Interpretation

Question: Must the experience described in 407.140(e)(2-3) come from working directly in a school-age program or is experience of any capacity that takes place in a program serving school-age children sufficient to qualify as a school-age worker?

Applicable To: Licensed Day Care Centers

Policy Citation: 407.140 Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers & School-age Workers

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 9 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.

(Source: Added at 22 Ill. Reg. 1728, effective January 1, 1998)

Discussion: The citations above indicate that when experience is substituted for education, the experience must be in a recreational program or licensed day care center serving school-age children, or a license exempt school-age program operated by a public or private school.

This language was first used in Part 407 following changes that became effective on January 1, 1998. Before these changes, 407.140(e)(2-3) specified that the experience must be “working directly with school-age children” or “in a field related to programming for school-age children.” The new language clarified the types of programs from which acceptable experience may come, such as working in a day care center, but did not change the original intent that the experience must come from working with school-age children. The 1998 changes would have specified any intention to accept experience working with other age groups. Further, if the intent were to allow any experience working in a center, school, or program with a school-age component, then the experience of support staff, such as food service workers and maintenance workers, could be counted, which was clearly not the intent of the 1998 changes.

Response: The experience described in 407.140(e)(2-3) must come from working directly with school-age children in a school-age program. Experience of any other capacity that takes place in a program serving school-age children is insufficient.