Early Childhood Education for Currently Licensed Teachers Certificate

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(GSU Post-B.A. leading to ISBE EC License)

The College of Education designed this program for those who already possess an Elementary or Elementary Special Education Teaching License and now wish to pursue licensure in Early Childhood Education. This set of a minimum of six courses (16 hours) meets the ISBE requirements for entitlement leading to teacher licensure in Early Childhood Education (Birth through 3rd grade).

Special Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the university admission criteria, applicants must provide:

an application to the teacher education Entitlement/ License in Early Childhood Education;
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 early childhood coursework (within the past six years) to be evaluated for transfer credit, if applicable;
a copy of valid Illinois or comparable out-of-state initial, standard, or master teaching license in Elementary or Elementary Special Education;
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 one year full time teaching experience in an accredited primary or elementary public or private school.

Requirements for Transfer of Previous Graduate Coursework

Students with previous graduate early childhood coursework may be allowed to apply a maximum of six credit hours to the entitlement/licensure requirements. Courses must have been completed no longer than six years prior to application for admission to the Entitlement/Licensure Early Childhood Education Option. Petitions and documents for these applied credits must be submitted before or at the same time as application, prior to completion of EDEC-8820 and EDEC-7740 . No courses taken at another institution after admission to the entitlement/certificate ECE option may be applied. The M.A. in Early Childhood Education faculty will evaluate all petitions for transfer of coursework, and only courses potentially equivalent to specific GSU Early Childhood courses as listed below will be considered.

Required Courses (16 Hours)

[In prerequisite order]

NOTE:

Prior to recommendation for entitlement leading to certification in Early Childhood Education, all candidates must document passing the ILTS Early Childhood Content Exam and ILTS EC APT Exam.

Additional Requirements:

Candidates whose elementary education student teaching experience or minimum one-year full time teaching experience was not at the kindergarten, first, second or third grade level, must also take:

15 additional credit hours

EDEC - 4510 Beginning Writing and Reading Instruction (3) prior to or concurrently with EDEC-8820 ; and
EDUC - 8702 Independent Study (6) (3-6 depending upon experience)

Additional Approval Consideration:

Candidates wishing to apply to ISBE for the optional Special Education Approval that can be placed on an ISBE Early Childhood Education Teaching License must document completing the below courses:

SPED - 6101 Survey of Students with Exceptionalities (3)

NOTE:

Those who complete the entitlement/license Early Childhood Education have the option of applying these credits towards the M.A. in Early Childhood Education. All admission requirements to the M.A. in Early Childhood will apply, as well as prerequisites and time restrictions.