Beginning January 1, 2002, approvals will be granted in the area of Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS I), and will be valid for three years only. Teachers must make a transition to an unlimited LBS I endorsement by the end of the three years in order to continue teaching students with disabilities. The coursework required for the unlimited LBS I approvals must cover: survey of exceptional children, diagnosis of and characteristics of children with all the disabilities encompassed by the LBS I credential, and methods of teaching such children. Such approvals will probably not be granted on the basis of four college courses, given that the coursework must cover the full range of students encompassed by the LBS I credential, i.e., students with LD, SED, MR, PH, traumatic brain injury and autism. Limited LBS I approvals will still be granted for categorical areas, subject to the three-year limitation.

Teachers who hold current approvals, issued before December 31, 2001, will receive an LBS I approval that will be either “limited” or “unlimited”, depending on the teacher’s pre-existing approvals. If the teacher has more than one current approval, and the combination of approvals includes approvals for LD or SED and EMH, TMH or PH, then the teacher will receive the unlimited LBS I approval. All others will receive the “limited” LBS I approval. These approvals will continue to be valid indefinitely, and the limitations on the “limited” LBS I approvals will ultimately expire. Teachers who hold current approvals will not need to obtain an LBS I endorsement as is required of those who receive LBS I approvals on or after January 1, 2002.

The above changes to special education approvals apply only to approvals that fall under the LBS I credential – LD, SED, EMH, TMH, and PH.

Also, beginning January 1, 2002, a short-term emergency certification, valid for three years, will replace the current “authorization for assignment” (PZZ approval). Current PZZs are issued to a school district, not to a teacher. They are also valid until they expire, usually after two years. The new short-term emergency certificate will be issued to the teacher. At the end of three years, the teacher must make a transition to an unlimited LBS I approval.

In order to obtain a short-term emergency certificate, a teacher must complete the survey of exceptional children course; and one other of the courses currently required for an approval. Those applying for short-term emergency certification must also submit a plan for moving toward an unlimited LBS I approval within three years, and that plan must be validated by the teacher’s employer and the college or university that the teacher plans to attend.

Current authorizations for assignment (PZZ approvals) are valid until they expire, and are not renewable. At the time of expiration, teachers to whom the authorizations apply will need to seek short-term emergency certification or some other special education credential in order to continue to serve student with disabilities. Such teacher will not need to obtain an LBS I approval when the authorization for assignment expires, as is required of those who receive short-term emergency certification on or after January 1, 2002.

Additionally, under the Transition Rules, special education teachers who have not exchanged their current certificates for the new Standard or Master Certificates and are due to make the exchange in 2002 are allowed to exchange their certificates early.

This “early exchange option” is designed to allow special education teachers to take advantage of and receive credit for continuing professional development activities offered in the area of teaching students with disabilities before July 1, 2002. Included in the definition of “special education teachers” are teachers with approvals of those teaching on authorizations for assignment (PZZ approvals). In order to receive credit for such activities, special education teachers must have exchanged their certificates for the new Standard or Master Certificates and must file a Certificate Renewal Plan with their local professional development committee.

The requirements for continuing professional development for special education teachers have changed, effective July 1, 2002, and the ISBE has recently distributed a Revision to the Certificate Renewal Manual to reflect those changes. Information regarding the new requirement and the text of the Revision to the Manual may be found at www.isbe.net/recertification.

The ISBE’s new rules implement a new certification system for special education teachers which, according to the ISBE, is “designed to guide the transition from the present system of certification to the new system, with particular emphasis on how current teachers will be affected by the move to a cross-categorical credential called Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS I).”

The transitions rules require special education teachers to obtain a certificate with a cross-categorical credential entitled LBS I. This endorsement allows teachers to serve students with all disabilities except hearing, vision, speech and language impairments. The LBS I certificate replaces the current endorsements: Learning Disabled, Social/Emotional Disorders, Educable Mentally Handicapped, Trainable Mentally Handicapped, and Physically Handicapped. Teachers currently holding credentials in either LD or S/ED, and EMH, or TMH, or PH will receive an “unlimited” LBS I endorsement. However, teachers who do not meet the above criterion, will receive a certificate indicating “LBS I Limited.” Holders of the LBS I Limited certificate can only teach students in their current disability endorsement area, and no more than one additional disability, until the limitation expires or is removed.

There are seven avenues for a teacher to remove the “limitation” from his or her certificate:

1. completion of a training sequence developed by ISSBE;
2. completion of college course work covering a missing disability;
3. passage of a test covering missing disability areas;
4. presentation of qualifications for additional endorsement or approval;
5. passage of the LBS I test of subject matter knowledge when available;
6. submission of evidence of three years’ teaching experience with students having the disability for which he or she does not have a current endorsement; or,
7. submission of information evidencing three years’ experience teaching students with autism or traumatic brain injury.

The limitations on the LBS I remain for three years for special education teachers actively using their certificate and seven years for nonactive certificate holders. At the end of the three (or seven) years, the limitation, if not previously removed, automatically expires.

Short-term emergency certification replaces the current “authorization of assignment” and is valid for three years. Teachers serving early childhood prJanuary 29, 2008following endorsements remain valid for pre-kindergarten through 21 years of age: Blind or visually impaired; deaf or hard of hearing; and, speech and language pathology.

An advanced optional credential, LBS II, is available to holders of standard or master certificates with any of the endorsements listed above. This optional credential requires completion of an approved program and is available for the following areas: Transition Specialist; Technology Specialist, Bilingual Special Education Specialist; Deaf/Blind Specialist; Behavior Intervention Specialist, Curriculum Adaptation Specialist, and Multiple Disability Specialist.

As to continuing professional education and certificate renewal plans, all special education teachers must complete at least 50% of their continuing professional development in the area of special education, including a segment specifically directed to adapting and modifying curriculum to meet the needs of children receiving special education.