At its recent meeting, the State Board of Education took a big step forward by changing the special-education teacher certification process in Illinois.
In this way, the State Board is seriously addressing the educational needs of students with disabilities and their teachers.
Under the old system, teachers were certified to teach children with one disability characteristic, for example learning disabilities.
Most children, however, do not fit neatly into narrow, categorical labels. Under the new system, special educators will be prepared to teach children with multiple and complex learning needs.
With this new guidance by the state, universities will revamp their programs to provide future special educators with the information they require to address the learning, behavioral, emotional, mental and physical needs of children at varying levels.
The system also encourages teachers to continue their education with a second certificate of advanced specialization.
It is hard to argue the point that the old certification system worked fine, considering that disabled adults lead all populations in unemployment.
Nationally students in special education drop out of school at nearly twice the rate of their non-disabled peers.
Illinois State School Supt. Dr. Glenn “Max” McGee and Board President Ronald Gidwitz deserve credit for their leadership in making this long overdue change.
The new system is bold and exactly what Illinois children need to succeed in school.
