*Subject to ISBE or legislative change at any time.
COVID-19 Modifications to Teacher Licensure Requirements
On April 24, 2020, Governor Pritzker signed Executive Order 2020-31. The executive order provided temporary modifications to some licensure requirements. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) filed companion emergency rules in subsequent semesters since the Executive Order in regard to student teaching and licensure exam requirements. The emergency order expired on May 11, 2023.
Since these directives were made available on a semester-by-semester basis, it is important that licensure candidates assumed that all licensure requirements would be back in effect for any semester beyond the current semester.
edTPA Update
On August 4, 2023, Governor Pritzker approved Public Act 103-0488 which establishes that no candidate completing a teacher preparation program is required to pass a teacher performance assessment through August 31, 2025. This law creates the Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force to evaluate potential teacher performance assessment systems for implementation in this state.
The Illinois State Board of Education has summarized updates to licensure requirements and other important modifications..
Coursework Grade C- or Better* (see below for details) | Content Test* | edTPA* | |
| Spring 2020 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Fall 2020 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Spring 2021 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Fall 2021 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Spring 2022 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Fall 2022 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Spring 2023 | Waived1 | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Fall 2023 | Required | Waived until licensure | Waived |
| Spring 2024 | Required | Required prior to student teaching | Waived |
| Fall 2024 | Required | Required prior to student teaching | Waived |
| Spring 2025 | Required | Required prior to student teaching | Waived |
| Fall 2025 | Required | Required prior to student teaching | TBA |
*Subject to ISBE or legislative change at any time.
The following grade codes are acceptable for licensure when the Coursework Grade of C- or Better rule is waived: CR, PS, PP (Spring 2020), and PZ (Spring 2021).
An F grade is not acceptable during the waiver period.
Program GPAs must still be met for licensure, regardless of waived C- grades.
Beginning in Fall 2022, "CR" grades can no longer be accepted for licensure, endorsement, or approval requirements when the C- Rule is not waived by ISBE due to COVID-19.
1. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) allows programs to set higher coursework grade standards. Art Education requires that ARTE courses are not to be taken for CR/NC (credit earned/no credit earned) grade codes.
Page last updated on November 7, 2023.