Data provided should relate to measures the EPP is using to determine if candidates are meeting program expectations and ready to be recommended for licensure. (E.g.: EPP’s Title II report, data that reflect the ability of EPP candidates to meet licensing and state requirements or other measures the EPP uses to determine candidate competency at completion.)
Summary of Illinois Licensure Testing System Pass Rates (Title II) |
Group | Number Taking Tests | Number Passing Tests | Pass Rate (%) |
All program completers, 2024-25 | 75 | 75 | 100 |
a. Teach students with disabilities effectively (Title II)
All general education candidates receive preparation in SPED 2100/6100 Survey of Students with Exceptionalities, which includes 15 hours of field experiences. This preparation continues throughout their professional coursework where they learn to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of a wide variety of learners and learning styles and needs. The clinical experiences for initial licensure candidates take place in schools that provide the candidates' opportunities to work with and apply their understanding of the IDEA Act in their coursework/teaching. These activities are evaluated by the program faculty. Additionally, all methods courses require candidates to identify any modifications, accommodations and differentiation strategies that they will use in their written plans. They are evaluated on the strategies used when delivering lessons. Candidates in secondary education programs are taught to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students. Beyond defining the term and completing assignments requiring students to work together to identify ways to differentiate lessons in their content area, students present a lesson to their peers that are designed to meet the needs of at least one of the above types of diverse learners. It is expected of all candidates that they will learn what their role is as a participating member of an IEP team during the SPED 2100/6101 course.
b. Participate as a member of individualized education program teams, as defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (Title II)
The role as a member of individualized education program teams is addressed in SPED 2100/6101 as an overview for all teacher education candidates (special and general). For candidates in the Multicategorical Special Education licensure program, courses include SPED 8200 Learning Characteristics of Learners with Exceptionalities, SPED 8619 Psychological Diagnosis of Learners with Exceptionalities (which also covers assessment and the need for testing in the appropriate language for the learner), and in SPED 8350 Methods for Teaching Learners with Exceptionalities where candidates are prepared to match appropriate methodologies to learners, differentiating and individualizing instruction. The clinical experiences for initial licensure candidates take place in schools that provide the candidates' opportunities to work with and apply their understanding of the IDEA act in their coursework/teaching. These activities are evaluated by the program faculty and university supervisors.
c. Effectively teach students who are limited English proficient. (Title II)
Early Childhood candidates are required to take BBED 4520, which presents an interdisciplinary overview of the history, philosophy, sociology, culture, psychology, and legislation of bilingual and ESL education. Compares methods and models of bilingual and ESL education. Students will research language acquisition and apply to theories language development and reflect on their own language development. Requires 10 clock-hours of field experience. Elementary Education candidates concurrently take EMED - 3321 Effective Teaching for Diverse Students and Effective Teaching Laboratory, EMED - 3333 Educational Linguistics, and EMED - 3404 Developmental Reading in the Elementary Grades that combine to explore the theoretical and practical aspects of pedagogy as applied to effective and scientific research-based methods of teaching reading in the elementary grades and introduce differentiation of instruction to address the needs and abilities of diverse student populations. Secondary Education candidates take EDUC - 4520 Secondary Teaching Methods: ELLs, SEL and Content Reading that analyzes and practices secondary pedagogy from the lens of English language learners, content area reading, and social-emotional learning.