Incentive for NBCTs employed in Hard-to-Staff Illinois School
A “hard-to-staff school" is defined by the Illinois Administrative Code [105 ILCS 5/21B-70] as a public school in which 30% or more of the student enrollment is considered low-income, as determined by the State Board of Education using available enrollment or funding data.
If you are an NBCT working in a qualifying school, you may be eligible for a $4,000 annual retention incentive for up to five consecutive years.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the $4,000 annual retention incentive, you must meet all of the following criteria for each of the two school years:
- Be employed full-time as a teacher or school counselor in an Illinois public school for the entire school year.
- Hold a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) designation on your Illinois Professional Educator License.
- Be a current National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT).
- Be employed for the full school year in a “hard-to-staff school" as defined above and in Public Act 103-0207.
Important: The $4,000 per year retention incentive for five consecutive years will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on when you submit your application.
