Section 25.800  Professional Development Required

a)         Pursuant to Section 21B-45 of the Code, renewal of PELs endorsed in a teaching, administrative, or school support personnel field or an educator license with stipulations endorsed for chief school business official (see Section 21B-20 of the Code) or career and technical educator (see Section 25.805) is contingent upon licensees' presentation of proof of professional development activities.  Specific approvals, as defined in Section 25.805, are also subject to renewal requirements set forth in that Section. For the purposes of this Subpart J, "5-year renewal cycle" for any license or renewable approval shall include July 1 following the license's issuance through June 30 following five years of the license being issued and every five years thereafter, regardless of whether the total validity period exceeds five years.  Any portion of an additional year beyond five years that is included in the 5-year renewal cycle shall not increase the amount of professional development that a licensee is required to complete.  If a licensee earns more than the required number of professional development hours during a renewal cycle, the additional hours earned between April 1 and June 30 of the last year of the renewal cycle may be carried over and applied to the next renewal cycle. Illinois Administrators' Academy courses or hours earned in those courses may not be carried over.

b)         Except as provided in Section 25.880 and in subsection (c) of this Section, renewal of an individual's license or approval requires the licensee's completion of professional development activities sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Section 21B-45 of the Code.  Professional development hours used to fulfill minimum required hours for a renewal cycle shall be applied to one renewal cycle only.  Each licensee shall:

1)         enter the information required by Section 21B-45(e) of the Code and Section 25.805 of this Part into ELIS prior to renewal for each activity completed; and

2)         present the evidence of completion upon request by the regional superintendent or a representative of the State Board or if required as part of an appeal under this Subpart J.

c)         Teachers and School Support Personnel

Any licensee holding a PEL endorsed in a teaching or school support personnel field shall complete 120 clock hours of professional development activities during each 5-year renewal cycle, unless otherwise specified in this Subpart J.  (Section 21B-45(e)(1) of the Code) The number of professional development hours required under this subsection is reduced by 20% for any renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year. (Section 21B-45(e-5) of the Code)

d)         Administrators

1)         Any licensee holding a PEL endorsed in an administrative field or an educator license with stipulations endorsed for chief school business official who is working in a position that requires this credential shall complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy (see Section 2-3.53 of the Code) course each fiscal year, in addition to 100 clock hours of professional development activities during each 5-year renewal cycle.  (Section 21B-45(e)(3) of the Code) 

2)         Teacher Leader Endorsements

Any licensee holding a PEL endorsed for teacher leader issued pursuant to Section 21B-25(2)(E) of the Code and Section 25.32 of this Part who is working in an administrative capacity at least 50 percent of the school day shall complete one Illinois Administrators' Academy course each fiscal year, in addition to 100 hours of professional development activities during each 5-year renewal cycle.  (Section 21B-45(e)(3) of the Code)  Licensees not working in administrative positions are subject to the requirements of subsection (b) rather than this subsection (d).   

e)         Career and Technical Educators

Any licensee holding an educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical educator issued pursuant to Section 21B-20(2)(E) of the Code shall complete 120 clock hours of professional development activities during each 5-year renewal cycle, unless otherwise specified in this Subpart J.  Renewal of the license shall be contingent on the licensee's fulfillment of the applicable requirements of this Section.

1)         For purposes of this subsection (e), coursework completed for license renewal purposes shall be considered "related to education" if it leads to a PEL or, for individuals holding a PEL, an endorsement on that license for the skill area of instruction, or if it relates to the field of an individual's current teaching assignment or any other field of teaching assignment. 

2)         The provisions of Sections 25.855 and 25.865 shall apply to the awarding of credit for activities offered by approved providers, provided that:

A)        the references to Section 21B-45 of the Code are not applicable to the educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical educator; and

B)        references to Subpart J of this Part shall be understood as referring to this Section when necessary to the context.

f)         Educational Interpreters

1)         An individual may accrue the required 50 clock hours of professional development by participating in conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, symposia, or other, similar training events that:

A)        are designed to improve the skills and knowledge of interpreters for the deaf;

B)        are organized by an entity that is approved pursuant to Section 25.855; and

C)        address educational concerns.

2)         An individual may accrue the required clock hours for professional development by completing college coursework that is part of an interpreter training program offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an Illinois community college. 

g)         Interveners for Students Who are Deaf-Blind

1)         An individual may accrue the required 50 clock hours of professional development by participating in conferences, workshops, institutes, seminars, symposia, or other similar events that:

A)        are designed to improve the skills and knowledge of interveners;

B)        are organized by an entity that is approved pursuant to Section 25.855 or 25.860; and

C)        address educational concerns.

2)         An individual may accrue the required credit for professional development by completing college coursework that is part of an intervener training program offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an Illinois community college.

h)         Retired Educators

Any licensee whose license is in retired status for a full five-year cycle shall not be required to complete professional development activities or pay registration fees until returning to a position that requires educator licensure.  For any renewal cycle in which a licensee retires during the renewal cycle, the licensee must complete professional development activities on a prorated basis depending on the number of years during the renewal cycle the educator held an active license. If a licensee retires during a renewal cycle, the licensee must notify the State Board of Education using ELIS that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in retired status and must show proof of completion of professional development activities on a prorated basis for all years of that renewal cycle for which the license was active. (Section 21B-45(e)(6) of the Code). If an individual returns to a position for which educator licensure is required, that individual shall complete:

1)         at least 24 hours of the professional development required for the endorsement area, as provided by subsections (b) though (e), for each year in which the individual is employed for 50 percent or more of full-time equivalency; and

2)         any Administrators' Academy courses as may be required.  (Also see Section 21B-45(e)(2) or (3) of the Code.

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