Section 407.140  Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers

a)         Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall be at least 19 years of age.

b)         Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate (GED).

c)         In addition to meeting the requirements of Section 407.100, the early childhood teacher responsible for a group of children that includes infants, toddler or preschool-age children shall have achieved:

1)         Sixty semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) of credits from an accredited college or university with six semester or nine quarter hours in courses related directly to child care and/or child development, from birth to age six; or

2)         One year (1560 clock hours) of child development experience in a nursery school, kindergarten, or licensed day care center and 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of credits from an accredited college or university with six semester or nine quarter hours in courses related directly to child care and/or child development, from birth to age six; or

3)         Completion of credentialing programs approved by the Department in accordance with Appendix G of this Part.

d)         School-age workers shall be at least 19 years of age and at least five years older than the oldest child with whom they work.

e)         In addition to meeting the requirements of Section 407.100, the newly employed school-age worker responsible for a group of school-age children shall have achieved:

1)         Thirty semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of credit from an accredited college or university with six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) related to school-age child care, child development, elementary education, physical education, recreation, camping or other related fields; or

2)         1560 clock hours of experience in a recreational program or licensed day care center serving school-age children or a license exempt school-age child care program operated by a public or private school, and six semester hours (or nine quarter hours) of credit from an accredited college or university related to school-age child care, child development, elementary education, physical education, recreation, camping or other related fields; or

3)         A high school diploma or equivalency certificate plus 3120 clock hours of experience in a recreational program, kindergarten, or licensed day care center serving school-age children or a license exempt school-age child care program operated by a public or private school.

f)         Completion of a training program accredited by the American Montessori Society or Association Montessori International may be substituted for the courses directly related to child care and/or child development required by this Section.  Persons holding a Montessori pre-primary credential may supervise children through age six.  Persons holding a Montessori primary or elementary credential may supervise children six years of age or older.

g)         Persons who were deemed qualified as a child care worker or school-age worker prior to January 1, 1985, continue to be deemed qualified as an early childhood teacher or school-age worker.

h)         Early childhood teachers and school-age workers shall be responsible for the planning and supervision of a group of children.  Early childhood workers and school-age workers shall also be responsible for supervising persons assigned to assist their group who are not similarly qualified.

(Source:  Amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 3011, effective February 15, 2004)