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Illinois Teacher Certification

How to Become a Teacher in Illinois: Teacher Certification

This is a general guide to the steps a person might take to become certified to teach in the state of Illinois. Please check with your state to make sure you have the most up-to-date information about the certification process.

You can find data on teaching salaries in Illinois here.

Traditional Approach for the Illinois Teacher Certification

  1. Earn your bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college.
  2. Gain some teaching experience -- student teaching is acceptable, but other teacher prep courses can also provide this.
  3. Pass the Illinois Test of Basic Skills, Illinois Content Test (Subject Area), and the Assessment of Professional Teaching. Click here to learn more.
  4. Submit the following:
    • Apply Online
    • $30 check/money order payable to Department of Education’s Certification Office
    • Call here for more information
      • Springfield - (866) 262-6663
      • Chicago - (312) 814-2220
  5. Do you want to renew your Illinois Teacher Certification?

Alternative Approach for the Illinois Teacher Certification

Alternatively, there is another path to take to get certified to teach in IL. It allows you to start your teaching career before you complete the teacher education program.

  1. Earn your bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college.
  2. A minimum of 5 years experience in a related occupation.
  3. Pass the ICTS testing requirements.
  4. You’ll receive the Alternative Certification Program certification which is valid for 1 year. During this time, you’ll be mentored and participate in various activities to be judged and reviewed on your progress. After completing this successfully, you can receive the Initial Illinois Teaching Certification.

Resident Teacher Certification

This route doesn’t require any time spent with teacher preparation work. After fulfilling the requirements, you can earn your Master’s Degree and possibly be recommended for the Standard Illinois Certification. Call (866) 262-6663 or (312) 814-2220 for more details.

Sources:

  1. Illinois Licensure Testing System, http://www.il.nesinc.com/
  2. ECS - Online Teacher Information System, Illinois State Board of Education, https://sec1.isbe.net/ecs

Teaching Schools in Illinois

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B.S. in Educational Studies (Does Not Lead to Teacher Licensure)
Grand Canyon University , Online
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Good for Working Adults
  • Prepare for a career of learning, leading and serving with an online degree from GCU's College of Education!
  • Engage, instruct and inspire students of all ages with one of GCU's many degree focuses.
  • Offering initial teacher preparation options for bachelor's and master's in education.
  • Take advantage of the small class sizes in both our online and campus colleges.
  • For over 60 years, GCU has proudly maintained its rich heritage as a prestigious teaching college.
  • Accredited
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Curriculum and Instruction (EdD)
Argosy University , Online
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  • Take your education career further with a Master's or Doctorate degree from Argosy
  • Non-profit with NCATE accreditation for the College of Education
  • Choose degrees in Teaching and Learning, Cirriculumn and Instruction and more
  • Over 101,000 Argosy University graduates
  • Various forms of financial aid are available to students who are eligible
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MS in Education (for Existing Teachers Grades K-12)
Kaplan University , Online
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Good for Working Adults

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  • Accredited
  • Online Courses
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MA in Teaching (for Aspiring Teachers Grades 5-12)
Purdue University Global , Online
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Building on Purdue's mission to provide greater access to affordable, world-class education, Purdue University Globaldelivers a fully personalized online experience that's tailored to working adults. By opening the doors to adults who need flexibility to fit learning into their busy lives, we make it possible to achieve a high-quality education from a prestigious university system—completely online.

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MS - Instruction in the 1:1 Environment
Capella University , Online
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  • Online MEd, MS, EdD, EdS, and PhD options in K-12, higher education, and education technology for teachers and education leaders.
  • Specializations in early childhood education, reading and literacy, higher education leadership, curriculum and instruction, training, instructional design, educational technology, and more.
  • Earn credit based on learning gained from previous coursework or professional experience and potentially get your degree in less time through professional development and prior learning assessment.
  • Online Courses
  • Financial Aid
  • Transferable Credits
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