Section 25.225  Endorsement for School Counselors

a)         The school counselor endorsement shall be affixed to a PEL. 

b)         Each individual seeking a PEL endorsed for school counselor shall complete the requirements set forth in Section 25.25.

c)         Each individual seeking the school support personnel endorsement for school counselor shall hold a master's or higher degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education in school counseling or a related school counseling field.  

d)         Each individual shall:

1)         complete an Illinois program approved for the preparation of school counselors pursuant to Subpart C or a comparable approved program in another state or country (including an internship); or

2)         hold a comparable certificate or license issued by another state or country (see Section 25.425).

e)         If completing an Illinois approved program, each individual must complete a supervised counseling practicum of at least 100 clock hours that provided interaction with individuals and groups of school age and included at least 40 hours of direct service work. Each individual must also complete a structured and supervised internship that is part of an approved program.

1)         The internship shall be of a length that is determined by the approved program to be adequate to enable candidates to meet the standards set forth at 23 Ill. Adm. Code 23.110 but shall entail at least 600 hours and last no less than one semester, during which the candidate shall engage in the performance of various aspects of the counseling role and shall be gradually introduced to the full range of responsibilities associated with that role.  However, the internship for an individual with at least two years of teaching experience may, at the discretion of the institution offering the approved program, consist of no fewer than 400 hours.  In each case, at least 240 hours of the internship shall involve direct service work with individuals and groups of school age.

2)         The internship shall occur in a school setting except that, at the discretion of the institution, a maximum of one-third of the hours required may be credited for experiences in other related settings such as hospitals or day care settings that, in the judgment of the institution, expose the candidate to the needs of school-aged children and prepare the candidate to function as a school counselor.

3)         As part of an approved program, each individual shall complete coursework addressing:

A)        the structure, organization and operation of the educational system, with emphasis on PK-12 schools;

B)        the growth and development of children and youth, and their implications for counseling in schools;

C)        the diversity of Illinois students and the laws and programs that have been designed to meet their unique needs; and

D)        effective management of the classroom and the learning process.

f)         The following experience shall be honored in lieu of an internship:

1)         one year of professional experience as a school counselor on a valid, comparable out-of-state certificate or license that allows the holder to work as a school counselor in that state's public schools; or

2)         one year of full-time experience working as a school counselor on a short-term approval and a proficient or higher evaluation rating.

g)         Each candidate shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test (see Section 25.710) subject to the provisions of Section 25.720. 

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 7729, effective May 9, 2024)