Expanding the Pool of Teachers Policy
Illinois does not support licensure reciprocity for certified teachers from other states.
Commendably, Illinois no longer allows waivers for its licensing tests to out-of-state teachers who have passed tests in a previous state. All teachers must now meet the state's own passing scores on its content tests.
However, other aspects of the state's policy create obstacles for teachers from other states seeking licensure in Illinois. Teachers with valid out-of-state certificates may be eligible for Illinois's professional certificate. Illinois routinely reviews the college transcripts of licensed out-of-state teachers, an exercise that often leads the state to require additional coursework before it will offer an equivalent license. States that reach a determination about an applicant's licensure status on the basis of the course titles listed on the applicant's transcript may end up mistakenly equating the amount of required coursework with the teacher's qualifications.
Illinois is also a participant in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement; however, the latest iteration of this agreement no longer purports to be a reciprocity agreement among states and thus is no longer included in this analysis.
Offer a standard license to certified out-of-state teachers, absent unnecessary requirements.
Illinois is urged to discontinue its practice of transcript analysis, for it is likely to result in additional coursework requirements, even for traditionally prepared teachers; alternate route teachers, on the other hand, may have to virtually begin anew, repeating some, most or all of a teacher preparation program in Illinois. Regardless of whether a teacher was prepared through a traditional or alternate route, all certified out-of-state teachers should receive equal treatment.
Illinois recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.