Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Illinois General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the current version. The official bill page.
SB2773 Enrolled LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 AN ACT concerning education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 21B-20 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21B-20)
7 Sec. 21B-20. Types of licenses. The State Board of
8 Education shall implement a system of educator licensure,
9 whereby individuals employed in school districts who are
10 required to be licensed must have one of the following
11 licenses: (i) a professional educator license; (ii) an
12 educator license with stipulations; (iii) a substitute
13 teaching license; or (iv) until June 30, 2028, a short-term
14 substitute teaching license. References in law regarding
15 individuals certified or certificated or required to be
16 certified or certificated under Article 21 of this Code shall
17 also include individuals licensed or required to be licensed
18 under this Article. The first year of all licenses ends on June
19 30 following one full year of the license being issued.
20 The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
21 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
22 rules as may be necessary to govern the requirements for
23 licenses and endorsements under this Section.
SB2773 Enrolled -2- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 (1) Professional Educator License. Persons who (i)
2 have successfully completed an approved educator
3 preparation program and are recommended for licensure by
4 the Illinois institution offering the educator preparation
5 program, (ii) have successfully completed the required
6 testing under Section 21B-30 of this Code, (iii) have
7 successfully completed coursework on the psychology of,
8 the identification of, and the methods of instruction for
9 the exceptional child, including, without limitation,
10 children with learning disabilities, (iv) have
11 successfully completed coursework in methods of reading
12 and reading in the content area, and (v) have met all other
13 criteria established by rule of the State Board of
14 Education shall be issued a Professional Educator License.
15 Persons seeking a Professional Educator License with a
16 school support personnel endorsement or chief school
17 business official endorsement are exempt from the
18 requirements in items (iii) and (iv). All Professional
19 Educator Licenses are valid until June 30 immediately
20 following 5 years of the license being issued. The
21 Professional Educator License shall be endorsed with
22 specific areas and grade levels in which the individual is
23 eligible to practice. For an early childhood education
24 endorsement, an individual may satisfy the student
25 teaching requirement of his or her early childhood teacher
26 preparation program through placement in a setting with
SB2773 Enrolled -3- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 children from birth through grade 2, and the individual
2 may be paid and receive credit while student teaching. The
3 student teaching experience must meet the requirements of
4 and be approved by the individual's early childhood
5 teacher preparation program. No institution of higher
6 education shall establish or maintain any policy which
7 requires student teaching for preservice teachers to be
8 unpaid.
9 Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
10 Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
11 shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
12 in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
13 content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
14 (2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
15 License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
16 that limits the license holder to one particular position
17 or does not require completion of an approved educator
18 program or both.
19 An individual with an Educator License with
20 Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
21 any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
22 who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.
23 An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
24 with the following endorsements:
25 (A) (Blank).
26 (B) Alternative provisional educator. An
SB2773 Enrolled -4- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
2 Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
3 applicant who, at the time of applying for the
4 endorsement, has done all of the following:
5 (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
6 college or university with a minimum of a
7 bachelor's degree.
8 (ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
9 the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
10 Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
11 Code.
12 (iii) Passed a content area test, as required
13 under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
14 The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
15 valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
16 third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
17 forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
18 (C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
19 alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
20 an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
21 holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
22 superintendent in a school district's central office.
23 This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
24 who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
25 done all of the following:
26 (i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
SB2773 Enrolled -5- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 college or university with a minimum of a master's
2 degree in a management field other than education.
3 (ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
4 years in a management level position in a field
5 other than education.
6 (iii) Successfully completed the first phase
7 of an alternative route to superintendent
8 endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
9 of this Code.
10 (iv) Passed a content area test required under
11 Section 21B-30 of this Code.
12 The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
13 order to complete one full year of serving as a
14 superintendent or assistant superintendent.
15 (D) (Blank).
16 (E) Career and technical educator. A career and
17 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
18 with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
19 has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
20 regionally accredited institution of higher education
21 or an accredited trade and technical institution and
22 has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of
23 education in each area to be taught.
24 The career and technical educator endorsement on
25 an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
26 June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
SB2773 Enrolled -6- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
2 An individual who holds a valid career and
3 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
4 with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
5 degree may substitute teach in career and technical
6 education classrooms.
7 An individual who holds a valid career and
8 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
9 with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
10 privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
11 Educator License.
12 (F) (Blank).
13 (G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
14 transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
15 Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
16 the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
17 with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
18 provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
19 all of the following requirements:
20 (i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
21 writing ability in the language other than English
22 in which transitional bilingual education is
23 offered.
24 (ii) Has the ability to successfully
25 communicate in English.
26 (iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
SB2773 Enrolled -7- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 previous to his or her applying for a transitional
2 bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
3 comparable teaching certificate or comparable
4 authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
5 a degree from an institution of higher learning in
6 a foreign country that the State Educator
7 Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
8 the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
9 regionally accredited institution of higher
10 learning in the United States.
11 A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
12 shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
13 is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
14 of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
15 renewed.
16 Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
17 endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
18 presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
19 replaced for any reason.
20 (H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
21 alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
22 other than English in the public schools, an
23 individual who holds an Educator License with
24 Stipulations may also apply for a language
25 endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
26 satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
SB2773 Enrolled -8- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 following requirements:
2 (i) Holds a transitional bilingual
3 endorsement.
4 (ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
5 language for which the endorsement is to be issued
6 by passing the applicable language content test
7 required by the State Board of Education.
8 (iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
9 a regionally accredited institution of higher
10 education or, for individuals educated in a
11 country other than the United States, holds a
12 degree from an institution of higher learning in a
13 foreign country that the State Educator
14 Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
15 the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
16 regionally accredited institution of higher
17 learning in the United States.
18 (iv) (Blank).
19 A language endorsement on an Educator License with
20 Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
21 grade 12 for the same validity period as the
22 individual's transitional bilingual educator
23 endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
24 and shall not be renewed.
25 (I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
26 international educator endorsement on an Educator
SB2773 Enrolled -9- LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 License with Stipulations may be issued to an
2 individual who is being recruited by a particular
3 school district that conducts formal recruitment
4 programs outside of the United States to secure the
5 services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
6 the following requirements:
7 (i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
8 bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
9 (ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
10 grade level for which he or she will be employed.
11 (iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
12 subject to be taught.
13 (iv) Has an adequate command of the English
14 language.
15 A holder of a visiting international educator
16 endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
17 shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
18 programs in the language that was the medium of
19 instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
20 provided that he or she passes the English Language
21 Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
22 skills in English identified by the State Board of
23 Education, in consultation with the State Educator
24 Preparation and Licensure Board.
25 A visiting international educator endorsement on
26 an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
SB2773 Enrolled - 10 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 years and shall not be renewed.
2 (J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
3 educator endorsement on an Educator License with
4 Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who is at
5 least 18 years of age and will be using the Educator
6 License with Stipulations exclusively for grades
7 prekindergarten through 8 until the individual reaches
8 the age of 19 years or an applicant 19 years of age or
9 older who otherwise meets the criteria for a
10 paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
11 subparagraph (J). An applicant for a paraprofessional
12 educator endorsement must also meet at least one of
13 the following requirements:
14 (i) hold holds a high school diploma or its
15 recognized equivalent and pass a paraprofessional
16 competency test under subsection (c-5) of Section
17 21B-30;
18 (ii) hold (i) holds an associate associate's
19 degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit
20 from a regionally accredited institution of higher
21 education; (ii) has passed a paraprofessional
22 competency test under subsection (c-5) of Section
23 21B-30; or
24 (iii) if applicable, have been issued a
25 short-term approval for paraprofessionals, as
26 established by rule by the State Board of
SB2773 Enrolled - 11 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 Education, and have been employed as a
2 paraprofessional educator for each year the
3 short-term approval is valid, have paid the
4 required license renewal fee under Section 21B-40,
5 and have been determined by the school district to
6 have met the following competencies:
7 (I) reinforces teacher-led instruction,
8 including knowledge of and the ability to
9 assist in reading, writing, and mathematics
10 instruction;
11 (II) understands and follows
12 individualized education programs and federal
13 Section 504 plans;
14 (III) supports differentiated
15 instruction;
16 (IV) understands basic literacy and
17 numeracy support strategies;
18 (V) implements behavior plans and exhibits
19 skills in the redirection of student
20 behaviors;
21 (VI) follows health plans and school and
22 classroom safety procedures; and
23 (VII) takes direction from licensed staff,
24 including administrators and teachers, and
25 understands the individual's role within the
26 instructional team. is at least 18 years of
SB2773 Enrolled - 12 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 age and will be using the Educator License
2 with Stipulations exclusively for grades
3 prekindergarten through grade 8, until the
4 individual reaches the age of 19 years and
5 otherwise meets the criteria for a
6 paraprofessional educator endorsement
7 pursuant to this subparagraph (J).
8 The paraprofessional educator endorsement is valid
9 until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
10 endorsement being issued and may be renewed through
11 application and payment of the appropriate fee, as
12 required under Section 21B-40 of this Code. An
13 individual who holds only a paraprofessional educator
14 endorsement is not subject to additional requirements
15 in order to renew the endorsement.
16 (K) Chief school business official. A chief school
17 business official endorsement on an Educator License
18 with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
19 qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
20 years of full-time administrative experience in school
21 business management or 2 years of university-approved
22 practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
23 hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
24 State Board of Education for the preparation of school
25 business administrators and by passage of the
26 applicable State tests, including an applicable
SB2773 Enrolled - 13 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 content area test.
2 The chief school business official endorsement may
3 also be affixed to the Educator License with
4 Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
5 master's degree in business administration, finance,
6 accounting, or public administration and who completes
7 an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
8 business management from a regionally accredited
9 institution of higher education and passes the
10 applicable State tests, including an applicable
11 content area test. This endorsement shall be required
12 for any individual employed as a chief school business
13 official.
14 The chief school business official endorsement on
15 an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
16 June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
17 endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
18 license holder completes renewal requirements as
19 required for individuals who hold a Professional
20 Educator License endorsed for chief school business
21 official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
22 rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
23 Education.
24 The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
25 necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
26 (L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
SB2773 Enrolled - 14 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
2 with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
3 completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
4 program at an Illinois institution of higher education
5 and who has not successfully completed an
6 evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
7 who meets all of the following requirements:
8 (i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
9 (ii) Has completed an approved educator
10 preparation program at an Illinois institution.
11 (iii) Has passed an applicable content area
12 test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
13 (iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
14 assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
15 minimum score on that assessment, as established
16 by the State Board of Education in consultation
17 with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
18 Board.
19 A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
20 Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
21 full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
22 be renewed.
23 (M) (Blank).
24 (N) Specialized services. A specialized services
25 endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
26 may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
SB2773 Enrolled - 15 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 (O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
2 provisional career and technical educator endorsement
3 on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
4 to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
5 work experience in the skill for which the applicant
6 is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
7 board and regional office of education shall provide
8 verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
9 of Education at the time the application is submitted
10 that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
11 Educator License or an Educator License with
12 Stipulations with a career and technical educator
13 endorsement is available to teach and that actual
14 circumstances require such issuance.
15 A provisional career and technical educator
16 endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
17 is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
18 of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
19 An individual who holds a provisional career and
20 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
21 with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
22 career and technical education classrooms.
23 An individual who holds a provisional career and
24 technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
25 with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
26 privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
SB2773 Enrolled - 16 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 Educator License.
2 (3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
3 License may be issued to qualified applicants for
4 substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
5 prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
6 Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
7 a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
8 degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
9 of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
10 educator preparation program in this State and have earned
11 at least 90 credit hours.
12 Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
13 Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
14 teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
15 has had his or her Professional Educator License or
16 Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
17 then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
18 Substitute Teaching License.
19 A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
20 licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
21 board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
22 contract because of an emergency situation, then a
23 district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
24 than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
25 district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
26 office of education within 5 business days after the
SB2773 Enrolled - 17 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
2 position. A district may continue to employ that same
3 substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
4 calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
5 is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
6 30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
7 written request with the appropriate regional office of
8 education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
9 that the position remains vacant and the district
10 continues to actively seek qualified candidates and
11 provides documentation that it has provided training
12 specific to the position, including training on meeting
13 the needs of students with disabilities and English
14 learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
15 granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
16 emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
17 has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
18 fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
19 capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
20 or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
21 candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
22 advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
23 vacant position.
24 There is no limit on the number of days that a
25 substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
26 provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
SB2773 Enrolled - 18 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
2 through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
3 days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
4 same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
5 Professional Educator License or Educator License with
6 Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
7 for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
8 school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
9 number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
10 apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
11 this Code.
12 A school district may not require an individual who
13 holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
14 License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
15 Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
16 (4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
17 on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
18 apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
19 Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
20 Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
21 applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
22 public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
23 Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible
24 for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
25 Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
26 completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
SB2773 Enrolled - 19 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 accredited institution of higher education.
2 Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
3 substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
4 individual has had his or her Professional Educator
5 License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
6 revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
7 Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
8 The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
9 Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
10 An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
11 License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
12 licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
13 absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
14 is under contract, a school district may not hire an
15 individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
16 License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
17 to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
18 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
19 holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
20 complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
21 34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
22 school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
23 Section are valid for 5 years.
24 (Source: P.A. 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
25 103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23; 103-617, eff.
26 7-1-24; 104-128, eff. 1-1-26; 104-316, eff. 8-15-25; revised
SB2773 Enrolled - 20 - LRB104 16580 LNS 29979 b
1 11-20-25.)Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.