Educators holding this approval are eligible to serve students with the following disabilities in grades K-12, regardless of the teaching license currently held: learning disabilities, social emotional disorders, mental retardation, physical disabilities, autism, and traumatic brain injuries. The approval is valid for three years, and before it expires, you should obtain the LBS I endorsement. If you already hold an LBS I endorsement or approval, you are not eligible for the short-term emergency approval.
**The short-term emergency approval will no longer be issued beginning July 01, 2020**
- Submit an application online and pay the applicable fee (in required) in your Educator License Information System (ELIS) account.
- You must already hold an Illinois professional educator license endorsed for a teaching field or an educator license with stipulations endorsed for transitional bilingual educator.
- Complete ISBE form 73-86: Short-Term Emergency in Special Education
- Your school district, regional superintendent, and higher education institution where you are taking your coursework must sign the form before it is sent to ISBE.
- Additional documentation* to be provided by the applicant:
- Official transcripts showing completion of coursework in survey of exceptional children and at least one of the other three areas of coursework required for the LBS I approval
- Educator’s plan of study identifying enrollment in an educator preparation institution and coursework to be completed to qualify for the LBSI approval or endorsement within the three-year validity period of the short-term emergency approval.
- Documentation* to be provided by the employing district (public or non-public)
- Detailed description of the duties/responsibilities to be performed by the educator—not a generic job description
- Description of the disabilities, type of classes, and age ranges of the population to be served by the candidate
- Description of supervision, including the name, IEIN (Illinois Educator Identification Number), and the position title of the supervisor— The supervisor must hold a or b:
- general administrative or principal and LBS I (PK-21) endorsement
- an LBS I (PK-21) supervisory endorsement or the Director of Special Education endorsement
- Documentation* to be provided by the college/university:
- Verification from the licensure officer that the educator is enrolled in a preparation program leading to an LBS I approval or endorsement and that the educator’s educational plan can be completed within the three-year validity period of the short-term emergency approval.
- The Illinois State Board of Education will review the materials submitted and issue an endorsement or deficiency statement as appropriate. Should the request be disapproved, a detailed listing of all deficiencies will be generated.
*Documentation may be mailed to:
Illinois State Board of Education
Educator Licensure Division
100 N. First St.
Springfield, IL 62777
