Illinois lawmakers and officials have in recent years eliminated some key requirements would-be teachers needed to get licensed, allowing applicants to bypass some coursework and exams before heading straight to the classroom, a Chicago Tribune analysis has found.
The Illinois board of education says the changes will streamline the licensing process and do not sacrifice the state’s high standards. And some administrators say it will be easier to fill jobs in areas short on teachers.
Among the licensing changes, the Tribune found that: candidates can now fail the test showing how well they can lead a classroom and get a “provisional” license; requirements were eased for out-of-state teachers; a decreased number of hours of coursework for license renewal for some educators; and the basic-skills test for substitute teachers seeking to renew their licenses was scrapped.
