In response to articles by the Chicago Sun-Times reporting that Illinois teachers are not meeting basic teaching requirements, the Illinois Board of Higher Education is trying to ensure that teacher certification standards are up to par.

Last fall a new basic skills test was instituted and the IBHE recommended universities test students before they enter into teacher education programs.

The board recommended that universities use the basic skills test and all other teacher content tests as gateways into the teacher preparation program.

Eastern had already adapted these recommendations “before IBHE made the recommendations,” Doug Bower, associate dean of the college of education and professional studies, said. “Eastern instituted a rule effective last fall that students must complete the test in order to be accepted into the education program.”

The changes were prompted by a report done by the IBHE and the Sun-Times. It states that 47 percent of active teachers listed in the Teacher Record Service file have never taken any teacher certification exam.

According to the report, 2,428 educational personnel, such as teachers, administrators and librarians, failed the basic skills test at least once during the 2000-01 school year. According to the report, the test “is widely regarded as having about a ninth grade difficulty level.” In the same year, 3,167 educational personnel failed one of 83 subject matter tests, the report found.

Since that time, the board issued a new, more difficult basic skills test in fall 2001. The test is considered to be at a college sophomore difficulty level and may be even more difficult for students to pass. The report’s findings were presented during last week’s IBHE meeting at DePaul University.

“The test currently is most widely used as a gateway out of the program,” Donald Sevener, IBHE communication director, said. “Students can take the test at any time in their college career. We want to ensure that no student will be involved in student teaching before they have completed the test.

“We want to make sure that everyone gets the message that the state is serious about its teaching programs,” Sevener said. “We must ensure the public that teachers have met the minimal requirements to become a teacher.”