Sec. 10-145h. Requirements for certification as a bilingual education teacher.
Sec. 10-145h. Requirements for certification as a bilingual education teacher.
(a) On and after July 1, 1999, the State Board of Education shall require an applicant
for certification as a bilingual education teacher to demonstrate competency in English
and the other language of instruction as a condition of certification. Competency in
English shall be demonstrated by successful passage of the essential skills test approved
by the State Board of Education. Competency in the other language shall be demonstrated on an examination, if available, of comparable difficulty as specified by the
Department of Education. If such an examination is not available, competency shall be
demonstrated by an appropriate alternative method as specified by the department.
(b) On and after July 1, 2003, the State Board of Education shall require persons
seeking to become (1) elementary level bilingual education teachers to be certified in
elementary education and bilingual education and (2) secondary level bilingual education teachers to be certified in both the subject area they will teach and in bilingual
education. Such dual certification requirement may be met by earning a bachelor's degree in one field and meeting the requirements for an endorsement in the other field.
(c) On and after July 1, 2000, the State Board of Education shall require bilingual
education teachers holding provisional educator certificates to meet the requirements
of this subsection in order to qualify for a professional educator certificate to teach
bilingual education. (1) Such bilingual education teachers who teach on the elementary
level shall take fifteen credit hours in bilingual education and fifteen credit hours in
language arts, reading and mathematics. (2) Such bilingual education teachers who teach
on the middle or secondary level shall take fifteen credit hours in bilingual education
and fifteen credit hours in the subject matter that they teach. Such professional educator
certificate shall be valid for bilingual education and the grade level and content area of
preparation.
(d) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, for the period from July
1, 2005, to July 1, 2009, the State Board of Education shall require an applicant for
certification as a bilingual education teacher to demonstrate competency in English and
the other language of instruction as a condition of certification. Competency in English
shall be demonstrated by successful passage of the oral proficiency test in English and
an essential skills test approved by the State Board of Education. Oral and written competency in the other language shall be demonstrated by passage of an examination, if
available, of comparable difficulty as specified by the Department of Education. If such
an examination is not available, competency shall be demonstrated by an appropriate
alternative method as specified by the department.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, for the period from July 1, 2005,
to July 1, 2009, the State Board of Education shall require persons seeking to become
(A) elementary level bilingual education teachers to be certified in (i) bilingual education
and achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved assessment for elementary education, or (ii) elementary education and have
completed six semester hours of credit in English as a second language course work as
approved by the State Board of Education, and (B) secondary level bilingual education
teachers to be certified in (i) bilingual education and achieve a satisfactory evaluation
on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment, or (ii)
the subject area they will teach and have completed six semester hours of credit in
English as a second language course work as approved by the State Board of Education.
Such certificates shall be valid for subject-specific bilingual education. Certification in
elementary bilingual education shall be valid for grades kindergarten to eight, inclusive,
and certification in secondary subject-specific bilingual education shall be valid for
grades seven to twelve, inclusive.
(P.A. 99-211, S. 4, 10; P.A. 05-290, S. 1; P.A. 06-13, S. 5; P.A. 08-170, S. 15.)
History: P.A. 99-211 effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 05-245 added Subsec. (d) re certification from July 1, 2005, to July
1, 2008, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 06-13 made a technical change in Subsec. (d)(1), effective May 2, 2006; P.A. 08-170
amended Subsec. (d) to extend provisions to July 1, 2009, effective July 1, 2008.