License Outside of Minnesota

Out of State Licensing

The University of Minnesota Duluth has 25 academic programs approved by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing & Standards Board.  These program prepare students to meet the requirements of a Minnesota teaching license.  Per the U.S. Department of Education Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) we have determined that the UMD academic programs meet the educational requirements to become a licensed teacher in the state of Minnesota.

Considering teaching outside of Minnesota?    Each state is held to a set of requirements set by the state legislative body (standards, testing, etc). A UMD student interested in obtaining a teaching license outside of Minnesota must meet the license expectations set forth for that state.   UMD cannot guarantee its program will meet the requirements for a professional teaching license in states other than Minnesota.

It is important to consult the out of state licensing agency to determine requirements:

Students interested in pursuing a teaching license in states other than Minnesota are encouraged meet with the CEHSP Accreditation, Licensure & Field Experience (ALFE) office to make a plan to ensure eligibility for obtaining a teaching license outside of Minnesota.

    Out of State License Application Information

    Each state has a unique set of instructions and forms, which you will complete for that state's teacher license.  Complete the application form and provide all requested materials. Note that many states require the use of their own fingerprint card and will conduct their own criminal background check. States often require you to pass their specific licensure examinations (in addition to MTLE exams) and sometimes additional coursework.  Many states will require an Institutional Verification Form. If the state requires this form, they will provide it as part of their application process. Please verify that all of your Minnesota licensure requirements are completed (coursework, edTPA, student teaching, and MTLE tests) before submitting an institutional verification form to the CEHSP Accreditation, Licensing & Field Experience Office. Please also include your student id number on the top right hand corner of the Institutional Verification form.

    Out of state verification of program completion form:

    Many states will require a verification of program completion form to be completed by the institution where teacher preparation was completed.  Please email this form to [email protected]

    Wisconsin Out of State Applicant Expectations

    EdTPA changes (April 3, 2020):  The Governor has suspended the edTPA requirement due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This suspension remains in effect as long as the health emergency is in place. The department has submitted to the Legislature a permanent rule change to remove the edTPA requirement from administrative rule, providing approved preparation programs flexibility in how they assess teacher candidates' performance in the Wisconsin Teacher Standards. We expect this rule change to be in place in early summer 2021. 

    Teacher Licensure Testing

    Content Exams:

    Educators completing a program after August 31, 2004 is required to complete Praxis II content exam.  Since you are prepared out of state you are not required to take the Wisconsin Praxis II exam(s) if you have met one of the below items:

    • A content test taken and passed for initial licensure in another state may be used in place of Wisconsin's content tests for the out-of-state application.
    • If an applicant has not taken a content test for initial licensure in another state, in lieu of Wisconsin's content exam a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in the subject area or position of the licensure program may be substituted.
    Foundations of Reading Exams:
    • Effective January 31, 2014, all applicants applying for a Wisconsin teaching license in elementary education (PK-5), special education, or reading (see list below) are required to pass the Foundations of Reading Test for Wisconsin, a test of reading instruction knowledge and skills administered by Pearson Education, Inc. This requirement is in addition to the current content testing requirements for each license.The passing score is 240.