Following North Carolina?s recent move to dump licensing tests (TQB, Vol. 5, No. 2) Illinois has decided to drop several requirements in its licensure process. Out-of-state teachers moving to Illinois no longer have to worry about tests of basic skills or subject matter when looking to teach in Illinois.

Illinois Superintendent Robert Schiller doesn?t think the elimination of these requirements will lower the standards for teachers, but if that's the case we can't quite understand the motivation for removing the tests, given the unfortunate signal that it sends.

If this new decision from Illinois is as it appears, it arrives on the heels of both North Carolina's similar decision, and Pennsylvania?s reversal of thinking on middle school teacher's tests. While states may have decided not to go to court over NCLB, they may finding more subtle ways to undo the law.