA or CCP credential must, prior to serving as an Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher, have two years (3,120 clock hours) of child development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten, or licensed day care center with one year (1,560 clock hours) at the specific day care center where they will serve as an Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher and 60 training hours for a CDA or CCP credential completed.  The hours spent completing the Gateways Level 1 credential will count towards the 60-training hour requirement.

i)          Within nine months after beginning interim conditional teaching, the individual must complete all training hours required for a CDA or CCP credential, submit an application for the credential and request the observation necessary to be granted the credential; and

ii)         Within 15 months after beginning interim conditional teaching, the individual must have proof of having received the CDA or CCP credential.  If the observation was requested before the end of the nine-month period in subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) and there is documentation from the CDA or CCP that the observation cannot be completed within six months after the request, a one-month extension of this period shall be granted.

D)        Licensed day care centers shall place all documentation related to proof of enrollment in college credit courses and verification of clock hours in the respective employee's personnel file.  Courses are to be identified as early childhood or child development, with a focus on ages birth to six.

E)        On-going mentoring or coaching shall be provided by a teacher-mentor, education coordinator, director or other appropriate employee of the day care center; and appropriate employee of a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency; or by another professional development provider.

i)          Written professional development goals shall be established.

ii)         Documentation of monthly mentoring or coaching sessions (which can be conducted in person or virtually) addressing the professional development goals must be kept in each Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher's personnel file.

F)         Before filling an early childhood teacher vacancy with an Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher, a center must advertise or post notice of the early childhood teacher vacancy.  The center must product print or electronic documentation of this notice upon request from the Department.

G)        Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teachers shall not make up more than 40% of the total teachers employed by the licensed day request from the Department.

H)        Day care centers using Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teachers shall notify parents when and Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher has been assigned to supervise a classroom.  Notification can be made via print notices posted in the facility or included in enrollment packet, or notices sent directly to parents via letter, telephone or electronic means.

I)         Once the Interim Conditional Early Childhood Teacher reaches the end of the interim conditional employment period specified in subsection (c)(4)(A), (c)(4)(B) or (c)(4)(C)(ii), the individual shall provide proof of having completed the required courses or training to the day care center's director (electronically or in print) and the director shall place these in the individual's personnel file to document that the individual has met the requirements for an early childhood teacher in subsection (c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(3).  This documentation shall be made available to the Department upon request.

d)         School-age workers shall be at least 19 years of age and at least five years older than the oldest child with whom they work.

e)         In addition to meeting the requirements of Section 407.100, the newly employed school-age worker responsible for a group of school-age children shall have achieved one of the following:

1)         Thirty semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of credit from an accredited college or university with six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) related to school-age child care, child development, elementary education, physical education, recreation, camping or other related fields; or

2)         Both of the following:

A)        1560 clock hours of experience in a recreational program or licensed day care center serving school-age children or a license exempt school-age child care program operated by a public or private school; and

B)        Six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) of credit from an accredited college or university related to school-age child care, child development, elementary education, physical education, recreation, camping or other related fields; or

3)         Both of the following:

A)        A high school diploma or equivalency certificate (GED); and

B)        3120 clock hours of experience in a recreational program, kindergarten, or licensed day care center serving school-age children or a license exempt school-age child care program operated by a public or private school; or

4)         Gateways to Opportunity Credentials

A)        The Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Credential Level 3 or higher; or

B)        The School-Age & Youth Development (SAYD) Credential Level 3 or higher.

f)         Completion of a teacher certification program for any ages between birth and 12 years, accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, and/or affiliated by the American Montessori Society or Association Montessori International, may be substituted for the courses directly related to child care and/or child development required by this Section.

g)         Persons who were deemed qualified as a child care worker or school-age worker prior to January 1, 1985, continue to be deemed qualified as an early childhood teacher or school-age worker.

h)         Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall be responsible for the planning and supervision of a group of children.  Early childhood workers and school-age workers shall also be responsible for supervising persons assigned to assist their group who are not similarly qualified.

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 8719, effective June 18, 2025)