There are three certification/licensure pathways that Relay educator preparation program completers may use to obtain a teaching certificate/license depending on the program that they completed, the state in which they were located while enrolled, and the state in which they are seeking certification/licensure.
 

• State-Approved Program (Direct): Relay’s Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) are designed to meet educational requirements for certification/licensure in the state in which the program is approved. Relay is a state-approved educator preparation program provider in the following states: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana*, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia^. Specific program offerings and certifications/endorsements available vary by state. Students who complete a state-approved program at Relay and meet all necessary requirements may apply for, or be recommended by Relay, direct certification/licensure in the state in which the program is approved.   

Students who complete all Relay program requirements for certification/licensure within the state they reside and are interested in teaching in another state may be able to apply for certification/licensure as an out-of-state program completer or as an out-of-state licensed teacher. Many states maintain EPP completion and/or licensure reciprocity policies and processes. Program completers and licensed teachers must follow the processes established by the state agency governing certification/licensure in the state where the student wishes to teach. Some states may require additional testing or coursework requirements before issuing a teaching certificate/license to an out-of-state prepared educator. Relay supports program completers in their applications for out-of-state certification/licensure by providing verification of program completion and related documentation for students, upon the student’s request. 

• Out-of-State Program Completion: Some states offer the opportunity for individuals who completed an out-of-state educator preparation program to apply for certification/licensure in the state without first obtaining a teaching certificate/license in the state where their program was approved. States typically require that the out-of-state program is similar (i.e., leads to a similar subject/grade band) to programs leading directly to certification/licensure in their states. Out-of-state program completers must often complete additional requirements such as testing and coursework before they can be issued a certificate/license. 

• Out-of-State Certification/Licensure Reciprocity: Many states offer a process for certified/licensed teachers to apply to transfer their out-of-state certificate/license in a similar subject area/grade level to a certificate/license in their state. States may not accept all certificates/licenses and may not have reciprocity with all states. States may require that out-of-state certified/licensed teachers have a certain number of years of experience in the state where their certificate/license originated, or that they complete additional testing or coursework to be eligible for a certificate/license transfer.
   

Professional organizations, societies, states, and licensing jurisdictions have specific requirements for membership, certification, or licensure. In the states in which Relay is an approved in-state educator preparation provider, Relay works to align Relay’s program(s) offered in the state to the state’s educational requirements for educator certification/licensure. Students should be aware that the professional organizations, societies, states, and licensing jurisdictions are responsible for defining, amending, and executing approval requirements and decisions for membership, certification, or licensure. Relay can provide the public-facing information for the professional organizations’, societies’, states’, and licensing jurisdictions’ requirements for membership, certification, or licensure. Relay can provide guidance regarding a state’s licensure requirements for states in which Relay is an approved in-state provider and to the students who seek licensure in the same state. Relay may not be able to provide assistance to a student regarding the interpretation or understanding of a state’s licensure requirements for states in which Relay is not an approved, in-state education preparation provider. Students intending to seek licensure of any type must take full responsibility for ensuring that their degree program at Relay meets the licensing requirements of their local states, school districts, professional associations, or agencies. See Relay’s Licensure Disclosures webpage for more information.

*New enrollments in Relay’s in-state, Indiana-based programs are temporarily paused for the 2024-2025 academic year while Relay completes the program revision request and approval process. Relay continues to educate and support currently enrolled students in the completion of program requirements.

^ For the 2024-25 academic year, incoming students located in Washington, DC, may enroll in Relay’s online, Colorado-authorized MAT program through the degree-only pathway, or in conjunction with the Colorado Traditional Teacher Licensure Program, which meets educational requirements for licensure in Colorado.