Licensure

Educator Licensure Information

Applicants applying for a certified position in Wilson County Schools MUST hold a valid TN teaching license with appropriate endorsement. If hired and your TN license is not approved by the beginning of the school year, it may result in termination. Per (49-5-101) Basic requirements: No person shall be employed as principal, teacher or supervisor of any public elementary or high school by any local school district, or receive any pay for such services out of the public school funds of the local school district until the person presents to the director of schools a valid license as prescribed in this part. It is unlawful for any board of education to issue any warrant or check to such persons for services as principal, teacher or supervisor until the person has presented for record a license valid for the term of employment.

Required Literacy Training

List of Endorsements Required to Take Literacy Training for Licensure

TLSA now provides two pathways for demonstrating knowledge of foundational literacy instruction: completing a foundational literacy skills course or passing a foundational literacy instruction assessment. The Tennessee Early Literacy Assessment (TELA) was fully approved by the State Board of Education (SBE) during the June 2023 special-called board meeting. Educators may now take and pass the TELA as one option to meet TLSA licensure requirements.

Tennessee Literacy Assessment Overview 

Required Literacy Training explains the Literacy Training Licensure Requirement in detail.

If you are having trouble logging in to the training, try the following links.

Reading 360 Collection (both courses)	BFAC \| Educational Content \| Collection
Early Reading Training	BFAC \| Lessons & Learning item \| View
Secondary Literacy Training	BFAC \| Lessons & Learning item \| View

How to Upload Your Literacy Training Certificate in TNCompass

Licensure News & Updates

Licensure Assessment Guidance 2023

Requirements for Teaching Students with Disabilities

New Mathematics 6-10 Endorsement

In February 2021, the State Board of Education created an endorsement in mathematics 6-10 (endorsement code 2002). In addition to middle grades mathematics courses, these educators will be permitted to teach secondary mathematics courses, including Algebra 1, Geometry, and Integrated 1 & 2). Educators pursuing the Mathematics 6-10 endorsement must take the National Evaluation Series Mathematics (105 Middle and Early Secondary Grades 6-10) assessment. The testing fee is $95.00.

Clinical Mentor Service Verification Form

Educators may now submit a completed and signed form in TNCompass to receive professional development points (PDPs) for service as a clinical mentor. Beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, one academic year of service as a clinical mentor for candidates completing an educator preparation program is eligible for an award of 20 PDPs.

In addition to uploading this form as an attachment on the Licensure tab in TNCompass, educators must also submit a PDP request using the TNCompass PDP Wizard.

Clinical Mentor Service Verification Form

Licensure Reactivation with an Out-of-State Professional License

Recent amendments to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-5-108(c), now allow educators who hold an expired Tennessee license to reactivate without submitting qualifying scores on required assessments, if the teacher holds an active professional license in a state other than Tennessee. The professional license from another state must be a full, valid, continuously renewable license that is equivalent to Tennessee’s Professional license.

Educators will need to submit a Reactivate License transaction in TNCompass and upload a copy of their out-of-state license to the Attachments section on the Licensure tab of their TNCompass account.

New Out-of-State Professional-Level Licensure Guidance

Applications for initial educator licensure, submitted on or after July 1, 2021, will be evaluated under the new licensure requirements (in accordance with the passage of Section 1 of Chapter 125 of the Public Acts of 2021, which amends TCA 49-5-108(c)).

Educators holding a professional-level license in a state other than Tennessee will receive a Tennessee Professional 6-Year license (professional teacher license, professional occupational teacher license, or professional school services personnel license), provided the professional license from another state is equivalent to Tennessee’s Professional license. The Professional 6-Year license is a full, professional-level license.

Educators applying prior to July 1 will be informed of the option to either apply now, under current licensure requirements or apply after July 1, to be considered under the new requirements. Additional information is available by visiting New Out-of-State Professional-Level Licensure Process.

Experience Requirements for Licensure Advancement

To advance from an initial license (transitional, apprentice, practitioner) to the professional license, teachers and school service personnel must demonstrate three years of experience working in an appropriate pre-K-12 instructional setting. The experience no longer must include 10 months in a Tennessee public school.

Educators may submit experience not reflected in TNCompass, including experience outside of Tennessee, using the Experience Verification form. Additional guidance by visiting the Experience Verification form.