Skip to Content
  • Apprentice Level
  • Alternative
  • Transitional
  • Interim Type B
  • Apprentice Occupational
  • Beginning Administrator
  • Public School Educators
  • Non-Public School Educators

Public School Educators

An educator with an apprentice level license who is employed in Tennessee becomes eligible to advance to the professional level license upon recommendation by the employing school system. Guidelines for licensure advancement are as follows:

  1. The educator must be evaluated by a school administrator who has completed "training on an evaluation instrument currently approved by the State Board of Education." 
  2. The educator must currently be employed for a minimum of 5 months, hold a valid apprentice level license, and have a total of three years (minimum of 25 months) of verified acceptable experience. Click here to download an experience verification formdownload pdf file. Click to obtain informationdownload pdf file on what constitutes acceptable experience in Tennessee.
  3. The educator's current assignment must match an endorsement area on his/her valid apprentice level license.
  4. Educator is not eligible for advancement if issued an Alternative or Interim License, Permit, or Waiver in the school year in which advancement is requested.
  5. Licensure advancement forms (both positive and negative recommendation) must be submitted from the local school district to the Field Service Centers by May 15th for the school year in which the advancement is requested. Local school systems can download Advancement to Professional License download pdf fileform.

Note: An educator may not submit the licensure advancement application on his/her own behalf. It may only be submitted by the employing Tennessee school system.

Non-Public School Educators

Licensed educators employed in categories one, two, three, and seven of state approved non-public schools are eligible for advancement to the professional level license. Advancement is required for licensed educators in category one and seven schools and is optional for those in category two and three schools. Guidelines for licensure advancement are as follows:

  1. The educator must be evaluated by a school administrator who has completed the "training on an evaluation instrument currently approved by the State Board of Education." 
  2. The educator must currently be employed for a minimum of 5 months, hold a valid apprentice level license, and have a total of three years (minimum of 25 months) of verified acceptable experience. Click here to download an experience verification formdownload pdf file.   Click to obtain informationdownload pdf file on what constitutes acceptable experience in Tennessee.
  3. The educator's current assignment must match an endorsement area on his/her valid apprentice level license.
  4. Educator is not eligible for advancement if issued an Alternative or Interim License, Permit, or Waiver in the school year in which advancement is requested.
  5. Licensure advancement forms (both positive and negative recommendation) must be submitted to the Office of Teacher Licensing by May 15th for the school year in which the advancement is requested. Click here to download Advancement to Professional License download pdf fileform.

NOTE: Licensed educators in category four and category five non-public schools are not eligible for licensure advancement.

  • Alt Type A
  • Alt Type C
  • Alt Type E
  • Alt Type I
  • Alt Type II

Alternative Type A License to Apprentice Teacher License -

Approved in-state recommending college/university must submit completed application for advancement to The Office of Teacher Licensing in addition to verification of two years teaching experience on the Alternative A License.  Praxis scores must be submitted by Designated Institution Report or submitted directly from ETS. All official transcripts that have not previously been submitted must be submitted.  Local school systems can download Advancement to Apprentice License Formdownload pdf file.

Note: An educator may not submit the Licensure Advancement Form on his/her own behalf. It may only be submitted by the employing Tennessee school system.

Alternative Type C License to Apprentice Teacher License -

Approved in-state recommending college/university must submit completed application for advancement to The Office of Teacher Licensing in addition to verification of one year teaching experience on the Alternative C License.  Praxis scores must be submitted by Designated Institution Report or submitted directly from ETS.  All official transcripts that have not previously been submitted must be submitted.  Local school systems can download Advancement to Apprentice License Formdownload pdf file.

Note: An educator may not submit the Licensure Advancement Form on his/her own behalf. It may only be submitted by the employing Tennessee school system.

Alternative Type E License to Apprentice Teacher License -

Application must be submitted to The Office of Teacher Licensing verifying the following:

  1. Documentation signed by the college certification officer verifying completion of the professional education component of an approved teacher education program.
  2. Verification of two years of successful experience on the Alternative E License with a positive recommendation from the local school system.
  3. All transcripts that have not previously been submitted must be submitted.
  4. Praxis scores must be submitted by Designated Institution Report or submitted directly from ETS.

Local school systems can download Advancement to Apprentice License Formdownload pdf file.

Alternative Type I License to Apprentice or Professional Teacher License -

Application must be submitted to The Office of Teacher Licensing signed by The Director of Schools verifying the following:

  1. Verification of completion of professional core by college/university.
  2. Praxis scores must be submitted by Designated Institution Report or submitted directly from ETS.
  3. All transcripts that have not previously been submitted must be submitted.
  4. Verification of minimum of one year successful teaching experience for Apprentice License (must have successfully completed local evaluation) OR verification of three years successful teaching experience for Professional License (must have successfully completed local evaluation).

Local school systems can download Advancement to Apprentice or Professional License Formdownload pdf file.

Note: An educator may not submit the Licensure Advancement Form on his/her own behalf. It may only be submitted by the employing Tennessee school system.

Alternative Type II License to Apprentice or Professional Teacher License -

Application must be submitted to The Office of Teacher Licensing signed by The Director of Schools verifying the following:

  1. Verification of completion of professional core by college/university.
  2. Praxis scores must be submitted by Designated Institution Report or submitted directly from ETS.
  3. All transcripts that have not previously been submitted must be submitted.

Verification of minimum of two years successful teaching experience for Apprentice License (must have successfully completed local evaluation) OR verification of three years successful teaching experience for Professional License (must have successfully completed local evaluation).

Local school systems can download Advancement to Apprentice or Professional License Formdownload pdf file.

Note: An educator may not submit the Licensure Advancement Form on his/her own behalf. It may only be submitted by the employing Tennessee school system.

Transitional to Apprentice or Professional Teacher License -

Application must be submitted to The Office of Teacher Licensing signed by The Director of Schools verifying the following:

  1. Verification of completion of professional core by college/university.
  2. Praxis scores must be submitted by Designated Institution Report or submitted directly from ETS.
  3. All transcripts that have not previously been submitted must be submitted.
  4. Verification of minimum of one year successful teaching experience for Apprentice License (local evaluation on file with school system) OR verification of three years successful teaching experience for Professional License (local evaluation on file with school system).

Local school systems can download Advancement to Apprentice License Formdownload pdf file.

Note: An educator may not submit the Licensure Advancement Form on his/her own behalf. It may only be submitted by the employing Tennessee school system.

Interim Type B License -

Advancing from the Interim Type B License to full licensure, the educator must complete the application and submit evidence verifying the passing of all testing requirements for endorsement area(s) desired.  Click here to download Advancement Formdownload pdf file

Designated Institution Score Reports can be submitted by the college/university or scores sent directly through Educational Testing Services (ETS)to the Office of Teacher Licensing. Click here for a complete listing of all tests required.

Apprentice Occupational to Professional Occupational License -

Advancing to the Professional Occupational Education License, valid for a ten year period, requires an evaluation of the candidate's knowledge and skills by an approved university to determine what specific coursework will be required for advancement. Click to download the requirements for advancing and teacher evaluations formdownload pdf file. This evaluation must be scheduled by the applicant as soon as the Apprentice Occupational Education License is received in order to complete the required coursework within the three year period that the license is valid. Click to download the advancement applicationdownload pdf file. Upon completion of all requirements the educator must submit the completed advancement application, and the teacher evaluations form to the Office of Teacher Licensing. 

Beginning to Professional License -

Educators employed as administrators in Tennessee public and accredited non-public schools can advance from the Beginning Administrator License (BAL) and Instructional Leadership License – Beginning (ILL-B), as well as from the Professional Administrator (PAL) and Instructional Leadership License – Professional (ILL-P). Administrators employed in Tennessee public schools must also keep up-to-date with the state mandated Tennessee Academy for School Leaders (TASL) requirements. Click here for more information on these guidelines.  Click to download the advancement applicationdownload pdf file.