a) The
Gateways to Opportunity Credentials shall be available through two application
routes:
1) The Direct Route Application
Process
The applicant submits an application, college transcripts,
and a portfolio verifying experience and professional contributions to the
Gateways to Opportunity Credential Office.
2) The Entitled Route Program
The applicant successfully completes approved college
coursework that covers the Core Professional Knowledge for each specific
credential at the entitled education institution. An entitled education
institution is a college or university that has aligned its coursework with
specific credential benchmarks based on State and national standards identified
in Section 50.750(c) and
meets additional credential requirements through coursework. Applicants can
find additional information about entitled education institutions at:
http://www.ilgateways.com/en/gateways-credential-entitlement-information.
b) The
applicant shall be responsible for providing all information and documentation
required to demonstrate his or her qualifications for a particular credential
to the Gateways to Opportunity Credential Office, specifically:
1) a Credential Application, available from
the Gateways to Opportunity Credential Office, 1226 Towanda Plaza, Bloomington,
Illinois 61701;
2) official college
transcripts from the higher education institutions; and
3) a portfolio verifying experience and
professional contributions.
e) The Department or its agents
will notify applicants, in writing, of eligibility for a credential within 60
days after receipt of all required documentation. Applicants that disagree with
the credential determination may request reconsideration by writing to the IDHS
Bureau of Child Care and Development (BCCD), 400 W. Lawrence, Springfield,
Illinois 62762, within 60 days after notification of the original
determination. The final decision on eligibility for credentials will be made
by the Child Care Professional Development Manager in consultation with the
BCCD Bureau Chief. The criteria used during reconsideration by DHS' Bureau of
Child Care and Development will be the same Credential Framework used to
determine eligibility. The Credential Framework is located in Section
50.740 and on the GTO website at
http://www.ilgateways.com/en/gateways-to-opportunity-credentials.
