• Residency Licensure

    According to § 115C.270.20.a.5, the Residency License is a one-year license that is renewable twice and has replaced the Lateral Entry License. Residency Licensure is the current alternative pathway to be issued a teaching license in North Carolina. A Residency License must be requested by the local board of education and accompanied by a certification of supervision from the recognized educator preparation program in which the individual is enrolled. Residency Licenses are only issued at the A-level and may be awarded experience credit and graduate pay in compliance with LICN-006.

    In order to be issued an RL, the individual for whom the license is requested must meet all of the following requirements:

    1. Holds a bachelor's degree, AND;
    2. Has either completed 24 semester hours of coursework relevant to the requested licensure area or passed the content area examination relevant to the requested licensure area that has been approved by the State Board, AND;
    3. Is enrolled in a recognized educator preparation program, AND;
    4. Meets all other requirements established by the State Board, including completing pre-service requirements prior to teaching.

    Teachers in the first year of their Residency License must receive 10 days of professional development from the LEA designed to support a successful classroom experience.

    Please visit DPI's website for more information.
    https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/educators-licensure/residency-licensure

    In order to renew a Residency License for the second or the third year, the employing school system must verify:

    1. The license holder earned at least six months of teaching experience during the prior school year, AND; 
    2. Is enrollment in an EPP, AND; 
    3. Is employment as a teacher in a PSU, AND;
    4. Has completed 10 days of required professional development (in the first year of the residency license) as described in Section 1.60e of this policy.

    Individuals must complete all requirements, pass NCSBE-required licensure testing requirements, and receive the recommendation of an EPP to convert the Residency License to the Initial or Continuing Professional License within three years of the effective date of the Residency License.

    If an individual fails to renew the Residency License for either the second or third year, the current Residency License will expire. Within three years of the effective date of the original Residency License, a Residency License may be reinstated at the request of an LEA if the following conditions are met:

    1. The individual is enrolled with an EPP, AND;
    2. The individual is employed as a teacher in a PSU.

    Teachers assigned to multiple subject areas shall be issued a Residency License for one licensure area and may add the additional Residency License area at the request of the employing school system. The additional Residency License areas may be cleared in accordance with the requirements found in Section 1.60, including required testing. Note: ALL Residency Licensure areas must be cleared through an EPP.

    Individuals who DID NOT fulfill the requirements of a prior lateral entry license may be eligible to be issued a Residency License IN THE SAME TEACHING AREA provided the following conditions are met:

    1. Pass the required NCSBE-required content exam(s), AND;
    2. Meet eligibility requirements for a Residency License

    Individuals who DID NOT clear a prior lateral entry license, or a Residency License, may apply for a Residency License IN A DIFFERENT TEACHING AREA (as defined in Section 1.10) provided that the following conditions are met:

    1. Meets all of the requirements as stated in G.S. 115C-269 and G.S. 115C-270; AND
    2a. Completes 24 hours of coursework in the requested licensure area; OR 
    2b. Passes the NCSBE required content area examination(s) for the requested licensure area.
     
    Residency Licensure for Currently Licensed Educators
    At the request of an employing school system, an individual who holds a clear (non-restricted) license in a teaching, administrative, supervisory, or student services area may be issued a Residency License in a teaching area provided the individual meets the State requirements to hold a Residency License in the teaching area and meet all requirements to clear the Residency Licensure teaching area within three years of the effective date of the Residency License.

    Military personnel and military personnel spouses whose residency licensure program is interrupted by a call to active duty or relocation to an out-of-state duty station shall be eligible to resume the program of study at the point of separation upon documented return to a duty station and employment in North Carolina public schools.

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