XII. Administrative Certificates

Administrative certificates are required for persons serving in administrative roles. These certificates are valid for five-year periods and may be renewed. The certificate is available by transcript evaluation only to persons who have completed an approved school administrator program in another state or who hold another state's comparable certificate.

Renewals of these certificates for persons serving in public school administrative positions require completion of professional development for administrators. Applicants interested in any of the endorsements on the administrative certificate must apply on form ISBE 73-03D,"Application for School Service or Administrative Certificate." Applicants may download the form from the website at http://www.isbe.net/certification/html/forms.htm or they may apply over the internet using a credit card at http://www.isbe.net/otis/.

Provisional Administrative Certificates

Should applicants from other states who hold valid comparable certificates from their states not meet all of Illinois' requirements, they can be issued a provisional Illinois certificate. The first year of the two year certificate expires on June 30 following the date of issue. When a provisional certificate has been issued and the holder has not passed the required Illinois examinations within nine months after the issue date, the certificate will be canceled.

A. General Administrative Endorsement (2004)

This endorsement is required for principals, assistant principals, assistant or associate superintendents, and staff filling other similar or related positions as indicated in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.Appendix B. (See also 23 Ill. Adm. Code 29.120.)

1. Candidates for the general administrative endorsement shall hold a master's degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education that encompasses the coursework in educational administration and supervision.
2. Candidates shall have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of administrators or a comparable approved program in another state or country or hold a comparable certificate issued by another state or country.
3. Candidates shall have two years' full-time teaching or school service personnel experience in public schools, schools under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, schools under the administration of the Department of Human Services, or nonpublic schools recognized by the State Board of Education or meeting comparable out-of-state recognition standards.
4. Candidates shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test, as well as the test of basic skills if its passage would be required for receipt of a standard certificate.
5. Nothing in this Section is intended to preclude the issuance of a provisional certificate under Section 21-10 of the School Code.  

Alternative Route to Administrative Certification for National Board Certified Teachers

The Alternative Route to Administrative Certification provides an opportunity for qualified individuals to earn a General Administrative Certificate which allows the holder to work as a school principal in Illinois.

If you are a teacher who meets all of the following criteria, you are eligible to apply to an Illinois institution of higher education that has an approved Alternative Route to Administrative Certification for National Board Certified Teachers program.

To be eligible for enrollment in this program, applicants must:

1. hold certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS); and
2. hold a Teacher Leader Endorsement; and
3. hold master’s degrees in Teacher Leadership.

If you meet the criteria and want to pursue the Administrative Certification, contact an Illinois University for details about becoming a candidate.

Candidates for administrative certification must complete a 15-semester-hour approved course of study addressing the following areas:

1. competencies for organizational management and development,
2. finance,
3. supervision and evaluation,
4. policy and legal issues, and
5. leadership.

Eligible candidates must pass the Illinois Certification Testing System “Principal 186” state test prior to receiving the administrative certificate.  After completion of all requirements, the Administrative Certificate with the general administrative endorsement will be issued.  As a subsequent certificate, the administrative certificate can be issued only if the Basic Skills test has been passed.

B. Chief School Business Official (2004)

This endorsement is required for chief school business officials.

1. Candidates for the chief school business official's endorsement shall hold a master's degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
2. Candidates, whose master's degrees were earned in business administration, finance, or accounting, shall be required to pass the basic skills and content area tests.
3. All other candidates shall
   1. have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of school business officials or a comparable approved program in another state or country or hold a comparable certificate issued by another state or country; and
   2. have two years' administrative experience in school business management.
4. Each candidate shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test, as well as the test of basic skills if its passage would be required for receipt of a standard certificate.
5. Nothing in this Section is intended to preclude the issuance of a provisional certificate under Section 21-10 of the School Code.

C. Superintendent (2004)

This endorsement is required of school district superintendents.

1. Candidates for the superintendent's endorsement shall hold a master's degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
2. Candidates shall have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of superintendents or a comparable approved program in another state or country or hold a comparable certificate issued by another state or country.
3. Candidates shall have at least two years' administrative or supervisory experience in schools, on at least a half-time basis, on a general supervisory, general administrative, or all-grade supervisory endorsement on an administrative certificate, or a comparable out-of-state credential; the superintendent's endorsement shall not be issued as an individual's first endorsement on the administrative certificate unless issued on the basis of a comparable out-of-state credential.
4. Candidates shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test, as well as the test of basic skills if its passage would be required for receipt of a standard certificate.
5. Nothing is intended to preclude the issuance of a provisional certificate under Section 21-10 of the School Code.

D. Director of Special Education

This endorsement is required for directors and assistant directors of special education, effective July 1, 2005. All candidates are subject to the requirements of subsections (a) through (d).

1. Candidates for the director of special education endorsement shall hold a master's degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
2. Candidates shall have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of directors of special education (complete entitlement application process) OR
   1. Hold a comparable certificate issued by another state or country (complete application for administrative certificate process) OR
   2. Submit evidence of having completed 30 semester hours of coursework, distributed among all the following areas (complete application for endorsement process):
      1. Survey of exceptional children
      2. Special methods courses covering at least three areas of disability
      3. Educational and psychological diagnosis and remedial techniques
      4. Supervision/administration of special education programs and personnel
      5. Guidance and counseling
3. Candidates shall have two years' full-time teaching experience or school service personnel experience in a field other than school nursing in public schools, schools under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, schools under the administration of the Department of Human Services, or nonpublic schools recognized by the State Board of Education or meeting comparable out-of-state recognition standards.
4. Candidates shall be required to pass the Director of Special Education test (#180), as well as the test of basic skills if its passage would be required for the receipt of a standard certificate.
5. Nothing is intended to preclude the issuance of a provisional certificate under Section 21-10 of the School Code.

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