Teacher Licensing

The Ball State University programs for the preparation of teachers and other public school personnel meet the standards of the Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability (REPA), the policies of the Office of Educator Effectiveness and Licensing (OEEL) and the Indiana Department of Education.

The teacher education programs meet the academic requirements for the initial teaching license. These programs are also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Higher Learning Commission, providing added benefits to students and graduates in terms of transfer of credit, recognition of degrees, and reciprocity of teacher licenses.

Under the Licensure Framework of OEEL the teaching license will reflect the standards for which the candidate has demonstrated competency through the completion of a degree program. The license will state (1) the content area(s) that the candidate is licensed to teach and (2) the school setting(s) in which the candidate is licensed to teach.

Application for Teaching License

Any teaching assignment as a professional teacher in a state-approved school requires a teaching license based upon the recommendation of the teacher preparation institution, except for testing additions. An institutional recommendation is based upon meeting the REPA standards, OEEL policies required for the licensure program, and successful performance on all required assessments in the Ball State Unit Assessment System. Details regarding the REPA standards and assessments for specific licensure areas may be found by consulting the Professional Education Handbook (www.bsu.edu/teachers/tehandbook) and the OTES-CP website (http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/collegesanddepartments/teachers/currentstudents/otes/testrequirements).

Students should apply for the Indiana instructional license through the Indiana Department of Education’s Licensing Verification and Information System (LVIS) no earlier than the completion of all academic requirements and always after the completion of all licensing examinations. According to state statute, candidates for licensure must provide evidence of current (through state approved agencies) CPR/AED certification and documentation that they have completed suicide prevention training (through state approved agencies) prior to license recommendation.

Applicants for teacher licensing in other states requiring the recommendation of Ball State University must also submit such applications to the Office of Teacher Education Services and Clinical Practice.

The Initial Practitioner license issued by the  OEEL is valid for two years in Indiana. The beginning teacher must successfully complete the Indiana Residency Program (formerly IMAP) or 40 professional growth points (PGPs) after verifying two years of full-time teaching experience.  At that time, a Proficient Practitioner license is awarded, which is valid for five years. Renewal of the Proficient Practitioner license and awarding of the Accomplished Practitioner license is achieved through a program of continuing professional development based on the OEEL standards or six hours of course work at Ball State University.  To be recommended for renewal by Ball State University throughcoursework, one must have completed at least half of their renewal credits at Ball State.

A person who has earned a bachelor’s degree and who wants to complete requirements for an Indiana teaching license or add a teaching area to a license must be evaluated and advised for admission to a postgraduate program by the Office of Teacher Education Services and Clinical Practice.

A student holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited Indiana institution other than Ball State, who wants to be recommended for a teaching license by Ball State University, must be admitted as a regular graduate or postgraduate licensing ONLY student and must meet the requirements of the approved university teacher education program.

School Services Initial Practitioner License

School Counselor

Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree, persons interested in pursuing school counselor licenses must apply to the Graduate School to be admitted to graduate study. After being admitted to graduate study, an application must be made to the Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services to pursue the master’s degree in Counseling (School Concentration). Completion of this master’s degree, and passing the appropriate Pearson content exam, allows for the recommendation for a school counselor’s license. According to state statute, candidates for licensure must provide evidence of current CPR/AED certification (through state approved agencies) and documentation that they have completed suicide prevention training (through state approved agencies) prior to license recommendation.

School Psychologist

This license will require a minimum of 70 graduate semester hours in School Psychology or a related field. The school psychologist license will state P-12 under school settings, since the standards ensure that the school psychologist will be well versed in curriculum, pedagogy, and student characteristics of all development levels. According to state statute, candidates for licensure must provide evidence of current CPR/AED (through state approved agencies) certification documentation that they have completed suicide prevention training (through state approved agencies) prior to license recommendation.

Professional Education Assessment/Decision Points

Grade points will be checked at the end of each semester beginning when students earn 30 credits. An overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 is required for admission to teacher candidacy (at the end of DP1) and continuation in all educator preparation programs.

Decision Point 1:

Admission to Teacher Candidacy

For admission to teacher candidacy and to register in designated 300-level and above professional education courses, students must have:

• earned grades of C or better in designated 100- and 200-level professional education courses, including an introductory professional education course, and COMM 210 or equivalent; 
• earned a minimum of 45 credits with an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0; 
• passed the Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA); SAT, GRE, or ACT scores may substitute for CASA under some circumstances; 
• satisfied course and assessment requirements specified by the student’s licensure area. For specific requirements, students should see their DegreeWorks and Tk-20 profile; 

Decision Point 2:

Admission to Student Teaching

To register for student-teaching courses, students must have:

• earned grades of C or better in all required professional education courses;
• earned a minimum of 93 credits with overall grade-point average of at least 3.0; 
• maintained a grade-point average of at least 2.5 in professional education courses and 2.5 in the major and in all content area courses;
• satisfied course and assessment requirements specified by the student’s licensure area. For specific requirements, students should see their DegreeWorks and Tk20 profiles; 
• an approved application for student teaching.

Decision Point 3:

Recommendation for Graduation and Licensure

To be recommended for graduation, candidates must have:

• earned credit in student teaching; 

• completed all requirements for graduation with an overall grade-point average of 3.0; 

• maintained a grade-point average of at least 2.5 in all professional education courses and 2.5 in the major and in all content area courses; 
  
  

Initial Instructional and Addition, Licensure Programs

*Addition, or Add-on license programs. Requires that the candidate complete an initial program in a standard license area, pass the appropriate exam(s), and achieve their initial license before the addition can be obtained.

**Social Studies – Initial instructional license includes at least two content areas. Additions can be either in single, or in multiple content areas. The content areas for both the initial license, and addition, include economics, geographical perspectives, government and citizenship, historical perspectives, psychology, and sociology.

*** World Language – Ball State offers several initial license programs in various world languages. They include Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Latin, and Chinese (Mandarin).

CTE – Career Technical Education