Best Teachers' Test Preparation for the Icts, Illinois Cerfification Testing System Basic Skills Test, Elementary/Middle Grades Test

With this book in hand, you've taken an important step toward becoming a certified teacher in the state of Illinois. REA's all-new ICTS test prep for the Basic Skills and Elementary/Middle Grades tests is designed to help you get into an Illinois classroom. The instructive chapters in this book provide complete coverage of the ICTS with in-depth reviews of every topic and area you can expect to encounter on exam day. Full-length practice tests carefully modeled after actual ICTS exams will hone your test-taking teacher skills. All practice test questions are explained in thorough detail to provide you with a greater understanding of the exams' content and difficulty. When you finish preparing with this book, you will be well equipped with all the knowledge, practice, and strategies needed to succeed on these important exams. About the Tests Who takes the Basic Skills and Elementary/Middle Grades tests and what are they used for? While passing the ICTS alone is not sufficient to earn certification to teach in Illinois, it is also true that, except for qualified out-of-state candidates, successful completion of courses of study must include your passing the Basic Skills test and a content-area test such as the Elementary/Middle Grades test. The Illinois Certification Testing System tests are aligned with the Illinois professional teaching and content-area standards for educators. The ICTS tests are the only tests accepted for certification in Illinois. Details on ICTS tests are available in the Illinois Certification Testing System Registration Bulletin, which can be found online at www.icts.nesinc.com. The Registration Bulletin and website also contains test dates and information that can assist you in determining which tests must be successfully completed. How do I achieve "highly qualified" status in accordance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act? Successful completion of a content test in the area of your teaching assignment is one means of becoming "highly qualified" under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Am I required to take these tests if I hold a teaching certificate from another state? If you hold a valid, comparable certificate from another state and apply for Illinois certification on or after July 1, 2004, you will not be required to pass the ICTS Basic Skills test provided that (a) you have not previously failed the ICTS Basic Skills test and (b) either your out-of-state certificate was issued before June 30, 2004, or you were required to pass a basic skills test to obtain a teaching certificate from your state. Otherwise, if you have a valid out-of-state certificate, you may be eligible for a Provisional Certificate. Provisional Certificates allow you to teach for 9 months before you must pass the ICTS. To qualify for a Provisional Certificate you must hold a valid and comparable certificate from another state. More information on Provisional Certificates may be found at www.isbe.net/certification. How is the test content determined? Testing has been required of candidates seeking Illinois teaching, school service personnel, and administrative certificates since 1988. Legislation enacted at that time established a testing program as part of the state's certification requirements. Subsequent legislation and the adoption of administrative rules by the Illinois State Board of Education provided addition content requirements and information regarding the specific tests required of certification candidates and by whom and when these tests must be taken. All tests in the ICTS program are criterion referenced, meaning they are designed to measure candidates' knowledge in relation to an established standard of competence rather than in relation to how other candidates perform. The explicit purpose of the ICTS is to help identify those candidates who have demonstrated the level of knowledge and skills necessary to perform satisfactorily in thDavis, Al is the author of 'Best Teachers' Test Preparation for the Icts, Illinois Cerfification Testing System Basic Skills Test, Elementary/Middle Grades Test', published 2005 under ISBN 9780738601410 and ISBN 0738601411.