Illinois Rep. Stuart’s public school teacher salary coursework standards bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Katie Stuart aims to set new standards for public school teacher salary increases by requiring specific qualifications for graduate-level coursework recognized by employers, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 71 Democrats and 34 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 38 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Stuart introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Feb. 5, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB5321, was passed on May 28, 2026 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “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.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill sets new rules for when Illinois public school employers may count graduate-level continuing education coursework toward teacher salary increases or salary lane changes, starting with courses begun on or after July 1, 2026. It requires that qualifying coursework be degree-eligible graduate credit from a regionally accredited institution, appear on an official transcript, and receive a letter grade rather than pass-fail or similar grading. Courses must have an instructor of record with at least a master’s degree who is qualified in the subject, provides substantive instructional support, and gives individualized written feedback. The bill preserves collective bargaining over pay structures but requires any recognized coursework to meet these standards and authorizes state education agencies to adopt implementing rules.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Carol Ammons (Democrat-103rd District), Sen. Donald P. DeWitte (Republican-33rd District), and Sen. Lakesia Collins (Democrat-5th District), along with one other sponsor.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Stuart graduated from Rutgers University in 1989 with a BA.

Stuart, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2017 to represent the state’s 112th House District, replacing previous state representative Dwight Kay.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.

While the final vote determined the bill’s passage, lawmakers in both chambers held an additional vote related to a concurrence. This earlier vote is included below for context.