IllinoisSB1947104th General Assembly (2025–2026)SenateWALLET

SCH CD-EDUCATOR LICENSURE-MISC

Sponsored By: Meg Loughran Cappel (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Adds 5 administrative or faculty members of community colleges to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. For a Professional Educator License: provides that the requirements to successfully complete specified coursework are only required until July 1, 2027 or the date that the revised test for a particular content area is implemented, whichever is later; and exempts persons seeking a school support personnel or chief school business official endorsement from the requirement that a person must successfully complete specified coursework. Requires, by July 1, 2027, the State Superintendent of Education to begin incorporating specified topics into revised examinations for individuals seeking a Professional Educator License endorsed in teaching or administration, excluding a chief school business official endorsement. Exempts, for educator licenses, applicants seeking a school support personnel endorsement who hold an active and valid professional license in the same subject matter as the endorsement sought from being required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. Creates the Teacher Performance Assessment Advisory Committee to aid in operationalizing and creating a pilot, State-developed, teacher performance assessment. Establishes the Paraprofessional to Teacher Pathway Program to provide an expedited pathway for paraprofessionals to earn a Professional Educator License in a specific content area. Sets forth the Program criteria, the requirements for individuals for entry into the Program, and the adoption of rules by the State Board of Education. Provides that an institution of higher education approved to offer educator preparation programs may enter into a partnership agreement with a community college to offer an approved educator preparation program leading to educator licensure for individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree. Makes other changes.

assignmentseducationelementary & secondary education: administration, licensing & charter schools

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Faster teaching license path for paraprofessionals

The law creates an expedited path for eligible paraprofessionals to earn a Professional Educator License in a specific subject. Entrants need a valid paraprofessional endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, or a valid paraprofessional approval. They must work with students in the subject sought and have at least 2 years of paraprofessional experience. They also need at least 60 semester hours from a regionally accredited college or university. State-approved educator preparation institutions can offer the program, which includes coursework and student teaching or equivalent experience.

Community colleges can expand teacher training

Illinois public community colleges can request partnerships with Illinois colleges or universities approved to prepare educators. These partnerships can offer approved educator preparation programs leading to a license for people who already hold a bachelor's degree. The State Board of Education must approve each partnership after consulting the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

Fewer licensing requirements for school specialists

School support personnel and chief school business official applicants are exempt from specified coursework on special education and reading. This includes reading in the subject taught. Chief school business official applicants also no longer need the related modules, including those on teaching English learners. School support personnel applicants can skip the content test with an active, valid Illinois professional license in the same subject. That license must come from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and meet State Board rules; Section 21B-20(1)(P) applicants also qualify for the test exception.

Stricter exams for educators licensed elsewhere

Applicants using the comparable-license route must meet all applicable Illinois exam requirements for teaching or school support personnel licenses. This route covers applicants without an Illinois-approved program recommendation who hold a comparable valid license and a regionally accredited bachelor's degree. Affected licensing routes no longer waive content tests because applicants passed one when first licensed in another state or country. Foreign-trained applicants also lose prior-license exceptions based on content tests or teacher effectiveness assessments completed when first licensed abroad. Other Illinois testing exemptions and the teacher performance assessment waiver still apply to applicants who qualify.

Educator coursework shifts into licensing exams

By July 1, 2027, the State Superintendent must begin adding special education, reading, and English-learner teaching methods to revised licensing exams. This covers teaching and administration applicants, but excludes chief school business officials; reading includes reading in the subject taught. Covered applicants must complete related coursework until July 1, 2027, or their subject's revised test starts, whichever is later. This includes Director of Special Education applicants, foreign-trained teaching applicants, and applicants using the state-approved program route without an Illinois-approved program recommendation. Foreign-trained school support personnel applicants are exempt from this coursework.

Teacher assessment relief and required pilot

Illinois preparation-program candidates and applicants covered by Section 21B-35 need not pass a teacher performance assessment from August 4, 2023, through August 31, 2026. The assessment requirement resumes September 1, 2029. Candidates remain exempt if they completed student teaching, or met a rule-based student-teaching exception, before September 1, 2028. Illinois colleges and universities offering educator preparation must join the state-developed assessment pilot from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Meg Loughran Cappel

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Katie Stuart

    Democratic • House

  • Kimberly A. Lightford

    Democratic • Senate

  • Laura Faver Dias

    Democratic • House

  • Michelle Mussman

    Democratic • House

  • Sharon Chung

    Democratic • House

  • William "Will" Davis

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 228 • No: 44

Senate vote • 5/31/2025

House Committee Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs

Yes: 46 • No: 10

Senate vote • 5/30/2025

House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt Education;

Yes: 14 • No: 0

House vote • 5/22/2025

Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed

Yes: 84 • No: 31

House vote • 5/7/2025

Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools;

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/9/2025

Third Reading - Passed;

Yes: 50 • No: 2

Senate vote • 4/3/2025

Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommend Do Adopt Education;

Yes: 13 • No: 1

Senate vote • 3/19/2025

Do Pass as Amended Education;

Yes: 12 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0128

    8/1/2025Senate
  2. Effective Date January 1, 2026

    8/1/2025Senate
  3. Governor Approved

    8/1/2025Senate
  4. Sent to the Governor

    6/27/2025Senate
  5. Passed Both Houses

    5/31/2025Senate
  6. Senate Concurs

    5/31/2025Senate
  7. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs 046-010-000

    5/31/2025Senate
  8. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt Education; 014-000-000

    5/30/2025Senate
  9. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Assignments Referred to Education

    5/30/2025Senate
  10. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Assignments

    5/30/2025Senate
  11. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

    5/30/2025Senate
  12. Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1 - May 26, 2025

    5/22/2025Senate
  13. Secretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1

    5/22/2025Senate
  14. Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 084-031-000

    5/22/2025House
  15. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate

    5/14/2025House
  16. Second Reading - Short Debate

    5/14/2025House
  17. Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate

    5/8/2025House
  18. Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 009-000-000

    5/7/2025House
  19. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; by Voice Vote

    5/7/2025House
  20. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools

    5/6/2025House
  21. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee

    5/1/2025House
  22. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Laura Faver Dias

    5/1/2025House
  23. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. William "Will" Davis

    4/23/2025House
  24. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman

    4/22/2025House
  25. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sharon Chung

    4/22/2025House

Bill Text

  • Engrossed

  • Enrolled

  • House Amendment 1

  • Introduced

  • Senate Amendment 1

  • Senate Amendment 2

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