Board of Educational Examiners
Requirements for Licenses
and Instructions for Completing Application

Non-Iowa Institution --
Complete Section I, Section II and send all transcripts.

 
Initial
  Valid for 2 years
Renewable under prescribed conditions
   
  1. Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Completion of an approved teacher preparation program.
  3. Completion of an approved human relations component.
  4. Completion of requirements for a teaching endorsement.
  5. Meets the recency requirement listed under the Class A License.
 
Standard
  Valid for 5 years
Renewable under prescribed conditions
   
  1. Completion of requirements 1-4 for the Initial license.
  2. Evidence of two years successful teaching experience based on local evaluation process.
  3. Meets the recency requirement listed under the Class A License.
  Additional Information
    Verify 2 years of teaching experience.
 
Master Educator
  Valid for 5 years
Renewable under prescribed conditions
   
  1. Hold or be eligible for a Standard license.
  2. Five years of teaching experience.
  3. Master's degree in a teaching endorsement area.
  4. Meets the recency requirement listed under the Class A License.
  Additional Information
    Verify 5 years of teaching experience.
Send master's degree transcript.
 
Class A License
  Valid for 1 year
Not renewable

Issued under the following conditions
   
  1. Has completed a practitioner preparation program (e.g. a teacher or administrator program), but has not completed all Iowa required components in the professional education core.
  2. Has not completed an approved human relations component.
  3. Recency -- meets requirements for a valid license but has less than 160 days of teaching during last 5-year period.
  4. Degree not granted until next regular commencement.
 
Substitute
  Valid for 5 years
Renewable under prescribed conditions
    Has been the holder of, or presently holds a valid, regular license in Iowa or some other state and has successfully completed all requirements for an approved teacher preparation program or is eligible for the provisional license.
  Additional Information
    Send copy of out-of-state license.
Send copy of out-of-state transcripts.
 
Exchange
  Valid for 1 year
Not renewable
   
  1. Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Completion of a state approved teacher preparation program.
  3. Hold a valid teaching license in the state in which the teacher preparation program was completed.
  4. No disciplinary action pending.
  5. Has not completed all Iowa requirements for a teaching endorsement.
  Additional Information
    Must meet any and all licensure deficiencies during the time frame of the license.
 
Initial Administrator
  Valid for 1 year
Renewable under prescribed conditions.
   
  1. Hold or be eligible for a standard license.
  2. Three years of teaching experience.
  3. Does not have administrative experiecnce.
  4. Completion of the requirements for an administrative endorsement.
  5. Completion of a master's degree.
 
Professional Administrator
  Valid for 5 years.
Renewable under prescribed conditions.
   
  1. Hold or be eligible for a standard license.
  2. Three years of teaching experience.
  3. Completion of the requirements for an administrative endorsement.
  4. Meets the recency requirement listed under the one-year conditional license.
    Note: The "Application To Add Endorsement (non-Iowa Institution)" form should be used in addition to this application form, if you completed administrator preparation at a different institution than your teacher preparation institution.
  Additional Information
    For the principal's endorsement, verify 3 years teaching experience of which at least 3 years must be at the level of endorsement desired.

For the superintendent's endorsement, verify the same plus 3 years of experience as a building principal or other PK-12 district-wide or area education agency administrative experience.
 
Application Checklist
  Incomplete applications will delay processing.
Please double check:
   
  1. Have you completed Section I?
  2. Have you signed and dated the application?
  3. Have you attached official transcripts of all college credits including transferred credits? (Course titles must show on the transcripts. Course numbers only or total credits transferred do not provide adequate transfer information.)
  4. Have you enclosed your check or money order which includes the evaluation and processing fees?
  5. Have you verified all teaching experience?
  6. Have you enclosed a copy of your valid teaching license from the state where you completed your teacher education program? (If you do not have a valid license from this state, skip this item.)
  7. Are you sending this entire packet to the institution where you completed the teacher education program? Are you including a note to that college asking them to fill out Section II completely and also instructing them to send this entire packet to the Board of Educational Examiners?

    Address:
    Iowa Board of Educational Examiners
    Grimes State Office Building
    Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146



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