SCH CD-PROF EDUCATOR LICENSE

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5050

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Maura Hirschauer

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/21B-20

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides
the additional requirement of successfully completing at least one
foundational course on English learners for a person to be issued a
Professional Educator License. Effective January 1, 2028.
LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b

A BILL FOR

HB5050
LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 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.

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 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,
(v) have successfully
13

completed at least one foundational course on English
14

learners, which shall include instruction in language
15

acquisition and English learner pedagogy, inclusive
16

classroom practices, and the importance of student
17

belonging,
and
(vi)

(v)
have met all other criteria
18

established by rule of the State Board of Education shall
19

be issued a Professional Educator License. Persons seeking
20

a Professional Educator License with a school support
21

personnel endorsement or chief school business official
22

endorsement are exempt from the requirements in items
23

(iii) and (iv). All Professional Educator Licenses are
24

valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
25

license being issued. The Professional Educator License
26

shall be endorsed with specific areas and grade levels in

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

which the individual is eligible to practice. For an early
2

childhood education endorsement, an individual may satisfy
3

the student teaching requirement of his or her early
4

childhood teacher preparation program through placement in
5

a setting with children from birth through grade 2, and
6

the individual may be paid and receive credit while
7

student teaching. The student teaching experience must
8

meet the requirements of and be approved by the
9

individual's early childhood teacher preparation program.
10

No institution of higher education shall establish or
11

maintain any policy which requires student teaching for
12

preservice teachers to be unpaid.
13

Individuals can receive subsequent endorsements on the
14

Professional Educator License. Subsequent endorsements
15

shall require a minimum of 24 semester hours of coursework
16

in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable
17

content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule.
18

(2) Educator License with Stipulations. An Educator
19

License with Stipulations shall be issued an endorsement
20

that limits the license holder to one particular position
21

or does not require completion of an approved educator
22

program or both.
23

An individual with an Educator License with
24

Stipulations must not be employed by a school district or
25

any other entity to replace any presently employed teacher
26

who otherwise would not be replaced for any reason.

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

An Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
2

with the following endorsements:
3

(A) (Blank).
4

(B) Alternative provisional educator. An
5

alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
6

Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an
7

applicant who, at the time of applying for the
8

endorsement, has done all of the following:
9

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
10

college or university with a minimum of a
11

bachelor's degree.
12

(ii) Successfully completed the first phase of
13

the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
14

Teachers, as described in Section 21B-50 of this
15

Code.
16

(iii) Passed a content area test, as required
17

under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
18

The alternative provisional educator endorsement is
19

valid for 2 years of teaching and may be renewed for a
20

third year by an individual meeting the requirements set
21

forth in Section 21B-50 of this Code.
22

(C) Alternative provisional superintendent. An
23

alternative provisional superintendent endorsement on
24

an Educator License with Stipulations entitles the
25

holder to serve only as a superintendent or assistant
26

superintendent in a school district's central office.

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

This endorsement may only be issued to an applicant
2

who, at the time of applying for the endorsement, has
3

done all of the following:
4

(i) Graduated from a regionally accredited
5

college or university with a minimum of a master's
6

degree in a management field other than education.
7

(ii) Been employed for a period of at least 5
8

years in a management level position in a field
9

other than education.
10

(iii) Successfully completed the first phase
11

of an alternative route to superintendent
12

endorsement program, as provided in Section 21B-55
13

of this Code.
14

(iv) Passed a content area test required under
15

Section 21B-30 of this Code.
16

The endorsement is valid for 2 fiscal years in
17

order to complete one full year of serving as a
18

superintendent or assistant superintendent.
19

(D) (Blank).
20

(E) Career and technical educator. A career and
21

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
22

with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
23

has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a
24

regionally accredited institution of higher education
25

or an accredited trade and technical institution and
26

has a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience outside of

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

education in each area to be taught.
2

The career and technical educator endorsement on
3

an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
4

June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
5

endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
6

An individual who holds a valid career and
7

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
8

with Stipulations but does not hold a bachelor's
9

degree may substitute teach in career and technical
10

education classrooms.
11

An individual who holds a valid career and
12

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
13

with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
14

privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
15

Educator License.
16

(F) (Blank).
17

(G) Transitional bilingual educator. A
18

transitional bilingual educator endorsement on an
19

Educator License with Stipulations may be issued for
20

the purpose of providing instruction in accordance
21

with Article 14C of this Code to an applicant who
22

provides satisfactory evidence that he or she meets
23

all of the following requirements:
24

(i) Possesses adequate speaking, reading, and
25

writing ability in the language other than English
26

in which transitional bilingual education is

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

offered.
2

(ii) Has the ability to successfully
3

communicate in English.
4

(iii) Either possessed, within 5 years
5

previous to his or her applying for a transitional
6

bilingual educator endorsement, a valid and
7

comparable teaching certificate or comparable
8

authorization issued by a foreign country or holds
9

a degree from an institution of higher learning in
10

a foreign country that the State Educator
11

Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
12

the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
13

regionally accredited institution of higher
14

learning in the United States.
15

A transitional bilingual educator endorsement
16

shall be valid for prekindergarten through grade 12,
17

is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
18

of the endorsement being issued, and shall not be
19

renewed.
20

Persons holding a transitional bilingual educator
21

endorsement shall not be employed to replace any
22

presently employed teacher who otherwise would not be
23

replaced for any reason.
24

(H) Language endorsement. In an effort to
25

alleviate the shortage of teachers speaking a language
26

other than English in the public schools, an

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

individual who holds an Educator License with
2

Stipulations may also apply for a language
3

endorsement, provided that the applicant provides
4

satisfactory evidence that he or she meets all of the
5

following requirements:
6

(i) Holds a transitional bilingual
7

endorsement.
8

(ii) Has demonstrated proficiency in the
9

language for which the endorsement is to be issued
10

by passing the applicable language content test
11

required by the State Board of Education.
12

(iii) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from
13

a regionally accredited institution of higher
14

education or, for individuals educated in a
15

country other than the United States, holds a
16

degree from an institution of higher learning in a
17

foreign country that the State Educator
18

Preparation and Licensure Board determines to be
19

the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a
20

regionally accredited institution of higher
21

learning in the United States.
22

(iv) (Blank).
23

A language endorsement on an Educator License with
24

Stipulations is valid for prekindergarten through
25

grade 12 for the same validity period as the
26

individual's transitional bilingual educator

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

endorsement on the Educator License with Stipulations
2

and shall not be renewed.
3

(I) Visiting international educator. A visiting
4

international educator endorsement on an Educator
5

License with Stipulations may be issued to an
6

individual who is being recruited by a particular
7

school district that conducts formal recruitment
8

programs outside of the United States to secure the
9

services of qualified teachers and who meets all of
10

the following requirements:
11

(i) Holds the equivalent of a minimum of a
12

bachelor's degree issued in the United States.
13

(ii) Has been prepared as a teacher at the
14

grade level for which he or she will be employed.
15

(iii) Has adequate content knowledge in the
16

subject to be taught.
17

(iv) Has an adequate command of the English
18

language.
19

A holder of a visiting international educator
20

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
21

shall be permitted to teach in bilingual education
22

programs in the language that was the medium of
23

instruction in his or her teacher preparation program,
24

provided that he or she passes the English Language
25

Proficiency Examination or another test of writing
26

skills in English identified by the State Board of

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

Education, in consultation with the State Educator
2

Preparation and Licensure Board.
3

A visiting international educator endorsement on
4

an Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 5
5

years and shall not be renewed.
6

(J) Paraprofessional educator. A paraprofessional
7

educator endorsement on an Educator License with
8

Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a
9

high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and
10

(i) holds an associate's degree or a minimum of 60
11

semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited
12

institution of higher education; (ii) has passed a
13

paraprofessional competency test under subsection
14

(c-5) of Section 21B-30; or (iii) is at least 18 years
15

of age and will be using the Educator License with
16

Stipulations exclusively for grades prekindergarten
17

through grade 8, until the individual reaches the age
18

of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a
19

paraprofessional educator endorsement pursuant to this
20

subparagraph (J). The paraprofessional educator
21

endorsement is valid until June 30 immediately
22

following 5 years of the endorsement being issued and
23

may be renewed through application and payment of the
24

appropriate fee, as required under Section 21B-40 of
25

this Code. An individual who holds only a
26

paraprofessional educator endorsement is not subject

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

to additional requirements in order to renew the
2

endorsement.
3

(K) Chief school business official. A chief school
4

business official endorsement on an Educator License
5

with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
6

qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
7

years of full-time administrative experience in school
8

business management or 2 years of university-approved
9

practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
10

hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
11

State Board of Education for the preparation of school
12

business administrators and by passage of the
13

applicable State tests, including an applicable
14

content area test.
15

The chief school business official endorsement may
16

also be affixed to the Educator License with
17

Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
18

master's degree in business administration, finance,
19

accounting, or public administration and who completes
20

an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
21

business management from a regionally accredited
22

institution of higher education and passes the
23

applicable State tests, including an applicable
24

content area test. This endorsement shall be required
25

for any individual employed as a chief school business
26

official.

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

The chief school business official endorsement on
2

an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
3

June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
4

endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
5

license holder completes renewal requirements as
6

required for individuals who hold a Professional
7

Educator License endorsed for chief school business
8

official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
9

rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
10

Education.
11

The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
12

necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
13

(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
14

in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
15

with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
16

completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
17

program at an Illinois institution of higher education
18

and who has not successfully completed an
19

evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
20

who meets all of the following requirements:
21

(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
22

(ii) Has completed an approved educator
23

preparation program at an Illinois institution.
24

(iii) Has passed an applicable content area
25

test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
26

(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
2

minimum score on that assessment, as established
3

by the State Board of Education in consultation
4

with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
5

Board.
6

A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
7

Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
8

full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
9

be renewed.
10

(M) (Blank).
11

(N) Specialized services. A specialized services
12

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
13

may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
14

(O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
15

provisional career and technical educator endorsement
16

on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
17

to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
18

work experience in the skill for which the applicant
19

is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
20

board and regional office of education shall provide
21

verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
22

of Education at the time the application is submitted
23

that no qualified teacher holding a Professional
24

Educator License or an Educator License with
25

Stipulations with a career and technical educator
26

endorsement is available to teach and that actual

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

circumstances require such issuance.
2

A provisional career and technical educator
3

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
4

is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
5

of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
6

An individual who holds a provisional career and
7

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
8

with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
9

career and technical education classrooms.
10

An individual who holds a provisional career and
11

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
12

with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
13

privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
14

Educator License.
15

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
16

License may be issued to qualified applicants for
17

substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
18

prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
19

Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
20

a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
21

degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
22

of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
23

educator preparation program in this State and have earned
24

at least 90 credit hours.
25

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
26

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
2

has had his or her Professional Educator License or
3

Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
4

then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
5

Substitute Teaching License.
6

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
7

licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
8

board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
9

contract because of an emergency situation, then a
10

district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
11

than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
12

district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
13

office of education within 5 business days after the
14

employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
15

position. A district may continue to employ that same
16

substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
17

calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
18

is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
19

30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
20

written request with the appropriate regional office of
21

education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
22

that the position remains vacant and the district
23

continues to actively seek qualified candidates and
24

provides documentation that it has provided training
25

specific to the position, including training on meeting
26

the needs of students with disabilities and English

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
2

granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
3

emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
4

has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
5

fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
6

capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
7

or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
8

candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
9

advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
10

vacant position.
11

There is no limit on the number of days that a
12

substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
13

provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
14

than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
15

through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
16

days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
17

same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
18

Professional Educator License or Educator License with
19

Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
20

for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
21

school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
22

number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
23

apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of
24

this Code.
25

A school district may not require an individual who
26

holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
2

Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
3

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

on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
5

apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
6

Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
7

Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
8

applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
9

public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
10

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible
11

for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
12

Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
13

completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
14

accredited institution of higher education.
15

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
16

substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
17

individual has had his or her Professional Educator
18

License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
19

revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
20

Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
21

The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
22

Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
23

An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
24

License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
25

licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
26

absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who

HB5050
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LRB104 17883 LNS 34100 b
1

is under contract, a school district may not hire an
2

individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
3

License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
4

to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
5

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
6

holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
7

complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
8

34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
9

school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
10

Section are valid for 5 years.
11
(Source: P.A. 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
12
103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23; 103-617, eff.
13
7-1-24; 104-128, eff. 1-1-26; 104-316, eff. 8-15-25; revised
14
11-20-25.)

15

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect January
16
1, 2028.

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