Pathways to Initial Licensure

​Maryland-Approved Teacher Preparation Program
 

• Approved Traditional Programs
• Approved Alternative Programs

• ​Bachelor's degree or higher
   
• Completion of a program approved to lead to licensure in Maryland
   
• Passing scores on Maryland licensure assessments
   

​​Bachelor's degree or higher, or the U.S. equivalent of a foreign degree

• Completion of a teacher preparation program, including a clinical internship, that is approved to lead to licensure in another state or country in the license area being sought
• Passing score on an approved reading instruction assessment if applying for early childhood, elementary, generic special education (any grade band), or ESOL licensure
• One of the following:
  • Passing score on a portfolio-based performance assessment; or
     
  • Two years of effective, or comparable, evaluations from a school or school system; or
     
  • A National Board Certificate; or
     
  • An effective rating on a year-end evaluation if employed by a Maryland local school system, Maryland-operated school, or Maryland special education school.
     

​Bachelor's degree or higher, or the U.S. equivalent of a foreign degree

• Valid, professional license from another state or country in the area of licensure being sought
• Passing score on an approved reading instruction assessment if applying for early childhood, elementary, generic special education (any grade band), or ESOL licensure
• One of the following:
  • Passing score on a portfolio-based performance assessment; or
     
  • Two years of effective, or comparable, evaluations from a school or school system; or
     
  • A National Board Certificate; or
     
  • An effective rating on a year-end evaluation if employed by a Maryland local school system, Maryland-operated school, or Maryland special education school
     

​Bachelor's degree or higher (unless applying for certain areas of Professional Technical Education)

• Valid ​National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
   

• ​Bachelor's degree or higher in the field of the license sought
   
• Verification of five years of effective teaching experience in the subject area and grade level(s) of the license sought at a Maryland-approved private school.
   
• Passing score on an approved reading instruction assessment if applying for early childhood, elementary, generic special education (any grade band), or ESOL licensure
   
• One of the following:
   
  • Passing score on a portfolio-based performance assessment; or
  • A National Board Certificate; or
     
  • An effective rating on a year-end evaluation if employed by a Maryland local school system, Maryland-operated school, or Maryland special education school
     

Fine Arts Transcript Analysis
Available to individuals with demonstrated content expertise seeking licensure in Art, Music, Dance, or Theatre

Content-Related Degrees, Coursework, and Occupational Experience for Fine Arts - PDF - 101.52 KB

• One of the following options for content expertise:
  • A bachelor’s degree or higher in the licensure area
     
  • A bachelor’s degree or higher in a related fine arts area with 3 years of verified content-related occupational experience - PDF - 101.52 KB (may include post-secondary teaching experience)
     
  • A bachelor’s degree or higher in any field with:
    • At least 24 hours of content coursework - PDF - 101.52 KB in the fine arts area is being sought; or
    • Pass the required content assessment for the licensure area being sought and present 3 years of verified content-related occupational experience (may include post-secondary teaching experience)
       
• 21 semester hours or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits of professional coursework in the following areas (3 credits for each):
  • Methods of teaching
  • Introduction to special education
  • Human growth and development
  • Assessment
  • Literacy in the content area
  • Culturally responsive teaching or multicultural education or strategies for multilingual learners
  • Classroom management
• One of the following:
  • Passing score on a portfolio-based performance assessment; or
  • An effective rating on two-year-end evaluations by a Maryland local school system, Maryland-operated school, or Maryland special education school

​Secondary Content Transcript Analysis
Available to individuals with demonstrated content expertise seeking 7-12 grade licensure in one of the following areas:
 

• Agriculture/Agribusiness and Renewable Natural Resources
• Biology
• Business Education
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Earth/Space Science
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Science
• Family and Consumer Sciences
• Geography
• History
• Marketing
• Mathematics
• Physical Science
• Physics
• Political Science
• Social Studies
• Speech Communication
• Technology Education

Content-Related Degrees, Coursework, & Occupational Experience for Secondary Areas - PDF - 124.74 KB

• ​One of the following options for content expertise:
   
  • A bachelor’s degree or higher in the secondary content area being sought; or
  • A bachelor’s degree or higher in any field with:
    • At least 24 hours of content coursework in the secondary content area being sought; or
    • Pass the required content assessment and submit verification of 3 years of content-related occupational experience; or
    • Submit verification of 3 years of experience teaching at an accredited institution of higher education in the area being sought
       
• 21 semester hours or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits of professional coursework in the following areas (3 credits for each):
  • Methods of teaching
  • Introduction to special education
  • Human growth and development
  • Assessment
  • Literacy in the content area
  • Culturally responsive teaching or multicultural education or strategies for multilingual learners
  • Classroom management
     

One of the following:

• Passing score on a portfolio-based performance assessment; or
• An effective rating on two-year-end evaluations by a Maryland local school system, Maryland-operated school, or Maryland special education school
   

Pathways to PTE and SAFA licensure