The Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC) met on Thursday, September 12, 2024, for their first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year. One of the key topics on the agenda was a proposed amendment to State Board of Education (SBE) Policy LICN-001, which encompasses general licensure requirements for public school teachers, administrators, and student services personnel.

During discussion of the amendment, staff from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) highlighted the need for a revision of the policy due to the recent expiration of a legislative waiver for certain principal licensure applicants. Under this waiver, those who started a Master of School Administration (MSA) or qualifying principal licensure program by August 31, 2024 were exempt from the requirement that applicants pass a licensure test, which has now been replaced with a portfolio-based assessment.

While the recently-expired waiver was specific to principal licensure applicants, the proposed revisions to LICN-001 would also update licensure requirements for various school administrator and supervisor positions, including but not limited to district superintendent, assistant or associate superintendent, assistant principal, and curriculum-instructional specialist. Under the revised policy, if ultimately approved by PEPSC members during its November meeting and finally approved by the SBE, school administrator applicants would need to meet the following criteria:

1. Must hold at a minimum a bachelor’s degree;
2. Completion of a minimum 500 internship hours;
3. Passage of a State Board of Education-approved assessment;
4. A minimum of four years of experience as a licensed educator. This experience must be in a teaching or instructional support role; administrative experience does not satisfy this requirement.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the need for clearer guidance regarding the four-year educator experience requirement. For instance, an example was raised involving a potential administrator with three years of teaching experience and one year of experience as an instructional coach in a school – a role with varying titles across the state. DPI assured PEPSC that should the policy be approved, guidance will be provided to districts and Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to avoid this potential issue.

Additionally, LICN-001 also includes revisions for out-of-state educators seeking an Elementary or Exceptional Children-General Curriculum (ECGC) license due to the removal of the math and reading subtest requirements by the North Carolina General Assembly.
The proposed SBE policy amendment is scheduled for a vote at the upcoming PEPSC meeting on November 10, 2024. Upon PEPSC’s approval, the amendment will be sent to the SBE for final authorization.