Ohio Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

Who Licenses Teachers in Ohio, and Which Exams Does It Use?

Ohio licenses teachers through State Board of Education of Ohio, Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness, and the exams it requires are the OAE, the Ohio Assessments for Educators.

For the programs themselves, the online master's in education programs at universities in Ohio are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

How Do I Get an Ohio Teaching License With an Online Master's?

Getting an Ohio teaching license with an online master's depends on the program, not the degree level: Ohio asks teachers for a minimum of a bachelor's degree and completion of an approved, traditional preparation program at an accredited college. A new teacher starts on the Resident Educator License, and the Professional license follows the Ohio Resident Educator Program or, per the out-of-state page, two full school years of teaching under another state's standard license.

Someone who has not finished a preparation program is pointed to the Alternative Resident Educator pathway or to a college whose program the Ohio Department of Higher Education approves. Our elementary education and secondary education rankings rest on federal figures for graduates and tuition, which say nothing about that approval.

Which Exams Does Ohio Require for Teacher Licensure?

Most of the exams Ohio requires for teacher licensure are the Ohio Assessments for Educators, and the board says Pearson delivers them, with ACTFL exams added for world language teachers. Candidates need passing scores on both a content area exam and a professional knowledge exam, and Praxis appears only for school audiology, school speech pathology and school psychology. PreK-8 and Intervention Specialist candidates also pass the Foundations of Reading exam.

Pearson's chart maps each license to its exams, including 015 Educational Leadership and 040 School Counselor. A teacher who completed a preparation program after July 1, 1991 must meet current Ohio exam requirements even if the out-of-state license required no exams.

Can I Transfer a Teaching License to Ohio From Another State?

A teaching license from another state can lead to an Ohio license, and the board offers three types: a 2-year Resident Educator license for under two years of experience, a 5-year Professional license after two full school years under a standard out-of-state license, and a nonrenewable 1-year license for teachers an Ohio school has hired who still need Ohio exams or reading coursework.

A program completer with no license in the state where they studied submits a letter of eligibility on university letterhead, signed by the dean or head of teacher education. PreK-8 and Intervention Specialist applicants also need nine semester hours in teaching reading and a three-hour phonics course, and the license issues once six of those twelve hours are done.

In its 2020 comparison of reciprocity, the Education Commission of the States recorded that Ohio signed the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, had no full reciprocity and required extra coursework and assessments of some out-of-state teachers.

Does NC-SARA Membership Cover Teacher Licensure for Ohio Online Master's Students?

Teacher licensure in Ohio sits outside NC-SARA: NC-SARA says SARA does not address licensing board approval for programs such as teacher education. Ohio belongs, approved in March 2015, so a participating school can offer you an online program through a streamlined state approval, while the State Board of Education of Ohio alone grants the license. A school's SARA approval says nothing about whether its program prepares you for an Ohio license.

What Should I Ask an Online Program Before Enrolling From Ohio?

Before enrolling, get the program's written answer on whether its curriculum meets Ohio requirements for your license. 34 CFR 668.43 has schools that market licensure preparation publish the states where the program does and does not qualify, and notify you ahead of enrollment if your state falls short or was never assessed.

Then ask the Ohio questions: is it a traditional approved program in its own state, will the dean's office issue a letter of eligibility, and does the coursework include the reading and phonics hours Ohio wants for PreK-8 and Intervention Specialist teachers?

Which License Do Ohio Principals and School Counselors Need?

An Ohio principal license asks for a master's degree, an approved principal preparation program, and two years of teaching in the grade band requested, either PreK-6, 4-9 or 5-12, as the board's out-of-state page sets it out. Administrators also pass the 015 Educational Leadership exam unless they passed one elsewhere.

A school counselor needs a master's degree, an Ohio-approved or traditional out-of-state counseling program and a passing exam, with no separate professional board license. Check an online master's in educational leadership or school counseling against these conditions.