If you're pursuing teacher certification or licensure through Relay, it helps to understand how your program connects to your state's requirements — and what to expect if your teaching location changes along the way. This article walks through the three ways Relay students become certified or licensed, how we communicate whether your program qualifies in your state, and what to check before relying on reciprocity to transfer a certificate or license somewhere else.

In this article:

• What "Meeting Licensure Requirements" Means
• Paths to Certification/Licensure
• How We Communicate Whether Your Program Qualifies
• If Your Teaching Location Changes
• Checking Reciprocity 
• Things to Know
• Useful Resources

What "Meeting Licensure Requirements" Means

We offer programs for both teachers and school leaders — both "licensed professions" that generally require a license or certificate for employment. Since July 1, 2020, federal law has required all institutions that receive Title IV funding, including Relay, to disclose whether our programs meet each state's educational requirements for licensure. And because we're a SARA participating institution offering online programs to students outside our home state of New York, we're also required to provide that same information to students in our online programs.

"Meeting educational requirements" means a program's coursework and required clinical experience line up with what a state expects from a teacher preparation program. 

Completing a program that meets these requirements doesn't automatically make you eligible for a license. You'll also need to meet your state's and program's specific requirements for admission and completion, along with any other state licensure requirements — things like testing and background checks.

If you have questions about your own eligibility requirements, reach out to our Certification Team at [email protected].

Paths to Certification/Licensure

There are three ways Relay students become certified or licensed as teachers, depending on the program you complete, where you were located while enrolled, and where you're seeking certification. Many states maintain their own policies and processes specifically for out-of-state program completion and licensure reciprocity, to support teachers who trained elsewhere.

State-Approved Program (Direct)

Our Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) are designed to meet the educational requirements for certification and licensure in the states where they're approved. We're a state-approved educator preparation provider in Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia — though the specific programs and certifications/endorsements available vary by state.

If you complete a state-approved program with us and meet all the necessary requirements, you can apply for direct certification or licensure in that state, or we'll recommend you for it.

Out-of-State Program Completion

If you complete all your program requirements in the state where you're enrolled and want to teach somewhere else, you may be able to apply for certification or licensure there as an out-of-state program completer.

Some states will let you apply for certification without first getting certified in the state where your program was approved — as long as your program is similar to one that leads directly to certification in their state (typically, a similar subject and grade band). Either way, you'll need to follow the process set by the state agency that governs certification where you want to teach, and you should expect to complete additional requirements, like testing or coursework, before that state will issue you a certificate or license.

If you complete your program with us and want to pursue certification elsewhere, we'll support your application by providing verification of your program completion and related documentation.

Certification/Licensure Reciprocity

If you're already certified or licensed to teach in one state, many states offer a process to transfer that certificate or license to a similar subject area and grade level in their state. Not every state accepts every certificate or license, and not every state has reciprocity with every other state. Some states also require a certain number of years of experience in the state where your certificate or license originated, or additional testing or coursework, before they'll transfer it.

 

 

How We Communicate Whether Your Program Qualifies

Because licensure is tied to your employment, we use your teaching location instead of your home address to determine whether your program meets your state's requirements. For example, if you live in New Jersey but teach in New York, we'll treat New York as your location. 

We notify you about what we find via email. Federal regulations require us to notify:

 Enrolled students who report a change in location, or within 14 days if a program previously determined to qualify is later found to no longer meet requirements.

Prospective students in on-ground and hybrid programs whenever a program doesn't meet requirements or hasn't yet been determined.

What Each Notice Means

• Your program meets your state's requirements. If you're enrolled in one of our online programs, NC-SARA requires us to send you this affirmative notice once we've determined your program meets your state's requirements.
• Your program doesn't meet your state's requirements. Teacher licensure is regulated at the state level, and most states require candidates to complete an "approved program" or a recognized "out-of-state program" to be eligible for licensure. This notice means we've determined that the program you're interested in doesn't meet the requirements for the state where you said you'd be teaching while enrolled. 
• We haven't yet determined whether your program meets your state's requirements. This means we simply haven't made a determination for your state yet — not that your program doesn't qualify. 

If you think you’ve received any of these emails in error, please contact [email protected].

You May Be Wondering

I didn't get an email about whether my program meets state requirements. What does that mean? You'll only receive an email after completing both parts of your admissions application, and only if: your program of interest is an online program; your program doesn't meet the educational requirements for licensure in the state where you said you'd teach; or we haven't yet made a determination for that state. If you've completed both parts of your application and didn't receive an email, none of the above applies to you — your program has been determined to meet the educational requirements for licensure in the state where you said you'd teach.

I wasn't planning on seeking licensure. Why did I get this email? Federal regulations require that any prospective student enrolling in a field that generally requires licensure for employment — like teacher education — at a Title IV eligible institution receive this information, regardless of whether you plan to pursue licensure through us. Even if licensure isn't your goal, keep this notice for your reference.

If Your Teaching Location Changes

Most of our programs are location-based, meaning they're only determined to meet requirements in certain states. If you know you'll be teaching in a different state, update us as soon as possible. If you relocate before completing all your certification requirements, you may have difficulty completing requirements for licensure in either your original state or your new one. States set their own requirements for initial licensure and reciprocity, and they make the final call on eligibility.

If you're considering relocating, talk to your advisor or campus operations lead first, or email [email protected]. 

From there, confirm the licensure requirements for the state you're moving to by contacting that state's teacher-preparation agency directly and/or reviewing their requirements online.

 

Checking Reciprocity 

The reciprocity pathway above can simplify getting certified in a new state — but a state's participation in a reciprocity agreement doesn't guarantee an automatic transfer. 

Many states have signed an interstate agreement on reciprocity, but signing that agreement doesn't waive exam, fingerprinting, or other state-specific requirements ( see the Useful Resources in this section for what the agreement does and doesn't cover.) 

You must still apply for certification in each state where you want to be certified to teach. Some states won't require you to already hold certification from the state where your program was approved — only that you've completed a traditional, state-approved certification program and meet their additional requirements, like exams and fingerprinting. Other states do require you to already hold certification in another state before you can apply for certification in theirs.

Check the certification requirements of the state where you're hoping to be certified close to graduation, since requirements change often. We'll complete any out-of-state verification forms a state's application process requires, but it's your responsibility to research and confirm that you meet — or will meet — that state's certification requirements. 

The state's department of education or certification office will ultimately determine whether you've satisfied their certification requirements. If you have questions about a particular state's requirements or application process, it's best to reach out directly to one of their certification representatives.

Keep in mind: 

• Professional organizations, societies, states, and licensing jurisdictions — not Relay — define, amend, and enforce their own requirements for membership, certification, or licensure. We can share public-facing information about any of their requirements.