Illinois Teaching Certification
Candidates typically complete a bachelor’s degree and an Illinois-approved educator preparation program, finish required clinical practice or student teaching, pass required ILTS content tests for the endorsement area, and apply for the Professional Educator License through ISBE. The teacher performance assessment is currently waived through September 1, 2029.
Sponsored School(s)
Illinois teachers generally serve under a Professional Educator License with at least one endorsement. Other credentials, such as Educator Licenses with Stipulations, substitute licenses, paraprofessional licenses, approvals, and alternative provisional licenses, apply in specific situations. Testing requirements have changed repeatedly, so applicants should verify current content-test, language-proficiency, and teacher-performance-assessment rules through ISBE and ILTS before registering. Learn how to become a teacher in Illinois (or administrator). Choose the description of certification you are most interested in or the situation that best describes you:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Initial Illinois Teaching Certification
The Illinois Professional Educator License is generally renewed on a five-year cycle and must be registered in at least one region to be valid for employment. Renewal and professional development rules vary by endorsement, employment status, and license type. Find schools offering teaching certification programs in Illinois using the widget above.
Education Requirements
For the traditional Illinois-prepared route, PEL candidates complete an Illinois-approved educator preparation program and hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Out-of-state, out-of-country, alternative, and subsequent endorsement routes have separate documentation and testing rules. The Illinois State Board of Education maintains current licensure requirements on its website. Explore the list of state-approved educator preparation programs in Illinois on ISBE’s website. While the minimum degree requirement is a bachelor’s degree, some preparation programs are offered at the graduate level.
Out-of-state applicants should follow ISBE’s current reciprocity or out-of-state-preparation pathway. Effective January 1, 2026, applicants with a valid comparable out-of-state license must still pass applicable Illinois content tests to qualify for the PEL.
Applicants with non-U.S. credentials must submit a credential evaluation showing U.S. degree equivalency, semester-hour equivalency, and preparation in the licensure area sought, in accordance with ISBE’s current out-of-country applicant checklist. You can request an evaluation from one of these approved credential evaluation agencies, then send the report to ISBE for final review.
PEL Endorsement Areas
A Professional Educator License must carry at least one area endorsement. Use ISBE’s current endorsement names and grade spans when confirming specifics, since labels and grade ranges can change. Broad endorsement categories include:
- Early Childhood
- Elementary and Middle Grades
- Secondary
- Special (Subject Specific, K through Grade 12)
- Special Education
Additional endorsements, such as school support personnel and administrative roles, can be added to an existing PEL once the coursework and testing requirements for that endorsement are met.
Examinations
Illinois uses the ILTS for many required licensure assessments, including content tests and language proficiency tests. ISBE’s current testing page identifies Content Tests, Language Proficiency Tests, and the Teacher Performance Assessment as the main testing categories.
Basic skills and admission testing:
Applicants should verify any basic skills or program-admission testing requirements directly with their educator preparation program and ISBE, since these have changed more than once and vary by pathway.
Teacher performance assessment:
ISBE currently waives the teacher performance assessment requirement through September 1, 2029. Illinois plans to develop and pilot a state-developed teacher performance assessment between 2026 and 2029. An educator preparation program may still require its own performance assessment as a program component even while the statewide waiver is in effect.
Content tests:
Candidates must pass the required ILTS content test for each endorsement area before receiving the PEL. Traditional and apprenticeship candidates no longer need to pass the content test before student teaching under the current ISBE timing rules. Content tests cover subject and grade-band areas, including:
- Early Childhood Education
- Early Childhood Special Education
- Elementary/Middle Grades
- Agricultural Education
- Business, Marketing, and Computer Education
- Computer Science
- Dance
- Drama/Theatre Arts
- English as a New Language
- English Language Arts
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Health Careers
- Health Education
- Learning Behavior Specialist
- Library Information Specialist
- Mathematics
- Music
- Physical Education
- Reading Specialist
- Reading Teacher
- Science: Biology
- Science: Chemistry
- Science: Earth and Space Science
- Science: Environmental Science
- Science: Physics
- Social Science: Economics
- Social Science: Geography
- Social Science: History
- Social Science: Political Science
- Social Science: Psychology
- Social Science: Sociology and Anthropology
- Special Education General Curriculum Test
- Technology Education
- Technology Specialist
- Visual Arts
- Language-related endorsements (verify current ILTS content and language-proficiency test names for each language)
- Arabic
- Chinese (Cantonese)
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- French
- German
- Hebrew
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Latin
- Russian
- Spanish
Experience Requirements
Your Illinois state-approved teacher preparation program includes a supervised student teaching period. You’ll be placed in a classroom in a public or private school that matches the grade level and content area you plan to teach. The length of this field experience varies by program.
During student teaching, candidates develop and demonstrate classroom skills under supervision, including lesson planning and delivering instruction.
Document and Application Requirements
Once you’ve completed the educational, experience, and examination requirements, you’re ready to apply for your PEL. Apply through the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS). ISBE’s current PEL application process uses an online application and electronic fee payment, along with supporting documentation such as:
- Official transcripts, sent according to ISBE’s current transcript instructions. Institutions typically send these directly rather than the applicant submitting them.
- Illinois program completers typically receive institutional entitlement or program verification through their approved preparation provider. Out-of-state and other applicants may need additional ISBE forms depending on the route.
- ISBE currently charges a $150 electronic application fee for a Professional Educator License. Confirm fees in ELIS before publication, since they can change.
Once the PEL is issued, it must be registered in ELIS and in at least one Illinois region before it is valid for employment. Registration happens through your ELIS account rather than automatically through an employer, and you’ll pay the applicable registration fee at that time. A license that is not properly registered or renewed can lapse. Check ISBE’s current registration and reinstatement rules for specifics.
Criminal History Background Check
ISBE’s licensure application includes background and disclosure questions. Convictions such as first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, certain narcotics and sex offenses, or a Class X felony can affect eligibility. If you have tax problems, student loan defaults, child abuse or neglect charges, or unpaid child support, you’ll need to submit additional documentation with your application, listed here.
Before employment, Illinois school employers conduct required criminal history background checks and fingerprinting in accordance with applicable state law and district procedures. Requirements can vary by role, employer, and prior clearance history.
Contact Information
For a list of Illinois colleges and universities offering state-approved teacher preparation programs, visit the ISBE Directory of Approved Programs.
For more information on Illinois teacher certification, use ISBE’s current Educator Licensure contact options, including the Agency Call Center and ELIS/ROE support, available on their website.
Illinois Teacher Salary
According to the BLS, Illinois elementary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $75,320 as of May 2025, while secondary school teachers earned a median of $79,990. See our Illinois teaching salaries and benefits guide for a fuller breakdown of pay and benefits by role.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Mean Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $64,020 | $71,160 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $75,320 | $74,630 |
| Middle School Teachers | $76,110 | $75,870 |
| High School Teachers | $79,990 | $89,320 |
Illinois isn’t included in the state-level job growth figures in our dataset, so the figures below are national BLS projections rather than Illinois-specific numbers. Nationally, the BLS projects that elementary and middle school teacher employment will decline slightly between 2024 and 2034, while still projecting tens of thousands of average annual openings due to retirements and turnover. Illinois demand varies by region, district, subject area, funding, retirements, enrollment, and shortage field, so check Illinois labor-market sources directly for local context. See the BLS Employment Projections program for the most current national outlook.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Illinois?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program to qualify for a Professional Educator License. Some programs, particularly for administrative or specialist endorsements, are offered at the graduate level.
How long does it take to get an Illinois teaching license?
A traditional four-year teacher preparation program is the most common path, including your student teaching placement. Alternative certification programs can move faster for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field.
Do I need to take the edTPA to teach in Illinois?
No, not as a current statewide licensure requirement. ISBE has waived the teacher performance assessment through September 1, 2029, though your educator preparation program may still have its own program-specific performance assessment requirement.
Can I transfer my out-of-state teaching license to Illinois?
Illinois offers reciprocity pathways for educators with a valid, comparable out-of-state license, but ISBE still evaluates equivalency. Effective January 1, 2026, out-of-state applicants must also pass applicable Illinois content tests. See our Illinois teacher reciprocity guide for the full process.
How much do Illinois teachers earn?
According to the BLS, Illinois elementary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $75,320 as of May 2025, with high school teachers at $79,990. Actual pay varies by district, experience, and endorsement area.
- One main full teaching license — Illinois uses the Professional Educator License with endorsements for full teaching roles. In contrast, other licenses and approvals apply to substitutes, paraprofessionals, alternative provisional educators, CTE, and other roles.
- Testing runs through ILTS — current statewide requirements focus on content tests and, where applicable, language proficiency tests. The teacher performance assessment category is waived through September 1, 2029.
- Multiple paths exist — traditional Illinois preparation, out-of-state licensure pathways, and alternative licensure — that can lead to a PEL. Still, each route has distinct documentation, content-test, coursework, experience, and ELIS application requirements.
- Salaries vary by grade band — Illinois secondary teachers earn a higher median wage than elementary teachers, according to BLS data.
Compare state-approved teacher certification programs by endorsement area, route, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage estimates and 2024-2034 employment projections for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, reflect state and national data, not school-specific outcomes. State or district job-growth projections are sourced separately from national BLS outlook data. Conditions vary by school sector, subject area, and district—data accessed July 2026.
