Illinois Teacher Certification Exam Prep

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) issues the Professional Educator License (PEL), the standard Illinois teaching license. Rather than separate initial and professional license tiers, Illinois issues the PEL with specific endorsements, such as PEL Teaching Endorsements for particular grade bands or subject areas.

Historically, Illinois testing under the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS), administered by Pearson, has three components: a Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) or accepted substitute (a qualifying ACT or SAT score) as a basic-skills gate, a content-area test specific to the endorsement sought, and edTPA, a performance-based assessment. The edTPA requirement is currently suspended, not eliminated: Illinois Public Act 103-0488 first suspended it through August 31, 2025 while ISBE develops a state-built teacher performance assessment. Some secondary sources report a further extension of the suspension; confirm the current end date and status directly on isbe.net before relying on any specific date.

Illinois recognizes the following teacher certification credential:

• Professional Educator License (PEL) - The standard Illinois teaching license, issued with specific endorsements covering elementary, secondary content areas, special education, school support personnel, and administrative roles, rather than separate license tiers.

Illinois testing runs through the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS), administered by Pearson. Historically this includes a Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) or an accepted substitute (ACT composite of 22 or higher with a writing score of 6, or SAT composite of 1110 or higher meeting specific section minimums) as a basic-skills gate, plus a content-area test specific to your endorsement. The edTPA performance assessment is currently suspended. Confirm the current test list and any recent changes directly on isbe.net before registering.

Passing scores for ILTS tests are set per test and are not summarized on a single ISBE overview page. Confirm the current passing score for your specific content-area test directly on the ILTS website (il.nesinc.com) before your exam date.

Requirements for the Illinois Professional Educator License include:

• A bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution.
• Completion of an ISBE-approved educator preparation program.
• Passage of required licensure testing, historically the basic-skills gate plus the content-area test for your endorsement (edTPA is currently suspended).
• Application through the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS).

As of January 1, 2026, ISBE requires candidates to register through the ILTS system, and reciprocity or out-of-state applicants must also pass the applicable Illinois content test for each endorsement sought. Confirm the exact current wording of this requirement directly on isbe.net.

Requirements can change. Always confirm current licensing rules with ISBE before applying.

Current PEL application and endorsement fees are not confirmed on a single official isbe.net page. Confirm current fees directly through the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) before applying.

A focused 6 to 8 week study plan works well for most Illinois teacher candidates:

• Week 1-2: Review teaching foundations, including learning theory and instructional planning.
• Week 3-4: Work through classroom management practice questions, covering behavior support and classroom procedures.
• Week 5-6: Study assessment and learning concepts, including formative and summative assessment design.
• Week 7-8: Take full-length practice tests for your specific content-area endorsement and review missed questions.