Section 25.10  Definitions

As used in this Part, the following terms have the meanings ascribed in this Section.

"Approval" means a credential valid for serving in a specific education area and grade range. Approvals may be issued on an existing educator license or may stand alone, as applicable to the particular approval.

"Approved educator preparation program" means a program approved for recognition under Subpart C or completion of specified coursework, testing, and experiences aligned to State and national standards, as specified and verified by the State Superintendent, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, that qualifies an individual for the professional educator license.

"Code" means the Illinois School Code [105 ILCS 5].

"Comparable preparation program" is a program in another state or country that leads to eligibility for service in the same specific capacity in the public schools of the state where the program was completed.

"ELS-CTE" means an educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical education.

"ECE" means early childhood education.

"ELIS" means the State Board's Educator Licensure Information System.

"ELS-APE" means an educator license with stipulations endorsed for alternative provisional educator.

"ELS-CTEP" means an educator license with stipulations endorsed for provisional career and technical educator.

"ELS-PARA" means an educator license with stipulations endorsed for paraprofessional.

"ELS-TBE" means an educator license with stipulations endorsed for transitional bilingual educator.

"ELS-VIT" means an educator license with stipulations endorsed for visiting international educator.

"Endorsement" is a credential valid for serving in a specific education area and grade range. Endorsements are issued on specific existing educator licenses.

"EPP" means an educator preparation program.

"Full-time experience", for the purpose of experience used toward obtaining licensure, means working in a 1.0 full time-equivalent position for any particular school year, which may be accumulated in any combination of increments.

"Full-time equivalent" or "FTE" is a standardized unit representing the number of full-time positions where FTE equals percent full time (i.e., hours the educator is paid to work each week divided by the hours required for that position) multiplied by the actual days (regardless of whether full or partial) paid divided by contracted days. For example, if a teacher works 3 full days (8 hours per day) each school week (40 hours per week), and the number of contracted workdays is 180, the teacher's FTE is 0.36 ((24 hours worked/40 hours) x (108 days worked/180 days)).

"Institution" means either a regionally accredited institution of higher learning as specified in Section 21B-105 of the Code when referring to an institution located within the United States or a not-for-profit entity approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.  Accordingly, any coursework required for, or counted towards fulfilling the requirements for, a credential issued pursuant to this Part shall be completed at or accepted by a regionally accredited institution or an approved not-for-profit entity.  Approval of preparation programs under Subpart C shall be available only to regionally accredited institutions or approved not-for-profit entities.  Coursework completed in another country shall be subject to the provisions of Section 25.425.

"Licensure" is a general term that encompasses licenses, endorsements, approvals, and other credentials issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to this Part.

"PEL" means a professional educator license.

"PK-12" means pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

"Official Transcript" means a comprehensive record of a student's academic history that bears the institution seal, registrar signature, or other authentication markers, that is sent directly to the State Board of Education or a regional office of education from the institution in a sealed envelope or through a secure electronic service.

"Regionally accredited" means accredited by one of the following organizations: Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).

"ROE" means regional office of education.

"SEPLB" means the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.

"State Board" means the Illinois State Board of Education.

"State Superintendent" means the State Superintendent of Education or a designee.

"TPA" means a teacher performance assessment.

"Valid, comparable certificate or license" means, for out-of-state applicants, a current (not expired) credential endorsed in the specific content area and grade levels for which Illinois licensure is sought that is equivalent to an Illinois PEL. For out-of-country applicants, a "valid, comparable certificate or license" means a credential or authorization that is equivalent to an Illinois PEL, as determined by the State Superintendent. 

(Source:  Amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 11318, effective July 21, 2026)