OAR 584-210-0040: Professional Teaching License

(1) Purpose of the License: The Professional Teaching License is a license that qualifies its holder to teach in prekindergarten through grade 12 Oregon public school districts, education service districts, and charter school assignments. The Professional Teaching License signifies that the educator is an experienced teacher who has successfully demonstrated an advanced level of educator knowledge, skills and dispositions. (2) Term of Licensure : The Professional Teaching License is valid for five years and is renewable as provided in subsection (8) of this rule. The date of the first expiration of the license is five years from the date of issue plus time until the applicant’s birthday. (3) Assignment and Endorsement Authorization: The Professional Teaching License qualifies the teacher to accept: (a) Any instructional assignment from prekindergarten through grade 12 within the scope of the subject-matter endorsement(s) on the Professional Teaching License. The scope of the endorsement shall be determined by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) course codes associated with the endorsement as provided by the TSPC course catalogue; and (b) Any substitute teaching assignment. (4) Advanced Professional Education Programs: Pursuant to ORS 342.138, the Commission has approved the following advanced professional education programs to develop advanced level competencies required for promotion to the Professional Teaching License: (a) Advanced Professional Development Program: The purpose of the Advanced Professional Development Program is to provide the individual teacher with the specific professional development needed to advance to a professional teacher level. The program is developed by the applicant in conjunction with the employing district and includes professional development specifically tailored to the performance goals of the novice teacher in accordance with ORS 342.815 to 342.856. To qualify as an Advanced Professional Development Program, the program must consist of: (A) A teacher who holds the Preliminarily Teaching License and is employed in accordance with ORS 342.815 to 342.856; and (B) A requirement to complete 150 advanced professional development units while holding a Preliminary Teaching License. To qualify as advanced professional development, the units must: (i) Be completed in conjunction with the performance goals of the teacher established in accordance with ORS 342.815 to 342.856; (ii) Be verified as advanced professional development by the employing district or charter school; and (iii) Meet all other requirements provided in OAR 584-255-0010, Professional Development Requirements. (b) Advanced Degree Programs: Admission to and completion of an educational specialist, master’s or doctoral degree program that is reasonably related to improving the teaching skills of the educator. The program must be from an Approved Institution or foreign equivalent. (c) Endorsement Program: Admission to and completion of a Commission-approved subject-matter endorsement program; (d) Specialization Program: Admission to and completion of a Commission-approved Oregon specialization program; (e) Advanced Licensure: Admission to and completion of a Commission-approved advanced licensure program; (f) National Board Certification: National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification; (g) Out-of-State Professional Certification: A professional certificate issued by the State of Washington or other equivalent out-of-state professional teaching licenses approved by the Commission; and (h) Other acceptable advanced coursework or assessment approved by the Executive Director or the Director of Licensure as provided in OAR 584-200-0100, Waiver of Licensure Requirements by the Commission. (5) All evidence of advanced professional education programs must be equal to at least 150 professional development units as calculated in OAR 584-255-0010(3) and must have been obtained by the applicant after the date of issuance of their first non-provisional teaching license in Oregon or another National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) jurisdiction. (6) Professional Teaching Experience Requirements: To qualify for the Professional Teaching License, an educator must obtain: (a) Four full of years teaching experience in a 1.0 assignment; or (b) Six full years of teaching experience in a .50 or more assignment. (c) The years of teaching experience do not have to be earned consecutively. NOTE: Teaching experience of .49 or less is not eligible to meet any teaching experience requirement for the Professional Teaching License. Teaching experience from two or more academic years may not be combined to meet the teaching requirements. EXAMPLE: An applicant may not combine two full years of .25 teaching assignment to equal one year of .5 teaching assignment for the part-time teaching requirement. EXAMPLE: An applicant may not combine one year of a .75 assignment and one year of a .25 assignment to equal one year of full-time teaching experience. (d) The full year of teaching experience must be: (A) Completed while holding an Initial, Initial I, Initial II, Reciprocal, Preliminary or equivalent non-provisional license from a National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) jurisdiction; (B) Equal to 135 days of teaching within an academic year (July 1 to June 30) in one, or combination of, the following assignments: (i) Direct instruction of students as provided in ORS 342.120; (ii) Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA); or (iii) Long-term substitute assignments, if the employing district verifies a minimum of 10 or more consecutive days in a single assignment. The employing district must verify the qualifying long-term substitute assignment on the PEER form. If the district is also verifying the completion of an advanced professional development program, the district must submit the Advanced Professional Development Program form to verify program completion and the experience. The provision allowing qualifying long-term substitute assignments of 10 through 135 days is effective for assignments completed after July 1, 2017. A single long-term substitute assignment of 135 days or more completed prior to July 1, 2017 may be eligible experience for the Professional Teaching License; and (C) Completed in one, or a combination of, the following employment settings: (i) Public prekindergarten through grade 12 classroom; (ii) Private, regionally-accredited, prekindergarten through grade 12 classroom; or (iii) Alternative education, post-secondary or other similar teaching settings closely-related to prekindergarten through grade 12 classroom instruction as approved by the Director of Licensure. (7) Qualifications: To be eligible to apply for a Professional Teaching License, an applicant must: (a) Possess the personal qualifications for licensure including attainment of at least eighteen years of age and possessing good moral character and mental and physical health necessary for employment as an educator; (b) Meet or complete all requirements of the Preliminary, Initial I, Initial II, Basic, Continuing, Standard, or an equivalent teaching license issued previously by the Commission or issued by another National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) jurisdiction; (c) Complete an advanced professional education program as provided in subsections (4) and (5) of this rule; (d) Complete the teaching experience requirements as provided in subsection (6) of this rule; (e) Complete a background clearance that includes: (A) Furnishing fingerprints, if required; (B) Providing satisfactory responses to character questions in the form and manner prescribed by the Commission; and (f) Submit a complete and correct application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in OAR 584-200-0050. (8) Renewal: To be eligible to apply for renewal of the Professional Teaching License, the applicant must: (a) Complete continuing professional development requirements as provided in OAR 584-255-0010 Professional Development Requirements and (b) Submit a complete and correct renewal application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in OAR 584-200-0050.