104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2523 Introduced , by Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-25 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027. LRB104 08361 LNS 18412 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2523 Introduced , by Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/21B-25 105 ILCS 5/21B-25 Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027. LRB104 08361 LNS 18412 b LRB104 08361 LNS 18412 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2523 Introduced , by Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/21B-25 105 ILCS 5/21B-25
105 ILCS 5/21B-25
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027.
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A BILL FOR
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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-25 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/21B-25)
7 Sec. 21B-25. Endorsement on licenses. All licenses issued
8 under paragraph (1) of Section 21B-20 of this Code shall be
9 specifically endorsed by the State Board of Education for each
10 content area, school support area, and administrative area for
11 which the holder of the license is qualified. Recognized
12 institutions approved to offer educator preparation programs
13 shall be trained to add endorsements to licenses issued to
14 applicants who meet all of the requirements for the
15 endorsement or endorsements, including passing any required
16 tests. The State Superintendent of Education shall randomly
17 audit institutions to ensure that all rules and standards are
18 being followed for entitlement or when endorsements are being
19 recommended.
20 (1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with
21 the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall
22 establish, by rule, the grade level and subject area
23 endorsements to be added to the Professional Educator
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB2523 Introduced , by Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/21B-25 105 ILCS 5/21B-25
105 ILCS 5/21B-25
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027.
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LRB104 08361 LNS 18412 b
A BILL FOR
105 ILCS 5/21B-25
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1 License. These rules shall outline the requirements for
2 obtaining each endorsement.
3 (1.5) By June 1, 2026, the State Board of Education,
4 in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and
5 Licensure Board, shall establish, by rule, a Montessori
6 education endorsement to be added to a Professional
7 Educator License. The rules adopted under this paragraph
8 (1.5) shall outline the requirements for obtaining the
9 endorsement. The changes added to this Section by this
10 amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly are
11 inoperative on and after January 1, 2027.
12 (2) In addition to any and all grade level and content
13 area endorsements developed by rule, the State Board of
14 Education, in consultation with the State Educator
15 Preparation and Licensure Board, shall develop the
16 requirements for the following endorsements:
17 (A) (Blank).
18 (B) Principal endorsement. A principal endorsement
19 shall be affixed to a Professional Educator License of
20 any holder who qualifies by having all of the
21 following:
22 (i) Successful completion of a principal
23 preparation program approved in accordance with
24 Section 21B-60 of this Code and any applicable
25 rules.
26 (ii) At least 4 total years of teaching or 4
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1 total years of working in the capacity of school
2 support personnel in an Illinois public school or
3 nonpublic school recognized by the State Board of
4 Education, in a school under the supervision of
5 the Department of Corrections, or in an
6 out-of-state public school or out-of-state
7 nonpublic school meeting out-of-state recognition
8 standards comparable to those approved by the
9 State Superintendent of Education; however, the
10 State Board of Education, in consultation with the
11 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,
12 shall allow, by rules, for fewer than 4 years of
13 experience based on meeting standards set forth in
14 such rules, including without limitation a review
15 of performance evaluations or other evidence of
16 demonstrated qualifications.
17 (iii) A master's degree or higher from a
18 regionally accredited college or university.
19 (C) Chief school business official endorsement. A
20 chief school business official endorsement shall be
21 affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
22 holder who qualifies by having a master's degree or
23 higher, 2 years of full-time administrative experience
24 in school business management or 2 years of
25 university-approved practical experience, and a
26 minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate credit in a
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1 program approved by the State Board of Education for
2 the preparation of school business administrators and
3 by passage of the applicable State tests. The chief
4 school business official endorsement may also be
5 affixed to the Professional Educator License of any
6 holder who qualifies by having a master's degree in
7 business administration, finance, accounting, or
8 public administration and who completes an additional
9 6 semester hours of internship in school business
10 management from a regionally accredited institution of
11 higher education and passes the applicable State
12 tests. This endorsement shall be required for any
13 individual employed as a chief school business
14 official.
15 (D) Superintendent endorsement. A superintendent
16 endorsement shall be affixed to the Professional
17 Educator License of any holder who has completed a
18 program approved by the State Board of Education for
19 the preparation of superintendents of schools, has had
20 at least 2 years of experience employed full-time in a
21 general administrative position or as a full-time
22 principal, director of special education, or chief
23 school business official in the public schools or in a
24 State-recognized nonpublic school in which the chief
25 administrator is required to have the licensure
26 necessary to be a principal in a public school in this
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1 State and where a majority of the teachers are
2 required to have the licensure necessary to be
3 instructors in a public school in this State, and has
4 passed the required State tests; or of any holder who
5 has completed a program that is not an
6 Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an
7 Illinois institution of higher education and that has
8 recognition standards comparable to those approved by
9 the State Superintendent of Education and holds the
10 general administrative, principal, or chief school
11 business official endorsement and who has had 2 years
12 of experience as a principal, director of special
13 education, or chief school business official while
14 holding a valid educator license or certificate
15 comparable in validity and educational and experience
16 requirements and has passed the appropriate State
17 tests, as provided in Section 21B-30 of this Code. The
18 superintendent endorsement shall allow individuals to
19 serve only as a superintendent or assistant
20 superintendent.
21 (E) Teacher leader endorsement. It shall be the
22 policy of this State to improve the quality of
23 instructional leaders by providing a career pathway
24 for teachers interested in serving in leadership
25 roles, but not as principals. The State Board of
26 Education, in consultation with the State Educator
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1 Preparation and Licensure Board, may issue a teacher
2 leader endorsement under this subdivision (E). Persons
3 who meet and successfully complete the requirements of
4 the endorsement shall be issued a teacher leader
5 endorsement on the Professional Educator License for
6 serving in schools in this State. Teacher leaders may
7 qualify to serve in such positions as department
8 chairs, coaches, mentors, curriculum and instruction
9 leaders, or other leadership positions as defined by
10 the district. The endorsement shall be available to
11 those teachers who (i) hold a Professional Educator
12 License, (ii) hold a master's degree or higher from a
13 regionally accredited institution, (iii) have
14 completed a program of study that has been approved by
15 the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
16 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, and
17 (iv) have successfully demonstrated competencies as
18 defined by rule.
19 A teacher who meets the requirements set forth in
20 this Section and holds a teacher leader endorsement
21 may evaluate teachers pursuant to Section 24A-5 of
22 this Code, provided that the individual has completed
23 the evaluation component required by Section 24A-3 of
24 this Code and a teacher leader is allowed to evaluate
25 personnel under the respective school district's
26 collective bargaining agreement.
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1 The State Board of Education, in consultation with
2 the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,
3 may adopt such rules as may be necessary to establish
4 and implement the teacher leader endorsement program
5 and to specify the positions for which this
6 endorsement shall be required.
7 (F) Special education endorsement. A special
8 education endorsement in one or more areas shall be
9 affixed to a Professional Educator License for any
10 individual that meets those requirements established
11 by the State Board of Education in rules. Special
12 education endorsement areas shall include without
13 limitation the following:
14 (i) Learning Behavior Specialist I;
15 (ii) Learning Behavior Specialist II;
16 (iii) Speech Language Pathologist;
17 (iv) Blind or Visually Impaired;
18 (v) Deaf-Hard of Hearing;
19 (vi) Early Childhood Special Education; and
20 (vii) Director of Special Education.
21 Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the contrary,
22 the State Board of Education, in consultation with the
23 State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may
24 add additional areas of special education by rule.
25 (G) School support personnel endorsement. School
26 support personnel endorsement areas shall include, but
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