The information below is collected from state regulatory agencies responsible for regulating school based speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that laws, regulations, and policies may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.
Audiologists in public schools are contract employees and do not fall under specific teacher requirements of the State Department of Education. State licensure, issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), is typically required for practice in the schools. Contact the board for additional information.
There are two pathways for SLPs to obtain a license to work in Illinois schools.
Note: This information presented on this page is a summary of the requirements in Illinois. For the complete requirements, including instructions on how to apply for licensure, visit Professional Educator Licensure Requirements.
Option 1:
A support personnel endorsement as a speech-language pathologist is available to individuals who meet the following requirements:
Option 2:
A speech-language pathology endorsement shall be issued to any speech-language pathologist who meets the following requirements:
PEL School Support Personnel Endorsements
Continuing education requirements are fulfilled by meeting ASHA CCC's or IDFPR requirements.
Continuing education requirements are the same as for classroom teachers (40–120 professional development hours per 5 year cycle).
Note: Not all continuing education credits for speech pathology are accepted by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for fulfilling PEL Teacher requirements.
For further information on laws and regulations for school based speech-language pathologists and audiologists, please visit these websites:
Questions regarding state advocacy issues? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.