ELIS

ELIS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) PDF

DATE: February 12, 2018
FROM: Don Daily, Consultant

K-H-M-W ROE #33

RE: Licensure Update

Educators Who Have A License Cycle Ending June 30, 2018 – This information pertains only to educators who have a Professional Educator License (PEL)expiring on June 30, 2018.

The renewal of the license will not be possible until April 1, 2018. All transactions must be completed through the educator’s ELIS account. Payment must be made by credit or debit card.
Qualifying Professional Development accumulating to or exceeding the required number of hours (plus Administrator Academies as required) must be entered before the renewal may take place.
Enter PD by going to the “Credentials Page”.

Scroll to the bottom of the page and look under “What do you want to do?” Click on “Enter Professional Development”.
Enter all applicable PD. You must have the “Evidence of Completion” form for all PD entered. Your official transcript(s) from coursework will serve as the evidence of completion. Record 15 hours of PD per one semester hour earned.

On April 1, 2018 and no later than June 30, 2018. Any license that is not renewed by September 1, 2018 will be considered lapsed and the educator will have to reinstate the license before again becoming eligible for employment in an Illinois Public School. The $500 monetary penalty or the PD hours required for renewal plus 9 semester hours of (qualifying) coursework must be paid or completed prior to reinstatement. The reinstated license must also be registered before it becomes it again becomes valid.
PD hours earned April 1 through June 30, 2018 which exceed the number of hours for renewal may be credited to the July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2023 cycle. This PD must be entered after the July 1, 2018 beginning date of the new cycle.
The renewal process. On your credentials page look for the box on the right that includes “Renewals”. Beginning April 1st there should be a yellow triangle with the number 1 beside it. Click on this line.
Follow the Renewal Wizard with the last act being the payment of $50 plus a small transaction fee.
You will see a message indicating that the license has been renewed following the payment of fees. Print off this page for your records.
Return to your credentials page. Look to see that under “License Expires” the date has changed to 06/30/2023 and that under “License Registration Fee Expires” the date has changed to 2023.

Middle School Endorsements – Effective February 1, 2018 the requirements for new applications for middle school endorsements now include 21 semester hours of content coursework, 3 semester hours in the methods of teaching in the specific content area, and in most cases a content area testing. See the following link for more specific information. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/MiddleGradesTeachingEndorsements.aspx

Applications that were filed prior to February 1, 2018 will continue to be reviewed on the pre-February 1, 2018 middle school endorsements requirements. All current middle school endorsements will continue to be valid indefinitely under the concept of “once qualified, always qualified”.

Important Notice of Grade Range Change – Effective July 7, 2017 there was a change in policy regarding grade ranges for the following endorsements:

Foreign Languages
Library Information Specialist
Technology Specialist
Reading Teacher
English as a Second Language
Bilingual Education
Gifted Education Teacher

Endorsements listed above will be issued/entitled for the K-12 range instead of separate and exclusive grade ranges, no matter the grade range an educator holds. Educators must meet all requirements for the above endorsement prior to the receiving licensure. Educators who already hold a grade band specific endorsement in the above areas must apply for the K-12 grade range.

Short Term Approval for Teachers at All Grade Levels – The approval is valid for three fiscal years, in which time the educator must be working towards the requirements for the corresponding endorsement.

An educator may obtain this approval outside of their grade range. This approval is NOT available for special education positions or Safety and Driver’s Education.

• Submit an application online in your ELIS account. You must already hold a valid Illinois Professional
Educator License or an ELS-TBE.
• One of the following options:

o Official transcripts showing completion of 9 hours of coursework in the subject area to be taught
o Complete the corresponding Illinois Content Area Test
• Transcripts may be mailed to the Illinois State Board of Education, Educator Licensure Division, 100 N.
First St., Springfield, IL 62777 or emailed to transcripts@isbe.net

Senate Bill 2912 Changes. The following information are changes in Educator Licensure that resulted from SB 2912 effective January 6, 2017. Changes were effective immediately.

Educators with a deficient application and active deficiency letter on file with ISBE may request an update to their evaluation by emailing licensure@isbe.net.

Test scores: Removes the 10 year expiration date for content tests/edTPA/APT. All tests are valid indefinitely. Educators who have valid deficiency letters on file may request an update to their evaluation by emailing licensure@isbe.net.

Educator License with Stipulations (ELS-PEDU): The 15 semester hours or major coursework is no longer required to be issued the ELS-PEDU. Educators must hold a valid, comparable OOS license and at least a bachelor’s degree. Educators who have valid deficiency letters on file may request an update to their evaluation by emailing licensure@isbe.net.

Chief School Business Official: Provides that applicants who have not been entitled by an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education applying for a Professional Educator License endorsed for chief school business official and who have successfully completed a test of content, as identified by rules, at the time of initial licensure in another state or country shall not be required to complete a test of content. Adds an immediate effective date.

Career and Tech Ed: (CTE and CTEP Renewal): A test of work proficiency (the ACT WorkKeys®) may be completed in place of the basic skills for renewal if the CTE or CTEP was originally issued January 1, 2015 or after.

(**New) Provisional In-State Educator: An ELS-PEDU may be awarded to an individual who has completed an Illinois approved teacher education program, but has not yet passed the edTPA. The educator must hold a bachelor’s degree and have passed the test of basic skills and the appropriate content test. Educators must receive a minimum edTPA score that has been approved by the Board to be eligible for this license. It is valid for one year (full fiscal year), and cannot be renewed. Institutions of higher education will be able to entitle for this license.

Substitute Teaching License- The fee for substitute teaching licenses is now $50. Substitute teaching license may be renewed after 5 years without evidence of passing a test of basic skills.

As an incentive to recruit new Substitute Teachers, licensees for substitute teachers will be reimbursed the application and registration fees after documentation of 10 full days of substitute teaching within the first 18 months that the educator has held the Substitute License.

Teacher Leader Endorsement: In lieu of required coursework, educators are eligible to demonstrate competencies (specific competencies will be outlined in rule).

Out-of-State Professional Educator License Requirements

For Teachers/School Support Personnel trained out of state, licensure requirements are:

a valid, comparable OOS license;
required degree and a major directly related to the licensure area sought;
student teaching/internship;
required tests (content tests taken in another state or country will be honored if they were required for licensure in the other state); and
coursework in methods of teaching reading, reading in the content area, methods of teaching cross-categorical special education, methods of teaching ESL/bilingual students.)

For Principals/Superintendents trained out of state or out of country, must complete a state-approved program and pass required tests. Content tests taken in another state or country will be honored if required for licensure. Educators no longer have to have been issued a license endorsed in a teaching field.

For Chief School Business Officials trained out of state or country, must complete master’s degree in specific area, internship or 2 years of experience, tests, and modules in reading methods, special education, and English learners. Out-of-state content tests used for licensure in another state can be honored. Out-of-state content tests will be honored for all routes that can be taken to earn the CSBO endorsement.