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Professional Licensure Disclosure FAQs
As of July 1, 2020, all institutions of higher education receiving federal Title IV funding (e.g., Relay) are required to provide disclosures regarding whether its programs meet educational requirements for licensure in each state. As a SARA participating institution offering online programs to students outside of our home state of New York, Relay is also obligated to provide similar disclosures to all students in its online programs.
Relay provides programs for teachers and school leaders, which are “licensed professions,” generally requiring a license or certificate for employment. Information about whether each of Relay’s programs meet educational requirements for educator licensure in each state can be found on the Relay website here.
Federal regulations require that institutions directly notify (e.g. via email) prospective students in on-ground and hybrid programs AND enrolled students upon receipt of formal notification of a change in the student’s location if their program of interest/enrollment either:
- Does not meet educational requirements for licensure in the state in which they are “located,” OR
- If the institution has not made a determination as to whether the program meets educational requirements for licensure in the state in which the student is located.
Institutions are also required to directly notify (e.g. via email) enrolled students within 14 days if the program in which they are enrolled is determined to no longer meet educational requirements for licensure in the state in which a student is located.
NC-SARA also requires that students in online programs in a field that generally requires licensure for employment (e.g. teacher education), receive affirmative disclosures if the program in which they are enrolling has been determined to meet educational requirements for licensure in the state in which they are located.
PROSPECTIVE AND ENROLLED STUDENTS
Q: What is my “location”?
A: Because licensure is tied to employment and Relay requires that students are employed in a school-based position as a condition of admission and continued enrollment, Relay uses students' teaching location to provide information to students about whether Relay's programs meet educational requirements for educator licensure in the state in which a student is employed. For instance, if you live in New Jersey but teach in New York, your “location” will be New York.
Q: I would like to reach out to the state licensure board to learn more about the requirements for licensure in XYZ state. Where can I get contact information?
A: NC-SARA maintains a directory of teacher education licensing boards in all 50 states, updated twice annually. You can access the directory here: https://nc-sara.org/resources/professional-licensure.
Q: What are “educational requirements for licensure”?
A: Educational requirements include coursework and clinical experience tied to coursework. Note that even though a program may meet these requirements, individual students must also meet state- and program-specific requirements for admission to and completion of an educator preparation program, and any other state licensure requirements (e.g. testing, background checks) to be eligible for licensure. Contact [email protected] with questions about individual eligibility requirements for licensure.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Q: I received an email saying that the program I am interested in does not meet educational requirements for licensure in XYZ state. Why did I get this email?
A: This information was provided to help you determine whether this program will help you meet your educational and professional goals. If you received this email, Relay has determined that the program you are interested in
does not meet educational requirements for licensure in the state where you indicated that you would teach while enrolled. Teacher licensure is regulated at the state level, and most states require that teacher licensure candidates complete an “approved program” or a recognized “out-of-state program” in order to be eligible for licensure. See this map to identify where Relay offers a state-approved program for teacher education or is recognized as an out-of-state program. If you think that you received this information in error, please email [email protected].
Q: I received an email saying that Relay has not determined whether the program I am interested in meets educational requirements for licensure in XYZ state. Why did I get this email?
A: This information was provided to help you determine whether this program will help you meet your educational and professional goals. If you received this email, Relay has not yet made a determination about whether your program of interest meets educational requirements for licensure in the state where you indicated that you would teach while enrolled. Teacher licensure is regulated at the state level, and most states require that teacher licensure candidates complete an “approved program” or a recognized “out-of-state program” in order to be eligible for licensure. See this map to identify where Relay offers a state-approved program for teacher education or is recognized as an out-of-state program. If you think that you received this information in error, please email [email protected].
Q: I didn’t get an email about whether my program of interest meets state requirements for licensure. What does that mean?
A: Prospective students will receive an email only after completing both parts of the admissions application, and only if:
- Your program of interest is an online program; OR
- Your program of interest does not meet the educational requirements for licensure in the state in which you said you would teach while enrolled, OR
- Relay has not yet made a determination if the program meets educational requirements for licensure in the state in which you said you would teach while enrolled.
If you have completed both parts of the admissions application and did not receive an email regarding licensure, that means that the above criteria do not apply to you and the program has been determined to meet educational requirements for licensure in the state in which you indicated that you would teach while enrolled.
Q: I wasn’t planning on seeking licensure. Why did I get this email?
A: Federal regulations require that any prospective student seeking to enroll in a program in a field that generally requires licensure for employment (e.g. teacher education) at a Title IV eligible institution (e.g. Relay) receive information about whether that program meets educational requirements for licensure in the state where the prospective student is located. Regardless of whether you plan to pursue licensure as an educator through Relay, please file this notice for your reference.
ENROLLED STUDENTS
Q: I am planning to teach in another state next year while enrolled at Relay. What do I do?
A: Please see the Support Center article How to Update my Employment or Placement Information for information on how to keep Relay updated on your teaching location. Note that most Relay programs are location-based, meaning that they are only determined to meet educational requirements for licensure in certain states. Please see the information linked under Educator Licensure Resources here to determine if your program meets educational requirements for licensure in the state in which you plan to teach. If you are interested in transferring programs or campuses please see the Support Center article How to Transfer Programs or Campuses at Relay.
Q: I updated my teaching placement information with Relay and got an email saying that this program does not/has not been determined to meet educational requirements for licensure in the state in which I will now be teaching. What does this mean for me?
A: Students who relocate to another state before completing all certification program requirements in the state in which their program is approved or recognized may have difficulty or be unable to complete requirements for licensure in either state (e.g., a certification seeking student who relocates from Louisiana to New York before completing all Louisiana certification requirements). Students are encouraged to first discuss relocating with their advisor, campus operations lead, or email [email protected]. Students should then carefully review and confirm the licensure requirements in the state in which they are planning to relocate by reaching out to the agency overseeing teacher preparation in that state and/or reviewing requirements as posted online. States set requirements for initial licensure and reciprocity and will make the final determination of eligibility for licensure.
