These Illinois skill standards for the banking cluster are intended to serve as a guide to workforce preparation program providers as they define content for their programs and to employers as they establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. They could also serve as a mechanism for communication among education, business, industry, and labor. An introduction provides a sample format, occupational earnings and employment information, and performance skill levels, a table that cross references performance skills to these occupations: (1) proof operator; (2) teller; (3) customer service representative; (4) personal banker; and (5) loan officer. Each skill standard contains these components: performance area; coding that identifies the state, fiscal year in which the standard was endorsed, subcouncil abbreviation, cluster abbreviation, and standard number; conditions of performance; work to be performed; performance criteria; performance elements; and performance assessment criteria, including product and process. The 56 skill standards are categorized into 8 areas: paying and receiving functions (20 standards); balancing functions (3); proof operations (5); customer service (9); advanced customer service (7); lending (3); consumer lending (5); and mortgage lending (4). (YLB)