Section 25.337  Principal Endorsement

a)         This endorsement is required for principals and assistant principals. 

b)         A principal endorsement shall be affixed to a PEL provided that the candidate holds a master's degree or equivalent (e.g., juris doctor (J.D.), doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), doctor of education (Ed.D.)) and either successfully completes each of the requirements specified in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 30 (Programs for the Preparation of Principals in Illinois) or meets each of the requirements specified in Section 21B-35(b-5) of the Code (also see Section 25.425 of this Part).

c)         Each candidate shall have at least 4 total years of teaching or 4 total years of working in the capacity of school support personnel in an Illinois public school or nonpublic school recognized by the State Board, in a school under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, or in an out-of-state public school or out-of-state nonpublic school meeting out-of-state recognition standards comparable to those approved by the State Superintendent (Section 21B-25(2)(B)(ii) of the Code).

d)         For the purposes of Section 21B-25(2)(B)(ii) of the Code, a candidate may qualify for the principal endorsement with fewer than 4 years of experience upon presentation of certain performance evaluation ratings that incorporate data and indicators of student growth (see Article 24A of the Code and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 50 (Evaluation of Educator Licensed Employees under Articles 24A and 34 of the School Code)).

1)         A candidate may qualify with three years of experience if that candidate has received at least a "proficient" performance evaluation rating in the three annual performance evaluations conducted.

2)         A candidate may qualify with two years of experience if that candidate has received an "excellent" performance evaluation rating in the two annual performance evaluations conducted.

e)         Each candidate shall be required to pass the applicable content-area test (see Section 25.710).

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 7269, effective June 3, 2021)