I HAVE A DEGREE IN EDUCATION FROM ANOTHER STATE OR COUNTRY. HOW DO I GET LICENSED AS A DUAL LANGUAGE (DL) TEACHER?

You qualify for the temporary bilingual license (ELS-TBE) using one of the following three (3) options:

• • Option 1:
    • You hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college/university in the United States (U.S.); and
    • Pass a Language Proficiency exam in Spanish (ILTS – 055)
  • Option 2:
    • You hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution in a Spanish speaking county that has the equivalent of regional accreditation in the U.S.;and
    • Pass a Language Proficiency exam in English (ILTS – 056)
  • Option 3:
    • You hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college/university in the United States; and
    • You hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution in a Spanish speaking county that has the equivalent of a regional accreditation in the U.S.
    • No testing is required for this option since you have demonstrated proficiency in both Spanish and English during your higher educational studies.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAM ON THE ILLINOIS LICENSURE TESTING SYSTEM (ILTS) WEBSITE:

• • • You’ll register for the appropriate language proficiency exam through the ILTS website, which can be accessed through the links below:
      • REGISTER FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAM (055)
      • REGISTER FOR THE TARGET LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAM IN SPANISH (056)

Once you pass the appropriate language proficiency exam, you will want to look for a teaching position as a Dual Language Teacher before applying for the ELS-TBE.

• It’s best to not apply for the ELS-TBE until you have secured a teaching position.
• The ELS-TBE is valid for 5 or 6 years (depending on when it is issued) and it CANNOT be renewed.
• You want to be able to teach with the license while you work on the requirements for full Dual Language Licensure.
• Once the ELS-TBE expires, you CANNOT be employed as a Dual Language teacher until you have full Dual Language licensure (PEL with the appropriate content area teaching endorsement, a Bilingual endorsement and an ESL endorsement).

WHAT TYPES OF DL TEACHING POSITIONS CAN I APPLY FOR?

Elementary

• ONE WAY dual language positions at the elementary level can be taught by teachers with either an ELS-TBE only or a PEL and an Elementary Education (K-9 or 1-6) endorsement and a bilingual endorsement.
• NOTE: A teacher with a PEL and an Elementary Ed endorsement and the ELS-TBE can also teach in a 1-way DL position.

 

• TWO WAY dual language positions at the elementary level must be taught by a teacher with a PEL and an Elementary Education (K-9 or 1-6) endorsement. A PEL with an Elementary Education endorsement is required because there are English dominant students in these classrooms.
• NOTE: A teacher with a PEL and an Elementary Ed endorsement and the ELS-TBE can also teach in a 2-way DL position.
• NOTE: A teacher with only an ELS-TBE can teach the Spanish portion of a 2-way DL team teaching position.

Middle School

• DL positions at the middle school level can be taught by teachers with either an ELS-TBE only or a PEL with a Bilingual Endorsement and the appropriate content area endorsement.
• Transitional (instruction is in English) positions at the middle school level can be taught by teachers with either an ELS-TBE only or a PEL with an ESL endorsement and the appropriate content area endorsement.

High School

 

• DL positions at the high school level can be taught by teachers with either an ELS-TBE only or a PEL with a Bilingual endorsement and the appropriate content area endorsement.
• Transitional (instruction is in English) positions at the high school level can be taught by teachers with either an ELS-TBE only or a PEL with an ESL endorsement and a content area endorsement in the subject to be taught.

Once you have passed the appropriate Language Proficiency exam and accepted a DL teaching position, you will need to apply for the ELS-TBE. To do this you will first create an account in the ISBE Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS), which can be accessed here within a Firefox (18.0 or above) web browser system.

 

WHERE TO SEND DOCUMENTS:

While the system recommends that you have your official transcripts showing college coursework sent to ISBE in Springfield, we strongly suggest that you send your documents to the Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) instead.

NOTE: If you have foreign credentials, you need to have them evaluated by a professional evaluation company. Please select one from the ISBE Foreign Credential Services Sources document

 KANE COUNTY ROE CONTACT INFORMATION

Option 1 - Electronic

• • Official transcripts should be sent to transcripts@kaneroe.org

Option 2 - US Postal Services

• • 28 N. First St., Geneva, IL 60134

You may also contact the Kane County ROE at (630) 232-5955 to reach their Licensure Department for further assistance with your application. 

WHAT IF I HAVE A PENDING POSITION?

Because this license can take a few weeks to issue, if an administrator within the district is interested in hiring you, we can request a RUSH on your evaluation for the license on your behalf.

• • This RUSH can only be sent after you apply for the license/approval in ELIS and have submitted all of the required documentation to the ROE.
  • After we request a RUSH, it can take up to a week for the license to be issued. ISBE will send you an automated email when the license/approval has been issued, but we strongly recommend that you check your ELIS account periodically for updates.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY LICENSE ISSUES?

Once your ELS-TBE has been issued, you will then need to register it in Kane County (31-KANE ROE) so that your license will be considered valid for employment within our district. For assistance with completing this process, please see the HOW-TO GUIDE.

NOTE:

• • The initial application fee for your license will be $100.00.
  • Once it has issued, you will then need to register it in Kane County. This cost to register will be $50.00.