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• Before July 1, 2001: 100 paid days or 500 paid hours in a school year 
  
• July 1, 2001-June 30, 2011: 120 paid days or 600 paid hours in a school year 
  
• July 1, 2011-June 30, 2018: 100 paid days or 500 paid hours in a school year 
  
• July 1, 2018-June 30, 2020: 120 paid days or 600 paid hour each school year, but no more than 100 paid days in the same classroom 
  
• July 1, 2020 and forward: 100 paid days or 500 paid hours in a school year. 
  

• Subsequent Endorsement Requirements: Individuals who already hold a PEL can add additional endorsements by completing 24 semester hours of coursework + the applicable content test, or as otherwise specified by rule. Additional details will be written into rule this summer. 
  
• The ELS-PEDU will no longer be issued since individuals who would have previously qualified for the ELS-PEDU will now qualify for the PEL. 
  
• New Educator Licenses with Stipulations: All approvals (with the exception of the short-term emergency and the short-term approval) will now be issued as endorsements on an ELS. The approvals will be categorized into similar areas, such as school support personnel interns and special education areas. ELIS is currently being reconfigured for this change; the option to apply 
  
• for the ELS instead of an approval is not yet available in ELIS. The field will be notified once the option is available. 
  
• Individuals who hold a lapsed PEL can now obtain a substitute teaching license. Previously, if an individual had a lapsed PEL, they had to reinstate the PEL before being qualified to sub. Now, the only requirement for a sub license is a degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education. Individuals who hold a suspended or revoked PEL are still ineligible to receive a sub license. 
  
• School districts cannot require educators who already hold a PEL or ELS to also hold a substitute teaching license in order to sub. 
  
• New License: Short-Term Substitute Teaching License: 
  
• Valid for PK-12 
• Application fee is $25 (can be refunded within 18 months after teaching 10 days within one year of the license being issued.) 
• No registration fee 
• Associate degree or 60 semester hrs from a regionally-accredited IHE required 
• C an teach no more than 5 consecutive days per licensed teacher under contract 
• Must complete the training for short-term subs before teaching on the license 
• All licenses shall have an expiration date of June 30, 2023. Thus, depending on issue date, some licenses will have a cycle that is shorter than 5 years. No licenses will be issued after this date. 

1. Hold a valid, comparable OOS license + the relevant degree needed for the license, OR 
   
2. Complete a state-approved program and all other current licensure requirements (tests, PEL coursework, student teaching/internship, etc.) 
   

• Retirees: Clarifies that individuals who are retired from an Illinois retirement system must mark themselves as “retired” in ELIS so their license can be retained in “retired” status. 
  
• Explicitly states that educators may not “double dip” with PD that is taken between July 1 and August 31 of a renewal year. Activities may be counted toward one cycle only. 
  
• PD Providers must request an IEIN from all participants. 
  
• Clarifies that all PD providers will be audited at least once every 5 years and that ISBE may audit more often if evidence suggests requirements from law or rule are not being met. 
  

Test scores:  Removes the 10 year expiration date for content tests/edTPA/APT. All tests are valid indefinitely.

Educator License with Stipulations (ELS-PEDU):  The 15 semester hours or major coursework is no longer required to be issued the ELS-PEDU. Educators must hold a valid, comparable OOS license and at least a bachelor’s degree.

Chief School Business Official: Provides that applicants who have not been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education applying for a Professional Educator License endorsed for chief school business official and who have successfully completed a test of content, as identified by rules, at the time of initial licensure in another state or country shall not be required to complete a test of content. Adds an immediate effective date. 

Career and Tech Ed: (CTE and CTEP Renewal):  a test of work proficiency (the ACT WorkKeys®) may be completed in place of the basic skills for renewal if the CTE or CTEP was originally issued January 1, 2015 or after. 

(**New) Provisional In-State Educator:  an ELS-PEDU may be awarded to an individual who has completed an Illinois approved teacher education program, but has not yet passed the edTPA. The educator must hold a bachelor’s degree and have passed the test of basic skills and the appropriate content test. Educators must receive a minimum edTPA score that has been approved by the Board to be eligible for this license. It is valid for one year (full fiscal year), and cannot be renewed. Institutions of higher education will be able to entitle for this license.

Substitute Teaching License- The new fee for substitute teaching licenses is $50. Substitute teaching license may be renewed after 5 years without evidence of passing a test of basic skills. 

Teacher Leader Endorsement:  In lieu of required coursework, educators are eligible to demonstrate competencies (specific competencies will be outlined in rule). 

Professional Educator License Requirements 

• For Teachers/School Support Personnel trained out of state, licensure requirements are:
  
• ​a valid, comparable OOS license; 
• ​required degree and a major directly related to the licensure area sought; 
• ​student teaching/internship; 
• ​required tests (content tests taken in another state or country will be honored if they were required for licensure in the other state); and
• ​​coursework in methods of teaching reading, reading in the content area, methods of teaching cross-categorical special education, methods of teaching ESL/bilingual students.)
• For principals/superintendents trained out of state or out of country, must complete a state-approved program and pass required tests. Content tests taken in another state or country will be honored if required for licensure. Educators no longer have to have been issued a license endorsed in a teaching field.
  
• For Chief School Business Officials trained out of state or country, must complete master’s degree in specific area, internship or 2 years of experience, tests, and modules in reading methods, special education, and English learners. Out-of-state content tests used for licensure in another state can be honored. Out-of-state content tests will be honored for all routes that can be taken to earn the CSBO endorsement. 
  

Renewal for Retired Educators: Educator must complete Professional Development on a prorated basis depending on the number of years the educator held an active license. When educators retire, they change their status to “retired” in ELIS. Through December 31, 2017: If an educator failed to change his/her status to “retired” in ELIS and lapsed due to failure to renew, the educator may reinstate the license and maintain it in retired status upon providing proof to ISBE using ELIS that the licensee is retired and not working in a position that requires a PEL. ​

Questions and Answers

1. ISSUANCE AND TIMEFRAMES FOR ELS-PEDU: (21B-20) (A) (ii) A provisional license, valid for one fiscal year, will be issued with proof of a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid, comparable out-of-state license. If a test of basic skills and the content test are passed within this one year period, the license will be extended automatically for one additional fiscal year, during which time all remaining deficiencies must be met. No application or fee is needed for this extension. If the tests have not been passed within the initial one year period, the license will expire.
   
   Additionally, if the individual has not held a position in a public or non-public school recognized by ISBE on his/her ELS(PEDU), he/she can renew the license for an additional two fiscal years (beyond the original two-year period) by requesting the renewal via ISBE form 80-04: Request to Renew Educator License with Stipulations- Provisional Educator. The educator’s regional office of education must verify the educator has not been employed on the license.
   
   
2. OUT-OF-STATE TEST OF BASIC SKILLS- (21B-35)(6) Applicants who have successfully completed a test of basic skills, as defined by rules, at the time of initial licensure in another state or another country shall not be required to complete an Illinois test of basic skills. Applicants should use ISBE form 80-02: State-Approved Program and Completion of Standards Verification or ISBE form 80-03: Out-of-State Test of Basic Skills Verification: Department/Board of Education Use Only to verify completion of the test. (e.g. If an educator completed a preparation program at an Iowa institution and obtains licensure in Iowa—form 80-02 should be used. If an educator completed a preparation program in Iowa, did not obtain Iowa licensure, but obtained licensure in Missouri, form 80-03 should be completed by Missouri’s department of education.
   
   
3. EDUCATOR TESTING – (21B-30) (b) No score on a test required under this Section, other than a test of basic skills, shall be more than 10 years old at the time that an individual makes application for an educator license or endorsement. The test of basic skills is valid indefinitely. Content Tests, APT, edTPA: Valid for 10 years.
   
   
4. OUT-OF-STATE PRINCIPAL AND SUPERINTENDENT- Educators who completed an out-of-state principal preparation program can now apply for the principal endorsement through ISBE transcript evaluation. Click here to view the specific requirements to earn the principal or superintendent endorsement. A provisional educator endorsement to serve as a superintendent or principal may be affixed to an ELS-PEDU.
   
   
5. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATORS- (21B-20) (E) The CTE endorsement on an ELS may be issued when applicant has 60 hours of coursework and 2000 hours of work experience outside of education. (Work experience no longer needs to have been completed within 10 years of license being issued).
   
   
6. CHIEF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS- (21B-20) (K) Applicants may apply for a PEL endorsed for CSBO or an ELS endorsed for CSBO. View the PEL CSBO requirements here. The two paths to obtain the ELS CSBO requirements are found here. An ELS endorsed for CSBO is valid for five fiscal years and may be renewed if the educator completes professional development requirements.
   
   
7. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE- (21B-25) (A) Beginning September 1, 2014 the General Administrative endorsement shall no longer be issued EXCEPT to individuals who completed the coursework for issuance of the GA endorsement before September 1, 2014 and who have completed all testing requirements by June 30, 2016 and have made application for the endorsement by June 30, 2016. Requirements can be found here.
   
   
8. REQUIRED COURSEWORK FOR PEL (21B-35) (a) (3) (4) (5) All applicants who have not been entitled by an Illinois approved preparation program for education and are applying for a PEL endorsed in a teaching field or school support must meet the same requirements concerning coursework in 1) methods of instruction of the exceptional child, 2) methods of reading and reading in the content area, 3) instructional strategies for English language learners as candidates entitled by IL approved educator prep programs. This means a certain number of semester hours is no longer required in each area. ISBE form 80-02: State Approved Program and Verification of Completion of Standards should be completed by the applicant’s educator preparation program to verify completion of coursework. If the institution does not verify completion of specific coursework, the applicant will need to complete coursework in that area.
   
   
9. PARAPROFESSIONAL RENEWAL (21B-45) An Educator License with Stipulations with only the paraprofessional license does not lapse; therefore there is no longer a $150 reinstatement fee.
   
   
10. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (21B-45) PD no longer has to be entered within 60 days of completion.
    
    
11. ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT APPROVED PROVIDERS (21B-45) State agencies, State boards, State commissions, and Public community colleges subject to the Public Community College Act may now be approved providers.