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In order for an institution to offer one or more programs that prepare professional educators, that institution must be recognized, and the educator preparation provider (EPP) responsible for the programs must be recognized, by the State Board of Education in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board (SEPLB). Each Program that is offered by a recognized institution must also be individually approved by the State Board of Education in consultation with SEPLB. (Per Illinois Administrative Code 25 Section 25.115)

Institutions interested in becoming recognized in the State of Illinois should follow the steps below.

Step 1: Letter of Intent
  1. An institution submits a Letter of Intent to the State Superintendent of Education.
  2. Within 30 days after receipt of the Letter of Intent
    1. the State Superintendent will respond to the institution
    2. a staff member will be identified to assist the institution
    3. the institution will be invited to submit the institutional report to the assigned staff member.

Step 2: Institutional Report
  1. The institution will submit the institutional reportWord Document to the State Superintendent of Education, in the quality and format specified by the State Superintendent.
  2. Within 60 days after receipt, the State Board of Education will review and either:
    1. find the institutional report to be adequate and invite the institution to submit a proposal for each of the programs the institution wants to implement. Program proposals can be found on the Colleges & Universities page.
    2. find the institutional report to not be adequate, no further review will occur unless the institution submits a revised institutional report addressing the deficiencies identified. ​​

Step 3: On-Site Review Visit
  1. On-site review visit by The State Superintendent of Education (may include State Board staff and, if applicable, others external to the agency) to the institution. (If authorized)
  2. Within 30 business days after the conclusion of the review, the review team will prepare a draft report.
  3. Within 30 business days of receiving the report, the institution will review and correct factual errors and make changes as appropriate and submit to the review team.
  4. The review team will review the suggested revisions and make appropriate changes. Within 30 days of receiving the factual corrections from the institution, the review team will submit the final report to the State  Superintendent.
  5. Within 10 days of receiving the final report, the State Superintendent will provide a final report to the institution.

Step 4: Recommendation and Approval
  1. Within 30 business days after receipt of the final report, the institution shall submit to the State Superintendent either:​
    1. a letter stating agreement with the report’s findings, or if not in agreement, 
    2. 30 days after the rebuttal is received, the review team shall submit to the state superintendent a response to the institution rebuttal.
      • a rebuttal to the findings
      • The State Superintendent shall provide the institution the response to the rebuttal no later than 10 business days after receiving it.
  2. Staff of the State Board will present to SEPLB a recommendation including:
    1. review team’s final report
    2. the institutions letter of agreement or rebuttal
    3. a response to the rebuttal provided by the review team
    4. any other relevant documentation that was available to the staff
  3. After reviewing materials, SEPLB will convey its recommendation to the State Superintendent that the State Board of Education with either:
    1. recognize the institution and EPP; or
    2. deny recognition of the institution and EPP
  4. As a final step, prior to receiving recognition, an EPP must participate in a State Board of Education conducted training to orient to policies, rules, and procedures for licensure and entitlement in Illinois. 
  5. ​After Recognition of an institution and EPP, SEPLB shall review one or more proposed educator preparation programs.​
    1. A recognized EPP shall obtain approval of at least one educator preparation program within three years after the date it gained initial recognition.
    2. EPP’s that do not obtain approval of at least one educator preparation program shall no longer be considered recognized and must reapply for recognition.
    3. If all of an EPP’s educator preparation programs are discontinued, the EPP shall no longer be considered for recognized and must reapply for recognition.
Action Time
Submit Letter of Intent 30 days to approve
Submit Institutional Report 60 days to Review
Onsite Review Visit Report 30 business days after the visit
Onsite Review Visit Report Review 30 business days to make changes
Onsite Review Visit Report Final 30 business days to submit to State Superintendent
State Superintendent Report Final 10 business days to return final to institution
Institution Final Report Letter 30 business days to submit to State Superintendent
SEPLB Recommendation Next available monthly meeting
Program Approval (1 minimum) Within 3 years of Institution Recognition Approval​

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