CTE Licensure Update

The Illinois State Board of Education’s CTE and Innovation Department has prepared a guidance document, presentation, and recorded webinar for the field on the CTE licensure process, all new CTE endorsements, and the relevant assignability.  For additional information, please visit the Career and Technical Educator page.

Below are the links to the CTE application and forms:

Form 73-23 Application for Career and Technical, Provisional Career and Technical Educator, Part-Time Provisional Career and Technical Educator License

o    Available at http://www.isbe.net/licensure/pdf/73-23-cte-lic-cte-prov.pdf

o    Must have an original signature of Superintendent or Board Secretary of Employing District

o    Must have an original signature of Regional Office of Education Superintendent

  •  Form 73-23A Verification for Career and Technical Educator Work Experience

o    Available at http://www.isbe.net/licensure/pdf/73-23A-cte-verif-work-exp.pdf

  • Form 73-23B Verification for Career and Technical Educator Work Experience (Notarized)

o    Available at  http://isbe.net/licensure/pdf/73-23B-cte-verif-work-exp-notarized.pdf

Approved Program/CTE Certification Categories

  • PEL CTE – full license in CTE content and 2,000 related work hours documentation
  • ELS CTE – 60 hours of postsecondary in content plus 2,000 work related hours. (note: Title 23/Code 25/Subtitle A/Subchapter b/ section 25.70 now states that specific delivery of instruction of that content area can be counted towards the required 2,000 work hours) Teacher applies in ELIS. Valid 5 years.
  • AND Subsequent endorsements in CTE areas may be earned under ELS-CTE with additional 1,000 related work experience in the CIP to be taught.
  • ELS-CTEP /Provisional CTE License – (note: Title 23/Code 25/Subtitle A/Subchapter b/ section 25.72 now states that specific delivery of instruction of that content area can be counted towards the required 8,000 work hours) (District writes to State Superintendent) Valid 5 years.
  • AND Subsequent endorsements in CTE areas may be earned under ELS-CTEP with additional 1,000 related work experience in the CIP to be taught. (District writes to state Superintendent)
  • Short-term Approval – (section 25.81) Applies to classes in which a fully qualified CTE teacher had an unforeseen departure. This is available until July 1, 2023 for teachers with PEL who have 240 related work hours, but lack the CTE CIP required 2,000 work-hours. (Teacher applies in ELIS) Valid for 3 years.
  • Emergency Sub – If district is unable to hire a scheduled position after deliberate search, if a non-cte licensed teacher takes and passes the state content area test they can teach in that class. Valid 3 years.
  • Regular sub – if qualified teacher-of-record starts the year in classroom, and then has an absence during the year, any qualified sub can take over the class.

District Filings with State Superintendent must include: 

  1. Description of vacant position, including subject area and grade level
  2. Description of entity’s inability to fill the position with a fully qualified individual (demonstrate aggressive attempts to fill with qualified instructor)
  3. A statement of assurance that the employing entity has not honorably discharged anyone in the past year who was fully qualified for the position.
  4. A statement of assurance, signed by the hiring district, that the individual will be supervised by an employee in the school of assignment who holds a PEL endorsed for general administration, principal, or superintendent.

If a teacher was assigned as a qualified teacher in a CTE course prior to the licensing changes, he/she is still qualified to teach the course.