Department of Education
Kevin Huffman, Commissioner

To qualify for a Transitional License, a candidate must be offered employment from a Tennessee Public school system or a Tennessee state approved private school. (a candidate cannot apply for a Transitional license themselves) Candidates must have at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and met content in ONE of the following ways:

1. Acceptable major in the endorsement area sought by the employing school system OR
2. Document that they have at least 24 semester hours in the teaching content area sought by the employing school system OR
3. Verify that they have passed the required PRAXIS II content exam(s) for the endorsement areas sought by the employing school system.

Once the candidate has met one of the three ways above, and has been offered employment, additional course work in the academic major IS NOT required.

Teachers holding Transitional Licenses must demonstrate satisfactory annual progress toward completion of all licensure requirements. Teachers may teach on a Transitional License no more than THREE years.

When applying for initial issuance of a Transitional License, the employing school system must submit to The Office of Teacher Licensing an application including:

1. Verification by the university OR approved transitional organization system that content knowledge requirements have been met;
2. A statement signed by a Tennessee director of schools stating intent to employ the candidate as directed by the Transitional License application;
3. Official copies of the candidate’s college transcripts listing confer dates of all degrees earned.

Renewal of the Transitional License

Prior to first renewal of the Transitional License, the teacher must have successfully completed the orientation component of the Professional Education Core Competencies as defined by the university or approved transitional organization.

Prior to second renewal of the Transitional License, the teacher must have passed all required Praxis II content examinations, except the PLT, for the endorsement(s) sought.

Out-of-State and On-line Transitional Licensure

All candidates seeking Transitional licensure through an out-of-state or on-line program must be offered employment from a Tennessee Public school system or a Tennessee state approved private school. (a candidate cannot apply for a Transitional license themselves) :

1. Have at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university OR;
2. Meet the teaching content area knowledge requirements through one of the following:
   1. Have an acceptable major in the endorsement area sought by the employing school system; OR
   2. Have at least 24 semester hours in the teaching content area sought by the employing school system; OR
   3. Pass the PRAXIS II exam(s) in the content area for the endorsement sought by the employing school system. .
3. Have a verifiable affiliation with an out-of-state or on-line university that is,
   1. Regionally accredited and
   2. State approved for teacher education, by at least one state other than  Tennessee, for the licensure endorsement program(s) and appropriate grade level range for the Tennessee endorsement(s) sought by the employing school system; AND
   3. Have obtained an "intent to hire" statement, including a commitment to provide mentoring, from a Tennessee school system that submits completed applications for the Transitional License, with supporting documentation, to the Tennessee State Department of Education Office of Teacher Licensing, in addition to all official transcripts with confer dates of degrees earned.
   A teacher may not teach on a Transitional License for more than THREE years

Renewal of Out-of-State and On-Line Transitional License

Prior to first renewal of the Transitional License, the school system must provide a recommendation in accordance with local evaluation procedures and submit verification of the teacher's adequate progress in completion of:

1. The requirements of an out-of-state or on-line state approved alternative licensure program or alternative route program, or
2. The eleven Tennessee Professional Education Core competencies;

Prior to second renewal of the Transitional License, the teacher must pass all required Praxis II content examinations, except the PLT, for the endorsement(s) sought.

Advancement to full teacher license

The following documents are required for advancement and are to be submitted by the employing school system:

1. Required Praxis II test scores
2. Official transcripts identifying any additional course work not previously submitted
3. Verification of completion of Professional Core Core Competenicies by university/organization
4. Verification of minimum of one year successful teaching experience if using instate university/organization OR
5. Verification of two years successful teaching experience if using out of state university/organization

Resource Information

1. Transitional Licensure Policy
2. Cooperating Tennessee School Systems
3. Affiliated Tennessee University/Colleges
4. Acceptable Majors
5. Transitional License Application
6. Transitional Licensure Program Providers

An application packet that is missing any one of these items will be returned to the school system with instructions as to which items are missing. This will delay the application process.

 

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