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    Welcome

    School Social Work Licensing Moodle Page

  • Aurora University's Mission & Core Values

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    • Last Updated April 13, 2024

      PEL School Social Work Program

      Please note that this page has been formatted to provide a chronological approach to completing your Professional Educator License with a School Social Work Endorsement (abbreviated PEL: SSW, and formerly known as type 73).

      Please review these steps carefully and often.

      The School Social Work Track includes numerous requirements from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).  Utilize this Moodle shell resource, the ISBE website, and the Coordinator of the School Social Work Track to ensure that you can complete this professional goal in the time frame that you desire.

      NOTE: Please see below for a recorded Zoom session where I reviewed the PEL licensing process. If you have any remaining questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know any time!

      ALSO, If you haven't done so already, BE SURE to officially declare the school track using this track declaration form. This is essential to ensure that your academic progression plan includes the courses required by the IL State Board of Education!

      Emily Kath, MSW, LCSW, MAEL
      School Social Work Coordinator
      ekath@aurora.edu


    • resource icon
      12/16/22 Overview of PEL Licensing Process File
    • resource icon
      LICENSURE PROCESS CHECKLIST File

      Please download, save and utilize this checklist. The purpose of this checklist is to help you remain on track and aware of what is expected, what you have completed, and what still needs your attention. Let this checklist serve as a guide, and continue to read and reread Moodle for detailed information and important dates. 

  • School Social Work Track Required Coursework

    • 2023 ACADEMIC CATALOG AND BEYOND
      MSW students

      SWK 5620 SW Practice Exceptional Children

      SWK 6410 School Social Work Policy & Practice I (Fall)

      SWK 6420 School Social Work Policy & Practice II (Spring)

      SWK 6750 Advanced Field III (Fall)

      SWK 6760 Advanced Field IV (Spring) 

      Post-MSW PEL Students

      SWK 5620 SW Practice Exceptional Children

      SWK 6410 School Social Work Policy & Practice I (Fall)

      SWK 6420 School Social Work Policy & Practice II (Spring)

      SWK 6650 Advanced PEL Field I (Fall)

      SWK 6660 Advanced PEL Field II (Spring)

      PLEASE NOTE: All students must earn a "B" or better in all school social work track courses. Students who earn a "C" or below in a track course will be required to retake the course or change their track.

  • DISCLAIMER


    • Students who do not complete the steps in order or in a timely manner risk delaying or completely preventing themselves from earning the PEL: School Social Work endorsement from ISBE. Please note that Aurora University, the School of Social Work, and the Coordinator of the School Social Work Track take no responsibility for student errors in complying with the process described below. Please read each step carefully, make note of dates, and adhere to the timeline provided.

  • FIRST STEP: ELIS ACCOUNT

    The first task that a school social work candidate should do is create an ELIS account.

    • Create your ISBE profile here.  

      Please note that it is important to enter all information correctly, including your name, social security number, etc.  Do not lose your log-in ID and password.  Do not create duplicate accounts.  Issues with ISBE accounts on ELIS have delayed and prevented recent graduates from getting their PEL: Social Work license. In addition, do not submit a payment. This step does not require a fee to be paid.

      DO NOT CREATE ANOTHER ACCOUNT IF YOU HAVE CREATED ONE IN THE PAST. FOLLOW THE STEPS UNDER "FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD". IF YOU CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE ISSUES, CONTACT ISBE. 

  • SECOND STEP: SECURING AN INTERNSHIP

    Current IL Public School Districts Offering Stipends
    **Please note: this list is not all-inclusive.**

    Addison SD 4

    Argo Community High School D 217 - Summit

    Barrington 220

    Belleville 115

    Bourbonnais 53

    Buffalo Grove 102

    Carrollton CUSD 1

    CCSD 89 – Glen Ellyn

    Champaign CUSD 4

    Chicago Public Schools

    Community HSD 128 – Lake County

    CUSD 300 – Algonquin

    Danville SD 118

    DuPage SD 88

    Evanston/Skokie SD 65

    Evanston Township HSD 202

    Freeport SD 145

    Glenbard 87

    Glenbrook 225

    Harvard CUSD 50

    Highland Park Township HSD 113

    Indian Prairie SD 204

    Iroquois SPED ASSN - Gilman

    Joliet 86

    KSED Cooperative 801 - Centralia

    LaGrange Area Department of Special Education (LADSE)

    Lee County SPED – Dixon

    Mahomet-Seymore Community Schools

    Mid-State Special Education Cooperative - Morrisonville

    Morris SD 54

    Naperville 203

    New Lenox 122

    New Trier 203

    North DuPage SPED Cooperative

    Palatine SD 15

    Palatine 211

    Park Ridge CCSD 64

    Peoria 150

    Plainfield 202

    Pleasantdale SD 107

    Quincy SD 172

    Rantoul City SD 137

    Rockford SD 205

    Schaumburg SD 54

    SEAPCO – Peoria

    Stevenson High School - Lincolnshire

    Township HS District 214 – Cook County

    Urbana 116

    West Aurora 129

    Wheaton Warrenville CUSD 200

    Whiteside 115 – Belleville

                                                                          Wilmette 39                                                                  

    Updated 1/23/23


    • url icon
      Video Overview of Securing a School-Based Internship URL
    • resource icon
      Expectations of PEL Internship File
    • Only students seeking their PEL in MSW Advanced or post-MSW placements may count towards the school social work track.  Proposals for BSW and MSW Foundation placements in public schools may be denied by the field office. Be sure to check out the extensive list of already-approved schools in Tevera.

      School Social Work placements start in the fall and end in the spring semester, covering the duration of the school district's entire school year.
      School social work students should begin their search early in the spring semester prior to their projected fall internship start. Many school districts begin searching for internship candidates in January!
      Advertisements for school social work interns that are received by the field office will be sent to school social work students through email and/or Moodle messaging, but students are welcome and encouraged to independently search for a site. Some school districts will actually post internship openings on their district website, typically alongside employment opportunities in the Human Resources section. 

      NOTE: Any public school district that employs a School Social Worker with an MSW, PEL: SSW endorsement and at least two years of post-graduate experience is a viable option for field placement for this track.

    • ENSURE THE QUALITY OF YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER

      Before you begin applying to districts, make sure that your resume and cover letter accurately reflects you and your experiences as well as highlights you in a positive way.

      Issues with these documents are the most common thing that prevents candidates from getting interviews. There must be no grammatical or spelling errors, and all previous experiences should reflect why you are a stellar school social work intern candidate.

      If you need assistance with reviewing and/or refining your resume or cover letter, please use AU's Career Services.

    • REFERENCES

      Be sure to use references who can easily speak to your positive character. Ensure that you have their current contact information, and you have permission to list them as a reference. Opportunities can be lost if references aren't prepared to speak highly of candidates.

    • APPLYING FOR A PLACEMENT

      You will find that the application process varies greatly from school district to school district. Some districts will ask that you send a resume and cover letter to the social worker or principal at a specific school, while others will ask that you complete the online application that can be found on the district's website and typically organized under the Human Resources department.

      Please note that online applications tend to be quite long.  They typically require essays that may not necessarily be applicable to school social work candidates, but be sure to complete them adjust them to meet school social work. For instance, a common question may be about your classroom management style, which isn't necessarily applicable to school social workers, but you can describe your role as a social worker in consulting with classroom teachers regarding the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of special needs students.

      These online essays always have a Draft Save function to allow you to save it and work on it later before your final submission. Don't make a final submission until you're sure that everything is complete and free of any errors. Consider saving any essays that you compose for online applications. Often, you'll find that they questions are similar from district to district, and you can reuse them for multiple applications with minor adjustments.

      ** Also, if you're unsure who to initially connect with in a school district, email the Director of Special Education or Special Services or a School Social Worker, as these people will know the district's capacity to host an intern; building principals and superintendents don't always know the answer to your questions. **

    • INTERVIEWING

      The format of interviews in school districts vary greatly. They can range from one-on-one interviews with the school social worker or principal to panel interviews with numerous representatives from the district, including special education administrators. Prepare yourself for all options, and be ready to discuss why you want to go into school social work, what assets and/or prior experiences you would bring to this internship, and turn any deficits into a goal that you're hoping to attain during the internship.

      Do not assert that you want to be a school social worker because you want summers off, you want to "counsel kids", or because of your own experiences with mental health crises in adolescence.

    • FIELD APPLICATION

      Once you secure a placement, complete the field application in your Tevera account by June 1.


    • resource icon
      PEL School Social Work Learning Agreement File
    • resource icon
      Examples-PEL School Social Work Learning Agreement File

  • THIRD STEP: post-MSW PEL students ONLY

      • Post-MSW students returning to AU for their PEL must request from both their undergraduate and graduate institutions that their transcripts be sent to ISBE [to be added to their ELIS account] before their final day as an AU student.

      • One way to complete this process is to take your official transcripts to your local Regional Office of Education (ROE) and have them upload them to your account on your behalf.  A link to the directory of ROEs from the ISBE website may be found here. Be sure to call prior to going to the ROE, as there may be varying steps to the process.

        Note:         To be deemed official, paper transcripts must be submitted in the sealed envelope from the college or university or be sent directly by the institution. Paper transcripts received that are not in a sealed envelope from the university or sent directly from the university will be considered unofficial and will not be used for evaluation purposes.

      • You may also request your universities mail them to:
        ISBE
        100 N. 1st Street
        Springfield, IL 62777

      • Electronic transcripts can be addressed to:
        Attention: Illinois State Board of Education Educator Licensure and emailed to: transcripts@isbe.net 

      • AU students may use this link to request transcripts.

  • FOURTH STEP: DISPOSITION PROCESS - NO student action required

    • Aurora University's accreditation with ISBE requires that we have a mechanism to review and potentially remove school social work candidates for gross incompetence, unethical behavior, etc. This process is referred to as the Disposition Process and your Instructors in SWK 6410: School Social Work Policy and Practice I, SWK 6420: School Social Work Policy and Practice II, and SWK 6430: Post-MSW PEL Course will complete the Disposition paperwork. The description of the Disposition process and the actual form are included below for your reference.

      PLEASE NOTE: No action is required by you as the student. The information listed in this section is for your information only. If an instructor has a concern with your behavior, they will bring that concern to your attention. 


    • resource icon
      Disposition Process File
    • resource icon
      Disposition Rating Rubric File

  • FIFTH STEP: CONTENT EXAM

    The Content Exam is a test administered through the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) that measures your basic school social work skills & knowledge.  

    The School of Social Work recommends that you sign up to take exam 238 between the end of your first semester of your school internship and school social work course but before April of the year you intend to graduate. Both your internship experience and all school social work course material will assist you with the exam. 

    • There is no limit to the number of times you take this exam; however, the ILTS policy requires a 2- week period between exam retakes.
    • You are only required to pass one exam one time. 
    • Note: Some school districts may ask that you complete the Content exam prior to starting your placement.

    • Free Practice Test for School Social Worker Test 
      A review of pass-rate data for the School Social Worker Exam (238) indicates that candidates of all subgroups improve substantially from first attempt to best attempt. This shows that preparation is vital to test success. Pearson is offering one free practice exam per candidate to better assist candidates and address pass-rate concerns. Access to the test should be available on and after December 5. The free practice test for this content area is available prior to registration for those individuals who wish to utilize it. The test can be accessed by navigating to Pearson’s Illinois Licensure Testing System webpage. When the candidate selects the School Social Worker (238) practice test, the next page should show the practice test as free.

    • Vouchers for Content Exam 238 Experience
      AU recently received a sizeable grant from West 40 School District that allowed the purchase of a huge stack of ILTS vouchers for the full cost of content exams [of $122]. As a reminder, ISBE requires content exam 238 to be in candidates' ELIS accounts prior to their PEL being issued and after the candidate completes our AU degree or post-MSW PEL program.

      If you are interested in receiving a voucher, please send Emily Kath, School SWK Coordinator, an email at ekath@aurora.edu and rest assured that she will soon be back in touch with a voucher code that does not expire until 10/13/24!
      In short, if you still need to pass content exam 238, you can access both a free practice test, as well as a free exam experience! 

    Reporting of Test Scores

    "Your test results are reported to you, ISBE, and the educator preparation program (i.e. Aurora University) that you indicate when you register. Your score is reported directly to ISBE and will be automatically added to your ELIS account."

    Once you have a passing test score in your ELIS account, there is nothing more for you to do. Please DO NOT make any changes or apply for anything in your ELIS account until you hear from AU's School Track Coordinator a few weeks after your MSW graduation. Making changes or applying in advance of hearing from the Coordinator may cause a delay in you obtaining your PEL!

    Consider using Study.com to help you prepare for the Exam!
    Username: coefield@aurora.edu
    Password: Spartan01

    Check out this video for step-by-step directions on how to use this great resource!
    Passcode: 8WrJ$rN5

  • Topic 9

  • SIXTH STEP: Entitlement/ Licensure Process

    • In order to begin the entitlement process to receive your PEL SSW endorsement, your degree must first be conferred and your program noted as completed by the Aurora University Registrar. NOTE: This process typically occurs 2-6 weeks after your graduation. 


      After your degree has been conferred and your program noted as completed, you will receive an email from the School Social Work Track Coordinator informing you of how to register and pay for your license. Please do NOT apply for and/or pay for your licensure before you receive an email from the SSW Track Coordinator. Doing so may cause your ELIS account to be suspended, which may result in a delayed PEL.

    • resource icon
      Degree Requirement Completion Letter Request File

      Complete the form to request a completion letter from the AU Registrar's Office if the hiring district requests documentation of your anticipated completion date

    • resource icon
      2/24/23 Collective Bargaining Agreement Zoom Meeting File

  • YOUR CAREER as a School Social Worker

  • Job Websites

  • Job Tips & Interview Questions

  • Keeping Your License Active

    • resource icon
      School Social Work Best Practice Guide File

      To maintain an active PEL: SSW endorsement, obtain 120 Professional Development Hours (PDH) every 5 years.

      If you have a PEL: SSW endorsement and an LSW or LCSW, follow IDFPR Continuing Education (CE) requirements. For more information, check out Chapter 7 of the School Social Work Best Practice Guide. 



  • Collective Bargaining Agreements