Section 226.810  Early Childhood Special Education

The State Board shall issue early childhood special education approval or endorsement to an individual who holds a valid professional educator license with an early childhood endorsement or an LBS I endorsement, provided that the individual makes application for approval in a format specified by the State Board demonstrating that he or she has successfully completed coursework in all the following areas:

a)         Methods – Developmentally and individually appropriate methods for fostering the social, emotional, cognitive, communication, adaptive, and motor development and learning of young children with special needs in various settings, such as the home, the school, and the community.

b)         Assessment – Strategies, procedures, and formal and informal instruments for assessing young children's social, emotional, cognitive, communication, and motor skills; family concerns, priorities, and resources; and school, home, and community learning environments; and methods for conducting formative and summative individual and program evaluation.

c)         Language Development – Typical and atypical language development in young children; specific language disabilities; the relationship between communication delays and other areas of early learning and development; and alternative communication systems for young children with disabilities.

d)         Family and Community Relationships – Strategies in developing positive and supportive relationships with families of young children with special needs, including the legal and philosophical basis for family participation; family-centered services; and strategies for working with socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse families.  Strategies and models for promoting effective consultation and collaboration with other professionals and agencies within the community.

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 3377, effective March 2, 2021)