Section 25.70  Endorsement for Career and Technical Educator (Grades 5-12)

The requirements of this Section apply to individuals seeking an educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical educator (ELS-CTE) pursuant to Section 21B-20(2)(E) of the Code. 

a)         Each applicant for an ELS-CTE shall present evidence of having completed 60 semester hours of college coursework from a regionally accredited institution or accredited trade and technical institution, as well as evidence of having completed 2,000 hours of work experience outside the field of education in each area to be taught. An applicant can use educational experience hours towards the 2,000 hours of work experience only if the applicant was delivering the instruction and was not a recipient of the instruction, and the applicant was appropriately licensed or qualified to teach the course at the time of delivery of instruction. Educational experience hours gained while teaching a course as a substitute are not allowable except for the General Education program of study. The required evidence of this work experience shall be written statements from former supervisors who can be reached for verification or, in cases in which supervisors are no longer available to verify the individual's employment, affidavits by the applicant describing the work experience.

b)         Each ELS-CTE shall be valid until June 30 immediately following five years after the license is issued (see Section 21B-20(2)(E) of the Code).  Renewal of the license after that five-year period shall be contingent upon criteria set forth in Section 25.800.

c)         Subsequent endorsements in CTE areas may be earned on an issued ELS-CTE by providing evidence of 1,000 hours of work experience in the new endorsement area sought. An applicant can use educational experience hours towards the 1,000 hours of work experience only if the applicant was delivering the instruction and was not a recipient of the instruction, and the applicant was appropriately licensed or qualified to teach the course at the time of delivery of instruction. Educational experience hours gained while teaching a course as a substitute are not allowable except for the General Education program of study.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 5954, effective April 11, 2023)