Illinois State Licensure

All candidates earning an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) license are responsible for following the procedures indicated below.

ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL) Qualifying Requirements

Qualifying Information for Licensure
State of Illinois Testing Requirements
State of Illinois Course Grade Requirements‌ (PDF)

ISBE Professional Educator Licensure Process

Teacher Preparation Internship Experience
Review of Teacher Candidates
Criminal background checks are required prior to initial field or practicum/internship experience in the schools.
Educational Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA): This performance-based assessment is embedded in the pre-service teaching experience and successful completion is a state requirement for licensure. Visit .

Checklist for Completing Illinois Professional Educator Licensure

Application forms for all our Illinois State Licensure Programs and subsequent endorsements are located on the enrolled SOE Student Community Sakai site.

School of Education Licensure Passage Rates

SY19‐20 through SY21‐22

States With Reciprocity Agreements

Obtaining your Professional Educators License (PEL) through Loyola's School of Education teacher preparation programs is essential if you wish to teach in CPS or other public school districts in Illinois. All of our licensure programs are approved through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Upon completion of your academic program and with your ISBE requirements in in place (content tests and edTPA), your Illinois teaching licensure is entitled directly to you via the University's licensure officer. Mandatory licensure meetings are held each Spring term for Juniors, Seniors, and MEd teacher preparation students.

Once entitled, you will be qualified to teach in schools in Illinois as well as in every other US state except Alaska, Iowa, and Minnesota. (Please visit the state licensure websites below to find current requirements.) States with signed reciprocity agreements with Illinois are listed here.

Alabama	Arizona	Arkansas	California
Colorado	Connecticut	Delaware	Florida
Georgia	Hawaii	Idaho	Indiana
Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana	Maine
Maryland	Massachusetts	Michigan	Mississippi
Missouri	Montana	Nebraska	Nevada
New Hampshire	New Jersey	New Mexico	New York
North Carolina	North Dakota	Ohio	Oklahoma
Oregon	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island	South Carolina
South Dakota	Tennessee	Texas	Utah
Vermont	Virginia	Washington	West Virginia
Wisconsin	Wyoming

For the requirements of our other licensure programs (School Counselor, School Psychologist, Principal Preparation, Superintendent Certificate, or School Social Worker), please visit the related area of study pages for current information.

In accordance with disclosure laws, we provide links to access the licensure requirements by State for each of the licensure types listed below. State licensure requirements can change at any time. Visiting the State licensure website link will help ensure the most current information.