Current through September 24, 2024
(1)
Prospective educators seeking a practitioner occupational teaching license
shall meet the requirements of one (1) of the following pathways:
(a) Pathway 1. The prospective educator:
1. Holds a high school diploma or higher as
defined by the Department based on the area in which the educator is seeking
licensure and endorsement;
2. Is
enrolled in a State Board-approved educator preparation program with a
job-embedded clinical practice;
3.
Is recommended by the approved educator preparation provider;
4. Has a minimum of five (5) years of
relevant work experience, completed within the last ten (10) years, or three
(3) years of relevant work experience, completed within the last five (5)
years, in the area of endorsement or equivalent education attainment as defined
by the Department; and
5. Holds an
active industry certification for the area of endorsement as defined by the
Department, if applicable.
(b) Pathway 2. The prospective educator:
1. Holds an active Tennessee practitioner
teacher license or professional teacher license with an endorsement covering
any of the grades six (6) through twelve (12);
2. Has completed a State Board-approved
academic educator preparation program or an educator preparation program
approved by a state other than Tennessee; and
3. Meets one (1) of the following criteria:
(i) Holds an active industry certification
for the area of endorsement as defined by the Department, if applicable;
or
(ii) If the endorsement area
does not require an industry certification, has a minimum of five (5) years of
relevant work experience, completed within the last ten (10) years, or three
(3) years of relevant work experience, completed within the last five (5)
years, in the area of endorsement or equivalent education attainment as defined
by the Department.
(c) Pathway 3. The prospective educator:
1. Has a minimum of five (5) years of
relevant work experience, completed within the last ten (10) years, or three
(3) years of relevant work experience, completed within the last five (5)
years, in the area of endorsement or equivalent education attainment as defined
by the Department;
2. Holds an
active industry certification for the area of endorsement as defined by the
Department, if applicable;
3.
Provides proof of pairing with a highly effective mentor teacher; and
4. Has completed coursework in classroom
management, pedagogy, serving students with disabilities and English learners,
and the teacher code of ethics as set forth in T.C.A. § 49-5-5615, from a
State Board-approved educator preparation provider.
(2) Prospective educators from a
state other than Tennessee that is a partner in the NASDTEC interstate
agreement and who are seeking a practitioner occupational teacher license shall
meet requirements of one (1) of the following pathways:
(a) Out-of-State Pathway 1. The out-of-state
prospective educator:
1. Holds a high school
diploma or higher as defined by the Department based on the area in which the
educator is seeking licensure and endorsement;
2. Has completed an educator preparation
program approved by a state other than Tennessee;
3. Is recommended by the approved educator
preparation provider;
4. Holds an
active industry certification for the area of endorsement as defined by the
Department, if applicable; and
5.
Submits qualifying scores on all required assessments as defined in the
Professional Assessments for Tennessee Educators Policy.
(b) Out-of-State Pathway 2. The out-of-state
prospective educator:
1. Holds a high school
diploma or higher;
2. Has completed
an educator preparation program approved by a state other than
Tennessee;
3. Holds a full and
valid initial level occupational license from a state other than Tennessee that
is a partner in the NASDTEC interstate agreement;
4. Is recommended by the approved educator
preparation provider; and
5. Holds
an active industry certification for the area of endorsement as defined by the
Department, if applicable.
(3) Prospective educators from a state other
than Tennessee seeking a professional occupational teacher license shall meet
the following requirements:
(a) Out-of-State
Pathway 3. The out-of-state prospective educator:
1. Holds a high school diploma or
higher;
2. Holds a full and valid
professional-level occupational license from a state other than Tennessee that
is a partner in the NASDTEC interstate agreement; and
3. Holds an active industry certification for
the area of endorsement as defined by the Department, if applicable.
(4) A practitioner
occupational teacher license may be renewed once upon completion of an approved
educator preparation program and submission of qualifying scores on all State
Board-required assessments as defined in the Professional Assessments for
Tennessee Educators Policy prior to the end of the validity period of the first
(1st) issuance of the practitioner license. An educator issued a practitioner
occupational teacher license under Pathway 3 is not required to complete an
approved educator preparation program to renew the license.
(5) In order to advance from a practitioner
occupational teacher license to a professional occupational teacher license, an
educator shall meet one of the following sets of requirements:
(a) Option 1:
1. Complete three (3) years of qualifying
experience as an educator as defined by the Department;
2. Complete a State Board-approved educator
preparation program;
3. Earn thirty
(30) professional development points, a minimum of twenty (20) which shall come
from new teacher training provided by the Department as indicated by SBE
Educator Licensure Policy 5.502; and
4. Hold an active industry certification for
the area of endorsement as defined by the Department, if applicable.
(b) Option 2:
1. Holds a full and valid professional-level
occupational license from a state other than Tennessee that is a partner in the
NASDTEC interstate agreement or holds a full and valid professional-level
academic teaching license in Tennessee; and
2. Holds an active industry certification for
the area of endorsement as defined by the Department, if applicable.
(6) If the requirements
for licensure advancement are not met prior to the end of the validity period
of the second (2nd) issuance of the practitioner occupational teacher license
then the license may continue to be renewed. To renew the practitioner
occupational second (2nd) issuance license, an educator shall earn thirty (30)
qualifying professional development points as defined in the Educator Licensure
Policy 5.502 and hold an active industry certification for the area of
endorsement as defined by the Department, if applicable.
(7) In order to renew the professional
occupational teacher license educators must meet the following requirements:
(a) Earn sixty (60) professional development
points within the validity period of the license and as defined in the Educator
Licensure Policy 5.502 or demonstrate two (2) years of qualifying experience as
an educator as defined by the Department within the validity period of the
license; and
(b) Provide
verification of an active industry certification for the area of endorsement as
defined by the Department, if applicable.
(8) If the educator has not met the
requirements for renewal at the end of the validity period of the professional
license, then the license shall expire. Educators who fail to apply for renewal
prior to the expiration of the license shall have a grace period until October
1 following the date of expiration to apply for renewal. Applications for
renewal submitted during the grace period shall demonstrate that the educator
completed all requirements for license renewal (with the exception of
submitting the application) prior to the end of the validity period.
(9) Teachers who hold an active practitioner
or professional occupational teacher license and have completed an educator
preparation program may add additional occupational endorsements through one
(1) of the following pathways:
(a) Hold an
active industry certification, as determined by the Department, for the area of
endorsement, if applicable; or
(b)
If the endorsement area does not require a certification, then have a minimum
of five (5) years of relevant work experience, completed within the last ten
(10) years, or three (3) years of relevant work experience, completed within
the last five (5) years, in the area of endorsement or equivalent education
attainment as defined by the Department.
(10) An occupational teacher license may be
reactivated by meeting the following requirements:
(a) Hold an active industry certification, as
determined by the Department, for the area of endorsement, if applicable;
or
(b) If the endorsement area does
not require a certification, then have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant
work experience, completed within the last ten (10) years, or three (3) years
of relevant work experience, completed within the last five (5) years, in the
area of endorsement or equivalent education attainment as defined by the
Department; and
(c) Meeting one (1)
of the following requirements:
1. Option A
(Professional License only): Earning sixty (60) qualifying professional
development points as defined in the Educator Licensure Policy 5.502.
2. Option B (Professional License only):
Demonstrating two (2) years of qualifying experience as an educator as defined
by the Department.
3. Option C:
Submit to the Department evidence of completion of an approved educator
preparation program (if not already provided) and submit qualifying scores on
all State Board-required assessments as defined in the Professional Assessments
for Tennessee Educators Policy 5.105. An educator issued a practitioner
occupational teacher license under Pathway 3 is not required to submit evidence
of completion of an approved educator preparation program to reactivate the
license.
4. Option D: Present a
full and valid professional-level occupational license from a state other than
Tennessee that is a partner in the NASDTEC interstate agreement.
5. Option E: Submit to the Department
evidence of current National Board Certification issued by the National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards.
Authority: T.C.A. §§
49-1-302,
49-5-108, and
49-5-5603.
