Administrative Academies

Illinois Principals Association
2940 Baker Drive
Springfield, IL 62703 

Main Phone:
217-525-1383 
Membership:
217-241-2648 
Professional Development:
217-391-0848 

Administrator Academies Statewide

Illinois Administrators’ Academy         
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.53)

The purpose of the Academy structure is to maintain a statewide, regionally-based network that provides opportunities for mandated professional development for school administrators. The Academy provides high-quality training on the evaluation of certified personnel, school improvement, school accountability, public relations, communications, and pertinent leadership education relating to student growth, student achievement and school operations. By statute, every administrator must complete a minimum of one approved academy annually and a minimum of five in each administrator certificate renewal period. In conjunction with local districts, other regional offices, state-wide education related professional organizations and approved third party providers, KIDS provides a comprehensive selection of Academy programs.

Requirements: Administrators employed on an administrative license in an Illinois public school must complete the following in order to renew and register their license for a new period of validity:

• One Administrators' Academy course during each fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) of the certificate's registration period (if the administrator is serving in a position that requires an administrative certificate). NOTE: The Introduction to Evaluation of Certified Staff can only meet this requirement if taken prior to June 30, 2004 or as a refresher course.
• At least one continuing professional development activity for each year of the license registration period (if the administrator is serving in a position that requires an administrative certificate) totaling 100 hours in a full 5-year cycle.

Teacher Evaluation Requirements: All Administrators who evaluate certified staff are required to complete Administrator Academy #2001(Introduction to Evaluation of Certified Staff) prior to beginning the evaluation cycle in their building. (This process replaced the Growth for Learning module training in 2019). Successful completion of this academy qualifies the administrator to evaluate staff for the remainder of the current 5-year license cycle. AA#2001 does not count as an administrator academy or CPD hours the first time it is taken. For subsequent license renewals, all administrators who continue to evaluate certified staff must complete a recertification program sometime during the new 5-year cycle. The recertification process consists of the completion of 2 Administrator Academy courses: one focused on professional practice (choice of AA#1448, #1451, #1452, or #1801), and one focused on student growth (AA#3000). Completion of these academies will count as both recertification AND as the yearly academy requirement in the year it was completed.

​Professional Development: All activities must be clearly identifiable as professional development. What you were taught and who taught you. Administrative duties are NOT professional development.