Section 29.140  Director of Special Education

By October 1, 2025, all candidates for an endorsement in special education will be required to complete a program aligned to the Council for Exceptional Children Advanced Preparation Standards (2015), the Advanced Common Specialty Items (2015), and the Special Education Administration Specialty Set (2015), published by the Council for Exceptional Children, 2900 Crystal Drive, Suite 1000, Arlington VA 22202-3557, and available at https://www.cec.sped.org/Standards/Special-Educator-Professional-Preparation-Standards/CEC-Initial-and-Advanced-Specialty-Sets.  (No later amendments to or editions of these guidelines are incorporated.) The standards effective until September 30, 2025 are as follows:  

a)         Facilitating a Vision of Educational Excellence

The competent director of special education is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of educational excellence that is shared and supported by the school community.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands the needs of different groups in a pluralistic society.

B)        knows and understands theories and methodologies of teaching and learning, including the adaptation and modification of curriculum to meet the needs of all learners.

C)        knows and understands the principles of developing, implementing, and evaluating long-term plans.

D)        knows and understands theories of and research on organizational and educational leadership.

E)        knows and understands information sources, data collection, and data analysis strategies.

F)         knows and understands appropriate channels and media for communicating plans, ideas, and goals to the board of education, staff, parents, students, and the community.

G)        knows and understands effective consensus-building and negotiation skills.

H)        knows and understands the historical, moral, philosophical, and political traditions of education, including those that provide the basis for special education practice.

I)         knows and understands systems and theories of educational assessment and evaluation.

J)         knows and understands human and financial resources needed to implement and support the organizational vision, mission, and goals.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote the success of all students in the least restrictive environment by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote appropriate educational standards and excellence for all students and staff.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that support a nurturing and high-performing culture and climate through the use of symbols, ceremonies, stories, and similar activities reflecting the diversity of the school community.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that collaboratively develop vision and goals among teachers, support staff, students, administrators, board members, families, and community members.

E)        facilitates and engages in activities that articulate and model central beliefs of the organization and effectively communicates and takes actions to achieve organizational vision, mission, and goals.

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that form and implement educational programs, policies, plans, and actions to realize organizational vision, mission, and goals.

G)        facilitates and engages in activities aimed at forming and implementing a vision, mission, and goals to provide purpose and direction for individuals and groups.

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that affect the collection, organization, and analyses of a variety of information, including data on students' performance, to assess progress toward organizational vision, mission, and goals.

I)         facilitates and engages in activities that result in an implementation plan in which objectives and strategies to achieve the organizational vision, mission, and goals are clearly articulated and linked to students' learning.

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that identify, clarify, and address barriers to achieving the vision, mission, and goals.

K)        facilitates and engages in activities to obtain and organize financial, human, and material resources to realize the organizational vision, mission, and goals.

L)        facilitates and engages in activities to monitor, evaluate, and revise the organizational vision, mission, goals, and implementation plans regularly.

b)         Learning Environment and Instructional Program

The competent director of special education is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating and nurturing a constantly improving learning environment and an instructional program based upon educationally sound principles of curriculum development and modifications, learning and teaching theory, and professional development.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands the principles of human growth and development, ranges of individual variation, and their application to the school environment and instructional program.

B)        knows and understands the concept of school climate as it applies to students' and staff's performance.

C)        knows and understands the educational change process.

D)        knows and understands a variety of educational research methodologies and their comparable strengths and weaknesses.

E)        knows and understands cognition, learning theories, and interventions and their relationship to instruction.

F)         knows and understands applications of technology for administrators, staff, and students to enhance the learning and instructional program.

G)        knows and understands a variety of methods for assessing and evaluating students' performance.

H)        knows and understands professional development models and adult learning theory.

I)         understands effects of the cultural and environmental milieu of the child and the family, including cultural and linguistic diversity, socioeconomic level, abuse/neglect, and substance abuse, on behavior and learning.

J)         has knowledge of techniques for modifying instructional methods, curricular materials, technology, and the learning environment to meet students' needs, including techniques that are developmentally appropriate.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that develop a climate that is supportive of continuous improvement of the instructional program for all students.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that systematically design and implement procedures and instruments for evaluating the instructional program.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that systematically support staff development to enhance the learning environment and the instructional program.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that use best practices and sound educational research to promote improved instructional techniques, intervention strategies, and specialized curricular materials.

E)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote reflective practices among administrators, teachers, and staff.

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that promote an environment that encourages creativity and innovation.

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide a climate in which treatment of all individuals with respect, dignity, and fairness is valued.

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote the appropriate use of technology to enhance students' learning and staff's professional growth.

I)         facilitates and engages in activities that promote high expectations for self, staff, and students.

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty that accompanies the change process.

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that systematically conduct, act upon, and report assessment of individual students' educational performance and evaluation of the instructional program.

L)        facilitates and engages in activities that connect educational standards to specialized instructional services.

M)       facilitates and engages in activities that promote collaboration of staff and outside agencies in providing services to students and families.

N)        facilitates and engages in activities that foster lifelong learning.

c)         Knowledge of Laws, Regulations, and Professional Ethics

The competent director of special education has a thorough knowledge of federal and State statutes affecting the education of students with disabilities.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands current legal, regulatory, and ethical issues affecting education.

B)        knows and understands the legal rights and responsibilities of students, staff, and parents/guardians.

C)        knows and understands federal and State education laws and regulations.

D)        knows and understands the legal aspects of school administration.

E)        knows and understands the system of public school governance in Illinois.

F)         knows and understands the responsibilities and functions of school committees and boards.

G)        knows and understands procedures for formulating and implementing board policies and operating procedures.

H)        knows and understands the moral and ethical responsibilities of schools and members of the school community.

I)         knows and understands how to establish and implement policies that promote ethical behavior and high professional standards through collaboration with stakeholders.

J)         knows and understands how the Illinois and U.S. Constitutions, organizational policies, and laws (statutory, common, and case) regulate the behavior of students, staff, and administrators in the schools.

K)        knows and understands the role of public education in developing and renewing a democratic society and an economically productive nation.

L)        knows and understands models and strategies of change and conflict resolution as applied to schools.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that ensure an ongoing dialogue with and among representatives of diverse community groups.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that lead the school community to operate within the framework of policies, laws, and regulations enacted by local, State, and federal authorities and professional ethical standards.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that foster a board/superintendent working relationship that promotes and actualizes organizational vision, missions, and goals.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that shape public policy to provide high-quality education for students.

E)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide clear distinctions between board policies and operating procedures.

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that base decisions on the legal, moral, and ethical implications of policy options and political strategies.

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that create a collaborative relationship with staff to implement policies to promote behavior and professional practices consistent with high ethical standards.

d)         Identification of Students and Provision of Services

The competent director of special education has a thorough knowledge of identification procedures, service delivery models, and assistive technology for students with disabilities.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands effective strategies for identifying children (from birth through age 22) who may have disabilities.

B)        knows and understands effective intervention strategies and processes that are prerequisite to a referral or a case study evaluation.

C)        knows and understands the case study evaluation process, including the determination of eligibility for special education services.

D)        knows and understands the continuum of programs and array of services available to students with disabilities.

E)        knows and understands the process of developing Individualized Education Programs (IEP).

F)         knows and understands parents' and students' rights regarding evaluation, eligibility, services, and discipline.

G)        knows and understands the array of assistive technology options to facilitate access of students with disabilities to the least restrictive environment.

H)        knows and understands lawful and appropriate strategies for the discipline of students with disabilities.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote public awareness, sound screening practices, and early identification of students with disabilities.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide staff development in the use of effective intervention strategies for instructional staff.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that ensure all essential components of a case study evaluation have been utilized when determining eligibility for special education services.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

E)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote programs and related services for children based upon a thorough understanding of individual differences.

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that ensure the required components of an IEP are incorporated into a plan of services for individual students.

G)        facilitates in activities that ensure the IEPs are linked to the Illinois Learning Standards (see 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.App. D).

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that evaluate a student's success in participation in the general educational curriculum.

I)         facilitates and engages in activities that ensure that parents' and students' rights regarding evaluation, eligibility, services, and discipline are disseminated and understood.

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that ensure that parents' and students' rights regarding evaluation, eligibility, services, and discipline are implemented.

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that promote the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities and the identification of resources for assistive devices.

L)        facilitates and engages in activities to ensure the lawful and appropriate strategies for discipline of students with disabilities are applied.

e)         Special Education Finance

The competent director of special education has a thorough knowledge of school finance procedures, understands special education funding, and demonstrates the ability to develop and manage a budget.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands general school finance and procedures for the development of budgets.

B)        knows and understands various federal, State, and local funding sources.

C)        knows and understands developing and managing special education budgets.

D)        knows and understands practices, policies, and procedures for operating and maintaining the organization's facilities, equipment, and services.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that result in the development and management of the organization's special education budgets and that incorporate general school financial principles and procedures.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that result in receipt of federal, State, and local grant monies.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that obtain maximum reimbursement from all sources.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities to effectively manage the organization's facilities, equipment, and services.

f)         Management

The competent director of special education is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, effective and least restrictive learning environment.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands a variety of practices and models for the management of an organizational system.

B)        knows and understands principles of human resource management and development to maximize the effectiveness of all constituents of the organization.

C)        knows and understands practices, policies, and procedures for operating and maintaining the organization's facilities, equipment, and auxiliary services.

D)        knows and understands principles of financial planning and management for efficient fiscal operation in support of the organization's vision, mission, and goals.

E)        knows and understands organizational and operational policies and procedures that enhance students' learning.

F)         knows and understands practices and procedures to ensure safe and secure schools for students, parents, staff, and community members.

G)        knows and understands practices and procedures to ensure that organizational management functions are supported by current technologies.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that use central organizational processes (including planning, communication, decision making, problem solving, and information management) for operational effectiveness and organizational development.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that empower various groups of constituents (e.g., staff, students, and parents) of the organization as leaders to support change efforts through the use of delegation, collaboration, and collegial strategies.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that employ supervisory and performance appraisal techniques to enhance and develop the knowledge and skill base of instructional and non-instructional staff.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities to support professional development for all constituents of the organization, focusing on the improvement of teaching and learning outcomes.

E)        facilitates and engages in recruitment, selection, induction, and negotiation, resulting in the employment and retention of qualified personnel to support an effective learning environment.

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that ensure the physical plant is accessible, well maintained, functional, secure, and conducive to the support of the full range of the organization's curricular and extracurricular programs.

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide efficient delivery of important auxiliary services (including health and nutrition, pupil transportation, risk management, and school security).

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that identify financial and material assets and resources and acquire them for subsequent allocation according to organizational goals and priorities.

I)         facilitates and engages in activities that maximize fiscal resources through financial management processes (including planning, budgeting, procurement, accounting, and monitoring).

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that create operational plans and procedures in support of organizational vision, mission, and goals.

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that use organizational monitoring systems to ensure the implementation of policies.

L)        facilitates and engages in activities that use management techniques to define roles, assign functions, and delegate accountability relative to achieving goals.

M)       facilitates and engages in activities that operate school plant, equipment, and support systems securely, safely, efficiently, and effectively.

N)        facilitates and engages in activities that maintain secure, safe, clean, and esthetically pleasing school environments that foster students' learning.

O)        facilitates and engages in activities that identify managerial functions that can be improved using technology.

P)         facilitates and engages in activities that provide ongoing training and review to ensure the productive and efficient use of technology in organizational management.

g)         Collaboration with Families and Communities

The competent director of special education is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.

1)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        knows and understands the multiple stakeholders' groups that comprise the school community, which includes but is not limited to parents, religious groups, business and industry, service organizations, local and county government, students, other taxpayers, and employees of organizations within the community.

B)        knows and understands the conditions and dynamics of the racial, ethnic, linguistic, religious, and socio-economic diversity of the community.

C)        knows and understands community resources that provide services that support the vision, mission, and goals of the school organization.

D)        knows and understands school-community relations and marketing strategies and processes.

E)        knows and understands emerging issues and trends that potentially affect the school community and the mission of the school.

F)         knows and understands successful models of partnerships between the organization and families, businesses, community groups, governmental agencies, and higher education.

G)        knows and understands the political nature of schools and how the political system operates.

2)         Performance Indicators – The competent director of special education:

A)        facilitates and engages in activities that clearly articulate the organizational vision, mission, and goals to multiple stakeholders.

B)        facilitates and engages in activities that use political structures and skills to build community support for organizational priorities.

C)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide effective communication with individuals and organizations throughout the community.

D)        facilitates and engages in activities that inform the organization's decision making by collecting and organizing a variety of formal and informal information from multiple stakeholders.

E)        facilitates and engages in activities that provide communications from the organization that are written and spoken clearly and forcefully.

F)         facilitates and engages in activities that demonstrate formal and informal listening skills.

G)        facilitates and engages in activities that demonstrate group leadership skills.

H)        facilitates and engages in activities that identify and consider various political interests within the community in organizational decision making.

I)         facilitates and engages in activities that educate the community about school funding and referenda.

J)         facilitates and engages in activities that mediate conflict between the organization and various stakeholders.

K)        facilitates and engages in activities that involve the school organization and community in school improvement efforts.

L)        facilitates and engages in activities that demonstrate the ability to build consensus.

M)       facilitates and engages in activities that foster educational partnerships with a variety of persons and organizations to promote delivery of educational opportunities.

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 6424, effective April 11, 2022)