English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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60 hours or ParaPro 460: the Illinois paraprofessional licence
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
The Illinois paraprofessional license has four routes, and most people choose between 60 semester hours and the ParaPro test. Hours must be at the 100-level or higher from a regionally accredited college. The test needs 460 or higher with a diploma or GED. Hours also count toward a degree later; the test is faster if you have few college hours.
The routes side by side
ISBE lists four ways to qualify for the ELS Paraprofessional Educator endorsement. Here they are side by side.
| Route | What it takes | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Associate degree or higher | A completed degree | People who already have one |
| 60 semester hours | 100-level or higher, regionally accredited college | People with some college, or who want a degree later |
| ParaPro 460 | Diploma or GED plus the ETS test | People with few college hours |
| WorkKeys 4 | Diploma or GED plus two ACT WorkKeys tests | People who prefer those tests |
When the hours route makes sense
Count your existing hours first. If you already have 30 or 40 semester hours from a regionally accredited college, the remaining hours may take less time than you think, and every hour moves you toward an associate or bachelor's degree. That matters if you might become a teacher later.
Only 100-level or higher courses count. Developmental maths or writing courses numbered below 100 do not, so check course numbers on your transcript.
Ask each college you attended for an official transcript early. Older records can take weeks to arrive, and you need them to count your hours accurately before choosing a route.
When the test makes sense
If you have no college hours, the ParaPro test is usually the quickest route: one test, a diploma or GED, and a score of 460. ISBE's page says the ETS ParaPro is available through Summer 2027. After that, plan on the hours, a degree or WorkKeys, unless ISBE says otherwise.
WorkKeys is the other test route: a score of 4 on both Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information, with a diploma or GED.
Fees and timing
ISBE lists a $100 application fee and a $30 registration fee for the endorsement. If you need to start work before you qualify, the short-term approval costs $50, lasts three fiscal years and cannot be renewed; you must be working toward the full endorsement in that time.
Once the licence is issued, register it in ELIS. It is valid for five years and renewable.
Using online courses for the hours
Online courses count when a regionally accredited college posts them on its transcript. Our courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended; credit reaches ISBE via a college transcript, and each college decides. UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited.
TESU, UoPeople and Newlane are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask the college which courses it will post before you start.
A simple decision rule
Under about 30 hours and need the licence soon: take the ParaPro or WorkKeys. Over about 30 hours, or planning to teach: finish the hours. Either way, get the short-term approval if your district needs you working now, and confirm the plan with your Regional Office of Education in writing.
Whichever route you choose, keep copies of scores, transcripts and ISBE emails together, so renewal in five years is simple.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the college in writing which courses it will post to its transcript, and ask ISBE or your Regional Office of Education in writing that those hours will count, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Is 60 semester hours the same as an associate degree?
No. An associate degree is a completed programme; 60 semester hours is a count of 100-level or higher coursework from a regionally accredited college. Either one meets ISBE's requirement for the paraprofessional endorsement on its own.
Do quarter hours count?
ISBE's requirement is stated in semester hours. If your college used quarter hours, ask ISBE or your Regional Office of Education in writing how they convert before you count them toward 60, and keep the reply.
What happens to the ParaPro after Summer 2027?
ISBE's page says the ETS ParaPro is available through Summer 2027 and does not say what replaces it. If you plan to use the test, take it before then, and check ISBE for any update.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Composition, algebra, psychology, history and more are on PRO. Ask your college in writing which courses it will post first.
Sources
- ISBE: What is a Paraprofessional? (April 2026) (official)ELS Paraprofessional Educator endorsement: application fee $100, registration fee $30; associate degree or higher, 60 semester hours of coursework, diploma/GED with ETS Paraprofessional 460, or diploma/GED with ACT WorkKeys 4 in Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information; valid five years, renewable; transcripts emailed by the institution to transcripts@isbe.net. Short-term approval: $50, three fiscal years, non-renewable. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- ISBE: Paraprofessional Educator (official)Coursework must be at the 100-level or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. ETS ParaPro available through Summer 2027. Age 19 for PK-22; from 1 January 2023, age 18 may qualify for PK-8. Valid five fiscal years; work under the direct supervision of a licensed teacher. The page is marked archived. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.