Illinois Enacts New Restrictions on Coursework Eligible for Teacher Salary Advancement

On August 7, 2026, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 5321 into law as Public Act 104-0795, which adds Section 24-8.2 to the Illinois School Code. Specifically, Section 24-8.2 limits the type of coursework public educational employers may recognize for teacher lane salary advancement.  

The Act addresses when teachers may receive salary advancement based on continuing education coursework by establishing minimum standards regarding the nature of the coursework, the institution providing the credit, and the manner in which completion is documented. Beginning with coursework completed on or after July 1, 2026, districts may award salary lane advancement for covered continuing education coursework only if the statutory requirements are satisfied. At the same time, the legislation appears to preserve some flexibility for districts and unions to negotiate salary advancement for activities that fall outside the statute’s definition of “continuing education coursework.” The scope of that flexibility, however, is not entirely clear and will likely require additional guidance as districts begin implementation.

Under the new law, which applies to licensed classroom teachers, qualifying coursework generally must:

• Consist of graduate-level, degree-eligible credit;
• Be offered through a regionally accredited institution of higher education;
• Be documented on an official academic transcript; and
• Be taught and evaluated by a credentialed educator, holding a master’s degree or higher, with demonstrated experience in the content area of the course

The legislation does not apply to administrators, nor does it require districts to create salary advancement opportunities that do not already exist.

Due to these changes, school districts may need to review existing collective bargaining agreement provisions governing lane movement and salary advancement. To the extent an agreement awards salary advancement credit for coursework or programs that do not satisfy the statute’s requirements, those provisions may be subject to challenge because parties generally cannot bargain contractual language that conflicts with state law.

The statute places responsibility for documentation, verification, and compliance monitoring of coursework leading to lane advancement at the local level, therefore, districts may also wish to evaluate their existing review processes.

At the same time, the legislation appears to preserve some flexibility for districts and unions to continue negotiating salary advancement for activities that do not fall within the statute’s definition of “continuing education coursework.” As a result, certain locally developed professional development opportunities or other non-covered activities may remain eligible for negotiated salary advancement. Additional guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education may be necessary to resolve those issues.

Franczek attorneys are continuing to monitor developments related to Public Act 104-0795, including seeking clarification on several implementation issues. If you have questions regarding the law’s impact on your district’s collective bargaining agreement, salary schedule, or professional development programs, please contact your Franczek attorney.