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CAEP Annual Report - pg. 4

Measure 4: Ability of Completers to Be Hired in Education Positions for Which They Have Been Prepared

North Carolina Educator Preparation Performance – WSSU Program Completer’s Employed in a North Carolina Public School

Any individual employed by a Public School Unit (PSU) in North Carolina as a professional educator must hold a professional educator’s license issued by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. A professional educator license entitles the holder to practice in a designated area or specialization at the elementary, middle, or secondary level. The Initial Professional License (IPL), valid for a maximum of three years, allows the educator to begin practicing the profession on an independent basis in North Carolina. The continuing Professional License (CPL), valid for five years, allows the educator to serve on an on-going basis and must be renewed every five years. An IPL may be issued to an individual who meets at least one of the following criteria:

  1. Has completed a North Carolina Educator Preparation Program (EPP) and has been recommended for licensure by the cooperating EPP;
  2. Holds a Residency License (requested by a PSU and issued to teachers of record affiliated with an EPP to complete educator preparation requirements) and has been recommended for a professional license by the cooperating EPP;
  3. Holds a clear license from another state or completed an out-of-state educator preparation program;
  4. An applicant for North Carolina licensure who has successfully completed all the academic, field, clinical, and professional requirements for licensure as prescribed for program completion by his/her cooperating EPP, except passing required licensure exams, may petition the State Board of Education for an Initial Professional License (IPL). The petition must be initiated at the request of a North Carolina public school unit (i.e., LEA, charter school, ISD school, laboratory school, or residential school) that seeks to employ the applicant for licensure.

Further information on licensing requirements are detailed in NC State Board of Education licensure policies.

Ability of Graduates to Convert to a Continuing Professional License

To convert an Initial Professional License to a Continuing Professional License, an educator must have completed at least three years of teaching experience (either in North Carolina or verified experience from another state), complete a beginning teacher support program (if required) and pass all SBE-approved, or comparable, licensure exams required for the license(s) before or during the third year of licensure provided the applicant attempted the examination at least once during the first year of licensure.