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Once you hold a Professional Educator License (PEL) or Educator License with Stipulations endorsed in a teaching field, you can add additional content area endorsements. These endorsements can be added at any grade level even if the underlying teaching endorsement on the PEL is a different grade range. The PEL serves as a foundation to which any teaching endorsement can be added after applicable coursework and testing are completed.

Illinois offers full reciprocity for all endorsements listed on a valid, comparable out-of-state license. To add subsequent endorsements to your Professional Educator License (PEL) via reciprocity, please apply for the endorsement in your ELIS account and provide a copy of your valid, comparable out-of-state license. ​​

Click here to find which Illinois institutions offer approved preparation programs.

All coursework must be completed through a regionally accredited institution for licensure in Illinois. Below you will find a list of regionally accrediting bodies.

Early Childhood Education Birth-Grade 2
Endorsement Type ​Requirements
Early Childhood
  • ​18 semester hours of coursework specific to or inclusive of Early Childhood Education with coursework in each of the following areas:
    • Child Growth and Development
    • Planning and Assessment
    • Methods and Content Pedagogy
    • Literacy Methods
    • Collaborative Relationships with Family or Communities
  • Pass the Early Childhood Education content test (206)​

Elementary Education 1-6
Endorsement Type Requirements
Elementary Education
  • ​18 semester hours of coursework specific to or inclusive of Elementary Education with coursework in each of the following areas:
    • Growth and Development
    • Planning and Assessment
    • Methods and Content Pedagogy
    • Literacy Methods
  • Pass the Elementary Education content test (305)​
Elementary Mathematics Specialist
  • Hold a valid Illinois Professional Educator License endorsed in a teaching field
  • Present evidence of two years of full-time teaching experience either on the Illinois Professional Educator License or on a comparable out-of-state license
  • Hold a master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
  • Complete a grades 1-6 elementary mathematics specialist preparation program from Illinois or out-of-state (use form 73-05H​​PDF Document to verify program completion)
    • Program must include 18 semester hours of coursework in the distribution below and a practicum.  Coursework must be listed on an official transcript:
      • Mathematical content knowledge
      • Mathematical practices
      • Development of mathematical understanding in elementary education
      • Elementary mathematics pedagogy and assessment
      • Leadership and adult learning
  • ​Elementary Mathematics Specialist Content Test (under development)

This credential is only available through an Illinois approved program entitlement or via reciprocity.​

Middle Grades 5-8
​The Middle Grades 5-8 endorsement may be added by passing the content exam and completing 18 semester hours of coursework in the content area. 

*All Middle Grades 5-8 endorsements must include a content specific methods coursework within the 18 semester hour content coursework requirement.
Endorsement Type Requirements
General Science
  • ​18 semester hours including a methods*
  • Middle Grade Science (203) test
Language Arts
  • ​18 semester hours including a methods*
  • Middle grade Language Arts (201) test
Mathematics
  • ​18 semester hours including a methods*
  • Middle Grade Math (202) test
Social Sciences
  • ​18 semester hours including a methods*
  • Middle Grade Social Science (204) test​

Senior High 9-12

*Subsequent senior high science or social science endorsements may be added in the same subject (i.e. science or social science) by passing the applicable content test or completing 12 semester hours of coursework in the content area.  This provision only applies if an educator already holds an issued designation science or social science endorsement.  For example, an educ​ator would qualify for this provision with a Science-Biology or a Social Science-Psychology endorsement but not Chemistry, Biological Science, or Psychology.  ​

​
Endorsement Type Requirements
English Language Arts
  • ​18 semester hours
  • English Language Arts (​207) test
Mathematics
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Mathematics (​208) test
Safety and Driver’s Education
  • ​18 semester hours with the following distribution:
    • 3 semester hours in injury prevention or safety
    • 9 semester hours in driver education that include:
      • Driving task analysis (introduction to driver education)
      • Teaching driver education in the classroom
      • Teaching the laboratory portion of the driver education course, including on-street teaching under the supervision of a qualified driver education teacher, advanced driver education, and emergency evasive driving maneuvers
    • 6 semester hours from two of the following areas:
      • First aid
      • Adolescent/young adult psychology
      • Any safety-related issue relevant to driver education
      • Advanced driver education in use of simulation/multiple care programs
      • Health/wellness
      • Care & prevention of injuries
      • Alcohol/drug abuse issues
      • Drivers Education for students with disabilities
*Science – Biology
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Biology
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other science area
      • Coursework must be completed in both life and physical sciences
  • Science – Biology (239) test
*Science – Chemistry
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Chemistry
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other science area
      • Coursework must be completed in both life and physical sciences
  • Science – Chemistry (240) test
*Science – Earth & Space
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Earth and Space Science
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other science area
      • Coursework must be completed in both life and physical sciences
  • Science – Earth & Space (241) test
*Science – Environmental
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Environmental Science
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other science area
      • Coursework must be completed in both life and physical sciences
  • Science – Environmental (242) test
*Science – Physics
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Physics
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other science area
      • Coursework must be completed in both life and physical sciences
  • Science – Physics (243) test
*Social Science – Economics
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Economics
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other social science area
  • Social Science – Economics (244) test
*Social Science – Geography
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Geography
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other social science area
  • Social Science – Geography (245) test
*Social Science – History
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in History
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other social science area
  • Social Science – History (246) test
*Social Science – Political Science
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Political Science
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other social science area
  • Social Science – Political Science (247) test
*Social Science – Psychology
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Psychology
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other social science area
  • Social Science – Psychology (248) test
*Social Science – Sociology & Anthropology
  • 18 semester hours of coursework total
    • At least 12 semester hours in Sociology and Anthropology
    • Remaining hours must contain coursework in at least one other social science area
  • Social Science – Social & Anthropology (249) test​​​

PEL CTE 5-12
​The PEL CTE 5-12 endorsement may be added by passing the content exam and completing 18 semester hours of coursework in the content area.​
Endorsement Type Requirements
Agricultural Education (5-12)
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Agricultural Education (215) test
Business, Marketing, and Computer Education (5-12)
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Business, Marketing, & Computer Education (216 test)
Business, Marketing, and Computer Education – Business Computer Programming (5-12)
  • ​18 semester hours
  • 9 of the 18 semester hours in Computer Programming
  • Business, Marketing, & Computer Education (216 test)
Computer Applications (5-12)
  • ​18 semester hours
Computer Science (5-12)
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Computer Science (205) test
Family and Consumer Science 
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Family and Consumer Science (217) test
Technology Education (Industrial Arts) (5-12)
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Technology Education (219) test​​

Special PK-12
Endorsement Type Requirements
Biling​ual Education
  • ​18 semester hours of credit with coursework in each of the following areas:
    • Foundations of bilingual education
    • Assessment of bilingual students
    • Methods and materials for teaching limited-English-proficient students in bilingual programs (this is a bilingual methods course)
    • Cross-cultural studies for teaching limited-English-proficient students
    • Methods and materials for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)
    • Elective (an additional bilingual or ESL course)
  • 100 clinical clock hours of experience verified by the university or 3 months of teaching experience verified by the school district in a bilingual setting. Letters of experience from the school district or proof of clinical clock hours from the college/university must come directly from the college/university or the school district to licensureforms@isbe.net​.
  • And ONE of the following:
    • Passing the applicable Target Language Proficiency test
    • Hold a degree from an out-of-country college/university where the medium of instruction throughout the institution was in the target language (non-English)
    • Hold the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy or the Global Seal of Biliteracy in the target language
      Seal of Biliteracy Information​PDF Document
State Seal of Biliteracy​Global Seal of Biliteracy
English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • ​18 semester hours of credit with coursework in each of the following areas:
    • Linguistics
    • Theoretical foundations of teaching ESL
    • Assessment of the bilingual student
    • Methods and materials for teaching ESL
    • Cross-cultural studies for teaching limited-English proficient students
    • Elective (an additional ESL or bilingual course)
  • 100 clinical clock hours of experience verified by the college/university or 3 months of teaching experience verified by the school district in an ESL setting. Letters of experience from the school district or proof of clinical clock hours from the college/university must come directly from the school district or college/university to licensureforms@isbe.net​.
Dance
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Dance (209) test
Drama/Theatre Arts
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Drama/Theatre Arts (210) test
World Language
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Applicable world language test*
  • An additional world language endorsement may be added by passing the applicable world language test if you already hold one of the world language endorsements.​
  • A world language endorsement may be added by passing the world language test if you already hold a bilingual education endorsement in the same target language.  

*The world language content test may be waived if you hold an Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy or a Global Seal of Biliteracy.

Click here for information about the State and Global Seals of BiliteracyPDF Document.

State Seal of Biliteracy​Global Seal of Biliteracy
Gifted Education Specialist
  • ​Hold an Illinois professional educator license endorsed in a teaching field
  • Present evidence of two years of teaching experience on the Illinois professional educator license or a comparable out-of-state license involving the education of gifted students
  • Hold a master's degree or higher awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education
  • Complete a state-approved K-12 gifted education specialist program at a regionally-accredited institution of higher education (use form 73-05GPDF Document to verify program completion)
    • Includes clinical experiences with five or more students in both PK- grade 8 AND grades 9-12, and work with at least one student enrolled in PK-grade 8 and one student enrolled in grades 9-12.
  • Pass the Gifted Specialist content test (312)
Gifted Education Teacher
  • ​18 semester hours of credit with coursework in each of the following areas:
    • characteristics of the field of gifted education as it pertains to gifted children, including their cognitive, creative and affective development
    • the wide range of ways in which a child is gifted; issues and practices in identifying and serving gifted children; and the manner in which assessment data shape decisions about identification, learning progress and outcomes
    • theoretical and research-based data necessary for the development of programs, curriculum and instructional sequences for gifted children, especially those serving gifted students from diverse populations
    • A Practicum
  • Gifted Education (NES) (312) test
Health Education
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Health Education (​211) test
Library Information Specialist
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Library Information Specialist (175/220) test
Music
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Music (143/212) test
Physical Education
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Physical Education (144/213) test
Reading Teacher
  • ​18 semester hours of credit with coursework in each of the following areas:
    • Foundations of reading
    • Content area reading
    • Assessment and diagnosis of reading problems
    • Developmental and remedial reading instruction, support, materials and resources
    • Literature appropriate to students across all grade ranges
    • Reading practicum
  • Reading Teacher (177/222) or Reading Specialist (221) test
Reading Specialist
  • Hold a Illinois professional educator license endorsed in a teacher field
  • Present evidence of two years of full-time teaching experience either on the Illinois professional educator license or on a comparable out-of-state license
  • Hold a master's degree or higher from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education
  • Complete a K-12 reading specialist preparation program from Illinois or out of state (use ISBE form 80-02PDF Document to verify program completion)
  • Reading Specialist (221) test
Technology Specialist
  • ​18 semester hours 
  • Technology Specialist (223) test​
Visual Arts
  • ​18 semester hours
  • Visual Arts (214) test​​​​​

Learning Behavior Specialist I K-22
​The LBS I endorsement requires:
  • A passing score on the LBS I (155) or (290) test.​
  • Completion of coursework addressing each of the following areas:
    • Survey of the exceptional child
    • General characteristics of children with disabilities within the LBS I scope
    • General methods for teaching children with disabilities within the LBS I scope
    • Psychological assessment of children with disabilities within the LBS I scope

Some Illinois colleges/universities only require one course for each of the above areas; others require the completion of multiple courses for each area. Be sure to check with the institution where you plan to complete your coursework so you fully understand what courses are needed for the endorsement.

Supervisory Endorsements
Endorsement Type Requirements
Supervisory Endorsements
  • ​Hold an Illinois license endorsement in one of the following:
    • Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBSI PK-22 or K-22)
    • Teacher of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (BPS PK-22 or K-22)
    • Teacher of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH PK-22 or K-22​)
    • Speech Language Pathologist (SLP PK-22 or K-22)
    • Early Childhood Special Education (ECS3 B-3)
    • School Support Personnel (School Social Worker, School Nurse, School Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist Non-Teaching.
  • Complete a minimum of 8 semester hours of graduate professional education coursework in the following areas:
    • Supervision of Personnel
    • Administration and Organization of Schools​

Teacher Leader - Pre-K - Age 22

This endorsement is available through an approved program/entitlement only. View the Directory of Approved Programs to see approved teacher leader programs in Illinois.​

  • All grades for the endorsement coursework must be "C-" or higher, and coursework must be at the 100-level or higher from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • All test scores are valid indefinitely.

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