How to Become a Teacher in Illinois

Illinois — and the country as a whole — is facing a teacher shortage. In fact, BestColleges found 55% of teachers anticipate leaving the profession earlier than they initially planned to.

If you become a teacher in Illinois, it could impact the national and state shortage of elementary, middle, and high school teachers. To combat the shortage, Illinois is considering a bill that would pay student teachers up to $10,000 a semester.

To become a teacher in Illinois all you need is a bachelor's degree, student-teaching experience, and certification.

4 Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Illinois

The steps are simple: First earn your bachelor's degree — typically in education, but you can choose any major. You can student-teach while earning your degree, and then take certification tests, pass, and apply to hold a license.

1. Earn Your Bachelor's Degree

You must hold a bachelor's degree to qualify for a teaching license. The state accepts bachelor's degrees in any major, though teachers often earn their bachelor's in education.

In addition to a bachelor's degree, you must complete an educator preparation program. These programs must include coursework on methods of teaching exceptional children, reading methods, reading specific content areas, and methods of teaching English learners.

In Illinois, the minimum education requirements include:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Completion of a state-approved educator preparation program

Many educators add teaching endorsements to their professional educator license. These endorsements involve additional training. Most require at least 18 credits of college-level courses, plus passing scores on specialized exams. Illinois offers reciprocity for endorsements on out-of-state teaching licenses.

2. Gain Student-Teaching Experience

If you are not licensed to teach in another state, Illinois requires student-teaching for you to become an educator.

Any student preparing to become a teacher at an Illinois college or university will have to student teach if they want to pursue licensure. If you completed an out-of-state educator program but didn't become licensed you need student-teaching experience or the equivalent.

Illinois lawmakers introduced a bill in March 2024 that would allow student teachers to be paid up to $10,000 a semester.

3. Take Required Certification Tests

You must pass all required certification tests to earn your teaching certification in Illinois. And you must take a teacher performance assessment. Many complete the exam as part of their teacher preparation program.

Illinois also accepts evidence of one year of teaching experience instead of the exam. You then pass content area tests in your subject area or endorsement field.

The Illinois Board of Education requires the following certification examinations:

• edTPA Teacher Performance Assessment
• Content Tests

Teaching licensure candidates take the content tests through Pearson. The exams use computer-based assessments.

4. Apply for Certification

Once you complete the required steps, you can apply to become a certified teacher. However, most private schools don't require you to have certification to teach.

You need to submit an application and a $150 fee through the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS).

Once you become a certified teacher, your license is valid for five fiscal years until you have to renew it. To renew it you either have to take classes within five years of renewing or pay $50 in place of classes.

How Much Will You Make as a Teacher in Illinois?

Illinois is in need of teachers. According to a fall 2022 survey by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, 28% of educator positions are unfilled. The study found 76% of responding school districts reported issues with teacher shortages and 43% reported the problem is getting worse.

As of 2021-22, teachers made an average of $66,397, the lowest since 2009-10.

According to the state of Illinois, starting teachers made an average of $50,776 in 2023, over $4,000 more from 2019.

Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois Teacher Certification

Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed April 8, 2024.