Back to Illinois

HB4440 • 2026

SCH CD-LICENSURE-PARAPROFESS

SCH CD-LICENSURE-PARAPROFESS

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Natalie A. Manley
Last action
2026-04-17
Official status
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

SCH CD-LICENSURE-PARAPROFESS

SCH CD-LICENSURE-PARAPROFESS

What This Bill Does

  • SCH CD-LICENSURE-PARAPROFESS

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-17 Illinois General Assembly

    Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

  2. 2026-04-10 Illinois General Assembly

    Second Reading - Short Debate

  3. 2026-04-10 Illinois General Assembly

    Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate

  4. 2026-03-26 Illinois General Assembly

    Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate

  5. 2026-03-25 Illinois General Assembly

    Do Pass / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools ; 009-000-000

  6. 2026-03-04 Illinois General Assembly

    Assigned to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools

  7. 2026-01-20 Illinois General Assembly

    First Reading

  8. 2026-01-20 Illinois General Assembly

    Referred to Rules Committee

  9. 2026-01-15 Illinois General Assembly

    Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Natalie A. Manley

Official Summary Text

SCH CD-LICENSURE-PARAPROFESS

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4440

Select Language

×

The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience. In no way should it be considered accurate as to the translation of any content herein.

Visitors of the Illinois General Assembly website are encouraged to use other translation services available on the internet.

The English language version is always the official and authoritative version of this website.

NOTE: To return to the original English language version, select the "Show Original" button on the Google Translate™ menu bar at the top of the window.

Choose Language

English

Afrikaans

Albanian

Arabic

Armenian

Azerbaijani

Basque

Bengali

Bosnian

Catalan

Croatian

Czech

Danish

Dutch

Esperanto

Estonian

Filipino

Finnish

French

Galician

Georgian

German

Greek

Gujarati

Haitian Creole

Hausa

Hawaiian

Hebrew

Hindi

Hungarian

Icelandic

Indonesian

Interlingua

Interlingue

Inuktitut

Irish

Italian

Japanese

Javanese

Kannada

Khmer

Korean

Latin

Latvian

Lithuanian

Luxembourgish

Macedonian

Malagasy

Malayalam

Maltese

Maori

Marathi

Myanmar

Nepali

Norwegian

Odia

Pashto

Punjabi

Romanian

Russian

Samoan

Sango

Sanskrit

Sardinian

Sindhi

Sinhala

Slovak

Slovenian

Somali

Southern Sotho

Spanish

Sundanese

Swahili

Swedish

Tamil

Telugu

Thai

Tigrinya

Tonga

Turkish

Ukrainian

Urdu

Vietnamese

Welsh

Xhosa

Yiddish

Yoruba

Zulu

Powered by
Translate

Close

Illinois General Assembly

Top Navigation Bar

Translate

Learn

Select General Assembly

Search the 104th General Assembly

Enter search terms for legislation, members, committees, or schedules.

ILGA.GOV

LEGISLATION & LAWS

Bills & Resolutions

Public Acts

Illinois Compiled Statutes

Illinois Constitution

Search Legislation

Glossary

Guide

Reports & Inquiry

Legislative Reports

Special Reports

FTP Site

Legislator Lookup

Capitol Complex Phone Numbers

Rules & Regulations

Illinois Register

Administrative Rules

Senate

Members

Schedules

Committees

Request for Remote Testimony

Journals

Transcripts

Rules

Audio/Video

FOIA Information

Senate Employment Opportunities

Media Guidelines

House

Members

Schedules

Committees

Submit testimony for House Committees

Journals

Transcripts

Rules

Audio/Video

FOIA Information

House Employment Opportunities

Log In

Mobile Top Bar

Search the 104th General Assembly

Enter keywords to search the Illinois General Assembly website.

Full Text of HB4440

Home

Legislation

Full Text

HB4440 - 104th General Assembly

Bill Status

Full Text

Votes

Witness Slips

Select Menu

Bill Status

Full Text

Votes

Witness Slips

Printer Friendly Version

Introduced

Printer Friendly Version

Introduced

Open PDF

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4440

Introduced 1/20/2026, by Rep. Natalie A. Manley

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/21B-20

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows the
State Superintendent of Education to issue a short-term approval for a
paraprofessional educator to an individual who does not meet the
requirements necessary for issuance of an Educator License with
Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement. Provides that
the short-term approval authorizes an individual to serve as a
paraprofessional educator in a school district, including a charter
school, or a State-operated program, with the short-term approval expiring
on June 30 immediately following the third full fiscal year after the
approval was issued without renewal. Provides that upon expiration of the
short-term approval, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue an
Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator
endorsement to the individual if the individual meets specified
requirements.
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b

A BILL FOR

HB4440
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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.

HB4440
- 2 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 3 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 4 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 5 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 6 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 7 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 8 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 9 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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

HB4440
- 10 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 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 holds a
5

high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
6

(i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
7

semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
8

institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
9

paraprofessional competency test under subsection
10

(c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
11

of age and will be using the Educator License with
12

Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten
13

through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age
14

of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
15

paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
16

subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
17

endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
18

following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
19

may be renewed through application and payment of the
20

appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
21

this Code. An individual who holds only a
22

paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject
23

to additional requirements in order to renew the
24

endorsement.
25

(J-5) Short-term approval for a paraprofessional
26

educator. The State Superintendent of Education may

HB4440
- 11 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

issue a short-term approval for a paraprofessional
2

educator to an individual who does not meet the
3

requirements necessary for issuance of an Educator
4

License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional
5

educator endorsement under subparagraph (J). A
6

short-term approval issued pursuant to this
7

subparagraph (J-5) authorizes the individual to serve
8

as a paraprofessional educator in a school district,
9

including a charter school, or a State-operated
10

program.
11

A short-term approval issued under this
12

subparagraph (J-5) expires on June 30 immediately
13

following the third full fiscal year after the
14

approval was issued and may not be renewed.
15

Upon expiration of the short-term approval, the
16

State Superintendent of Education shall issue an
17

Educator License with Stipulations with a
18

paraprofessional educator endorsement to the
19

individual if the individual:
20

(i) files an application for an Educator
21

License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional
22

educator endorsement prior to the expiration of
23

the short-term approval; and
24

(ii) provides evidence, prior to the issuance
25

of the license, that the individual has satisfied
26

the requirements of Section 25.510 of Title 23 of

HB4440
- 12 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

the Illinois Administrative Code or demonstrates
2

that the individual:
3

(I) has been employed as a
4

paraprofessional educator for each of the 3
5

fiscal years following the issuance of the
6

short-term approval;
7

(II) has received an evaluation rating of
8

"proficient" or higher for each of those
9

fiscal years; and
10

(III) has completed a minimum of 60 hours
11

of professional learning directly related to
12

the individual's job duties and
13

responsibilities during that period.
14

An individual who satisfies the requirements of
15

this subparagraph (J-5) is deemed to have met all
16

requirements for issuance of an Educator License with
17

Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator
18

endorsement.

19

(K) Chief school business official. A chief school
20

business official endorsement on an Educator License
21

with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
22

qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
23

years of full-time administrative experience in school
24

business management or 2 years of university-approved
25

practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
26

hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the

HB4440
- 13 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

State Board of Education for the preparation of school
2

business administrators and by passage of the
3

applicable State tests, including an applicable
4

content area test.
5

The chief school business official endorsement may
6

also be affixed to the Educator License with
7

Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
8

master's degree in business administration, finance,
9

accounting, or public administration and who completes
10

an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
11

business management from a regionally accredited
12

institution of higher education and passes the
13

applicable State tests, including an applicable
14

content area test. This endorsement shall be required
15

for any individual employed as a chief school business
16

official.
17

The chief school business official endorsement on
18

an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
19

June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
20

endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
21

license holder completes renewal requirements as
22

required for individuals who hold a Professional
23

Educator License endorsed for chief school business
24

official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
25

rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
26

Education.

HB4440
- 14 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
2

necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
3

(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
4

in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
5

with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
6

completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
7

program at an Illinois institution of higher education
8

and who has not successfully completed an
9

evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
10

who meets all of the following requirements:
11

(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
12

(ii) Has completed an approved educator
13

preparation program at an Illinois institution.
14

(iii) Has passed an applicable content area
15

test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
16

(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
17

assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
18

minimum score on that assessment, as established
19

by the State Board of Education in consultation
20

with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
21

Board.
22

A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
23

Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
24

full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
25

be renewed.
26

(M) (Blank).

HB4440
- 15 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

(N) Specialized services. A specialized services
2

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
3

may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
4

(O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
5

provisional career and technical educator endorsement
6

on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
7

to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
8

work experience in the skill for which the applicant
9

is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
10

board and regional office of education shall provide
11

verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
12

of Education at the time the application is submitted
13

that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
14

Educator License or an Educator License with
15

Stipulations with a career and technical educator
16

endorsement is available to teach and that actual
17

circumstances require such issuance.
18

A provisional career and technical educator
19

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
20

is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
21

of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
22

An individual who holds a provisional career and
23

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
24

with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
25

career and technical education classrooms.
26

An individual who holds a provisional career and

HB4440
- 16 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
2

with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
3

privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
4

Educator License.
5

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
6

License may be issued to qualified applicants for
7

substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
8

prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
9

Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
10

a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
11

degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
12

of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
13

educator preparation program in this State and have earned
14

at least 90 credit hours.
15

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
16

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
17

teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
18

has had his or her Professional Educator License or
19

Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
20

then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
21

Substitute Teaching License.
22

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
23

licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
24

board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
25

contract because of an emergency situation, then a
26

district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer

HB4440
- 17 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
2

district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
3

office of education within 5 business days after the
4

employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
5

position. A district may continue to employ that same
6

substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
7

calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
8

is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
9

30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
10

written request with the appropriate regional office of
11

education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
12

that the position remains vacant and the district
13

continues to actively seek qualified candidates and
14

provides documentation that it has provided training
15

specific to the position, including training on meeting
16

the needs of students with disabilities and English
17

learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
18

granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
19

emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
20

has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
21

fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
22

capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
23

or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
24

candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
25

advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
26

vacant position.

HB4440
- 18 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

There is no limit on the number of days that a
2

substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
3

provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
4

than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
5

through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
6

days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
7

same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
8

Professional Educator License or Educator License with
9

Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
10

for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
11

school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
12

number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
13

apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
14

this Code.
15

A school district may not require an individual who
16

holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
17

License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
18

Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
19

(4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
20

on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
21

apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
22

Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
23

Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
24

applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
25

public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
26

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible

HB4440
- 19 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1

for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
2

Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
3

completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
4

accredited institution of higher education.
5

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
6

substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
7

individual has had his or her Professional Educator
8

License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
9

revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
10

Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
11

The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
12

Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
13

An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
14

License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
15

licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
16

absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
17

is under contract, a school district may not hire an
18

individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
19

License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
20

to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
21

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
22

holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
23

complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
24

34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
25

school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
26

Section are valid for 5 years.

HB4440
- 20 -
LRB104 17872 LNS 31308 b
1
(Source: P.A. 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
2
103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23; 103-617, eff.
3
7-1-24; 104-128, eff. 1-1-26; 104-316, eff. 8-15-25; revised
4
11-20-25.)

Footer

Disclaimer

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706.

Contact ILGA Webmaster

ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies.
Read About Cookies

ILGA.GOV

2026 ILGA.gov | All Rights Reserved |
ADA

|
Disclaimers
|
Learn

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706.
Contact ILGA Webmaster

ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies.
Read About Cookies

ILGA.GOV

2026 ILGA.gov | All Rights Reserved |
ADA

|
Disclaimers
|
Learn