Endorsements
An introduction
Endorsements Defined
• The subjects a teacher can teach and the
grade range in which they are authorized to
teach them
Changes
• Effective Sept 2018
– Middle grade endorsements can only be acquired by
going through an approved Middle Grade program
• Elementary Ed will be Grades 1-6 (self contained)
• High school will be Grades 9-12 (departmentalized)
– This change (should) only effect freshmen and those
others who do not or cannot claim their
licenses/endorsements by end of August 2018.
• If you hold a license and are middle grade endorsed prior to
9/18, the middle grade endorsements will not be taken
away).
Everyone who completes a program
will be endorsed in something
• Departmentalized
– Specialized or narrowly focused instruction
• Examples: 9-12 grade Biology or Chemistry, Middle
grade 5-8 General Science or Math
• Self-contained General Education
– All subjects taught to the same kids
• Example B-3 Early Childhood Education, K-4 Elementary
Education
Adding Additional endorsements
• Can expand on your qualifications
• Limited to the grade range of your initial
licensure (unless you go through another
program)
• Some you may be able to finish as an
undergrad while others may require post
graduate work
High School (9-12)
• Many High School endorsements
– 24 hours of coursework
– 12 of those hours must be 300 or above
– Pass the content test
• Social Science
– 32 overall hours of social science
• 12 in one designation
• One course from at least two other designations
• Pass the content test
Adding additional 9-12 grade Social Science
designations
• Take 12 semester hours in the designation
• Pass the content test in that designation
• This allows you to teach Advance Placement
and honors for the subject
• Science
– 32 overall hours of Science
– 12 of those hours in the same designation
– At least one course from two other designations
– At least one course in physical sciences and one
course from life sciences (i.e, they can’t all be
physical or life science courses).
– Pass the content test in the designation in which
you have 12 hours
Adding additional 9-12 grade Science
designations
• 12 semester hours in the designation
• Pass the content test in that designation
• This allows you to teach Advance Placement
and Honors for that designation
Elementary Ed majors
• Middle grade endorsements-grade 5-8
(departmentalized)
• All middle grade endorsements require the middle
grade coursework in adolescent psychology and middle
grade curriculum, instruction and methods
– At UIUC, these courses are CI 410, EPS 427, and EPSY 430
• Offered only online and only in the summer
– Many MG endorsements are simply 18 hours in discipline
– Exceptions are Math, ESL, Reading teacher, Bilingual
• Primary (K-4) endorsements
– Foreign Language
– ESL, Bilingual, Reading teacher
Early Childhood Education
• Primary grades (K-4)
– Foreign language
– ESL, Bilingual, Reading Teacher
Special Education
• If you want to teach Special Education Pre
kindergarten you must pursue the Early
Childhood Special Education approval
– Available only to grad students
• Middle grades (5-8) endorsements
• High school (9-12) endorsements
Foreign Language endorsements
• K-3(4), 5(6)-8, 9-12
• Foreign language endorsements requirements are
all the same
• 24 hours in same foreign language
• Pass the content test
• Additional foreign language endorsements require only
that you pass the respective content test
Pursuing endorsements
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Determine what endorsements you want
Determine what the requirements are
Plan ahead
Don’t have to declare like you would a minor
Gen Education courses and Area of
concentration courses may count toward
endorsements
• For endorsements which require tests, take
them when you feel most prepared
Odds and Ends
• The COTE can add endorsements when you apply for your
initial certificate/license.
– No additional cost
– Convenient
– We may count courses ISBE might not
May add endorsements anytime during your teaching career
• May apply through us if ALL coursework was through UIUC
– ISBE will still assess fees (per each endorsement requested)
• Through ISBE
– Apply through the site where you will ultimately apply for/claim
your license
– Charges will be assessed (per each endorsement requested).
Council On Teacher Education
• Jeff Buck (jbuck@illinois.edu)
• Brenda Clevenger (bmclvngr@illinois.edu)
• 505 East Green Street
– Above Coldstone Creamery and PNC bank
• (217) 333-7195