Short answer
How do U-46 teachers move to a higher lane on the salary schedule?
U-46 teachers move one lane for each 10 credits beyond the bachelor's, up to BA+70, and no more than two lanes a year. Graduate-level academic credits need pre-approval in the district's online portal and a grade of C or better; transcripts are due October 15 and February 15. District-approved professional development can add up to five Professional Credits a year.
Source: Elgin Agreement 2023-2027, Article 27 and Appendix E. Checked .
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How is the U-46 teacher salary schedule organized?
The Elgin Agreement 2023-2027 between the Board of Education of School District U-46 and the Elgin Teachers Association runs from August 9, 2023 through August 13, 2027 and continues year to year after that unless either side gives notice (Section 29.2). Appendix E prints a salary schedule for each year from 2023-24 to 2026-27 and a salary schedule index.
Each schedule has eight lanes, BA, +10, +20, +30, +40, +50, +60 and +70, and 20 steps lettered A to T. Under Section 27.2.1, a full-time teacher earns a step after at least one semester of the school term and another after each two further semesters. New hires receive half a step's credit for each year of outside or relevant experience, as Human Resources determines, rounding up (Section 27.1.1). For how to read the grid, see how to read a salary schedule.
Two rules shape the top of the schedule. Section 27.2.2 limits movement to "two (2) lanes, or its equivalent, in any given year." Under Section 27.2.3, a teacher already in Lane 8 (+70) who earns any combination of 10 more academic or professional credits moves to the next step, and each conversion counts against the two-lane limit.
Which units count toward a U-46 lane change?
Section 27.2.2 recognizes two pathways, Academic Credits and Professional Credits.
- Academic Credits are "graduate level courses from an accredited college or university, as recognized by the ISBE or one of the six Regional Accrediting Bodies," which the agreement lists as HLC, MSCHE, NECHE, NWCCU, SACSCOC and WSCUC (a list it dates December 19, 2023).
- Earned after the bachelor's. Graduate credits "must be earned after receipt of the Bachelor's degree"; credits taken while working toward the bachelor's do not count.
- Course purpose. From fall 2024, a course must be part of an education-related graduate degree, part of a new license endorsement, or "directly related to the teacher's teaching assignment."
- Grades. Courses must appear on a transcript with a grade; "Pass-fail grading for non-degree, non-endorsement courses is not allowed," and only a final grade of C or equivalent is accepted.
- Units. Credit is counted in semester hours; quarter hours convert at 0.6667.
- National Board Certification earns nine graduate credit hours, for initial certification and renewal.
- Professional Credits. Each 15 CPDUs or 15 CEUs from approved professional development counts as one credit, alongside credits for committee work and professional learning communities. No more than five Professional Credits can be earned in a school year, and they are credited by the following August 1.
Graded, non-degree graduate-level courses can qualify when they meet the purpose test and pass portal review. Our article on graduate-level credit and degree credit explains the terms, and quarter and semester units covers the conversion.
Does U-46 require approval before you take a course?
Yes, for academic credit earned from fall 2024 on. Section 27.2.2 says "Academic credits must be preapproved by the district. Preapproval will be via an online portal." The same section says "Human Resources may identify colleges or universities from which courses may not be accepted for academic credit," and a denial can be appealed to the Salary Credit Oversight Committee, a joint district and union committee under Section 27.2.4, on a standard form. We did not find a published list of colleges excluded under that clause, so ask Human Resources about the institution when you request approval.
Professional Credits have their own step: before the activity, the teacher submits the Professional Credit Document online for principal or supervisor approval, then a statement of completion afterward. See pre-approval forms for what to keep on file.
When are transcripts due, and when does the new lane take effect?
Under Section 27.2.2, official transcripts "are due by October 15, and February 15, and will be reflected on the last check in November and March respectively, retroactive to the beginning of the semester." A course finished in the summer and filed by October 15 therefore shows on the late-November check, paid back to the start of the fall semester. Professional Credits are credited to the teacher's record by August 1 after the school year in which they were earned. For more on why the filing date matters, see transcript deadlines.
Do the same units count toward Illinois license renewal?
Renewal runs on state rules. A Professional Educator License renews with 120 hours of professional development every five years under 105 ILCS 5/21B-45, and a semester hour of education-related college coursework from a regionally accredited institution counts as 15 hours under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.805(c), entered in ELIS with a transcript. A course can count for both purposes. The Illinois renewal section of our Illinois guide has the details.
Where can U-46 teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, U-46 included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: a column move, a stipend, license renewal or an added endorsement. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from U-46's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: Since fall 2024, the Elgin Agreement, Section 27.2.2 says "Academic credits must be preapproved by the district. Preapproval will be via an online portal," and each course must be part of an education-related graduate degree, part of a new license endorsement, or "directly related to the teacher's teaching assignment." It adds that "Human Resources may identify colleges or universities from which courses may not be accepted for academic credit." Get portal approval for the specific course before you enroll.
| Question | What U-46 says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | U-46: Graduate-level credit after the BA; grade C or better; quarter hours x 0.6667 | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | U-46: October 15 or February 15; paid in November or March | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | U-46: Required since fall 2024; online portal | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
With those rules in hand, compare providers on the same points. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Teaching Channel: self-paced, units through a choice of eight universities; $489 for 3 credits (price notes)
- TLC Graduate Credits: self-paced, units through CSU Pueblo; $425 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Upward Teachers: self-paced, 1 to 6 months, letter grade, units through UMass Global; $240 sale for 3 credits (price notes)
- VESi: self-paced online, 2- or 3-unit courses on special-needs instruction, units through University of the Pacific; $444 for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean U-46 has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
U-46 lane questions teachers ask
Does U-46 have a master's lane?
No. The Elgin Agreement's schedule counts credits beyond the bachelor's in 10-credit lanes from BA to BA+70. Courses inside an education-related graduate degree count toward those lanes.
How many lanes can a U-46 teacher move in one year?
Two lanes, or the equivalent, in any given year under Section 27.2.2. A lane-to-step conversion at Lane 8 counts against that limit.
Does U-46 accept pass/fail courses?
Not for non-degree, non-endorsement courses. Pass/fail is allowed only where a degree or endorsement program requires it; other courses need a grade of C or equivalent.
When are U-46 transcripts due for a lane change?
October 15 and February 15. Changes show on the last check in November and March, retroactive to the start of the semester.
Where can U-46 teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
U-46 decides which courses count, under the rules on this page, so check with human resources before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, Teaching Channel, TLC Graduate Credits, Upward Teachers and VESi. They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- Elgin Agreement 2023-2027, Articles 27 and 29 and Appendix E, Board of Education of School District U-46 and the Elgin Teachers Association. Checked
- 105 ILCS 5/21B-45, Professional Educator License renewal, Illinois General Assembly. Checked
- 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25, Educator Licensure, Illinois State Board of Education. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error