NC Education Code · Regulation
Title 16 — root / Chapter 06 — 16 NCAC 06C .0305
Plain English summary
This regulation establishes licensure pathways for individuals who have not graduated from an approved teacher education program but wish to teach in North Carolina public schools. It covers lateral entry licenses, provisional licenses for additional licensure areas, and emergency licenses, each with specific eligibility criteria, program completion requirements, and LEA obligations. Non-traditional candidates must meet defined academic, testing, and experiential thresholds and complete structured induction programs.
Key requirements
- A person who has not graduated from an approved teacher education program shall have credentials evaluated by an IHE or RALC and be recommended for a license.
- To be eligible for a lateral entry license, a person shall have attained a bachelor's degree in the license area from a regionally-accredited IHE, be recommended by the employing LEA, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, five years of relevant experience, or passed the NTE PRAXIS 1 exams along with a 3.0 GPA in specified coursework.
- A person who holds a lateral entry license shall complete an approved teacher education program or RALC program, attain a passing score on the PRAXIS subject exam(s) during the first two school years, complete a staff development program including a two-week training course prior to beginning work, complete six semester hours of coursework per school year, complete at least a three-year initial licensure program, and complete all requirements within three years.
- Individuals with five or more years of relevant experience who satisfy testing requirements within the first year shall be issued an initial license upon completion of NC TEACH modules, completion of the NC TEACH module on Instructional Technology, and completion of one year of successful teaching verified by the employing LEA.
- The employing LEA shall commit in writing to provide a two-week pre-work orientation, assign a mentor on or before the first day on the job, provide working conditions similar to those for novice teachers, give regular focused feedback, and assist the person in accessing prescribed coursework and professional development.
- A person qualified to hold at least a class 'A' teaching license may be issued additional areas of licensure on a provisional basis and must satisfy deficiencies at the rate of six semester hours per year, completing yearly credit before the beginning of the following school year, and completing all credit requirements by the end of the fifth year of provisional licensure.
- The Department shall issue an emergency license to persons who hold at least a baccalaureate degree but do not qualify for a lateral entry license; the emergency license is valid for one year and may not be renewed.
- When requesting an emergency license, the LEA must document that no appropriately licensed professionals or persons eligible for a lateral entry license are available to accept the position.
- A person holding an emergency license shall complete a staff development program including a two-week training course prior to beginning the work assignment.
- The LEA shall provide the person holding an emergency license with ongoing support designed to enhance classroom teaching performance.
Affected parties
- Non-teacher education graduates seeking teaching licenses
- Lateral entry teaching candidates
- Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
- Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
- Regional Alternative Licensing Centers (RALCs)
- Persons holding provisional or emergency teaching licenses
- NC Department of Public Instruction