SCH CD-TEACHER SALARY-CONT ED
Summary
Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Provides that beginning with continuing education coursework commenced on or after July 1, 2026, a school district, special education cooperative, or other public educational employer may recognize graduate-level continuing education coursework for purposes of salary advancement or lane changes only if the continuing education coursework meets specified requirements. Provides that nothing in the provisions impairs the ability of the parties to a collective bargaining agreement to negotiate salary schedules or compensation structures, as long as any graduate-level continuing education coursework recognized for salary advancement or lane changes complies with those specified requirements. Allows the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Higher Education, to adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions. Effective July 1, 2026.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
Aug 2026
Introduced Apr 21, 2026
Signed Aug 7, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Engrossed
→
Enrolled
·
5 edits
·
Aug 7, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was finalized in its Enrolled version with minor formatting adjustments to the section headers and a reorganization of the definitions. The core policy requirements for continuing education coursework, including the 2026 effective date and instructor qualifications, remain substantively unchanged from the Engrossed version.
Scope change
The scope of applicability remains the same, covering licensed classroom teachers and administrators seeking salary advancement through graduate-level coursework.
TECHNICAL
Minor formatting changes were made to the section title and the spacing within the definition of 'Continuing education coursework' to align with final legislative standards.
Subsection (d) was renumbered and slightly rephrased to clarify that the bill does not require school districts to create salary schedules if they do not already exist.
DEFINITION
The definition of 'Licensed classroom teacher' was clarified to explicitly exclude administrators and individuals not covered by collective bargaining agreements, ensuring the salary advancement pathway applies only to eligible teachers.
REQUIREMENT
Subsection (c) was restructured to clearly separate the eligibility criteria for salary advancement from the implementation details, while retaining the requirement that coursework must be completed on or after July 1, 2026.
A new subsection (e) was added to clarify that nothing in the bill prevents parties from negotiating additional salary advancements for other teacher actions not covered by this specific section.
Floor votes · Senate May 21, 2026 · House Apr 16, 2026
How they voted
56–0
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 58
May 21, 2026
D
Democratic39
94% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
53
Key actions
10
Committee
11
Amendments
10
Aug 7, 2026
Signed into law
Governor Approved
lower
May 28, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed Both Houses
lower
May 28, 2026
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 House Concurs 112-000-000
lower
May 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 008-000-000
lower
May 25, 2026
Committee
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Rules Referred to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
lower
May 21, 2026
Committee
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee
lower
May 21, 2026
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Katie Stuart
lower
May 21, 2026
Introduced
Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1
lower
May 21, 2026
Introduced
Arrived in House
lower
May 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading - Passed; 057-000-000
upper
May 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Loughran-Cappel
upper
May 19, 2026
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt Education; 013-000-000
upper
May 19, 2026
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Education
upper
May 15, 2026
Committee
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
upper
May 15, 2026
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel
upper
May 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Do Pass Education; 014-000-000
upper
Apr 28, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Education
upper
Apr 21, 2026
Committee
Referred to Assignments
upper
Apr 21, 2026
Introduced
Arrive in Senate
upper
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 105-000-000
lower
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 008-000-000
lower
Apr 14, 2026
Introduced
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Introduced
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Katie Stuart
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do Pass / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 008-000-000
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Rules Committee
lower
2 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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