Bill Amendment: IL HB5321 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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Bill Title: SCH CD-TEACHER SALARY-CONT ED

Status: 2026-06-01 - Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. [HB5321 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB5321-House_Amendment_001.html

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Rep. Katie Stuart

Filed: 4/13/2026

 

 

 

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5321
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5321 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
"Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
24-8.2 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/24-8.2 new)
Sec. 24-8.2. Continuing education coursework used for
salary increases.
(a) In this Section:
"Continuing education coursework" means any graduate-level
course completed by a licensed classroom teacher or
administrator for the purpose of salary advancement or other
compensation-related advancement under a collective bargaining
agreement, district employment contract, school board policy,
or salary schedule. "Continuing education coursework" includes
coursework taken for purposes of obtaining subsequent

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endorsements, as long as the coursework meets all of the
requirements set forth in subsection (c), including that the
classroom teacher or administrator earns a letter grade, the
coursework includes an instructor of record meeting the
requirements of this Section, and the coursework awards
graduate-level, degree-eligible credit.
"Graduate-level, degree-eligible credit" means academic
credit documented on an official academic transcript through a
regionally accredited institution of higher education that may
be applied toward a master's degree, education specialist
degree, or doctoral degree.
"Instructor of record" means an individual assigned
responsibility for academic oversight of a course, including
instruction, evaluation and feedback of participant work, and
the assignment of grades.
"Licensed classroom teacher" means an individual holding a
valid and current Professional Educator License pursuant to
Section 21B-20 of this Code.
(b) This Section applies only to classroom teachers and
administrators who have the ability to achieve salary
advancement through graduate-level continuing education under
the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, employment
contract, school board policy, or salary schedule.
(c) Beginning with continuing education coursework
completed on or after July 1, 2026, a school district, special
education cooperative, or other public educational employer

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that provides for salary advancement for classroom teachers
and administrators based on the completion of graduate-level,
continuing education credit may recognize continuing education
coursework for purposes of salary advancement only if the
continuing education coursework meets all of the following
requirements:
(1) The continuing education coursework is
graduate-level, degree-eligible credit offered through a
regionally accredited institution of higher education and
documented on an official academic transcript.
(2) The continuing education coursework results in a
letter grade issued by the institution of higher
education. Coursework graded solely on a pass or fail,
satisfactory or unsatisfactory, or completion basis is not
eligible.
(3) The continuing education coursework includes an
instructor of record who:
(A) is a credentialed educator holding a master's
degree or higher and is academically qualified to
teach the continuing education course, with
demonstrated experience in the content area or areas
of the continuing education course;
(B) provides substantive instructional support to
the participating classroom teacher or administrator
throughout the period of continuing education course
enrollment; and

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(C) evaluates participant work and provides
individualized, written feedback aligned to continuing
education course objectives.
(d) Nothing in this Section impairs the ability of the
parties to a collective bargaining agreement to negotiate
salary schedules or compensation structures, as long as any
continuing education coursework recognized for salary
advancement complies with the requirements of this Section
beginning with collective bargaining agreements entered into,
modified, extended, or renewed on or after the effective date
of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.
Nothing in this Section requires a school district,
special education cooperative, or other public educational
employer to create a salary schedule or salary advancement
pathway where one does not otherwise exist.
(e) Implementation of this Section, including standards
for documentation, transcript verification, institutional
accreditation, salary advancement, and compliance monitoring,
shall be determined by each school district, special education
cooperative, or other public educational employer.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.".