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Division of Certification and Preparation
Teacher Certification Overview
The Division of Certification and Preparation is dedicated to ensuring a quality teaching cadre for Louisiana. The office issues initial and upgraded teaching certificates and also issues ancillary certificates for those who work in a non-teaching capacity in school settings (e.g., school nurses). Teacher certification staff also assists those in support positions in schools through the Tuition Exemption Program for Teacher Aides and Paraprofessionals.
The Louisiana college/university or approved private provider through which an applicant completed a teacher education program will recommend the candidate for an initial certificate and will instruct the candidate regarding paperwork to be submitted to the Teacher Certification office. Non-education majors who seek certification should contact a teacher education unit at a college or university to explore alternate certification options and to have transcripts evaluated. Three new alternate certification programs have recently been implemented, one of which is the fast-track Practitioner Teacher Program.
Exciting new directions for Louisiana's teaching profession have emerged through the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Teacher Quality. In addition to the three new alternate certification programs, the "Teach Louisiana" website (www.teachlouisiana.net) provides a new electronic Certification and Recruitment Center that facilitates the hiring of certified personnel in Louisiana schools. Both licensing and quality of the teaching force have been addressed by streamlining the number of certification areas and by a new certification structure that encourages content-area specialization for teachers. Further, well-trained certification counselors housed at the Regional Education Service Centers throughout the state provide one-on-one certification counseling for districts and individuals.
Use the following link to access Louisiana's new teacher certification and recruitment website:
Teach Louisiana
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Regional Certification Counselors
Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, regional certification counselors were employed to provide focused assistance to schools, local education agencies (LEAs), colleges/universities, and individual teachers. Housed at Regional Education Service Centers (RESCs) throughout the state, the counselors provide services that are organized, coordinated, managed, and facilitated at the regional level. The link below will provide the names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses of the regional counselors.
Regional Certification Counselors
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Licensure Structure
In 2002 the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted a new licensure structure for purposes of issuing professional teaching certificates. The new licensure structure provides for Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 professional licenses. Level 1 is an entry-level license; Level 2 and Level 3 licenses are more advanced levels and require renewal every five years, based on evidence of successful completion of 150 continuing level units over the five-year period. Additionally, the new structure imposes limitations and renewal requirements on temporary teaching authorizations.
Licensure Chart
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Teacher Preparation Program Requirements & Structure
Certification in Louisiana is based upon the completion of an approved education program through a regionally accredited college or university. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education must approve minimum course guidelines for undergraduate teacher education programs for implementation by a Louisiana higher education institution. The minimum guidelines for certification in PK-3, 1-5, 4-8, 6-12, and K-12 may be accessed at the following link.
Teacher Preparation Program Requirements & Structure
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Teacher Preparation Program Requirements & Structure
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Teacher Education Institutions
Click on the link below for a list of the regionally accredited public and private universities in Louisiana and additional information concerning the educational institutions.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
For a list of the FAQs about teacher certification, click on the link below:
Teacher Certification FAQs
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