Interested in teaching in Illinois? You will need to take the ILTS, but what is it? And which one do you need to take? This article will help you become familiar with what the ILTS is and which one you should sign up for to become a teacher in Illinois.
We will help you figure out what the ILTS is and who has to take it. We will break down the exams by grade level and give you more information about each test. We’ve also included some great tips on preparing for the exam, so keep reading!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
What is the ILTS?
ILTS stands for the Illinois Licensure Testing System. Pearson creates and administers the ILTS exams. The ILTS exams are all of the exams that an educator can take in Illinois to become certified. You must go through a certification program, either at a college or university or by completing an alternative certification program. These programs will help you identify which test(s) to take based on your interests and what you want to teach.
Who has to take the ILTS?
If you are planning on teaching in Illinois, you will need to take an ILTS exam before becoming certified. Other educational programs such as private or charter schools may also require teachers to take one. The exam ensures that all teachers are qualified to teach. You’ll need to take more than one ILTS exam if you are adding additional endorsements to your license.
What ILTS test(s) do I have to take?
The ILTS tests are categorized by grade level and then by subject. For prospective elementary school teachers, there is one test that covers many subjects. For prospective middle school and high school teachers, the ILTS test you take depends on which subjects you wish to teach.
Elementary
The Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) (305) has recently been redesigned. It used to be four individual subtests, but now it is one test. It consists of 150 multiple-choice questions and you’ll have four hours and 15 minutes to complete it. A passing score is 240. The cost of the exam is $122.
Start preparing for your test with this ILTS Elementary Education study guide and practice test.
Middle School
Prospective middle school teachers have the option of taking the General Middle Grades test or a content-specific test. The table below includes more information about the more popular ILTS middle school tests.
240 Tutoring has a study guide for each of these ILTS exams:
- General Middle Grades (5-8) (298)
- Middle Grades (5-8) Language Arts (201)
- Middle Grades (5-8) Mathematics (202)
- Middle Grades (5-8) Science (203)
- Middle Grades (5-8) Social Science (204)
High School
If you plan to teach high school, the ILTS exam you take is based on what subject you plan to teach. There are many to choose from. Many of the ILTS secondary exams have been redesigned. The old versions of these tests can be taken through 8/1/2021. The new versions of the ILTS secondary exams all consist of 100 multiple-choice questions, you are allotted 3 hours and 30 minutes, and cost $122.
One of the most popular ILTS secondary exams is the Mathematics (208) exam. Check out the ILTS Mathematics (208) study guide to begin your test preparation.
