To be licensed as a physical educator or health educator in NC, an individual must
Complete an approved teacher education program, which in NC includes:
§ the requirement of a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 at the time of admission to and exit from the teacher education program;
§ satisfactory Praxis I scores for admission to the program;
§ a minimum of 10 weeks of student teaching;
§ completion of a technology product of learning;
§ completion of a program of study that meets state-approved standards and indicators for the specialty area
An individual who completes an approved program outside of NC, may be licensed on the basis of reciprocity.
NC has two levels of licenses for individuals who have completed approved teacher education programs:
(a) The Standard Professional 1 License, which is valid for three years, allows the teacher to begin practicing the profession on an independent basis in North Carolina. To be issued a Standard Professional 1 License, an individual must complete an approved teacher education program and meet the federal requirements to be designated “highly qualified.”
(b) The Standard Professional 2 License, which is valid for five years, allows the teacher to serve on an on-going basis. A Standard Professional 2 License must be renewed every five years.
To convert a Standard Professional 1 License to a Standard Professional 2 License, the individual must have: 1) three years of satisfactory teaching experience; 2) have the recommendation of the employing school system; 3) complete any professional development activities prescribed by the employing school system; and 4) satisfactorily complete NC testing requirements for the teaching area or satisfactorily complete the NC HOUSSE for the teaching area or receive a satisfactory evaluation in the most recent year of employment in North Carolina, which verifies the ability to positively impact student learning, AND verification of the LEA intent to offer re-employment to the teacher for the following year. The teacher will not be required to accept the offer of re-employment.
A person who does not complete an approved teacher education program may qualify for a lateral entry license. The relevant section of policy QP-A-001 is:
An individual who has not completed an approved teacher education program may be licensed under the following lateral entry provisions:
(1) Be selected for employment by a North Carolina school system;
(2) Hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the subject area in which they are employed to teach or hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have satisfied Praxis II testing requirements for the license area and meet the requirements to be designated “highly qualified” as prescribed by No Child Left Behind. To be designated “highly qualified,” elementary and exceptional children’s teachers must pass a rigorous state assessment (currently Praxis II exams). To be designated “highly qualified,” middle school, high school, and special subject area teachers (e.g., art, music, second languages) must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the specific area, or have 24 semester hours in the area, or pass a rigorous state assessment (currently Praxis II exams) in the area.
(3) Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or have five years of experience considered relevant by the LEA, or have passed the Praxis I exams and have attained one of the following:
a) a GPA of at least 3.0 on all work completed in the senior year;
b) a GPA of at least 3.0 in the major; or
c) a GPA of at least 3.0 in a minimum of 15 semester hours of course work completed after the bachelor’s degree was earned and within the last 5 years.
A person who holds a lateral entry license shall complete a program that includes the following components:
(1) completion of an approved teacher education program in the area of licensure at a college or university or completion of a program of study outlined by the Regional Alternative Licensing Centers;
Prescribed academic content coursework that is available through community colleges may be used to satisfy licensure requirements. General pedagogy competencies can be satisfied as follows.
General Pedagogy Competencies
/ Completed Through
/
Educational/Instructional Technology / Approved Teacher Education Program or
Community College or
Local Education Agency (if employed)
Understanding the Learner: Human Growth and Development / Approved Teacher Education Program or
Community College
Learning Theory; Learning Styles; Motivation; How Children/Adolescents Learn / Approved Teacher Education Program or
Community College
Meeting Special Learning Needs; Exceptionalities; Diversity / Approved Teacher Education Program
Literacy/Reading Methods / Approved Teacher Education Program
Instructional Methods / Approved Teacher Education Program
School Policies/Procedures / Approved Teacher Education Program or
Community College or
Local Education Agency (if employed)
Home/School/Community Collaborations / Approved Teacher Education Program or
Community College or
Local Education Agency (if employed)
Classroom Management/Organizing the Classroom to Maximize Learning / Approved Teacher Education Program or
Community College or
Local Education Agency (if employed)
(2) attaining passing score on appropriate PRAXIS subject exam(s) during the first three school years of holding the lateral entry license if the exam(s) was/were not the basis of qualifying for the license;
(3) completion of a staff development program that includes a two-week training course prior to beginning the work assignment;
(4) completion of a cumulative of six semester hours of course work in the approved program each school year;
(5) successful completion of at least a three-year initial licensure program in the lateral entry license area;
(6) completion of all above requirements within 3 years of becoming eligible for a lateral entry license and recommendation of the IHE or RALC for clear licensure.
Individuals who possess five or more years of experience considered relevant by the LEA and satisfy testing requirements (currently Praxis II) for the licensure area within the first year of teaching shall be issued a Standard Professional 1 License upon:
a. Completion of the NC TEACH modules or the equivalent through an approved teacher education program: 1) The Teacher, The Learner, and The School; 2) Diversity; 3) Content Area Pedagogy. (Note: The NC TEACH modules are offered and administered through NC colleges and universities with approved teacher education programs. and
b. Completion of the NC TEACH module on Instructional Technology or the equivalent through an approved teacher education program, community college, or through professional development offered by the LEA; and
c. Completion of one year of successful teaching as verified by the employing LEA.
The employing school system shall formally commit to supporting the lateral entry teacher by:
(1) providing a two-week orientation that includes:
a. lesson planning,
b. classroom organization,
c. classroom management, including positive management of student behavior, effective communication for defusing and deescalating disruptive or dangerous behavior, and safe and appropriate use of seclusion and restraint,
d. an overview of the ABCs Program including the standard course of study and end-of-grade and end-of-course testing, and
e. the identification and education of children with disabilities.
(2) assignment of a mentor on or before the first day on the job;
(3) providing working conditions that are appropriate for all novice teachers;
(4) giving regular focused feedback to the teacher for improving instruction; and
(5) assisting the individual in accessing prescribed course work and professional development opportunities.
Individuals who do not fulfill the requirements of their lateral entry license within the three years they are initially given may be issued another lateral entry license provided:
1. they have passed the required Praxis II exam(s) for the specialty area in which the license will be issued and
2. at least six years have elapsed since the prior lateral entry license was issued.
1.75 Lateral Entry for Licensed Educators
At the request of an employing school system, an individual who holds a clear (non-restricted) license in a teaching, administrative, supervisory, or student services area may be issued a lateral entry license in a teaching area provided he/she meets the federal requirements to be designated highly qualified in the teaching area. Licensed educators who are issued a lateral entry license shall be subject to the requirements for lateral entry teachers detailed in Section 1.70 of this policy.
Renewal requirements for all NC educators follow. Please see the section highlighted in yellow.
Policy Manual
Policy Identification
Priority: Twenty-First Century Professionals
Category: Licensure
Policy ID Number: TCP-A-005
Policy Title: Policies regarding renewal requirements
Current Policy Date: 10/04/2007
Other Historical Information: Previous board dates: 01/14/1998, 07/09/1998, 01/09/2003, 06/05/2003, 05/05/2005, 6/30/2005, 08/04/2005
Statutory Reference: Session Law 2002-178
Administrative Procedures Act (APA) Reference Number and Category:
16 NCAC 6C.0307
*** Begin Policy ***
5.00 General Requirements
Standard Professional 2 licenses shall be issued with five-year renewal cycles. Holders must renew their licenses at the end of each five-year period. Credit earned for renewal purposes shall apply to the person’s license field(s) and professional duties.
Renewal or reinstatement of a license shall be based on 15 units of renewal credit. A unit of credit shall be equal to one-quarter hour or two-thirds of a semester hour of IHE credit, ten clock hours of professional development, or one school year of teaching experience.
Five-year renewal cycles shall be initially based on the completion of credit requirements to qualify for licensure, the completion of licensure renewal requirements, or a valid license held from another state. A new five-year renewal cycle is established for a Standard Professional 2 license when an expired license is renewed. A new five-year renewal cycle also is established upon the completion of program requirements for converting a Standard Professional 1 license to a Standard Professional 2 license.
Individuals with expired, non-provisional North Carolina licenses shall be eligible for a three-year Standard Professional 1 or Standard Professional 2 license based on the need of the employing LEA. At least 15 renewal credits must be completed during the three years, with a minimum of 5 credits required each year. At the end of the three-year cycle, if all 15 credits have been completed, the license will be issued with a new five-year dating cycle or the license remains expired until all renewal credits have been earned. Only an employing school system can request reinstatement of a license for a person who holds an expired license. This shall not be an option for currently employed individuals who have not met renewal requirements.
5.10 LEA Employees
LEA employees shall maintain an individual growth plan. During each five-year cycle, individuals shall participate in professional development activities based on level(s) of expertise, from beginning to accomplished, in the areas of content knowledge, content pedagogy, assessment, diverse learners, leadership, technology, and others. An LEA may require a minimum number of hours in integrating technology to improve student learning. Individuals teaching kindergarten through eighth grade must complete three renewal credits in reading methods courses during each five-year renewal cycle. This reading methods requirement applies to individuals renewing their licenses on or after July 1, 2003. Teachers of grades kindergarten through twelve must complete three renewal credits in their academic subject areas, including strategies to teach those subjects, during each five-year renewal cycle. This subject area requirement applies to individuals renewing their licenses on or after July 1, 2009. Teachers completing the National Board Certification process or the National Board Certification renewal process during their renewal cycle are not required to complete the three renewal credits in their subject area. School administrators must earn at least 5 renewal credits during each renewal cycle focused on the principal’s role in teacher effectiveness, teacher evaluations, teacher support programs, teacher leadership, teacher empowerment, and teacher retention. This requirement for school administrators applies to individuals renewing their licenses on or after July 1, 2007.
These persons may also obtain renewal credit for the following activities:
a) college or university credit;
b) teaching experience (one unit for each year);
c) earning National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification or completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification process (fifteen units of renewal credit);
d) completing National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification renewal (five units of renewal credit);
e) completion of activities that meet the following criteria (one unit of renewal credit per ten clock hours):
i. The activity shall be delivered in a minimum of 10 clock hours over time with on-the-job application, feedback, and follow-up.
ii. The activity shall have identified goals and objectives that are designed to increase knowledge or skills in the person’s license area or job assignment.
iii. The activity shall include focused content and instruction that are sequenced to develop specified competencies of a specific population.
iv. The activity shall be conducted by instructional personnel approved by the sponsoring school unit or employer.
v. The activity shall include a focused evaluation designed to gauge the change in learner knowledge or skill and to guide the development of future programs.
f) independent study of no more than five units of renewal credit per five-year period which meets the following criteria:
i. Teachers and other licensed personnel help to develop local independent study procedures which the superintendent shall keep on file and periodically send to each licensed employee; and
ii. The employee and the superintendent or his or her designee shall plan the experience in advance, including identification of competencies to be acquired and an evaluation to determine satisfactory achievement of those competencies.
LEAs and governing boards of schools shall assure that all local courses, workshops, and independent study activities which do not carry IHE credit meet the standards contained in this policy. LEAs must adopt a procedure to determine the appropriateness of credit in advance of renewal activities. In determining appropriateness, the LEA must consider direct relationship to critical job responsibilities, school improvement plans, and SBE strategic priorities to properly establish credit for the activity. Each LEA must report on participation in and effectiveness of professional development to the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards Commission on an annual basis.
LEAs may develop an alternative license renewal plan that is competency-based and results-oriented. The plan must describe the connection among professional development, the school improvement plan, and the individual’s license area or job responsibilities through processes such as peer review and annual evaluation. The plan may waive specific hour requirements that a licensed employee must meet and focus instead on knowledge and skill acquired by participants. The plan must include outcome measures and must be submitted to the Department for review in advance of its implementation.
5.20 Non-LEA Employees
Persons who hold a NC license but who are not currently employed in the public schools or by governing boards of approved nonpublic schools may earn renewal credit through college or university coursework, or local courses and workshops on the same basis as currently employed persons. The Licensure Section shall evaluate the appropriateness of the credits.
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