CTE Tenure

We discussed the changes to tenure enacted in 2023 in a prior post here.  A subsequent change was made to correct an apparent oversight related to CTE teachers in the 2023 law via PA 103-617 (effective July 1, 2024).

The 2023 law limited the acquisition of tenure (contractual continued service) to those employees with a professional educator license (PEL).  Because many CTE teachers operate under an Educator License with Stipulations (ELS) rather than a PEL, this impacted the tenure acquisition for these CTE teachers.

The new statute reestablishes tenure acquisition for “an Educator License with Stipulations with a career and technical educator endorsement, or an Educator License with Stipulations with a provisional career and technical educator endorsement” – so long as the teacher otherwise meets the continuing service and evaluation rating provisions in Section 24-11 of the School Code, on the same basis for those with a PEL.

Because the law confers all the same rights and privileges of those with a PEL on those CTE teachers working under an ELS, the law’s impact applies to those teachers presently employed with schools in such programs.