Quick Links

Educator Certification

Welcome to the ISBE Division of Educator Certification, Recertification and Preparation Website! The following links provide information on the Illinois certification process for both new and experienced educators. Should you have questions or concerns regarding the certification process in Illinois, please contact your Regional Office of Education.

Select one of the following links:

Important Notices!

Basic Skills Test Replaced by ICTS Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP): (1/31/12)
Effective February 1, 2012: Registration opens January 31, 2012. For more information please visit the ICTS Website at http://www.icts.nesinc.com/IL16_whatsnew.asp#TAP

Reinstating a Lapsed Certificate: (1/24/12)
Please Note: Developmental courses may not be applied towards the 9 semester hour requirement to reinstate a lapsed certificate. Developmental courses are typically those with course numbers under the 100 level although this is not universal. Please check with your institution to confirm whether or not a particular course is considered developmental.

Please be advised that pursuant to PA 97-0607 signed on August 26, 2011, educator certification fees increased on January 1, 2012. The new fees are as follows:

$75.00 application fee for each educator certificate
$50.00 for each subsequent endorsement application
$10.00 per year registration fee for the course of the validity cycle*

*The registration fee must be paid in its entirety. For example, the registration fee for a certificate with a five-year validity cycle would be $50.00.

Memorandum to Districts Regarding Lapsed Certificates (12/21/11)
We regret that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is not equipped to meet with individuals who arrive at the agency with the intent of speaking to staff members about certification concerns. Please address concerns via phone or mail only. The general number for the Division of Educator Certification is 217-557-6763, and the address is Illinois State Board of Education, Educator Certification Division (S-306), 100 North First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62777-0001.

For concerns regarding registration, administration, or scoring of educator certification tests, please visit the Illinois Certification Testing System (ICTS) website at http://www.icts.nesinc.com/ for contact information.
Individuals may not receive their ICTS scores if they do not use their correct social security numbers for registering or testing.
Certification Requirements Handbook
Beginning January 12, 2010, no individual may attempt to pass the same ICTS test more than five times. Any previous test attempts for the same test made prior to January 12, 2010, do not count toward the five-time limit. Click here for more information.
Beginning in September of 2010, the Basic Skills test will have a new design and score-reporting model. Click here for more information.
Are you an out-of-state applicant seeking Illinois certification? Click here for more information.
Effective January 4, 2010, the Illinois State Board of Education will no longer maintain teacher certification facilities at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago. Click here for more information.