Bilingual/ESL Approvals


Teachers in approved bilingual education programs may possess either a Transitional Bilingual Certificate or a valid Illinois teaching certificate and a statement of approval issued by the State Board of Education. Since the bilingual certificate is valid for only six years and may only be renewed for a single two-year period, it is anticipated that current holders will seek to qualify for approval as a bilingual teacher or teacher of English as a Second Language. Approvals will only be issued to applicants who already possess a regular teaching certificate and will be limited to the grade levels or subjects for which the teaching certificate is valid.

A complete application should include the following:

Bilingual Approval
Complete form ISBE 73-49 Approval as a Bilingual or ESL Teacher.

A statement of approval will be issued to individuals meeting the following requirements:

  1. A valid Illinois teacher certificate.
  2. Bilingual clinical experience totaling 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience in bilingual programs.
  3. Successful completion of a language examination in the non-English language to be taught.
  4. Credits totaling 18 semester hours distributed among the following course areas:

 English as a Second Language
Approval to teach ESL in the context of state-approved bilingual education program may be obtained by making application through a Regional Office of Education on ISBE form 73-49 Request for Approval as a Bilingual or ESL Teacher. The requirements for obtaining this approval are as follows:

  1. A valid Illinois teaching certificate.
  2. ESL clinical experience equal to 100 clock hours or three months teaching experience with ESL students.
  3. Credits totaling 18 semester hours distributed among the following course areas.
  4. Linguistics
  5. Theoretical Foundations of Teaching ESL
  6. Assessment of the Bilingual Student
  7. Methods and Materials for Teaching ESL
  8. Cross-Cultural Studies for teaching Limited-English-Proficient Students

Submit your application to ROE 17.