Illinois Mathematics Teacher Educators
Illinois Mathematics Teacher Educators


Questions to ISBE personnel by IMTE

Recertification
What was Early Exchange, and can it still be used?

The Early Exchange is no longer available.

This was a special accommodation period between July 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000. Teachers were allowed to exchange their teaching certificates before they were due for renewal in 2001 or 2002 for comparable Standard certificates

Who do I contact about recertification, if my questions are not answered on this page?
Contact the Division of Certificate Renewal at
1-866-238-2738 (toll-free within Illinois) or 217-557-8393.
How is an organization approved to provide CPDUs?
First, read Section VI, Professional Development Providers, of the Certificate Renewal Manual. The manual can be located on-line at www.isbe.net/recertification

Next, go to www.isbe.net and open the red box entitled "Professional Development Providers On-Line Application." Follow the directions as you sign-up, complete, and submit the electronic application.

Once you are approved you are responsible for aligning your offerings to the Illinois Professional Teaching and Content Area Standards. You must also comply with the following requirements:

Notice of Professional Development (ISBE Form 77-20 submitted to ISBE 30- days prior to event)

Distribution, collection and filing of Evaluation Form (ISBE Form 77-21)

Distribution of Evidence of Completion (ISBE Form 77-21, page 2)

Attendance Records (kept a minimum of five years)

Evaluation Forms kept three years

Can teachers get credit for what they are doing now, or do they need to wait until their certificate lapses?
Teachers should not expect to be able to count activities they complete before receiving their new certificates in the exchange.
Will there be a system online to help expedite the rectification process?
Yes. CERTS (Certificate Renewal Tracking System) will be available on our website September 1, 2001.
Who will keep the records for workshops?
It is the responsible of the approved provider.
Why does testing for recertification start at the same time as the certification process?
Because that is what the law says. ISBE is bound by the legislation.
Suppose someone takes a workshop out of state. Can it be counted for CPDUs?
Activities held outside of Illinois that are attended by Illinois teachers (such as the annual conference of a nationwide organization) do not need Illinois approval. A certificate holder may receive CEUs or CPDUs for such an activity if he/she submits to the Local Professional Development Committee the program and verification of attendance.
Are the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) approved CPDU providers?
ICTM is approved (#100664). NCTM has not applied.

Back to Top

Course Redesign

 Fact: By July 1, 2003 courses must be redesigned to include the content of the standards. Each content area will have a test associated with it. For example, the elementary test will contain mathematics, but how many of the Standards? The issue needs to be discussed as to the difference between the math content standards and the elementary standards.
When a department is putting together a sequence of courses for, say, elementary, which standards should they focus on (for the general teacher not the math specialist)?
The elementary standards. It has been suggested by the IMTE group, that ISBE put an asterisk by page 30 of the "Content-Area Standards for Educators" book that says, "for more detail, see p. 110" where the mathematics content standards are.
 What types of certificates are available?
Early childhood,K-9, 6-12, and a middle grade content endorsement for 5-8. A person with the K-9 certificate teaching 6th grade math would also need a middle grades math endorsement.
 What are the math requirements for special education?
There are none in terms of specialty in mathematics right now.

Additional Information for Out of State Providers
Out-of-state providers that offer activities held outside Illinois that are attended by Illinois teachers (such as the annual conference of a nationwide organization) do not need Illinois approval.
A certificate holder may receive credit for such an activity if he/she submits to the LPDC the program, agenda, or other announcement of the event and a certificate of attendance or a signed statement by the certificate holder to that effect.

Back to Top