Teaching
Online Across
State Lines
Research and writing by
John Watson, Amy Murin, Larry Pape
Evergreen Education Group
JULY 2014 POLICY BRIEF
WITH K-12
DIGITAL
About Us
About the Evergreen Education Group
The Evergreen Education Group is a digital learning research and
advisory company and has been widely recognized as a leading
authority for market and policy intelligence in the K-12 digital
learning field. We deliver digital learning-related insight to the
industry and are the publishers of the annual report Keeping Pace
with K-12 Digital Learning, national reports on the digital learning
landscape, and state-level reports for states such as Missouri
and Maryland. Evergreen is a valuable partner to legislators,
state boards of education, state education agencies, non-profit
organizations, publishers and many companies serving the K-12
education industry. Evergreen was founded in 2000 and is based in
Colorado.
About Keeping Pace with K-12 Digital Learning
Keeping Pace is in its 11
th
year of tracking the digital learning policy
and practice landscape across all 50 states. Keeping Pace findings
have been quoted in many national, state, and regional reports
examining online and blended learning. The report’s findings and
authors have been quoted in numerous publications including
Education Week, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA
Today, and the Christian Science Monitor. Keeping Pace sponsors
include state education agencies, state virtual schools, non-profit
organizations, and companies, all of whom share a vision of using
digital learning to expand high-quality educational options.
About the Keeping Pace Policy Brief Series
Teaching Online Across State Lines is the first in a series of
occasional policy briefs being developed by the Evergreen
Education Group’s Keeping Pace research team. These documents
are the first Keeping Pace research being released separately from
the annual report or the website.
2014 Keeping Pace
sponsors include
the following:
Teaching Across State Lines
2
Executive summary
Among the ways in which states attempt to ensure quality in K-12 education is by requiring that
most teachers in public schools be licensed via state-level requirements that vary by state. This
patchwork of requirements has not been a problem for most teachers over the last century, because
so few teachers taught in multiple states concurrently. Mechanisms to allow experienced teachers
to gain a license in a new state (sometimes temporarily until obtaining a permanent license) were
created by many states for teachers who moved to a new location. In addition, many states created
alternative licensing mechanisms for professionals with subject-area expertise who wished to switch
careers and teach in public schools.
Neither of these mechanisms is sufficient, however, for a new kind of 21
st
century professional—teachers
who are teaching online and therefore reaching students in multiple states concurrently. These teachers
often must go through a laborious and time-consuming process to become licensed in each of the states
in which their students reside. Streamlining the teaching licensing process to allow teachers to more easily
work across multiple states would increase high-quality online educational opportunities for students, and
extend the reach of high-quality teachers.
This policy brief explores key teacher licensing issues, and proposes an online teacher specialization that
would allow a licensed teacher to teach online students in multiple states.
All online teachers should be highly-qualified, licensed teachers. In addition, states should create an online
teaching specialization that would allow a teacher licensed in any state to teach online students in any state
without having to go through a separate licensure process in each state. This specialization would be based
on online teachers meeting both of the following requirements:
A. They demonstrate that they are licensed and highly qualified in any state, and
B. They demonstrate expertise in teaching online via either of two methods:
–
They have taken and passed a professional development course in teaching online by an
approved provider, which includes a course specific to teaching in an online environment
offered by universities, regional education agencies, or national providers of accredited
programs, or
–
They have successfully taught in an accredited online program for at least three years.
The creation of an online teacher specialization raises the bar for teachers who are licensed in another
state, by requiring that these teachers must demonstrate that they have taken and passed a professional
development course that meets state requirements or confirm they have successfully taught in an accredited
online program. This approach preserves the approach to teaching online used by many individual school
districts without imposing any new mandates. Licensed teachers in a district may shift to teaching online
with no additional state-created requirements.
3
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
Introduction
Providers of online schools and courses often operate across multiple states, and online
teachers often teach students who collectively reside in many states. Current state-level
licensing requirements for teachers, however, are slowing the spread of online school and course
options. This policy brief explores key teacher licensing issues, and proposes an online teacher
specialization that would allow a licensed teacher to teach online students in multiple states. This
approach would increase opportunities for students while increasing the quality of online teaching.
Among the ways in which states attempt to ensure quality in K-12 education is by requiring that most
teachers in public schools be licensed.
1
Teacher licensing has a long history that extends over the past
century. Initially schools created their own guidelines for teaching requirements,
2
and then in the first half of
the 20
th
century states created state-level requirements – although each state was, and remains, different.
3
Individual state requirements differ greatly; variations may be in the basic requirements that teachers must
meet, such as required classes or the number of hours, or in the type of license.
This patchwork of requirements has not been a problem for most teachers over the last century, because so few
teachers taught in multiple states concurrently. Mechanisms to allow experienced teachers to gain a license
in a new state (sometimes temporarily until obtaining a permanent license) were created by many states for
teachers who moved to a new location. In addition, many states created alternative licensing mechanisms for
professionals with subject-area expertise who wished to switch careers and teach in public schools.
Neither of these mechanisms is sufficient, however, for a new kind of 21
st
century professional—teachers
who are teaching online and therefore able to reach students in multiple states concurrently. These teachers
often must go through a laborious and time-consuming process to become licensed in each of the states in
which their students reside.
During school year 2013-14 several million public school students took individual online courses, and
hundreds of thousands of students attended fully online schools. Many of these students are taking courses
or attending schools that are staffed by teachers employed by providers who are offering educational options
across multiple states. The national providers include public agencies, private non-profit organizations, and
private for-profit companies. For example:
•
The Florida Virtual School (FLVS), a public state virtual school that offers supplemental classes and a
full-time school, has been offering online courses for over 15 years. It serves hundreds of thousands
of Florida students, and has demonstrated that it provides excellent results in a cost-effective way.
4
Through its FLVS Global division, it offers teacher-led courses to students in other states and in many
countries around the world.
•
The non-profit Virtual High School (VHS) originally started in 1996 as a pilot program funded by a
federal education grant, and then spun off into an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 2001. Since
then, the organization has grown into a worldwide collaborative of schools, teachers and students with
more than 700 member schools and 17,000 enrolled students in 40 states and 34 countries. It serves
1
Whether or not teacher licensing is in fact increasing quality of outcomes is a separate question that this policy brief does not address.
2
Coggshall, J., Sexton, S., (May 2008), Teachers on the Move: A Look at Teacher Interstate Mobility Policy and Practice. Learning Point Associates. http://
www.gtlcenter.org/sites/default/files/docs/NASDTECReportTeachersOnTheMove.pdf
3
Teach.com, Certification Requirements in all 50 states, http://teach.com/where. A brief overview of requirements in all 50 states can also be found at
http://www.lakeforest.edu/live/files/1495-state-certification-reciprocity1pdf.
4
FloridaTaxWatch. Final Report: A Comprehensive Report of Florida Virtual School; www.scribd.com/doc/47743217/Florida-Virtual-School-Report
Teaching Across State Lines
4
students through a collaborative model in which schools can contribute a teacher’s time to teach one
course in exchange for student seats in any VHS class. This allows teachers from any member school
to teach students from any member school – regardless of which state each lives in. For the many
schools that cannot contribute a teacher to the program and simply want to enroll students in courses,
VHS provides the teacher.
•
Several for-profit providers, including Connections Education and K12 Inc., offer individual online
courses and entire online schools. Connections and K12 Inc. provide individual courses to public
schools in all 50 states, and between them operate online schools in 33 states.
These and other providers are making available a wide variety of classes, including varied electives, core,
honors, dual enrollment, and credit recovery classes, to every student across the country. The state-level
licensing requirements, however, are slowing the growth of online learning options for students in many
states. These barriers are making teaching across state lines, and serving high-need students, needlessly
difficult.
Better options are possible, and in particular reducing the barriers to teaching across state lines would
streamline opportunities for teachers, students, and providers. High-quality teachers would be able to
reach more students, students would have access to those teachers and to a broader course catalog, and
providers would be able to use the best teacher for each class, regardless of where that teacher is licensed
or located.
The complexities of licensure, discussed below, make this a difficult—but not impossible—task. The key
component of a possible solution is that it must maintain the quality of online teaching, as the effectiveness
of teachers in online classrooms is as important as the effectiveness of teachers in physical classrooms.
This report is divided into several sections plus an appendix. “Background issues in teacher licensing”
explores the following topics:
•
licensing and professional development requirements for online teachers,
•
teacher testing,
•
national licensing for teachers,
•
charter school exemptions from teacher certification requirements,
•
alternative certification paths for teachers, and
•
reciprocity agreements between states.
This section concludes with the observation that neither the exemptions, alternative paths, nor the reciprocity
agreements sufficiently address the issue of teaching online across multiple states.
“A new specialization path for online teachers” proposes a new solution: allowing online teachers to be
fully certified in one state, and then be allowed to teach in additional states by completing professional
development in teaching online. This approach would raise the bar on teaching online by ensuring that
teachers are licensed in their area of expertise and are experienced in teaching online.
The appendix explores current state-specific requirements in a handful of states with extensive online
learning activity.
5
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
Background issues
in teacher licensing
Discussions of teaching online across state lines touch on many complex topics. This section
provides background information on these issues to inform readers who are not fully versed in the
myriad teacher licensing issues.
Variations in teacher licensing requirements
State requirements for teachers vary considerably. For example, licenses differ by:
•
Grade levels: According to the National Governors Association, 29 states require separate licensing for
middle school teachers, while others may license for grades K-8 or grades 6-12.
5
•
Required coursework: Some states have undergraduate credit hour requirements in order to attain a
license. In Utah, for example, a teaching major shall include not fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter
hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field.
•
Test scores: All states have required teacher tests, and 46 states use the PRAXIS exams offered by
Educational Testing Service (ETS). In addition, some states have minimum score requirements that
may be subject-area dependent.
•
License type: Licenses differ by job type, with small differences between states. Examples of specific
licenses include a grades K-8 teacher, elementary school special education teacher, high school
counselor, high school math teacher, or principal. Tennessee, for example, has 46 possible licenses
6
for grades K-12 that allow school employees to specialize in grade levels, job type, special education,
and different subject areas. A typical elementary school teacher may only need a general certification
that includes the grade level he wants to teach, while a high school teacher may also need to add a
subject area certification. Counselors, special education teachers, physical education teachers, and
librarians are just some of the examples of additional areas of specialization in Tennessee. This is just
one example; each state has different requirements for different school jobs.
Teacher testing
A key component of teacher licensure in each state is passing an assessment; some of these tests are
nationally accepted and may form the basis for teachers to be licensed across multiple states. In addition to
the national teaching exams, many states have developed their own tests.
The PRAXIS series is the most commonly used set of tests; there are tests for candidates seeking to enter
a teacher preparation program, for graduates of teacher preparation programs seeking licensure, and for
specific content areas.
7
The PRAXIS tests are accepted in 46 states (not in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and
Massachusetts), however, the test may only be accepted for certain specialties within those states, and the
5
Grossman, T., Middle School Teacher Certification (National Governors Association). http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/
pdf/1110EARLYDROPGROSSMAN.PDF
6
Tennessee Department of Education, Tennessee Licensure Standards and Induction Guidelines, http://www.state.tn.us/education/lic/doc/accttchlicstds.pdf
7
PRAXIS Series overview, https://www.ets.org/praxis/about?WT.ac=praxishome_about_121126
Teaching Across State Lines
6
required score varies by state and content area.
8
For example, in Michigan teachers must take the Michigan
Test for Teacher Certification, but administrators take the PRAXIS exams.
A newer national set of tests has been developed by the National Evaluation Series (NES).
9
NES Tests cover
a broad spectrum of academic subjects, ranging from math and English to technological skills and teaching
English as a Second Language. NES has set national benchmarks, however, states may set their own
passing scores. As the NES is a newer set of tests, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin are the only
states that accept the tests at this time.
As many as half of the states have developed their own state-specific licensing tests. For example, a teacher
can pass the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST) for certification in California, but to teach in
New York, the teacher would need to pass a test administered by the New York State Teacher Certification
Examinations (NYSTCE).
Many states allow out-of-state applicants for licensure to request that tests taken in another state be
accepted in lieu of taking another round of tests, or allow exemptions for teachers who have valid teaching
certificates from another state along with significant teaching experience. However, these are typically
handled on a case-by-case basis and still require the candidate complete an application packet (and usually
submit an application fee) in order to be considered.
Charter school exemptions from state teacher
certification requirements
Many state charter school laws allow for some level of exemption from teacher certification requirements
and from highly-qualified teacher requirements. NCLB requires that all core subject teachers are highly
qualified, however, it gives each state flexibility to set its own definition of highly qualified in its charter school
law. In their charter school laws, some states allow a certain percentage of teachers to not be highly qualified,
which may be different from the NCLB guidelines. In Texas, for example, teachers in charter schools are
only required to have a high school diploma, and only special education and bilingual teachers must be
licensed.
10
These provisions apply only to charter schools, so do not address the issue for providers of
individual courses, or non-charter online schools.
In Illinois, the law gives flexibility to charter schools operating in a city having a population exceeding 500,000,
which only applies to the city of Chicago. The law states that “at least 50% of the individuals employed in
instructional positions by a charter school … that is established on or after April 16, 2003 … shall hold
teaching certificates.” A charter school has three years from the date it opens to meet that requirement.
11
New York’s charter school policies are more complicated. In New York, a charter school may employ:
•
“uncertified teachers with at least three years of elementary, middle, or secondary classroom teaching
experience;
•
tenured or tenure-track college faculty;
•
individuals with two years of satisfactory experience through the Teach for America program; and
•
individuals with exceptional business, professional, artistic, athletic, or military experience.”
8
PRAXIS Series Passing Scores by Test and State as of March 1, 2014, https://www.ets.org/s/praxis/pdf/passing_scores.pdf
9
National Evaluation Series, https://www.nestest.com/
10
Texas Guidance for the Implementation of NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements For Special Education Teachers, See question 14, http://www.tea.
state.tx.us/assets/0/1582/1624/3374d52c-bdf9-4743-9321-2567792913f7.pdf
11
(105 ILCS 5/27A-10), Sec. 27A-10. Employees, Section C-5; http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=010500050HArt%2E+27A&ActID=10
05&ChapterID=17&SeqStart=164500000&SeqEnd=166400000
7
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
New York’s guidelines limit how many noncertified teachers with the above qualifications may be hired to no
more than five teachers or 30% of the teaching staff of the charter school, whichever is less.
12
North Carolina passed SB337 in 2013 which states that for charter schools “at least 50% of … all teachers
who are teaching in the core subject areas of mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts shall
be college graduates.”
13,14
National teaching licenses
Two organizations are currently offering a national certification. The National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards has created the National Board Certification, which complements and does not replace state
licenses in most cases.
15
In Oklahoma, for example, the National Board Certification makes teachers eligible
for a salary bonus. However, National Board Certification areas do not correspond to Oklahoma certification
areas; therefore, teachers must hold an appropriate Oklahoma certificate in addition to National Board
Certification in order to teach that subject.
The American Board for Certification of Teaching Success is being used by some states to replace state
licensing requirements. The American Board launched a certification program in 2001 with a grant from
the U.S. Department of Education that is geared primarily toward professionals who are changing careers
and seeking a teaching license. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree and pass a background check,
and then work through a one-year online education program. The certification can be in one of nine areas
including elementary education, special education, or seven high school content areas. It is accepted by
11 states (Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah) for a full license, as well as by some charter schools and private schools.
16
Once a teacher has completed the program and worked in one of those states, the license is accepted by all 11
states. In addition, teachers may add other subject areas not offered by the American Board by taking PRAXIS
exams. However, the American Board certification is geared toward professionals changing careers and so is
less helpful in its current form for most current teachers looking to teach in multiple states concurrently.
Licensing or professional development requirements
for online teachers
An issue related to licensing of online teachers is whether states are creating any licensing or professional
development requirements that are specific to online teachers. In most cases, the answer is no.
As of school year 2013-14, no states have a separate licensing requirement for online teachers, and very
few states have a professional development requirement specific to online teaching. Kansas requires online
providers to confirm they are providing adequate training to virtual teachers. Maryland requires training as
part of Maryland State Department of Education Process and Procedures.
17
In Minnesota, beginning in June
2014, all colleges and universities providing classroom teacher licensure must include the knowledge and
skills teacher candidates needed to deliver digital and blended learning and curriculum; staff development
activities must further these goals. This is true for all teachers statewide, online or face-to-face (SF 1528).
18
12
New York State Education Department. (n.d.). Laws of New York, Article 56, Section 2854. http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LA
WS+&QUERYDATA=$$EDN2854$$@TXEDN02854+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=EXPLORER+&TO
13
North Carolina SB337 (2013), http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/Senate/PDF/S337v9.pdf
14
The Education Commission for the States has published a list of all states that allow exemptions for the certification of charter school teachers, available at
http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=93.
15
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; http://www.nbpts.org/
16
American Board for Certification of Teaching Success; http://abcte.org/
17
MSDE Process and Procedures for Offering Student Online Courses in Maryland Public Schools; retrieved July 25, 2014, http://mdk12online.org/docs/
Process_and_Procedures.pdf
18
SF1528 (2012); retrieved July 25, 2014, https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1528.3.html&session=ls87
Teaching Across State Lines
8
Virginia HB578 (2012)
19
stated that the
Board of Education must provide new
licensure requirements for teachers
who teach only online courses; the
rules are still in development as of
spring 2014. The Texas Virtual School
Network, through which most but not
all supplemental and full-time online
activity in the state is funneled, has a
professional development requirement
all teachers must pass prior to teach
online students.
20
Alternative
certifications
In order to address a shortage of
teachers in rural areas, particular
subject areas, and other areas of high
need, every state in the country has
developed
21
some type of nontraditional
route to teacher licensing that is
designed to allow those without a four-
year undergraduate teacher preparation
degree to become teachers.
22
These
paths vary, and may look very similar to
a traditional four-year degree program
(in which case they are often not well
utilized
23
), or they may provide an
expedited path that allows candidates
to begin a paid teaching position
while completing coursework. In most
cases, however, the requirements are
significant and not easily completed for
multiple states. The following examples
are illustrative.
19
HB578 (2012); retrieved July 25, 2014, http://lis.
virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+sum+HB578
20
TxVSN Teacher Professional Development
requirement, http://www.txvsn.org/portal/AboutUs/FAQ.
aspx#Online%20Instructors
21
National Association for Alternative Certification, http://
www.alt-teachercert.org/index.asp
22
Alternative certification requirements by state can be
found at http://www.teaching-certification.com/alternative-
teaching-certification.html.
23
Nadler, D., and Peterson, P. (Winter 2009). What
Happens When States Have Genuine Alternative
Certification? Education Next, http://educationnext.org/
what-happens-when-states-have-genuine-alternative-
certification/.
The challenges of teaching across state lines
Following is an excerpt from an unpublished account provided by Matt
Vangalis, Principal of FLVS Global School, the national and international
arm of Florida Virtual School (FLVS) and a non-profit provider of online
courses and teachers, showing how the ideas presented in this policy brief
are affecting one school and the students it seeks to serve.
This week I received an email from one of our managers in Pennsylvania. He
did a presentation at a local school district that has 100 students in need of
highly qualified Advanced Placement (AP) instructors for its students. FLVS
Global School is fully accredited, and has NCAA-approved courses with
teachers available. This should be a good fit, but state teacher certification
requirements will prevent us from serving those students.
Many states currently require teachers who teach students in that state
to hold a valid state teaching certificate. FLVS requires its teachers to be
certified in the state of Florida. This makes sense, as we would not want
unqualified teachers being placed in front of students without checks and
balances in place to ensure the students were receiving proper educational
experiences. Sometimes, however, a specific state certification requirement
does not improve educational outcomes. For example:
•
Virginia requires that our teachers be certified in CPR even though they
will never physically see these students face-to-face in a setting where
CPR could be administered. With this and other requirements, I estimate
that these steps would require ten hours of effort by our teachers. The
process includes completing applications, requesting transcripts, taking
CPR classes, tracking down college admissions addresses, getting money
orders and then mailing the documents. The financial and time cost is a
significant deterrent to offering courses in Virginia.
•
Our Chinese teacher who speaks fluent Cantonese and went to college
in China was denied certification in Wisconsin because she did not
have enough “Chinese” classes on her transcript. A lack of good
Chinese teachers exists in most states, and students in Wisconsin now
have one less option.
•
One of our teachers who graduated from college with a triple major was
required to travel to Illinois to sit for the equivalent of a basic skills test
in reading, writing and mathematics. Neither her college transcript nor
her certifications in other states were deemed sufficient to demonstrate
basic skills. Illinois requires that our teachers take 12 credit hours of
additional coursework as part of its requirements for a professional
license. The total cost is estimated at $1,835 per teacher.
•
Pennsylvania requires our teachers to submit a health certificate signed
by a physician indicating they are in good health. The cost for the initial
application for state certification is well over $8,000 per teacher.
•
“Reciprocity” is often misleading. Teachers still must apply and in many
cases will be required to take an exam.
What it really boils down to is this: great teachers teach. It shouldn’t matter where
you became a great teacher. If teachers hold a valid teaching certificate with
multiple years (3+) of successful experience, they should be eligible for some
kind of on-line teaching certificate that would be accepted by all 50 states. There
are students in remote locations that do not have access to great teachers or
districts that cannot afford to hire a teacher for a small number of students who
wish to take a class. Online schools with great teachers can help to solve this
problem, but we are being restricted by current state certification requirements.
9
•
Colorado candidates for alternative certification must first receive a Statement of Eligibility from the
Colorado Department of Education. Candidates must receive qualifying scores on the Colorado-specific
PLACE test or the PRAXIS-II test, must have at least a bachelor’s degree, and must have completed
24 semester hours of credit in the content area or passed the Colorado State Board-approved
content exam if seeking content area licensure. The candidate may only apply to the one or two-year
Alternative Teacher Candidate Licensing program after securing a teaching position; the licensing
program must include supervised classroom experience.
•
Oklahoma’s primary alternative path to certification is through the Teacher Professional Development
Residency Program, which provides for a three-member Residency Committee for each first-year
teacher licensed by the State Board of Education that includes a principal, a mentor teacher, and a
university teacher educator. This committee works with teachers in their first year, and then can make
a recommendation as to whether the teacher should receive a license, be monitored for an additional
year, or should not receive a license.
24
While alternative certification may provide an expedited path to teaching, there is some question about
whether teachers certified through alternate paths are considered “highly qualified” under No Child Left
Behind (NCLB). NCLB defined highly qualified teachers as having 1) a bachelor’s degree, 2) a full state
certification or licensure, and 3) proof that they know each subject they teach. As a result, provisionally
licensed teachers are not considered highly qualified. Waivers allow alternatively-certified teachers to be
considered highly qualified if they finish a teacher preparation program within three years, but the latest of
those waivers expires after the 2013-14 school year, and will require Congressional action to remedy.
For all the reasons explored above, alternative certification paths are not a viable option for teachers seeking
to teach online in multiple states.
Teacher reciprocity agreements
Another approach that states have taken to create an alternative path for teachers is the creation of
reciprocity agreements with other states. Similar to alternative certifications, however, the patchwork of
reciprocity agreements is neither easily understood nor very powerful. Elements of these agreements include:
•
They vary between states, and are often not mutual (e.g., State A accepts teachers from State B, but
State B does not accept teachers from State A).
•
They may be only partial or temporary, i.e. participants may be required to complete additional
coursework, assessments, or classroom experience in order to receive a full professional certificate in
another state.
Several organizations help teachers and multi-state schools understand these issues, but no simple
reciprocity solution exists today (see Table 1 for a list of teacher licensing and testing organizations). The
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is one of a handful of organizations that
tracks the states that have established agreements or contracts that make it easier and more efficient for
educators from one state to become credentialed to work in another state. Twenty states have signed an
agreement with NCATE.
25
Several states have reciprocity agreements that allow NCATE graduates to transfer
their existing teacher license from one state to another without having to complete additional coursework.
Most states also require a satisfactory score on state licensing exam(s). In states without a reciprocity
agreement, there may be additional requirements.
24
Oklahoma Alternative Placement Program, http://ok.gov/sde/faqs/oklahoma-alternative-placement-program
25
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, http://www.ncate.org/Public/CurrentFutureTeachers/ReciprocityandAcceptance/
RecentNCATEGraduatesFutureTeachers/tabid/602/Default.aspx
Teaching Across State Lines
10
The NASDTEC Interstate Agreement is a collection of 50 individual agreements that facilitate the movement
of educators among member states and other jurisdictions. It includes 44 states, the District of Columbia,
Guam, and some Canadian provinces, and licenses for teachers, administrators, career / technical education
personnel, and other service personnel.
26
Focus Which states? Target audience
American Board for Certification
of Teaching Success
Teacher certification across
multiple states
Accepted in 11 states Geared toward professionals
changing careers to become
teachers
National Board Certification
Teacher certification Varies by state and possibly district.
May include assistance with fees,
salary increases, bonuses, or
graduate credit.
Geared toward licensed teachers
PRAXIS Tests
Pre-license testing for teachers By 44 states, but each state may
have different standards and
accept different tests
Teacher licensure candidates
National Teacher Exams
Pre-license testing for teachers Replaced by PRAXIS in 1999 but
still relevant for some teachers who
maintained licensure.
Teacher licensure candidates
State-specific exams
Pre-license testing for teachers in
25 states
Usually only accepted in state it
was created in, although some
states may allow candidates to
transfer in
Teacher licensure candidates
NASDTEC Interstate Agreement
Simplifies process of licensing
teachers in multiple states
44 states Teachers seeking to teach in
another state
National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Simplifies process of licensing
teachers in multiple states
20 states Teachers seeking to teach in
another state
Existing alternative licensing options do not address the
problem for teachers teaching online in multiple states
Policymakers who are not deeply aware of the ways in which alternative certifications and teacher reciprocity
work in multiple states often believe that one or both of those options make teaching across state lines
easy. As described above, neither of these approaches is in fact a viable solution, because they are limited,
cumbersome, and time-consuming for teachers. Section II proposes a viable alternative.
26
NASDTEC Interstate Agreement; http://www.nasdtec.net/?page=Interstate
Table 1: Teacher
licensing and testing
organizations
11
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
A new specialization path
for online teachers
A solution exists that would allow licensed teachers to more easily teach in multiple states, while not just
preserving teaching quality but in fact augmenting online teacher skills. States that take this approach
would create an online teacher specialization, which would allow online teachers to work in the state’s online
schools and courses, if they meet either of two licensing paths. The first path is the current option used by
online teachers in most states.
Path 1 (current option)
TEACHERS HAVE A TEACHING LICENSE AND ASSOCIATED GRADE-SPECIFIC OR CONTENT-SPECIFIC
CERTIFICATIONS IN EACH STATE IN WHICH THEY TEACH.
–OR–
Path 2
TEACHERS MEET BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
A. They demonstrate that they are licensed and highly qualified in any state, and
B. They demonstrate expertise in teaching online via either of two methods:
–
i) They have taken and passed a professional development course in teaching online by an
approved provider, which includes a course specific to teaching in an online environment
offered by universities, regional education agencies, or national providers of accredited
programs, or
–
ii) They have successfully taught in an accredited online program for at least three years.
The creation of an online teacher specialization raises the bar for teachers who are licensed in another
state, by requiring that these teachers must demonstrate that they have taken and passed a professional
development course that meets state requirements or confirm they have successfully taught in an accredited
online program.
The professional development should address issues that go well beyond the technical knowledge and skill
to teach via an online technology platform, to cover best practices in online pedagogy. Topics covered should
include how to engage with students at a distance, providing meaningful feedback, using data to personalize
instruction for each student, addressing concerns about cheating in the online class, creating authentic
learning experiences, and other similar issues.
In addition to these requirements, teachers would have to continue to go through state-specific security
procedures, such as getting their fingerprints taken and submitting them to the appropriate office in each
state that runs background checks.
Teaching Across State Lines
12
This solution preserves the approach to teaching online used
by many individual school districts without imposing any new
mandates. Licensed teachers in a district may shift to teaching
online with no additional state-created requirements.
All highly qualified, licensed teachers who complete Path 2
and take the professional development opportunity, or have
previous online teaching experience in an accredited online
program, would receive a specialization in online teaching.
Teachers with this specialization would be authorized to teach
any student in any of the states that have approved
the specialization.
Key Definitions
A number of terms are used to refer to the different
types of teacher licenses, and the terms are not
uniform across the country. The following definitions
are taken from a glossary published by the Council
for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, which
accredits over 900 educator preparation programs
nationwide. It uses the following terminology:
TEACHING LICENSE / CREDENTIAL:
“An official document issued by a state agency that an
individual meets state requirements to (1) teach at a
specific level or for a specialized discipline/population
of students (e.g. middle grades, biology, English
Language Learners, etc.); or (2) serve in a specific
education role in a school (e.g. principal, reading
specialist, etc.). (See Licensure or Licensure Level).”
CERTIFICATE:
“An official document issued by a state agency that an
individual meets state requirements to (1) teach at a
specific level or for a specialized discipline/population
of students (e.g. middle grades, biology, English
Language Learners, etc.); or (2) serve in a specific
education role in a school (e.g. principal, reading
specialist, etc.).”
ENDORSEMENT:
“An addition to an educator’s license or certification
that officially sanctions an educator’s fulfillment of
preparation requirements to teach a subject different
from that specified on the original license/certificate,
to work with another group or age level of students, or
to provide professional services in schools.” These are
also known as special service areas.
We are recommending an “online teaching
specialization” because it is not an endorsement
or certificate, both of which have very particular
meanings in the context of NCLB. However, similar
to an endorsement, an online teaching specialization
builds upon an existing license, and would qualify
teachers for the specific job of teaching online.
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
(CAEP), http://caepnet.org/resources/glossary/
13
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
The policy changes proposed in the previous section would, if implemented, create a new path for online
teachers who wish to teach students who reside in multiple states. It represents a relatively easy way to
increase opportunities for teachers to teach, and to provide students more online courses options taught by
the best teachers from the entire country—not just those who happen to live in the same state.
It purposely does not suggest large-scale changes to the current teacher certification processes that states
are using. Many observers believe that current certification processes provide little or no benefit to students,
and are an impediment to innovation. Some advocates believe that large-scale changes are needed to
provide far more flexibility for educators to find the right mix of teachers to serve students and then hold the
providers accountable for student outcomes. Completely replacing current certification, however, will likely
take many years due to the many stakeholders involved. This policy brief suggests a smaller-scale change
that can be implemented quickly and relatively easily, and will have real, near-term benefits for both students
and teachers.
We expect that in the coming years teacher certification is likely to change further, and the policies that we
are proposing may be an interim step towards a larger transformation. Many states are implementing or
considering new teacher evaluation processes that are based in part on student achievement outcomes. To
the extent that these changes are successfully implemented, and to the extent that they are able to assess
teachers quickly based on student data, they will make inputs-based quality assurance methods—including
teacher licensing—less important than they are currently. It is likely that some type of teacher licensing will
always be necessary, if only to address the period in between when a teacher begins teaching and when
data are first generated. Current practices, however, may give way to generally streamlined processes with a
goal of moving more of the best-qualified teachers into classrooms (virtual or physical) so that more students
are learning from excellent teachers.
That change is likely years away. In the meantime, the steps outlined in this report will increase the ability of
teachers to work across state lines. By improving the quality of instruction while streamlining the process by
which teachers can work in multiple states, policymakers can allow teachers to focus on what they do best—
working with students.
Conclusion: Looking to the future
Teaching Across State Lines
14
Appendix A
Current state online learning options
and teacher licensure requirements
in select states
Louisiana
Online learning options
Louisiana has two fully online charter schools, an increasing number of district
programs, and a state Course Choice program. Louisiana’s two fully online charter schools
are authorized by the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE): the Louisiana
Connections Academy (LACA) and Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy (LAVCA). LACA enrollment is capped
at 1,200 students. For school year 2012-13 and 2013-14, LACA enrolled 350 students in grades K-5,
385 students in grades 6-8, and 465 students in grades 9-12.
27
LAVCA, a K12 Inc. school, is available to
Louisiana students in grades K-12; in school year 2012-13 there were 1,362 enrolled students, reflecting
an annual increase of 9%. These two fully online schools serve slightly less than 0.5% of the state’s K-12
student population.
Through school year 2012-13, Louisiana had a state virtual school, Louisiana Virtual School (LVS). In 2012
Act 2 (HB976) introduced the Course Choice program.
28
Under Course Choice, all students select their own
online and hybrid courses, with district approval, from 45 authorized private and out-of-district providers,
including vendors such as Apex, Connections, Edgenuity, K12 Inc., and Princeton Review, and also
Louisiana universities, community colleges, and school districts.
29
Early challenges to the program’s legality, and particularly of its funding model, were raised. Following a
Louisiana Supreme Court ruling mid-2013 that per-pupil allocation funds could not be diverted outside of
public schools, funding shifted and is based on a state appropriation and grant funding (instead of tapping
into the public education funding formula). As of spring 2014, registration is open for the 2014-15 school
year, but long-term funding has not yet been secured.
Teacher licensure requirements
Louisiana issues three categories of teaching authorizations: Standard, Nonstandard, and Ancillary.
30
Within
the Standard teaching authorization, there are eight types teaching authorizations issued by the state:
1. professional Level 1, 2, and 3 certificates;
2. type C, B, and A certificates;
3. out-of-state certificate;
4. foreign language special certificate PK-8;
27
Keeping Pace with K-12 Online and Blended Learning 2013
28
HB976 (Act 2); http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=220608
29
Louisiana Course Choice; http://www.louisianacoursechoice.net/
30
Legislation and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education rules are outlined in Bulletin 746: Louisiana Standards for Certification of School Personnel,
available at http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/28v131/28v131.doc.
Conclusion: Looking to the future
15
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
5. practitioner 1, 2, and 3 licenses;
6. world language certificates (WLC);
7. extended endorsement license (EEL); and
8. standard certificates for teachers in non-public schools.
According to the Louisiana Department of Education,
31
the state offers two types of teaching certificates
to applicants holding a standard out-of-state teaching certificate. Both are valid certificates and make the
holder eligible for a teaching assignment in a Louisiana classroom. The certificate that is issued to the
applicant depends on whether or not the applicant has met Louisiana’s Praxis and/or National Teacher
Examination (NTE) testing requirements.
32
1. Level 1 Professional Certificate is a standard, three-year Louisiana teaching certificate that authorizes
certification for the levels or subjects available in Louisiana and that are consistent with those currently
on the applicant’s Out-of-State teaching certificate. A Level 1 certificate is issued to individuals who
have completed the Louisiana PRAXIS and/or NTE requirements.
2. Out-of-State Certificate is a standard, three-year, non-renewable Louisiana teaching certificate that
authorizes certification for the levels or subjects available in Louisiana and that are consistent with
those currently on the applicant’s Out-of-State teaching certificate. An Out-of-State certificate is issued
to individuals who have not met Louisiana’s PRAXIS and/or NTE requirements.
According to the Course Choice Year 2 Request for Applications guide, all teachers must be certified per
Louisiana requirements.
33
In addition, in 2013 the Department of Education published updated state
standards in Bulletin 741 (Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators)
34
that are relevant to all education
providers, including both full-time online programs and Course Choice providers. The bulletin specifies
requirements for teachers, noting that all teachers must be highly qualified. However, additional guidance
suggests that teachers may be “in compliance with the reciprocal instructor certification policy for instructors
who reside in other states but are employed by authorized course providers to satisfy the state certification
requirements.”
35
The initial out-of-state teacher application requires an extensive packet of information, including state-
specific forms and a $50 processing fee. While the provisional license is granted for three years, they must
pass the PRAXIS or have passed the NTE in order to receive a full license.
31
Louisiana Department of Education, Out-of-State Applicant guidelines, https://www.teachlouisiana.net/Teachers.aspx?PageID=3204#OS. The full
application can be found at https://www.teachlouisiana.net/pdf/applications/Out_of_State.pdf.
32
The National Teacher Examination was replaced by PRAXIS exams in 1999, but teachers with NTE scores can still use them for licensing in some states.
33
State Superintendent of Education John White, Course Choice Year 2 Request for Applications (RFA):2013 Louisiana Course Choice Application Guide,
September 25, 2013, http://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/course-choice/course-choice-rfa-yr-2.pdf?sfvrsn=2
34
Bulletin 741 (Louisiana Handbook For School Administrators); http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/28v115/28v115.doc
35
Bulletin 132, http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/28v151/28v151.doc
Teaching Across State Lines
16
Michigan
Online options
Michigan has extensive online and blended learning activity, and has seen significant
expansion of its online options in recent years due to two key pieces of legislation. Online schools and
programs include the following:
•
Seven online charter schools, two of which operated in school year 2012-13, and five of which opened
in school year 2013-14. The number of cyber charters expanded in the wake of the passage of SB619
(2012),
36
which raised the cap on the number of fully online schools, referred to as cyber charter
schools. Full-time online programs are serving 0.55% of the state’s K-12 student population.
•
Michigan Virtual School (MVS), which is one of the larger state virtual schools, with 20,812 course
enrollments in school year 2012-13, a 5% annual increase.
•
A large consortium program, GenNET, operated by the Genesee ISD with over 400 districts
participating and processing more than 22,749 course enrollments supplied by multiple providers in
school year 2012-13.
•
A new course choice program. Public Act 60 (2013)
37
allows students in grades 5-12, with parental
consent, to take up to two online courses per academic term, semester, or trimester without district
approval beginning in school year 2013-14, and increases funding for Michigan Virtual University
(MVU) to support a variety of digital learning initiatives.
38
Available courses will be listed in a statewide
catalog or those offered by the student’s resident district. The statewide catalog is being developed and
maintained by MVU for school year 2013-14; it will include online courses from any district that elects
to accept applications for enrollment from nonresident students, as well as course titles from MVS.
•
A report by the Michigan Virtual University estimated that 185,053 K-12 course enrollments were
delivered virtually in 2012-13.
39
In addition, Michigan has an online learning experience graduation requirement for all high school students.
Teacher licensure requirements
Michigan currently issues two types of teaching certificates to in-state candidates for licensure, a Provisional
Certificate and a Professional Education Certificate. The Provisional Certificate is an initial certificate valid
for six years, during which time the holder is expected to gain experience as a teacher, and to participate in
professional development. The Professional Education Certificate is an advanced certificate that requires 18
semester hours in a planned course of study (such as a master’s degree), completion of Michigan’s reading
requirement, and three years of successful teaching experience.
36
SB619 (2012); retrieved July 25, 2014, http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/publicact/pdf/2012-PA-0129.pdf
37
Public Act 60 (2013); retrieved July 25, 2014, http://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2013-2014/publicact/pdf/2013-PA-0060.pdf
38
MVU is a private nonprofit entity funded by annual legislative appropriations, course tuition, and private grants, and operates MVS and the Michigan
Virtual Learning Research Institute.
39
Freidhoff, J. R., DeBruler, K., & Kennedy, K. (2014). Michigan’s K-12virtual learning effectiveness report. Lansing, MI: Michigan Virtual Learning Research
Institute at MVU. Retrieved July 7, 2014 from http://media.mivu.org/institute/pdf/effectiveness_report_2013.pdf
17
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
Teachers who hold an out-of-state license and wish to teach in Michigan have two options.
40
A Temporary
Teacher Employment Authorization will be issued if individuals possess a valid out-of-state teaching
certificate and have met all requirements for the Michigan Provisional certificate, except passing the
Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC), and have completed the following:
1. Application for Michigan Provisional/Professional Education Certificate for Candidates Who Completed
An Out-of-State/Out-of-Country Teacher Preparation Program.
2. Submission of all required documents; i.e., copies of out-of-state certificate(s), college transcript(s)/
foreign evaluation and experience reports (if applicable). These documents must be submitted with
the application.
3. Payment of appropriate fee.
Alternatively, a Michigan Professional Education certificate may be issued to an applicant who:
1. Holds a valid out-of-state teaching certificate (and has never held a Michigan teaching certificate).
2. Holds a master’s or higher degree earned at any time or has completed at least 18 semester credit
hours in a planned program following the issuance of their initial teaching certificate or license.
3. Has, following the issuance of their initial teaching certificate or license, completed 3 years of
successful teaching experience within the validity of their out-of-state certificate. Documentation using
the experience report form, provided with the application, is required.
4. Has completed Michigan’s reading credit requirement of 3 semester hours of teaching reading for the
secondary level certificate, or 6 semester hours of teaching reading for the elementary level certificate.
If all the requirements above are met, a Michigan Professional Education certificate may be issued, and the
Michigan Test for Teacher Certification will not be required.
If an out-of-state license was obtained through an alternate route to certification, the candidate is required
to complete three years of teaching experience within the validity of the out-of-state regular standard
teaching certificate.
40
Michigan Department of Education, Initial In-State/Out-of-State Teacher Certification, https://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-6530_5683-
17063—,00.html
Teaching Across State Lines
18
Oklahoma
Oklahoma has four fully online schools and two supplemental online programs
operating statewide, as well as several district programs. The Oklahoma Department
of Education reports 10,585
41
unique students took online courses in school year 2012-13 through 17
approved full-time and supplemental online providers;
42
this number includes credit recovery and alternative
education students.
The state has three fully online charter schools: Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy served 2,782
enrollments,
43
Epic One Charter School served 2,241 enrollments in school year 2012-13, and Oklahoma
Connections Academy (run by Connections Academy) served 510 enrollments in school year 2012-
13. There are also two fully online non-charter schools: Oklahoma Virtual High School (run by Advanced
Academics), which reported 765 students, and Oklahoma Connections Academy (run by Connections
Academy), which served 510 enrollments in school year 2012-13. Tulsa Public Schools also offers a
full-time virtual school to its students. Supplemental online programs include the University of Oklahoma
Independent Learning High School and Oklahoma State University K-12 Distance Learning Academy. Full-
time online programs are serving 1.11% of the state’s K-12 student population.
In June 2012, board rule
44
created the Oklahoma Supplemental Online Course Program (OSOCP) to
establish a framework for school districts to offer supplemental online courses. That rule allows students
to take up to five hours of supplemental online instruction at no cost to the student; funding is prorated to
the prior year’s per pupil expenditure. Under the OSOCP, the board has approved 17 providers and seen
an increase in unique students taking an online course. While each school district must adopt its own
rules regarding the OSOCP, those rules must not deny a student the opportunity to enroll in supplemental
online courses, although the district does have the final say in regard to choosing a provider. While each
school district is responsible for paying each course provider, “payment to the provider will be based upon
continued course enrollment and subsequent course completion.”
Teacher licensure requirements
Teachers holding a full teaching credential in any state are eligible for provisional certification in equivalent
subject areas with the possibility of having to take Oklahoma tests. In order to obtain a provisional
certification, teachers must submit:
•
Application for Oklahoma School Certificate
•
Official transcripts from all colleges or universities.
•
Proof of Teaching (pdf) form and copy of teaching certificate valid during dates of experience listed, if
applicable.
•
Copy of all teaching certificates.
•
A $50 processing fee (check, cashier’s check, or money order).
•
Submit fingerprint cards and a $59 fee for a criminal history record search.
Once these materials are received, the applicant will be issued a provisional certificate in order to complete
the Oklahoma testing requirements (general education, subject area(s), and professional education
competency examination). The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation (OCTP) determines if teacher
tests taken in another state are acceptable.
41
Enrollment numbers are DOE estimates based on self-reported data from schools. In SY 2011-12, it is unclear if the enrollment number included
credit recovery.
42
Supplemental Online Course Providers; http://ok.gov/sde/node/3544#List
43
2013 K12 Academic Report; http://www.k12.com/sites/default/files/pdf/2013-K12-Academic-Report-Feb6-2013.pdf
44
State Board rule; http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/Rules-Ch15Sub34SuppOnlineCourses.pdf
19
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
In addition, applicants will also be required to complete one year of successful employment in an Oklahoma
accredited school, college, or university. Once all requirements have been met, the candidate will receive a
five-year standard license.
Oklahoma is one of 11 states that accept a national certification via the American Board, a state-approved
route to full teacher certification.
45
However, this route is geared toward professionals changing careers, and
not current teachers or recent teacher preparation program graduates.
45
American Board Teacher Certification, http://abcte.org/#sthash.EGX1Xf6J.dpuf
Teaching Across State Lines
20
Utah
Utah has a state virtual school (the Utah Electronic High School), four statewide
fully online charter schools, and many districts offering online courses via the
Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP), which is among the first and best-known course choice
programs in the country.
There are four statewide online charter schools in Utah. Utah Virtual Academy served 2,051 K-12 students
in school year 2012-13, an annual increase of 3%. Mountain Heights Academy, formally the Open High
School of Utah, enrolled 334 students in school year 2012-13, a 2% annual increase. Utah Connections
Academy reported 449 enrollments, a 61% increase, and Alianza Academy reported 502 enrollments in
school year 2012-13, an increase of 7%. Full-time online programs are serving 0.53% of the state’s K-12
student population.
Utah offers high school students choice at the course level through the SOEP.
46
Students and parents,
including homeschooled and private students, can choose online courses and providers to supplement the
students’ brick-and mortar education. The SOEP providers may serve any student enrolled in any school
district or Utah charter school in grades 9-12. The courses offered range from core language arts, math, and
science courses to electives such as health, fitness, and financial literacy. Although course choice in Utah
has received extensive attention, it is still quite small, serving 1,279 course enrollments and 664 unique
students in SY 2012-13. The reasons that the program is small aren’t well understood, but the requirement
that teachers must be licensed in Utah may be among them.
Any LEA—charter or district—can apply to be an online provider, or can contract with private providers to
offer an online program. Course providers may not limit class sizes. Open-entry, open-exit online courses are
permitted. Each provider administers state assessments; the state is required to make assessments available
upon course completion. The State Board of Education must develop a report on the performance of online
course providers that is released each fall.
Teacher licensure requirements
Teachers with out-of-state licenses wishing to teach in Utah must submit an endorsement application
form, an evaluation filing fee of $75, college transcripts, other state licenses, verification of prior teaching
experience, PRAXIS II test scores, and verification of application for a background check.
47
Utah is also one of 11 states that accept a national certification via the American Board, a state-approved
route to full teacher certification.
48
However, this route is geared toward professionals changing careers, and
not current teachers or recent teacher preparation program graduates.
46
Statewide Online Education Program, http://schools.utah.gov/edonline/
47
Utah Out-of-State Educator License Application, http://www.schools.utah.gov/cert/Out-of-State-License.aspx
48
American Board Teacher Certification, http://abcte.org/#sthash.EGX1Xf6J.dpuf
21
KEEPING PACE WITH K-12 DIGITAL LEARNING
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