Section 1.790  Substitute Teacher

a)         To serve as a substitute teacher, a person shall hold a valid substitute teaching license issued pursuant to Section 21B-20(3) of the School Code [105 ILCS 5].

1)         Any individual who holds a valid and active Illinois educator license and at least a bachelor's degree may serve as a substitute teacher without having to also hold the substitute teaching license.

2)         Any individual who may serve as a substitute teacher for driver's education must be endorsed for driver's education pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.100(h).

3)         Any individual who holds a valid career and technical educator or provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an educator license with stipulations but does not have a bachelor's degree may substitute teach in any career and technical education classroom. (See Section 21B-20(2)(E) and (F)) of the School Code.)

b)         A teacher holding a substitute teaching license may teach only in the place of a licensed teacher who is under contract with the employing board. (See Section 21B-20(3) of the School Code.)

c)         In accordance with Section 21B-20(3) of the School Code, there is no limit on the number of days that a substitute teacher may teach except that:

1)         A person who holds only a substitute teaching license may teach for no longer than 90 paid school days for any one licensed teacher who is under contract with the school district in any one school term.

2)         A person who holds a professional educator license or an educator license with stipulations endorsed for a teaching field may teach for no longer than 120 paid school days for any one licensed teacher who is under contract with the school district.

d)         A school district may employ a substitute teacher to fill a position when there is no licensed teacher under contract with the school district only in an emergency situation, as defined in Section 21B-20(3) of the School Code.  Any substitute teacher hired under this subsection (d) shall work no more than 30 calendar days per each vacant position; however, a district may continue to employ that same substitute teacher in that same vacant position for 90 calendar days or until the end of the semester, whichever is greater, if the district complies with the requirements in Section 21B-20(3) of the School Code.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 8535, effective May 29, 2024)