Section 141.120 Course Equivalency

Course equivalency may be granted to a candidate eligible to participate in the certification programs. Courses which do not have prior Division approval, but which correlate with the content areas of the required courses by meeting the requirements of this Section, the applicable Standard and which conclude with an evaluation of the candidate’s retention of course materials may be granted course equivalency status by the Division. This course equivalency status indicates an approval for certification purposes only, not for reimbursement.

a) To request a course equivalency, the candidate shall submit a letter to the Division requesting course equivalency with attached proof of course completion from the entity where the non-approved course was taken. Proof of course completions shall include the applicable referenced Standard. Course equivalency shall be granted if the course is compliant with the specific Standard referenced in the Illinois certification in Subpart D. If the course completion does not include the applicable referenced Standard, it shall be the responsibility of the candidate to obtain a formal letter from the legal or administrative staff of the entity where the non-approved course was taken, stating the applicable Standard that was referenced for the specific course. College catalog descriptions are not sufficient documentation for review.

b) When a course is granted course equivalency, the candidate will be allowed to challenge the State Written and Practical Examinations one time. If passed on the first attempt and all certification prerequisites are met, the candidate will then be eligible for certification. Failure of either the State Written or Practical Examination will invalidate the course equivalency status and require the candidate to successfully complete a Division-approved certification course prior to challenging the State Written and Practical Examination a second time.

(Source: Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 424, effective January 1, 2023)