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"Mid-America" Educators' Job Fair
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"Teacher Insight" Behavioral Interview Themes (PDF)
Teacher Credential Information
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Visit the Teacher Education Center to learn more as you complete you program requirements
The word “credentials” is used often in the field of education to describe a number of different documents used to denote official evaluations and/or proficiencies (attaining, surpassing standards).
School districts use "credentials" to describe a hard copy file of documents that provides teaching candidates a certain credibility with school administrators. In the past, most districts, at some point in the application process, would require an "official" (i.e., copied and mailed from the Career Center) credential file from all candidates. This is no longer true!
The Career Center continues to recommend self-managed credential files because in many cases a photocopy of the requested documents, provided by you, will be sufficient for the districts, AT LEAST when you first apply for a position. For many Illinois districts these days, the requirement for an "official" copy of the file, which would be sent to them by our office on your behalf, is less and less common. And many districts, especially in the Chicago area, will want you to send all or most your documentation electronically, thus bypassing the need to have our office copy and send your file. Thus, for some candidates (probably more and more each year), establishing a credential file in the Career Center will be a "back-up" strategy. It is not required.
good, clean copies (you keep the originals!) of the following --
Some school districts that want these same documents will ask for your “reference file” or your ” placement file.” These mean the same thing as your credential file!!
If you elect to create your credential file in the Career Center, do so just before or as you begin student teaching -- think of this happening in stages!
STAGE 1 (during the first half of the semester) would likely include mailing in (or dropping off) an up-to-date copy of your resume, plus copies of any letters of recommendation you have already acquired from recent field experience/clinicals, faculty/advisors, previous employers, and "significant others" such as those who have supervised your volunteer work with young people (possibly including coaching, if that is one of your talents), plus the Authorization Form.
STAGE 2 would add the student teaching evaluations, plus eventually, your teaching certificate. It could include an updated resume that includes more details about student teaching!
Note that in regards to the reference letters/evaluations, quality is more important than quantity. A total of four to six letters (a minimum of three, including the student teaching evaluations) is sufficient for a new teacher’s file.
Note too that there is no mention of transcripts here! Those are NOT included in credential files at Illinois State University, BUT certainly will be a part of the documentation you will need to provide when you apply for teaching positions! Prior to the final update of grades, a copy of your "Progress Report" is acceptable to school recruiters. If in doubt about this, ask the recruiter. Almost certainly, at some time before the point of hire, an official copy of transcripts will be required of all candidates! The question of "when" will depend upon the district and their hiring protocols.