584-060-0012

Initial Teaching License Requirements (new rule)

(1) Upon filing a correct and complete application in form and manner prescribed by the commission, a qualified applicant shall be granted an Initial Teaching License for five years.

(2) The Initial Teaching License is valid for regular teaching at one or more designated authorization levels in one or more designated specialties and for substitute teaching at any level in any specialty. [See 584-060-0051 for Authorization Levels.]

(3) To be eligible for an Initial Teaching License, an applicant must:

(a) Possess the personal qualifications for licensure including attainment of at least eighteen years of age and possessing good moral character and mental and physical health necessary for employment as an educator; and

(b) Hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or the foreign equivalent of such degree approved by the commission. A master’s degree or a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States validates a non-regionally accredited bachelor's degree for licensure; and

(c) Complete an initial teacher education program approved by the commission in Oregon, or complete a state-approved teacher preparation program in any U.S. jurisdiction, or complete a foreign program evaluated as satisfactory by an Oregon institution approved to offer the corresponding program; and

(d) Receive a passing score as currently specified by the commission on each of one or more tests of subject mastery for license endorsement or authorization; and

(A) Any subject-matter test, except the basic skills tests, may be waived if the applicant demonstrates special academic preparation satisfactory to the commission together with five years of experience teaching the specific subject matter on a license valid for the assignment in a public school or regionally accredited private school in a U.S. jurisdiction before holding any Oregon license. The five years of experience must be acquired entirely outside of the state of Oregon and must be obtained while holding an out-of-state license valid for the assignment.

(B) Some applicants may be eligible for alternative assessment for waiver of the subject-matter tests only. [See OAR 584-052-0030 to 0033 regarding Alternative Assessment guidelines and regulations.]

(e) Receive a passing score as currently specified by the commission on a test of basic verbal and computational skills; [See 584-060-0002(7) for definition of Basic Skills Tests.]

(f) Receive a passing score on a test of knowledge of U.S. and Oregon civil rights laws at the conclusion of a course or workshop approved by the commission; and

(g) Furnish fingerprints in the manner prescribed by the commission. [See OAR 584-036-0062 for Criminal Records Check Requirement.]

(h) Obtain a first aid card pursuant to ORS 342.126.

(i) Complete a recent experience during the three-year period immediately preceding application. [See OAR 584-060-0002(19) for definition of Recent Experience.]

(4) Applicants who have completed programs from states other than Oregon will be required to submit a C-2 form from the institution granting program completion, in addition to transcripts, verifying completion of the teacher education program. A license from another state valid for unrestricted full time teaching may be accepted in lieu of a C-2. A teaching license issued by the U.S. Department of Defense will be considered as a license from another state. Completion of alternative routes teaching programs through school districts or other avenues are subject to Executive Director approval.

(5) The Initial Teaching License may be renewed one time for five years upon showing progress toward completion of the renewal requirements as described in OAR 584-060-0013 during the life of the Initial Teaching License. The progress must meet or exceed the equivalent of 3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours of graduate coursework germane to the license or directly germane to public school employment. For subsequent renewals, see OAR 584-060-0013, Renewal of the Initial Teaching License.

(6) The Executive Director may grant an extension to the Initial Teaching License for a term determined by the director, if and only if extraordinary circumstances can be demonstrated that the teacher was unable to complete the requirements for Continuing Teaching License during the life of the Initial Teaching License.

Stat. Auth.: ORS 342

Stats. Implemented: ORS 342.120 - ORS 342.143, ORS 342.153, ORS 342.165 & ORS 342.223 - ORS 342.232