LICENSURE PROCEDURES & REQUIREMENTS
Licensure to teach indicates the holder has displayed the knowledge, skills and dispositions identified by the Wittenberg teacher education program and by the State of Ohio as requisite for effective teaching. Holding a teaching license means that teachers are competent and can be entrusted to act in a professional manner with the students they teach, the colleagues with whom they work and the communities in which they live and serve.
The authority to license teachers is a responsibility entrusted to the State. When candidates graduate from Wittenberg University's state-approved teacher education program, they are eligible to earn an initial Ohio (Resident Educator) License. This license is effective July 1 of the year of graduation and is valid for 4 years. Should candidates complete their studies at the end of Fall Semester, they may request that licenses be backdated to July 1 so they can teach on the license the remainder of the school year. Upgrading their initial license to a professional license in Ohio requires an individual to successfully complete the Resident Educator Program upon employment with a school district. The Resident Educator Program includes Instructional Mentoring from a trained mentor and a system of formative assessments. The mentor and superintendent will then sign the Resident Educator’s application for a professional license, completing the transition to a five-year professional license.
Procedure for Applying for Ohio Licensure
Application for the Ohio Resident Educator License is generally made during Spring Semester of the senior year. A meeting is scheduled early each Fall Semester for purposes of explaining procedures for applying for teacher licenses.
All candidates who anticipate completing requirements for teacher licensure are encouraged to apply for that license upon completion of their senior year, even if they are not sure they will pursue a teaching position upon graduation. Delay in applying for teaching licensure may result in additional coursework if licensure requirements change after candidates graduate.
Procedure for Applying for Teacher Licensure from Other States
Teacher education graduates who plan to seek a teaching position in a state other than Ohio should first apply for and receive Ohio’s license, then apply to the Department of Education in the sought-after State. If the State has a reciprocity arrangement with Ohio, a teaching license will likely be issued after the appropriate paperwork is completed. If the state does not have reciprocity arrangements, the teacher's transcripts may be reviewed to see if any additional coursework or requirements need to be met to satisfy licensure in that state.
Students who are interested in seeking teaching positions outside Ohio should:
Note that a number of states have additional requirements or procedures that are explained in greater detail at the websites of the different state departments of education. Wittenberg offers a number of computer lab sites for our candidates' convenience; one of which is located in the Education Department building. Supplemental information is available in the Teacher Licensure and Placement Office within the Education Department.
It is the candidate's responsibility to check these resources and be aware of any additional requirements for licensure in states in which they intend to teach. Reciprocity and licensure policies are subject to change and final determination of eligibility is determined by the state at the time of application.
Interstate Reciprocity / NASDTEC Agreement
NASDTEC is the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. It is the organization that represents professional standards boards and commissions and state departments of education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, the U.S. Territories, Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario that are responsible for the preparation, licensure, and discipline of educational personnel.
The Interstate Committee facilitates the mobility of educators across the country by administering the Interstate Contract, by reviewing ways to eliminate the barriers to reciprocity, by adopting common language in reference to teacher certification, and by standardizing the reporting of information on teacher education program graduates.
Acceptance of the Interstate Contract agreement means that the "receiving" state will issue some form of authorization allowing the inbound certificate holder to legally teach or provide service in the receiving state, provided the license issued by the "sending" state is acceptable under the agreement. This authorization may be limited in time by the receiving state, and the receiving state may impose additional requirements which need to be accomplished before the educator can teach or practice after the end of the time limit.
For more information, visit the NASDTEC website: http://www.nasdtec.org/
