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Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB2992

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2992

Introduced 1/27/2026, by Sen. Dale Fowler

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/21B-20

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides
that short-term approval of a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations shall be given to an individual who
meets the requirements in the Illinois Administrative Code. Provides that
the short-term approval expires on June 30 immediately following 5 full
fiscal years after the approval was given. Effective July 1, 2026.
LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b

A BILL FOR

SB2992
LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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.

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 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

Short-term approval of a paraprofessional educator
26

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

shall be given to an individual who meets the
2

requirements set forth in the Illinois Administrative
3

Code; however, the short-term approval expires on June
4

30 immediately following 5 full fiscal years after the
5

approval was given.

6

(K) Chief school business official. A chief school
7

business official endorsement on an Educator License
8

with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who
9

qualifies by having a master's degree or higher, 2
10

years of full-time administrative experience in school
11

business management or 2 years of university-approved
12

practical experience, and a minimum of 24 semester
13

hours of graduate credit in a program approved by the
14

State Board of Education for the preparation of school
15

business administrators and by passage of the
16

applicable State tests, including an applicable
17

content area test.
18

The chief school business official endorsement may
19

also be affixed to the Educator License with
20

Stipulations of any holder who qualifies by having a
21

master's degree in business administration, finance,
22

accounting, or public administration and who completes
23

an additional 6 semester hours of internship in school
24

business management from a regionally accredited
25

institution of higher education and passes the
26

applicable State tests, including an applicable

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

content area test. This endorsement shall be required
2

for any individual employed as a chief school business
3

official.
4

The chief school business official endorsement on
5

an Educator License with Stipulations is valid until
6

June 30 immediately following 5 years of the
7

endorsement being issued and may be renewed if the
8

license holder completes renewal requirements as
9

required for individuals who hold a Professional
10

Educator License endorsed for chief school business
11

official under Section 21B-45 of this Code and such
12

rules as may be adopted by the State Board of
13

Education.
14

The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
15

necessary to implement Public Act 100-288.
16

(L) Provisional in-state educator. A provisional
17

in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License
18

with Stipulations may be issued to a candidate who has
19

completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation
20

program at an Illinois institution of higher education
21

and who has not successfully completed an
22

evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness but
23

who meets all of the following requirements:
24

(i) Holds at least a bachelor's degree.
25

(ii) Has completed an approved educator
26

preparation program at an Illinois institution.

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

(iii) Has passed an applicable content area
2

test, as required by Section 21B-30 of this Code.
3

(iv) Has attempted an evidence-based
4

assessment of teacher effectiveness and received a
5

minimum score on that assessment, as established
6

by the State Board of Education in consultation
7

with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure
8

Board.
9

A provisional in-state educator endorsement on an
10

Educator License with Stipulations is valid for one
11

full fiscal year after the date of issuance and may not
12

be renewed.
13

(M) (Blank).
14

(N) Specialized services. A specialized services
15

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
16

may be issued as defined and specified by rule.
17

(O) Provisional career and technical educator. A
18

provisional career and technical educator endorsement
19

on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued
20

to an applicant who has a minimum of 8,000 hours of
21

work experience in the skill for which the applicant
22

is seeking the endorsement. Each employing school
23

board and regional office of education shall provide
24

verification, in writing, to the State Superintendent
25

of Education at the time the application is submitted
26

that no qualified teacher holding a Professional

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

Educator License or an Educator License with
2

Stipulations with a career and technical educator
3

endorsement is available to teach and that actual
4

circumstances require such issuance.
5

A provisional career and technical educator
6

endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations
7

is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years
8

of the endorsement being issued and may be renewed.
9

An individual who holds a provisional career and
10

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
11

with Stipulations may teach as a substitute teacher in
12

career and technical education classrooms.
13

An individual who holds a provisional career and
14

technical educator endorsement on an Educator License
15

with Stipulations is entitled to all of the rights and
16

privileges granted to a holder of a Professional
17

Educator License.
18

(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
19

License may be issued to qualified applicants for
20

substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
21

prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
22

Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
23

a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's
24

degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution
25

of higher education or must be enrolled in an approved
26

educator preparation program in this State and have earned

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

at least 90 credit hours.
2

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years.
3

Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
4

teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
5

has had his or her Professional Educator License or
6

Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked,
7

then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
8

Substitute Teaching License.
9

A substitute teacher may only teach in the place of a
10

licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing
11

board. If, however, there is no licensed teacher under
12

contract because of an emergency situation, then a
13

district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer
14

than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the
15

district if the district notifies the appropriate regional
16

office of education within 5 business days after the
17

employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant
18

position. A district may continue to employ that same
19

substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90
20

calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever
21

is greater, if, prior to the expiration of the
22

30-calendar-day period then current, the district files a
23

written request with the appropriate regional office of
24

education for a 30-calendar-day extension on the basis
25

that the position remains vacant and the district
26

continues to actively seek qualified candidates and

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

provides documentation that it has provided training
2

specific to the position, including training on meeting
3

the needs of students with disabilities and English
4

learners if applicable. Each extension request shall be
5

granted in writing by the regional office of education. An
6

emergency situation is one in which an unforeseen vacancy
7

has occurred and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to
8

fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher
9

capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications
10

or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified
11

candidates, and the district is actively engaged in
12

advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the
13

vacant position.
14

There is no limit on the number of days that a
15

substitute teacher may teach in a single school district,
16

provided that no substitute teacher may teach for longer
17

than 120 days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year
18

through the 2022-2023 school year, otherwise 90 school
19

days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the
20

same school year. A substitute teacher who holds a
21

Professional Educator License or Educator License with
22

Stipulations shall not teach for more than 120 school days
23

for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same
24

school year. The limitations in this paragraph (3) on the
25

number of days a substitute teacher may be employed do not
26

apply to any school district operating under Article 34 of

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

this Code.
2

A school district may not require an individual who
3

holds a valid Professional Educator License or Educator
4

License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute
5

Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher.
6

(4) Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Beginning
7

on July 1, 2018 and until June 30, 2028, applicants may
8

apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a
9

Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. A Short-Term
10

Substitute Teaching License may be issued to a qualified
11

applicant for substitute teaching in all grades of the
12

public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12.
13

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are not eligible
14

for endorsements. Applicants for a Short-Term Substitute
15

Teaching License must hold an associate's degree or have
16

completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally
17

accredited institution of higher education.
18

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for
19

substitute teaching in every county of this State. If an
20

individual has had his or her Professional Educator
21

License or Educator License with Stipulations suspended or
22

revoked, then that individual is not eligible to obtain a
23

Short-Term Substitute Teaching License.
24

The provisions of Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this
25

Code apply to short-term substitute teachers.
26

An individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching

SB2992
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LRB104 18542 LNS 31985 b
1

License may teach no more than 15 consecutive days per
2

licensed teacher who is under contract. For teacher
3

absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who
4

is under contract, a school district may not hire an
5

individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching
6

License, unless the Governor has declared a disaster due
7

to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
8

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. An individual
9

holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License must
10

complete the training program under Section 10-20.67 or
11

34-18.60 of this Code to be eligible to teach at a public
12

school. Short-Term Substitute Teaching Licenses under this
13

Section are valid for 5 years.
14
(Source: P.A. 103-111, eff. 6-29-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23;
15
103-193, eff. 1-1-24; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23; 103-617, eff.
16
7-1-24; 104-128, eff. 1-1-26; 104-316, eff. 8-15-25; revised
17
11-20-25.)

18

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect July 1,
19
2026.

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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