Any student who changes employment while enrolled at Relay is responsible for formally updating their teaching-placement information via a student record update form from the Relay Support tab of their Portal  within one week of the change. Within 15 business days, students who submit a student record update form will receive a confirmation email that the update was processed, or further guidance on making their requested update. Additionally, if Relay determines that the program does not meet the licensure/certification requirements in the student’s new location, the student will receive a direct disclosure in writing (via email) within 14 calendar days of the determination.

In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education regulations [§ 668.43(a)(5)(v) and § 668.43(c)], Relay published determinations about whether its programs meet the educational requirements for educator certification/licensure in each state. These determinations are published on Relay’s Licensure Disclosures webpage.   

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.

Students should be aware that if they change the state of their employment before completing the educator preparation program in which they are enrolled, they may have difficulty or be unable to complete their educator preparation program and/or seek certification/licensure in either state (e.g., a certification/licensure-seeking student who relocates from Colorado to New York before completing all Colorado certification/licensure requirements may not be eligible for certification/licensure in Colorado or New York). Students who are considering employment in a new state prior to completing their educator preparation program should first discuss the potential implications of this change with a member of the certification team during office hours or via email by contacting [email protected]. States set requirements for certification/licensure and transfer and will make the final determination of eligibility for certification/licensure, and these requirements are subject to change. Students are encouraged to review current certification/licensure requirements and application processes of the states where they intend to be certified/licensed by contacting the agencies overseeing teacher preparation in the states where they intend to be certified/licensed by contacting the agencies overseeing teacher preparation in the states where they intend to be certified/licensed or by reviewing published information on their websites. This information can be found in the Educator Preparation Program Handbooks in Appendix F.