OTIS Illinois Online Teacher Information System

1
In partnership with
Regional Offices of Education
Educator Certification System (ECS) Professional
Development, Registration and Renewal, and NCLB
and HOUSSE
2
ECS OverviewIllinois Educator Certification
System

• Educators Private Accounts (login required)
• View all aspects of certification records
• Apply for certificates and endorsements
• Record professional development
• Submit statements of assurance
• Register and renew certificates
• View highly qualified status and record NCLB
  HOUSSE qualifications
• Pay for application fees with credit card

3
ECS OverviewIllinois Educator Certification
System

• District Administrator Access
• Confirm certificates and endorsements held by
  employees and prospective employees
• Confirm certificate registration
• Confirm NCLB highly qualified subject areas
• Confirm degrees and teaching history

4
Creating an ECS Account

• Use Internet Browser to Accesswww.isbe.net/ECS
• Click on Create New Account button

5
Creating an ECS Account

• Enter SSN
• Enter SSN again to verify
• Enter Last Name
• Click the Next Button

6
Creating an ECS Account

• Enter Email Address
• Enter Email Address again to verify
• Click the Next Button

7
Creating an ECS Account

• The next step asks you to verify personal and
  address information on file at ISBE or to enter
  the information if it is not on file
• Click the Next Button

8
Creating an ECS Account

• Enter a User Id(1 to 80 Characters)
• Enter the User Id again to confirm
• Click the Next Button

9
Creating an ECS Account

• Enter a Password(6 to 40 characters)
• Enter the Password again to confirm
• Click the Next Button

10
Creating an ECS Account

• Select a Secret Question Reminder from the
  picklist
• Enter the Answer
• Click the Next Button

11
Creating an ECS Account

• Select your Career Status
• If you are not currently employed in an Illinois
  Public School several steps will be skipped
• Click the Next Button

12
Creating an ECS Account

• If you are not currently employed in an Illinois
  Public School select the Region where you plan to
  be employed or live
• Click the Next Button

13
Creating an ECS Account

• If you are currently employed in an Illinois
  Public School select the type of Position
• Click the Next Button

14
Creating an ECS Account

• Select the type of School
• Click the Next Button

15
Creating an ECS Account

• Select the Region of Employment
• Click the Next Button

16
Creating an ECS Account

• Select the District where you are Employed
• Click the Next Button

17
Creating an ECS Account

• Select the Building where you are Employed
• Click the Next Button

18
Creating an ECS Account

• Select your Primary Position
• Click the Next Button

19
Creating an ECS Account

• Print this screen it shows you your ECS User ID
  and Password
• Click the Enter ECS Button

20
ECS Summary Screen (Home) Page

• The ECS Summary Screen is your personal
  Certification Home Page

21
Professional Development Activities

• Important general messages, personalized
  messages, and new feature links

22
ECS User Manuals
23
ECS Main Menu Items

• My Profile
• My Credentials
• Applications
• Professional Development
• Register/Renew
• LPDC (optional)

24
My Profile Menu Items
25
My Credentials Menu Items
26
Application Menu Items
27
Application Menu Items
28
Register/Renew Menu Item
29
Professional Development Menu Items

• Requirements
• Record Activities
• Apply for Exemptions
• IAAMS
• Submit Statement of Assurance
• Renew Certificates

30
Professional Development Requirements - Teachers
The Professional Development Requirements screen
for teachers shows how many of each type of
professional development activities are required.
These requirements take into account advanced
degree reductions and exemptions.
31
Professional Development Requirements - Teachers

• There are three paths or options to meet
  Professional Development Requirements
• One Uniquely Qualifying Activity
• College Coursework
• Continuing Professional Development Units
  (CPDUs)

32
One Uniquely Qualifying Activity Option

• NBPTS
• Advanced Degree
• Subsequent Illinois Certificate or Endorsement
• Highly Qualified in new subject area
• 4 Semester Hour Course NBPTS Preparation
• 4 Semester Hour Course Self Assessment

33
College Coursework Option

• College Coursework (8 or 12 semester hours
  depending upon level of certificate)

34
Continuing Professional Development Units

• CPDUs

35
Professional Development Requirements -
Administrators
The Professional Development Requirements screen
for administrators shows how many of each type of
professional development activities are
required. These requirement take into account
exemptions.
36
Professional Development Requirements -
Administrators
Please note that the Requirements screen is built
on live data and is real time. The screen
will show a penalty academy requirement for the
current year until such time the academy for the
current year is taken.
37
Entering Professional Development

• Select the type of certificate for which you want
  to add professional development activities

38
Entering Professional Development

• To add a professional development activity click
  on the Enter/Review Professional Development
  Activity link

39
Entering Professional Development

• The first step will ask you to confirm your
  identity

40
Entering Professional Development

• The second step will ask you to select the type
  of professional development
• This example will be adding an Advanced Degree

41
Entering Professional Development

• Once you have selected the type of activity a
  multiple-step wizard will walk you through adding
  your activity
• The first step will always show you the
  description, definition, and what to keep as
  evidence

42
Entering Professional Development

• If advanced degree or college coursework is
  selected and if degrees are already on file at
  ISBE the institution/degree will be displayed and
  may be selected if not, the next several screens
  will ask you to select the institution/degree
  from lists

43
Entering Professional Development

• Select the State

44
Entering Professional Development

• Select the Institution

45
Entering Professional Development

• Select the Degree Type
• Select the Degree Major

46
Entering Professional Development

• Enter the date range of the activity

47
Entering Professional Development

• Verify the pre-filled description and add
  additional information as necessary
• Click on the Next button and the activity will
  be saved and you will be directed back to the
  Professional Development Activities screen

48
Entering Professional Development

• The activity is then displayed under the proper
  category in this example earning an advanced
  degree is shown under the Uniquely Qualifying
  Option list

49
Entering Professional Development

• This example will be adding CPDU

50
Entering Professional Development

• If CPDU is selected a second list is displayed
• Select the Type of CPDU Activity
• This example will be Peer Review

51
Entering Professional Development

• The first step will show you the description,
  definition, what to keep as evidence, and the
  number of CPDUs (Points) selections that are
  valid
• Select a Point Value that matches your completed
  activity

52
Entering Professional Development

• Enter the date range of the activity
• Click on the Next button

53
Entering Professional Development

• Verify the pre-filled description and add
  additional information as necessary
• Click on the Next button

54
Entering Professional Development

• Check all applicable Purposes (Standard/Master
  certificates only)
• Click on the Next button

55
Entering Professional Development

• Select a Subject if applicable
• Click on the Next button and the activity will
  be saved

56
Entering Professional Development

• The activity is then displayed under the proper
  category in this example participating in peer
  review the Continuing Professional Development
  list

57
Entering Professional Development

• The third example will be adding college
  coursework
• Select the number of semester hours

58
Entering Professional Development

• Select or Enter the Institution

59
Entering Professional Development

• Enter the Date Range

60
Entering Professional Development

• Complete the description

61
Entering Professional Development

• Select all applicable Purposes (Standard/Master
  certificates only)

62
Entering Professional Development

• The activity is then displayed under the proper
  category in this example completing a
  four-semester hour college course is displayed in
  the Continuing Coursework list

63
Entering Professional Development

• The activity is then displayed under the proper
  category in this example completing a
  four-semester hour college course is displayed in
  the Continuing Coursework list

64
Professional Development Requirements

• Use the Professional Development Requirements
  screen to monitor your progress
• Once you have accumulated the required
  professional development activities and it is
  after September 1st of the last year of your
  cycleSubmit your Statement of Assurance

65
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Click on the Statement of Assurance link to begin
  the Statement of Assurance wizard
• You must submit your Statement of Assurance and
  gain approval before you can renew your
  certificate

66
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• To begin the Statement of Assurance wizard click
  on the Submit/Review Statement of Assurance
  link for the appropriate certificate type

67
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• The first step asks you to confirm your address
  information

68
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Confirm the listing of your certificates
• Comments can be made if necessary

69
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Confirm your educator profile
• The information should match your profile for the
  last semester of your renewal cycle
• Your Statement of Assurance will be routed to the
  LPDC (if applicable) and ROE shown on this screen

70
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Confirm your Teacher Service Record data
• Comments can be entered if necessary

71
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Confirm your Exemption information

72
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Verify your Requirements
• Requirements have been reduced in this example
  due to an advanced degree

73
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• Verify your Professional Development Activities
• The system will display three steps for this
  process one for each of the professional
  development activity types

74
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• The next to last step reviews the requirements
  and maps your activities to the requirements and
  tells you if you meet the requirements for
  submitting the statement of assurance

75
Submitting Your Statement of Assurance

• The last step is the electronic signature page
• Once the Submit button is selected your
  statement of assurance will be electronically
  delivered to your LPDC or ROE for review

76
Approval of Statement of Assurance

• Check ECS weekly to monitor the approval of your
  Statement of Assurance
• Click the View link to view the Statement of
  Assurance and watch its progress

77
Approval of Statement of Assurance

• Once your Statement of Assurance is approved you
  will be able to renew your certificate

78
Approval of Statement of Assurance

• Once your Statement of Assurance is approved you
  will also be notified on your ECS Home page

79
Renewing Your Certificate

• Once your Statement of Assurance is approved you
  can register and renew it by clicking on the
  Register/Renew link in ECS

80
Registering Your Certificate

• The first several steps asks you to confirm your
  identity and address information
• The third step asks you to select the region
  where you want your certificate registered and
  renewed

81
Registering Your Certificate

• Answer the Child Support Question (State Law)
• Must Answer whether or not you have children

82
Registering Your Certificate

• If you have other certificate types for which you
  were exempt from completing professional
  development you will be asked to confirm this
  exemption

83
Registering/Renewing Your Certificate

• The registration fee for registering (renewing)
  is 20.00 for an Initial, 25.00 for a Standard
  and Administrative, and 50.00 for a Master plus
  1.75 convenience fee
• Enter your Credit Card Information and click on
  the Submit Button
• Follow the steps to complete the registration

84
View Registration/Renewal

• Click on Register/Renew menu item to view and
  confirm registration and renewal
• You may repeat the process if you would like to
  register in other regions there will be no
  charge for other regions.

85
Applying for Exemptions

• To apply for exemptions from professional
  development for certificate types not being used
  click on the Professional Development
  Exemptions link

86
Applying for Exemptions

• To apply for exemptions from professional
  development for certificate types not being used
  click on the Enter/Review Exemptions link below
  the list of certificates

87
Applying for Exemptions

• Review your current exemption status
• To apply for exemptions click on the Modify
  Exemption Status link

88
Applying for Exemptions

• Select the status for each semester desired for
  exemption

89
Applying for Exemptions

• Select the general reason for the exemption

90
Applying for Exemptions

• Enter a detailed description
• Click the Submit button
• Your request has been electronically forwarded to
  your ROE for approval or denial

91
Applying for Exemptions

• You can monitor the status of your request on the
  Exemptions screen
• Once it has been approved or denied you can see
  the results in the grid below the list
• If the exemption request has been denied you can
  click on the View link to the right and see the
  reason why it was denied

92
NCLB Credentials

• You can view your NCLB Highly Qualified Subject
  Areas by clicking on the NCLB Credentials link
  under the main Credentials menu item

93
NCLB HOUSSE

• You can enter Highly Qualified status under
  HOUSSE by clicking on the Apply for New NCLB
  Highly Qualified Subject Area (HOUSSE) link

94
Important Notes about HOUSSE

• Do not use HOUSSE to apply for Highly Qualified
  subject areas for which you are already highly
  qualified by other means
• HOUSSE is available only to teachers employed
  through the 2005-2006 school year
• Persons who passed the Elementary/Middle Grades
  exam have been automatically marked highly
  qualified in all middle grades subject areas

95
Important Notes about HOUSSE

• ISBE has automatically entered HOUSSE
  qualifications for educators that hold
  endorsements in subject areas for which 20 or
  more semester hours of coursework were required
  to be awarded the endorsement. (20 x 5 HOUSSE
  points 100 points)

96
NCLB HOUSSE

• The first step asks you to confirm your identity

97
NCLB HOUSSE

• The second step explains that ISBE has already
  programmatically determined highly qualified
  status through testing, master certificates, and
  degree majors.

98
NCLB HOUSSE

• The second step states that highly qualified
  through HOUSSE has to be already determined by
  the teacher through one of the union spreadsheets

99
NCLB HOUSSE

• Step three asks the educator to select the
  subject area

100
NCLB HOUSSE

• The last step asks the educator to electronic
  sign the application

101
NCLB HOUSSE

• The NCLB grid now contains the subject area for
  which the educator applied for highly qualified
  through HOUSSE.

102
NCLB HOUSSE

• The only high qualified subjects that can be
  removed from the list are the HOUSSE subjects the
  educator entered and the remove link is only
  available for 48 hours after entry of the
  subject.

103
ECSIllinois Educator Certification System

• Thank You