How Do I Become a Preschool Teacher in Illinois in 2025

Why Preschool Teaching in Illinois Matters

One of the best states to start a career in preschool teaching is Illinois, due to its initiatives in expanding early childhood education and making it more accessible to low-income families. In January 2025, Governor JB Pritzker and ISBE announced 5,150 new publicly funded preschool seats for families in Illinois. This is part of the Smart Start Illinois plan to make preschool more available for working families. So far, a total of 11,000 seats have been added thanks to his leadership, which has increased the demand for qualified ECE teachers.

Becoming a preschool teacher in Illinois is a rewarding yet challenging endeavor, particularly due to the complex licensing process. Choosing the right education path and understanding how it affects your job options can also be overwhelming.

This article breaks everything down with clear, simple steps and advice from experienced teachers to help you get licensed and start your teaching career. We will discuss education, licensure, career options, and pathways to become a preschool teacher in Illinois.

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Overview of Preschool Teaching Roles in Illinois

Becoming a preschool teacher in Illinois

Preschool Teaching in Illinois isn’t exclusive to a single teaching role. You can land different roles depending on where you work:

Public Pre-K programs are funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Think of those pre-K classes in public schools.
Private centers, such as daycare facilities or independent preschools.
Head Start programs — these are federally funded programs serving low-income families.

Within these, you’ll find a couple of key roles:

Lead teachers run the classroom and need a license—typically the Professional Educator License (PEL) with an Early Childhood endorsement.
Assistant teachers help out the lead teachers, and they often don’t need a license to do their job.

If you want to be the head teacher of your classroom, you need to become a preschool teacher in Illinois with a license. But if you’re okay with starting as an assistant or working in certain private settings, you might not need the full license right away.

Education Requirements for Preschool Teachers in Illinois

The first thing you must know in meeting the Illinois early childhood teacher requirements is this: you’ll need at least an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE). This degree gives you the basics to help kids learn and grow.

ECE programs cover important stuff like child development, teaching methods, and how to manage a classroom — all to get you ready for real-life teaching. You can also have degrees related to child development or education as long as you’ve taken the right courses about kids and how to teach them.

Whichever degree program you choose, make sure you choose an accredited program. That means the school meets quality standards, which allows you to pursue licensure and preschool teacher certification in Illinois.

Associate’s Degree
- Takes about 2 years
- Gets you into entry-level roles quickly
- Focuses more on hands-on skills
Bachelor’s Degree
- Typically a four-year program
- Can lead to higher roles like lead teacher or director

Here are some Illinois schools that have pretty solid ECE programs:

Licensure Requirements: Getting the Professional Educator License (PEL)

If you want to be a lead teacher in public pre-K classrooms, you need the Professional Educator License (PEL) with an Early Childhood endorsement covering birth through grade 3.

Here’s a quick step-by-step featuring how to get certified to teach preschool in Illinois:

Earn your Bachelor’s degree in ECE. You need to earn your early childhood education degree in Illinois. No shortcuts here for the lead teacher path.
Pass the ILTS Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP). This tests your basic skills in reading, writing, and math. If you’re feeling lucky, sometimes ACT or SAT scores can substitute.
Pass the Early Childhood Content Area Test. This exam focuses on your knowledge about early childhood education specifically.
Complete student teaching. Acquire relevant experience by working in a classroom under the direction of a supervisor.
Apply for the license through ISBE’s Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS). This is an online portal where you submit your application.
Fingerprinting and background checks. Yes, you have to pass those, too, to ensure the safety of the children.

Once you have your Illinois PEL early childhood credential, you can officially be a lead teacher in any public pre-K classroom in Illinois.

Alternative Certification and Career-Changer Options

Even without the traditional college route, you can still become a preschool teacher in Illinois.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree in a different field (not ECE), you can look into an Alternative Educator Licensure Program. This path helps career changers get licensed without starting from scratch.

Fluent in a high-need language like Spanish or Polish? There’s the Transitional Bilingual Licensure to teach young kids while using your language skills.

If you’re working as a paraprofessional or teacher aide, evening or weekend ECE degree programs should work for you. Doing so allows you to obtain preschool teacher qualifications in Illinois while getting paid.

Also, there are scholarships like T.E.A.C.H. Illinois that help cover tuition and support education for early childhood workers who want to move up. These programs are super helpful for folks who need a little financial boost.

Non-Licensed Preschool Teaching Roles in Illinois

Not every preschool job requires a license. For example:

Private preschools often don’t require the PEL, especially if you’re an assistant or in certain roles.
Childcare centers and religious/Montessori schools may have different standards.
You might need a CDA (Child Development Associate) credential, which is easier to get and still respected.

Illinois uses a system called the Gateways to Opportunity Career Lattice to help early childhood workers track their progress and figure out the next steps for certifications and education. If you’re just getting started, these routes can still get you into classrooms working with kids.

Where to Work as a Preschool Teacher in Illinois

With an early childhood educator license in Illinois, you’ve got options when it comes to where you can teach preschool:

State-funded Pre-K programs through public school districts are common, especially in cities.
Head Start and Early Head Start programs offer opportunities to work with families in need.
Private preschools and childcare centers around the state.
Special education preschool classrooms for kids who need extra support.

If you want to find places with the most demand, check out cities like Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and some rural spots in southern Illinois.

Preschool Teacher Salary and Job Outlook in Illinois

Preschool teacher jobs in Illinois are expected to grow about 7% in the next five years, especially in cities where demand is rising. Rural areas might see slower growth. Teachers who connect well with diverse kids will have an edge.

Your preschool teacher salary in Illinois depends on several factors, including where you work and your position. Here’s a general outlook:

Licensed public school preschool teachers: $40,000–$60,000+
Private preschool teachers: $28,000–$40,000

Thanks to programs like Smart Start Illinois, more public preschool jobs are opening up and offer more stability than private centers. Economic changes can affect private jobs more, but public roles tend to stay steady.

Overall, the outlook for preschool teachers in Illinois is strong, with plenty of opportunities ahead. If you want to earn more, it’s best to get licensed.

Ongoing Education and Professional Development

Your learning doesn’t stop once you get that license.

In Illinois, teachers with a PEL have to do 120 professional development (PD) hours every 5 years to renew their license.

There are several ways to earn these hours:

Workshops and courses offered by ISBE
Programs through Gateways to Opportunity
Local colleges and universities often have affordable PD courses
Free or low-cost options thanks to state initiatives

If you want to move up to a preschool director or administrative role, getting a Master’s in Early Childhood Education or Educational Leadership can help. These programs teach you how to manage a program, create a curriculum, and handle policies. It’s a smart move if you’re serious about growing your preschool career in Illinois.

Conclusion: Your Path to Preschool Teaching in Illinois

Let’s wrap up the Illinois Early Childhood pathway in 2025. If you want to be a lead preschool teacher in Illinois public programs, your best bet is to:

Earn an ECE degree from an ISBE-approved school.
Pass the required tests (TAP and Early Childhood Content Area).
Complete student teaching.
Apply for and get your Professional Educator License (PEL).

There are lots of other paths you can take to become a preschool teacher in Illinois. Working in private preschools, childcare centers, or getting a CDA credential are a few of them. Alternate licensure and scholarships can help you level up when you’re ready.