Illinois SRO Certification and Recertification
Any law enforcement officer who is primarily assigned to a school or school district under an agreement between a law enforcement agency and a school district must be certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB). The requirement has applied since January 2021. This page summarizes what the ILETSB says about certification and recertification, and lists the ILSROA conference training hours.
Who needs certification
Only officers who are “primarily assigned” to serve at a school or within a school district under an agreement between their law enforcement agency and a local school district are required to be certified. The ILETSB FAQ says an officer who rotates through local schools most likely does not need the certification, but encourages those officers to apply for a certificate and attend courses in the relevant subject areas.
A newly assigned SRO has 1 year from assignment to complete the required training (if it has not already been done) and submit the program/waiver application to ILETSB. Once the officer receives a numbered certificate from ILETSB, a copy must be given to the school.
How to get certified
There are three ways to become ILETSB SRO certified:
- Take the course. Complete the 40-hour ILETSB SRO Basic Course through a Mobile Training Unit, then complete the SRO program/waiver application and submit it to ILETSB for processing.
- Take the NASRO Basic SRO Course. Complete the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) 40-hour Basic School Resource Officer Course, then complete the SRO program/waiver application and submit it to ILETSB for processing. See the NASRO training calendar for upcoming classes.
- Request a waiver. Complete a minimum of 8 hours of training in the 3 core SRO areas (Juvenile Law – Illinois specific; Officer & Youth Interaction; and Active Threat Response – scenario based), then complete the SRO program/waiver application and submit it to ILETSB for processing.
Waiver rules: ILETSB issues waivers case by case. The officer must be currently employed as a law enforcement officer in Illinois, have at least 3 years of experience, and have completed formal training in Juvenile Law and the role of Juvenile Officers, the school environment and youth communication techniques, and rapid response technique. Only the chief administrator of the agency can request a waiver, using the ILETSB form, and ILETSB’s waiver decisions are final. If an officer has under 3 years of experience, the FAQ says to describe prior military, corrections or youth-related experience on the application; ILETSB makes the determination.
Recertification: what it requires and how often
An ILETSB SRO certificate is good for 2 years from when the application is processed. Every certified SRO has continuing education requirements, and there are 2 ways to meet them:
- Complete the 16-hour ILETSB recertification course through a Mobile Training Unit within the 2-year certification period.
- Complete a minimum of 3 hours of training in each of the 3 core SRO areas: Juvenile Law, Officer & Youth Interaction, and Active Threat Response.
With either option, submit a recertification application to ILETSB just before the certification period expires.
How to submit the recertification form
Once the training is done, complete the SRO Recertification Form (PDF) and submit it to ILETSB just before the certification period expires. The ILETSB program page directs agencies recertifying a current SRO to this form. For questions, review the SRO FAQ (PDF) or email ptb.sro@illinois.gov.
Training Hours from the 2025 ILSROA Conference
These are the training hours offered at the 2025 ILSROA Conference. Final hours for the 2027 conference will be announced once the training schedule is finalized.
| Active Threat Response | 4.5 Hours |
| Youth & Officer Interaction | 7.5 Hours |
| Juvenile Law | 1.5 Hours |
| Total Law Enforcement Training Hours | 27 Hours |
Keep your certificate of attendance from any ILSROA conference training, so you have it on hand when you prepare your recertification paperwork.
Looking for dates and locations? See Upcoming Training.