Section 25.81  Short-Term Approval for Career and Technical Education

Subject to the provisions of this Section, an individual holding a PEL endorsed in a teaching field or any CTE educator license with stipulations plus one year of teaching experience on that license may receive short-term approval for assignment in a CTE position in which that individual does not hold full qualifications. Nothing in this Section is intended to modify existing endorsement requirements under Section 25.70, 25.72, or 25.100. 

a)         Applicability

1)         The short-term approvals described in this Section shall be available for application until June 30, 2026 for individuals who lack the full work experience required for a CTE endorsement under Section 25.70.

2)         The short-term approval shall be available in situations in which the employing entity's need for short-term authorization has arisen due to the unforeseen departure of a teacher who was fully qualified for the assignment in question. 

b)         Application Procedures and Validity

1)         A licensed teacher seeking short-term approval under this Section shall file an application in ELIS.

2)         The State Superintendent must approve an application for short-term approval if the applicant:

A)        provides proof of 240 hours of applicable work experience in the content area sought; or

B)        holds a professional credential, as approved by the State Board, in the endorsement area sought.

3)         Short-term approvals issued under this Section shall expire on July 1 immediately following the third full fiscal year after the approval was issued and may not be renewed.

4)         Before the short-term approval expires, an individual must apply for and receive the applicable license or endorsement under Section 25.70 or 25.72 to continue teaching in the assigned area.

5)         Each year of full-time work experience on the approval may be used toward 2,000 hours of work experience required for the full license or endorsement.

c)         Filing of Information by School Districts

The employing entity hiring an individual under this Section must file all of the following with the regional superintendent in a format designed by the State Superintendent:

1)         a description of the vacant position, including the subject area and the grade level.

2)         a description of the entity's inability to fill the position with a fully qualified individual.

3)         a statement of assurance that the employing entity has not honorably discharged anyone in the past year who was fully qualified for the position.

4)         a statement of assurance, signed by the hiring district, that the individual will be supervised by an employee in the school of assignment who holds a PEL endorsed for general administration, principal, or superintendent.

d)         Each regional superintendent overseeing the entity that employs an individual seeking a position under this Section shall upload the information specified in subsection (c), on a form supplied by the State Superintendent, into the ELIS account of the applicant prior to the State Superintendent issuing the application.

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