Become a Teacher
in Illinois

• Elementary Education:Certificates are not usually endorsed at the primary level, since teaching at that level in most subjects requires only an appropriate certificate and formal training in the subjects taught. However, there are some subjects that require 18 hours, or more, to teach at the middle grades and primary level. Although teachers with middle grades endorsements are automatically qualified in those subjects at the primary level, it is possible a teacher who has the content hours required may wish to have the endorsement at the primary level because they do not have the necessary middle grades pedagogy courses required for a middle grades endorsement. The primary level is K-4 for elementary certificates and K-3 for early childhood certificates. Illinois therefore will issue primary level endorsements in the following subjects when the applicant does not have the required middle grades pedagogy coursework: English as a Second Language, Bilingual Education, Reading Teacher, Media, Library Information Specialist, and Technology Specialist. Except for the middle grades pedagogy courses, the requirements in the content area are identical with those for the middle grades for each subject.
• Secondary English/Language Arts:A major in the content area indicated on the transcript or 32 semester hours in the content area; OR 24 semester hours in content courses completed at one or more institutions and passing the relevant content area test. If a person seeks an endorsement in a subject where there is no content test, the default requirement is a major or 32 semester hours of content.
• Secondary Mathematics:A major in the content area indicated on the transcript or 32 semester hours in the content area; OR 24 semester hours in content courses completed at one or more institutions and passing the relevant content area test. If a person seeks an endorsement in a subject where there is no content test, the default requirement is a major or 32 semester hours of content.
• Secondary History/Social Science:A major in the content area indicated on the transcript or 32 semester hours in the content area; OR 24 semester hours in content courses completed at one or more institutions and passing the relevant content area test. If a person seeks an endorsement in a subject where there is no content test, the default requirement is a major or 32 semester hours of content.
• Secondary Science:A major in the content area indicated on the transcript or 32 semester hours in the content area; OR 24 semester hours in content courses completed at one or more institutions and passing the relevant content area test. If a person seeks an endorsement in a subject where there is no content test, the default requirement is a major or 32 semester hours of content.

• Incentives to teach in high-needs schools or shortage subject areas: Illinois offers loan forgiveness for teachers teaching in high needs schools but offers no support for teachers teaching in shortage subject areas
• Policies in place that articulate elements of effective induction: Illinois has no induction policies in place
• Average Elementary Teacher Salary: The average elementary school teacher in Illinois makes $59,460
• Average Secondary Teacher Salary: The average secondary teacher in Illinois makes $67,110
• Teacher Salary vs. State Average Salary: The average teacher in Illinois makes 147% of the salary of the average worker in Illinois
• Number of Vacation Weeks Per Year: The average teacher in Illinois receives 15 weeks of vacation per year

Basic Skills Test

• Illinois Certification Testing System (ICTS) Basic Skills

Subject Area Competence

• ICTS Content-Area test