Candidates who completed an approved educator preparation program outside of Kentucky may obtain a teaching certificate by meeting the requirements outlined in 16 KAR 4:030.
STEP 1: Create an account on the Kentucky Educators Credentialing System (KECS).
STEP 2: Follow the prompts in the application wizard to apply for Initial Kentucky Certification (CA-1).
STEP 3: Provide official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
STEP 4:
- Provide verification of at least two years of full-time classroom teaching experience at the appropriate grade level(s). OR
- If applicant has less than two years of experience, provide passing scores for Praxis II Specialty Area tests for EACH area of certification as well as the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test for appropriate grade range.
STEP 5: Complete the Character and Fitness review.
STEP 6: Make the appropriate payment for certification fees through the KECS online payment service. Please note that any other forms of payment are not accepted and will be returned to the applicant.
Submitting Official Transcripts
Transcripts are only considered official if submitted one of the following ways:
- Electronic transcripts sent DIRECTLY from the institution’s third-party transcript provider to KDELicensure@education.ky.gov. Electronic transcripts are not accepted if printed by or forwarded by the applicant.
- Sent by mail from the institution on official transcript paper to:
KDE Certification
300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
Official transcripts that are mailed or dropped off at the office will NOT be returned to the applicant.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are supplying the verified two years of experience, the Kentucky Praxis tests are not required and you may skip that part of the application. If not supplying the experience requirement, the Kentucky Praxis requirements can be found on the ETS website. If you have tested outside of Kentucky, select the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (code 7283) to have ETS electronically submit your scores to our office. Out-of-state tests do not replace the required Kentucky Praxis tests unless they have the same Praxis test code. Please include your SSN when registering with ETS to ensure your scores are automatically reported.
Please note: Kentucky does NOT recognize teaching credentials which were gained in another state only by the passage of an assessment. Applicants must meet the requirements of Kentucky regulations regarding out-of-state preparation as found in 16 KAR 4:030.
Applicants trained outside the United States must meet the same academic requirements as applicants trained in the United States and submit the appropriate documentation. A course-by-course evaluation must also be submitted from one of the approved evaluation agencies indicating that the foreign degree(s) meet(s) the appropriate criteria. Please visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website to review the approved evaluation agencies.
Requirements for candidates trained outside the United States:
- A four-year bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, teacher preparation program which includes a sequence of professional education courses;
- Practice teaching or student teaching component
- A cumulative 2.75 grade point average or 3.0 on the last 30 hours of coursework;
- Copy of foreign teaching credential; and
- A teaching area recognized by Kentucky as an area of certification.
Out-of-state applicants must have completed a state-approved teacher preparation program at a regionally accredited educator preparation institution or a state-approved alternative training program. In addition, candidates must comply with the state ancillary requirements such as GPA, and testing. Testing requirements will be waived for out-of-state applicants who hold a valid certificate and have completed two (2) years of teaching in the subject area and grade level on their certificate.
Reciprocity is a term often used when educators need to transfer their certification from one state to another. This does not mean, however, that a state with “reciprocity” will automatically grant the same certification as was held in another state, since each state has its own special requirements. Kentucky is part of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement; therefore, the state accepts recommendations from teacher preparation programs from state-accredited colleges and universities in many states. Cases are evaluated on an individual basis.
If an educator has National Board Certification and a valid out-of-state license, they can qualify for a Kentucky teaching certificate (KRS 161.123).
NOTE: Kentucky does NOT recognize teaching credentials which were gained in another state only by the passage of an assessment, and applicants must meet the requirements of Kentucky regulations regarding out-of-state preparation as seen at 16 KAR 4:030.
Kentucky is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate postsecondary distance education. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.
An applicant for Kentucky teacher or administrative certification who completes an out-of-state educator preparation program through a solely online out-of-state educator preparation provider shall have completed a program of preparation that:
- Is accredited or approved, as applicable, by the provider’s state of origin;
- Is regionally or nationally accredited;
- Is accredited by an educator preparation accreditor approved by the EPSB;
- Meets the curriculum requirements approved by the state education agency responsible for teacher or administrative certification.
Additionally, candidates must comply with the state ancillary requirements such as GPA (2.75 Cumulative or 3.0 in the last 30 hours) and testing requirements.
