67.1-02-02-02. Initial licenses.

1. Initial teacher licensure for in-state graduates or graduates of out-of-state programs requires a minimum of a four-year bachelor's degree from a board-approved teacher education program. The approved program must include North Dakota standards for teacher education program approval: a. General studies component includes liberal arts preparation in the areas of the humanities, fine arts, mathematics, natural sciences, behavioral sciences, and symbolic systems as prerequisite to entrance into the professional education program. b. North Dakota recognized program area majors are printed on the application form and include content-specific majors at the secondary level, content-specific kindergarten through grade twelve majors as listed below, majors in middle level education, or majors in elementary education. Majors that are transcribed by state-approved teacher education programs using terminology not appearing on the application form must be compared to the North Dakota standards for teacher education program approval to

determine whether they meet the same criteria as the listed recognized majors. Majors must include a minimum of thirty-two semester hours of coursework specific to the major beyond the introductory level.

(1) The secondary content-specific major must include a minimum of four semester hours in special methods of teaching at the secondary level and special methods of teaching in the specific content area. Effective July 1, 2008, all initial secondary licensure applicants grades five through twelve in the core and non-core academic areas will need to meet or exceed the cut scores for the content test as set by the education standards and practices board. Effective July 1, 2010, all initial secondary licensure applicants grades five through twelve in the core and non-core academic areas will need to meet or exceed the cut scores for the pedagogical test as set by the education standards and practices board. For purposes of this section, English, reading and language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, music, visual arts, history, civics and government, geography, and economics are considered core academic areas. All other areas are considered non-core academic areas.

(2) The middle level major must include study of middle level foundations, adolescent development, reading in the content areas at the middle level, and twenty-four semester hours of content coursework in one of the content areas of English and language arts, social studies, science, or mathematics meeting the teacher education program approval standards, and special methods of teaching at the middle level. Study of these areas must total a minimum of thirty-two semester hours, which includes at least two semester hours of special methods of teaching at the middle level and middle level classroom field experience. Effective July 1, 2008, all initial middle level licensure applicants grades five through eight in the core and non-core academic areas will need to meet or exceed the cut scores for the content test as set by the education standards and practices board. Effective July 1, 2012, all initial middle level licensure applicants grades five through eight in the core and non-core academic areas will need to meet or exceed the cut scores for the pedagogical test as set by the education standards and practices board.

(3) The elementary major must include special methods of teaching elementary content areas with a minimum of twelve semester hours specific to teaching elementary school mathematics, science, social studies, reading, and language arts. Effective July 1, 2006, all initial elementary licensure applicants for grades one through eight restricted licenses will need to meet or exceed the cut scores as set by the education standards and practices board for the elementary test and the pedagogical test. For the school year 2005-06 and beyond, all elementary teachers new to the profession, but previously licensed, will need to complete the elementary test and pedagogical test during the school year. Classroom teaching experience will be accepted from all other states toward the requirements of this paragraph.

(4) Prekindergarten through grade twelve preparation programs in special education, foreign language, art, music, physical education, business education, technology education, and computer education must include a minimum of four semester hours of special methods of teaching inclusive of kindergarten through grade twelve, special methods of teaching in the specific content area, and student teaching in elementary and secondary schools, grades prekindergarten through grade twelve. Effective July 1, 2006, all applicants in foreign language, art, and music will need to meet or exceed the cut scores for the content tests and the pedagogical test as set by the education standards and practices board. Effective July 1, 2012, all initial prekindergarten through grade twelve licensure applicants grades seven through twelve in the core and non-core academic areas will need to meet or exceed the cut

scores for the content test and the pedagogical test grades seven through twelve as set by the board.

(5) The early childhood major must include study of child development, birth through age eight, and include special methods of teaching at the early childhood level. Effective July 1, 2012, all initial early childhood licensure applicants birth through grade three will need to meet or exceed the cut scores for the state-identified principles of teaching and learning test and the state-identified early childhood education content specific cut score as set by the board.

(6) Effective July 1, 2008, all applicants in special education majors or endorsements must meet or exceed the state-approved test cut scores as set by the board.

c. The professional education component includes a minimum of twenty-two semester hours of pedagogical study of teaching and learning in addition to the program-specific major. This coursework must be from the areas of educational foundations, educational psychology, child development, teaching and learning theory, educational diagnosis and assessment, inclusive education, educational technology, classroom and behavioral management, and human relations specific to teaching. The professional education component must also include classroom professional experience prior to student teaching and a minimum of ten weeks of full-time successful participation in student teaching at appropriate grade levels. The professional education component, including student teaching, must be completed under the supervision of a teacher training institution approved by the education standards and practices board in North Dakota or the appropriate state, provincial, or similar jurisdictional authority for out-of-state institutions.

d. Student teaching exception - Internship. An applicant who graduated from a state-approved teacher education program, in-state or out-of-state, prior to January 1, 1988, which did not include a minimum of ten weeks of full-time student teaching may qualify under one of the two options under this subdivision. These options are available only if the applicant has met all other requirements for licensure of the board and North Dakota Century Code sections 15.1-18-02 and 15.1-18-03, except the requirement of ten weeks of student teaching.

(1) The applicant must document a minimum of eight full weeks of student teaching at the appropriate level in the major field of study under the supervision of a state-approved teacher education program and document five years of successful teaching within the last ten years; or

(2) An applicant who can document a minimum of eight weeks of successful student teaching but cannot document a minimum of five years of successful teaching experience must either complete the additional student teaching hours or may choose to complete an internship under the supervision of a state-approved college of teacher education to fulfill the additional hours.

(a) The internship contact hours in the classroom must consist of classroom time blocks not less than one-half day and when added to the applicant's existing student teaching hours total a minimum of ten weeks of full-time equivalent student teaching and supervised internship experience.

(b) The internship must occur in a regular kindergarten through grade twelve classroom setting and allow the intern to experience the full range of curriculum and classroom operations.

1. (c) The internship must be approved by the board and transcribed through a state-approved teacher education institution.
2. e. Teaching minors. A teaching minor may only be earned or added to a teaching major.2. Grade point average.- a. An applicant must have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.50. The board will use the college-figured grade point average if all previous college coursework is on the transcript.
3. b. An applicant must have a minimum GPA of 2.50 for all coursework required for the applicant's degree. Coursework not needed for a degree in teacher education need not be included in GPA calculations. Coursework used in any way for licensure or endorsements must be included in GPA calculations.3. Acceptable translations for preparations received in foreign institutions will be requested at the applicant's expense.4. Application form.- a. An application fee of thirty dollars must accompany an initial application form.
4. b. The completed application form, including the original signature of the applicant and recommendation by the state-approved teacher education program will be considered for licensure by the education standards and practices board.
5. c. A fee of eighty-five dollars must accompany the application for initial licensure for in-state and out-of-state graduates. An additional fee of one hundred seventy-five dollars for transcript review from out-of-state graduates must also accompany the licensure application.
6. d. The application will be kept on file at the education standards and practices board office for six months. Upon expiration of the six-month period, applicable fees will be refunded to the applicant if the license has not been issued.5. All initial licenses are valid for at least two consecutive years and will expire on the applicant's birthday.6. Fingerprinting. In addition to completing the licensure application process outlined in this section, an applicant applying for licensure in North Dakota for the first time after August 1, 1997, must submit to a fingerprint screening for criminal records in accordance with North Dakota Century Code section 15.1-13-14.- a. An applicant graduating from a North Dakota teacher preparation program may obtain the fingerprinting materials from college officials. Previous graduates and out-of-state graduates must contact the education standards and practices board directly for the fingerprinting materials. Fingerprint screening reports from other agencies are not available to the board. Applicants must complete the process with cards and release forms designating the board as the agency to receive the report.

7. b. The applicant must have the fingerprinting done by an authorized law enforcement agency such as a sheriff's office, police department, campus police, or private fingerprinting company. Both cards are to be completed with a ten-finger check. The criminal record inquiry authorization form must also be completed, including an original signature. The fingerprint cards and authorization form must be returned directly to the education standards and practices board office.

8. c. Unofficial, incomplete, altered, or damaged cards and forms will not be accepted.

9. d. The applicant is responsible for all local, state, and federal law enforcement agency fees related to the fingerprint background check.
10. e. The applicant is advised to allow a minimum of eight weeks for the fingerprint screening process. An applicant must hold a valid North Dakota license to be employed or permitted to teach in North Dakota. Individuals who have completed all requirements for the professional educator's license except final completion of the fingerprint background check may obtain a provisional license under section 67.1-02-04-04.
11. f. Fingerprint screening reports must be recent and may only be used for licensure for eighteen months from the date the report is received by the board.7. Re-education for initial licensure. Applicants who hold nonteaching degrees in content areas taught in public schools may receive initial licensure by completing the professional education requirements at a state-approved program authorized through program approval to recommend applicants for licensure in the approved program area. This re-education may be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level. The institution with the approved program must document that the applicant's specialty area degree is equivalent to its approved program's specialty area requirements in subdivisions b and c of subsection 1, and recommend the applicant for licensure. Applicants applying under this section must file a completed application form as other initial applicants, comply with the fingerprint background check in subsection 9, complete all tests, and pay all applicable fees.8. Preprofessional skills test. All applicants for initial licensure will need to submit either their test scores in reading, writing, and mathematics which meet or exceed the state cut score or composite score or their ACT aspire scores that meet or exceed a composite score of twenty-two, mathematics score of twenty-one, and English language arts score of twenty-one. Documentation of the scores must be submitted with the application form. Applicants also may submit their SAT scores that meet or exceed reading scores of five hundred forty-three, mathematics scores of five hundred thirty-two, and writing scores of five.9. The board may issue an initial license to an individual with a documented disability, as determined by the board, which allows the individual to teach in areas where documented shortages of regularly licensed teachers exist, as determined by the board, if due to the documented disability, the individual is unable to meet all the requirements of the Praxis I, Praxis II PLT, or Praxis II content-specific test in the content area to be assigned but who is otherwise qualified to teach as determined by the board.10. The board may issue a second alternative access license to an individual who is on an initial alternative access license and has attempted the content-specific test three times during the initial alternative access license period. If the applicant has attempted the Praxis II content-specific test an additional two times during the second alternative access license and provides documentation, during the third year following the applicant's receipt of the initial alternative access license the applicant will be issued an initial license when the following requirements are met and approved by the board:- a. A letter from the superintendent requesting an initial license for the applicant;
12. b. A letter from the applicant acknowledging financial responsibility for observation by a content expert;
13. c. Documentation of a positive observation;
14. d. Evidence of passing the pedagogy test; and

e. If required, a criminal history background check as required by North Dakota Century Code section 15.1-13-14.

History: Effective July 1, 1995; amended effective October 1, 1998; October 16, 1998; April 14, 1999; June 1, 1999; March 1, 2000; August 1, 2002; July 1, 2004; April 1, 2006; July 1, 2008; July 1, 2010; April 1, 2012; July 1, 2012; October 1, 2014; January 1, 2015; April 1, 2018; January 1, 2020; October 1, 2020; October 1, 2021; January 1, 2024.

General Authority: NDCC 15.1-13-08, 15.1-13-09, 15.1-13-10

Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-13-08, 15.1-13-10, 15.1-13-11, 15.1-13-12, 15.1-13-14