(GSU Post-B.A. Certificate Program)
This set of eight courses (24 credit hours) offered through the College of Education meets the ISBE requirements for endorsement as Reading Teacher. It is designed for those whose goal is to teach reading to K-12 students. This leads to an ISBE endorsement, not an ISBE teaching licensure program. “The Reading Teacher endorsement is the minimum requirement for anyone assigned to teach reading who is not teaching reading as part of general classroom instruction.” (ISBE, 2010)
Those who complete the certificate in Reading Teacher Endorsement have the option of applying these credits towards the M .A. in Reading and for licensure as a Reading Specialist. Admission requirements to the M.A. Reading will apply, as well as time restrictions. In addition, students may be concurrently enrolled in the M.A. in Reading and the Reading Teacher Endorsement programs. If this option is desired, the student should apply to the M.A. in Reading and then apply to the Reading Teacher Endorsement program during the first term of coursework.
Special Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the university admission criteria, applicants must hold an Illinois (or comparable out-of-state) Early Childhood Certificate, Elementary, Secondary, or Special Teaching License. They should either have completed at least two years of appropriate teaching experience or will have completed two years of teaching experience before being enrolled in READ - 7240 Reading Diagnosis . Formal application to this certificate program is necessary.
The Reading Teacher Endorsement program is offered in a cohort format. Admission to the Reading Teacher Endorsement program is available at two points each year: summer term and fall term. Applications for summer term admission are due by February 15; applications for fall term admission are due by May 15.
After meeting the university admission criteria, in order to continue in the program, students must submit to the College of Education all components of the complete application packet before completing the first term’s coursework (READ-6210 and READ-6220 ). The complete application packet includes:
- the certificate in Reading Teacher Endorsement application;
- an additional set of transcripts showing a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in all undergraduate work attempted and all grades in graduate course work at a “B” or better;
- syllabi and/or detailed narrative descriptions of previous graduate reading course work to be evaluated for transfer credit, if applicable;
- a copy of valid Illinois or comparable out-of-state initial, standard, or master teaching license;
- evidence of having passed the Test of Academic Proficiency of the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS), or evidence of possessing an Illinois teaching license that required passing this test; and
- evidence of two years teaching experience in a recognized public or private school as directed in the application materials.
Note: Effective July 1, 2005, ISBE requires the ILTS content test prior to issuance of the Reading Teacher Endorsement.
Faculty Monitoring of Student Progress
The process for evaluating students’ progress in the Reading Teacher Endorsement program is the same as that described above for the M.A. in Reading program.
