Teacher Licensure Reminders for New Teachers

Teacher Licensure Reminders for New Teachers New Teacher Induction 2013-2014 Anita W. Alpenfels, Ed.D. Executive Director for Human Resources Rebecca Brown, Licensure Analyst Becky Carlson, Licensure Analyst

A PRIMER LICENSURE

CONTRACT EXPERIENCE

• Must be licensed in all • Terminating areas you teach - All late hires • “Beginning Teachers” - All Lateral Entry and “New Teachers” • Probationary may not be the same - “1 of 4,” “2 of 4,” thing “3 of 4” and “4 of 4” • SP1-holder may be a - Requires three Beginning Teacher OR administrator experienced teacher observations, one peer from out-of-state observation, and a Summary Evaluation • Career Status - Number of observations contingent on license cycle

• Determines Pay Level • Pay stub will always be a year behind, because the scale begins at “0” • Experience on the license may be different than “years of service” for purposes of State Service, i.e., retirement purposes

A PRIMER LICENSURE

CONTRACT EXPERIENCE

1 year = 120 paid days For career status purposes: (whether actually on • 1 year = 120 days on the the job or using paid job leave) • May not include any paid leave days

1 year = 120 paid days (whether actually on the job or using paid leave)

NC LICENSURE It is the responsibility of the individual license holder to know and satisfy requirements for NC licensure.

STANDARD PROFESSIONAL 1 LICENSE • SP1 is the first clear license issued to teachers in North Carolina (formerly called “Initial” license). • A Lateral Entry or Provisional license may be issued if the teacher is not eligible for an SP1 license. • The SP1 license is valid for three (3) years at which point it must be converted to an SP2 license.

STANDARD PROFESSIONAL 1 LICENSE • SP1 license holders are not required to earn a certain number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs or “renewal credits”), but they must participate in any professional development required of them.

CONVERTING SP1 to SP 2 • The individual must have three (3) years of successful teaching experience, at least one (1) of which is in North Carolina. • In addition, the individual must – Satisfy NC Praxis™ II testing requirements; or – Receive a satisfactory evaluation, i.e., “proficient” or better in all areas, in the most recent year of employment in North Carolina, which verifies the ability to positively impact student learning along with an additional form completed by the principal; or – Be Nationally Board Certified.

TESTING REQUIREMENTS • If required to complete testing requirements, you should not wait to register for the last available test date. • Tests are administered at major universities with approved teacher education programs. • You must provide a copy of test scores to Human Resources; they will not be sent to us automatically. www.ets.org/praxis

CONVERTING SP1 to SP 2 • Human Resources makes the recommendation to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for conversion of the license. • A new five-year cycle is issued when the SP1 license is converted to an SP2 license.

DATING OF LICENSES Effective Date • July 1 unless there is a mid-year completion of requirements – Other factors may occasionally create a slightly longer/shorter cycle (e.g., mid-year graduation)

• Test date will be used for effective date when testing requirements are met • Expiration Date – ALWAYS June 30 • Once SP2 license, generally a 5-year cycle

LICENSE RENEWAL • Five-year license renewal requires 7.5 continuing education units (CEUs) relevant to area of licensure (75 contact hours = 7.5 CEUs). • One (1) of the 7.5 CEUs is required in literacy for all professional educators except administrators. • In addition, one (1) of the 7.5 CEUs is required in content (licensure + area of assignment) for all professional educators except administrators.

LICENSE RENEWAL, cont. • The remaining 5.5 CEUs may be general credits not to include years of experience. • License renewal requirements are different for individuals who have let their licenses expire, i.e., 15 renewal credits in the most recent five years or 15 renewal credits within the next three years.

LICENSE RENEWAL, cont. • For administrators: – Three (3) renewal credits that align with the expectations of the North Carolina School Executive Standards 2, 4, and 5, focused on the school executive’s role as instructional, human resources, and managerial leader – 4.5 general credits (not to include years of experience) at the discretion of the LEA, if employed

LICENSE RENEWAL, cont. • Completion of National Board Certification may count for one entire renewal cycle (7.5 credits) and may be “banked.” • National Board Certification “counts” for both literacy and content credits. • Renewal of National Board Certification counts as two renewal credits, one for literacy and one for content.

LICENSE RENEWAL, cont. • When participating in workshops sponsored by Moore County Schools, your signature must be on the class sign-in sheet to receive license renewal credits. • Reminder: Because of the high volume of professional development activities taking place in the summer, it may take six to eight weeks for CEUs to be posted (and, in the case of this induction, to process stipends).

LICENSE RENEWAL, cont. • You may always check the progress of your CEU’s via the “Human Resources” page at www.ncmcs.org. Click on “Departments.” – The “CEU” link is also where you may find your “UID” for the On-Line Teacher Evaluation System. NOTE: The posting of district-sponsored CEU’s requires documentation from the presenter to Human Resources.

LICENSE RENEWAL, cont. Non-district-sponsored workshops or classes – Must be approved in advance, i.e., prior to registration, by the principal, and – Must be documented with an official certificate of completion or official transcript and submitted to Amanda Bullard with Instructional Design and Innovation to receive consideration for license renewal credits

ADDING TO LICENSURE Adding Teaching Experience Credit • Be sure to file all teaching experience from other states on Form E. All forms should be filed with the initial application to avoid additional fees. • Instructional TA experience can be added at the following rates: – One year = one year after earned bachelor’s – Two years = one year before earned bachelor’s

• There is a $55.00 fee to add any experience after the initial application.

ADDING TO LICENSURE Adding Non-Teaching Work Experience • Non-Teaching Work Experience is defined as professional work experience in public or private sectors that is directly related to an individual’s area of licensure and work assignment. – There are many restrictions, and every person’s background is different. Contact Rebecca Brown if you believe you may have relevant non-teaching work experience.

ADDING TO LICENSURE Adding Non-Teaching Work Experience, cont. • DPI makes the final determination if the experience can be “counted.”

PAY ACCURACY Reminder: Check your pay stub to make sure you are being paid at the correct level so that, if needed, it can be corrected at DPI before April 15 to make it effective within the correct school year. Corrections may not be made for previous fiscal years. Teacher pay scales are available on the “Human Resources” page at www.ncmcs.org.

ADDING MASTER’S LEVEL LICENSURE • Licensed public school personnel are paid on the salary schedule applicable to their assignment at the highest license level held. This policy applies to all areas, including administration, student services and teaching.

ADDING MASTER’S LEVEL LICENSURE Before enrolling in a master’s program, be sure to ask two questions: 1. Is the institution regionally accredited? www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx

2. Does the program lead to licensure in that state? Neither Human Resources nor DPI may authorize “prior approval.”

APPROVAL FOR GRADUATE PAY The Licensure Section shall authorize salary on the master’s level (or other appropriate) salary schedule for professional educators who hold master’s degrees or advanced degrees that are not in teacher education if the following criteria are met: • The master’s or higher degree is from a regionally accredited university, and

APPROVAL FOR GRADUATE PAY • The master’s or higher degree is in an education or subject area directly related to an existing area of licensure and current teaching assignment or instructional support responsibility, and • The educator’s assignment for the majority (50% or more) of the school day is in the area for which the master’s or higher degree applies.

APPROVAL FOR GRADUATE PAY • There is a $55.00 processing fee to request graduate pay. *Change in location or assignment may impact graduate pay approval.

ADDING LICENSURE AREAS • Once a teacher has a clear SP1 or SP2 license, he/she may add an area of licensure (teaching area only, not administration, guidance, media, etc.) simply by taking and earning a passing score on the Praxis™ II for that area or by documenting 24 semester hours in the area. • There is a $55.00 fee to add a license area by Praxis™ II test or semester hours.

LATERAL ENTRY • License is issued for three (3) years, the maximum time allowed to complete requirements. • Must complete a minimum of six (6) semester hours each year from plan of study (submission of official transcript required). – Waiting until summer is risky.

• Must meet Praxis™ II Test requirements within first three (3) years • Do not wait until summer of Year Three.

TENURE/CAREER STATUS • A teacher must teach four consecutive years with a non-provisional license and non-terminating contract to be eligible to obtain career status. • Thus, for example, it could take a lateral entry teacher seven years to achieve career status.

TENURE/CAREER STATUS • It is important for any teacher who has previously held career status in North Carolina to notify Human Resources in writing immediately. • If you are unsure, contact for your former North Carolina school district. This will affect the type of contract you receive with Moore County Schools.

COURSE REIMBURSEMENT Once Moore County Schools receives its allocation for federal funds, the school district may have resources for limited tuition/testing reimbursement. – Requests may be submitted three times during the school year. – Information is available from the “Professional Development” link on the “Curriculum” page of www.ncmcs.org.

COURSE REIMBURSEMENT – Paperwork submitted for course/testing reimbursement is separate from that submitted for licensure, i.e., if you submit a transcript for reimbursement (official transcripts are not required for this purpose), you must submit another official transcript for licensure requirements because they go to two different offices.

BEGINNING TEACHERS (BTs) • By law, beginning teachers who take on “extra duties” (such as coaching) MUST make the request for such duty in writing to the principal, with a copy of the written request sent to Human Resources for the individual’s personnel file. – This requirement is also in place for those with 27+ years of experience. – G.S. 115C-47

BEGINNING TEACHERS (BTs) • Mentoring and other Beginning Teacher questions should be forwarded to Amanda Bullard with Instructional Design and Innovation. • Licensure questions should be forwarded to Becky Carlson or Rebecca Brown, Licensure Analysts.

BEST PRACTICES • As a professional, the keeping of your professional documents is critical, i.e., don’t rely on others to keep up with copies of your evaluations/ observations, etc. – It would be wise that you keep a paper file of your on-line documents, as you will be unable to access these once you leave employment with Moore County Schools.