Complete guide to Illinois PD hour requirements, ISBE-approved providers, and the ELIS system for professional educator license renewal.
Illinois educators holding a Professional Educator License (PEL) endorsed in a teaching field and employed 50% or more FTE in an Illinois public, charter, or state-operated school must complete 120 hours of professional development during each 5-year renewal cycle.
All professional development must come from ISBE-approved providers. Hours are recorded in the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) and submitted during the renewal window of April 1 through August 31.
Teachers holding a current National Board for Professional Teaching Standards master teacher designation only need 60 clock hours of PD.
Administrators (PEL with administrative endorsement, 50%+ FTE) must complete 100 hours of PD plus one Administrator Academy (AA) per fiscal year.
Illinois educators cannot count professional development from unapproved providers toward license renewal. Always verify provider approval status before registering.
Must be from a regionally accredited Illinois community college or IL university with an approved educator-degree program.
District-provided professional development through approved district providers.
ROE-sponsored workshops, trainings, and professional learning opportunities.
State-approved online professional development platforms and courses.
Tip: If you want to use an unapproved provider, seek approval from an Illinois state-approved PD provider before registering, paying, or attending the activity.
The Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) is Illinois's official platform for tracking professional development and managing license renewal.
Participate in professional development from ISBE-approved providers and obtain documentation/certificates of completion.
Access the ELIS system through the ISBE website using your educator credentials.
Input your professional development hours along with provider verification forms signed by the PD provider.
Hours can be submitted between April 1 and August 31 of the year your license needs to be renewed.
Submit the $50 renewal fee through ELIS to complete the license renewal process.
Illinois accepts a variety of professional development activities, provided they come from approved providers. Formerly called CPDUs (Continuing Professional Development Units), these are now measured in PD hours.
CPDUs (Continuing Professional Development Units) have been replaced with "PD hours" in Illinois. The requirements are the same - the terminology simply changed. One CPDU equals one PD hour.
PD from out-of-state providers generally cannot be used unless the provider is also approved in Illinois or you obtain pre-approval from an Illinois approved provider before attending.
If you don't renew by June 30, your license may lapse. You may need to complete additional requirements to reinstate. Contact your Regional Office of Education for guidance on reinstatement procedures.
No. While PD should be relevant to your professional growth, it doesn't all need to be in your specific content area. General pedagogical training, technology integration, and other professional topics are acceptable.
ISBE maintains a list of approved professional development providers on their website. Search for the provider before registering to ensure your hours will count toward renewal.
Classroom Walkthroughs helps Illinois educators track PD hours, organize provider documentation, and prepare for ELIS submission.
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