Tennessee Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

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

Tennessee licenses teachers through Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure, and the exams it requires are the Praxis tests from ETS.

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

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

Getting a Tennessee teaching license with an online master's starts with the Practitioner License, which the department issues for three years to a candidate with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited school, enrollment in or completion of an approved educator preparation program, the program's recommendation and qualifying scores on the required assessments. The degree level is not the gate: a master's is not among the conditions.

For a program outside Tennessee, the school completes an Out-of-State Educator Preparation Verification form, and every out-of-state provider must meet State Board Rule 0520-02-04. Compare candidates in our special education and secondary education rankings against it.

Which Exams Does Tennessee Require for Teacher Licensure?

Tennessee requires content assessments from ETS, National Evaluation Services or the Tennessee Language Center for teacher licensure, and the department administers none of them. Praxis Core is a program admission matter only. Since June 1, 2023, a candidate with a degree in a qualifying endorsement area who completes a State Board-approved program is excused from the specialty content test, except Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) and Education of Young Children (5024).

The pedagogy test depends on your program. An in-state graduate takes the edTPA (or the PLT where none exists), a graduate of an out-of-state program takes the edTPA or the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching, and an educator with an active out-of-state license takes neither.

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

A teaching license from another state can be exchanged in Tennessee, and the department describes four teaching pathways. An initial-level license plus the out-of-state program's recommendation earns the three-year Practitioner License, and a full professional-level license that matches Tennessee's earns the Professional 6-Year license. A teacher enrolled in a program with a district partnership may also be licensed while studying.

The 2020 Education Commission of the States comparison recorded extra assessments, but today an educator with an initial-level out-of-state license skips the exams at first application and needs them to renew or advance, unless a professional-level license is held elsewhere. The table below lists the other 2020 answers.

How Does the Tennessee Literacy Success Act Affect a Teacher With an Online Master's?

The Tennessee Literacy Success Act affects a teacher with an online master's by adding a literacy step to any license with a qualifying endorsement. Since August 1, 2023, a candidate who wants to obtain, renew or advance such a license must complete Course 1 of the Early Reading or Secondary Literacy training or pass the Tennessee Early Literacy Assessment. The department makes both free.

Instructional leader licenses carry the same requirement. A degree from an online program in reading and literacy does not replace it: the department's page lists only the training and the assessment as ways to comply.

Which License Do Tennessee Principals and School Counselors Need?

A Tennessee principal holds the Instructional Leader License, and the department asks for an advanced degree, three years of qualifying experience, a State Board-approved leader preparation program with the provider's recommendation, the literacy requirement and qualifying scores. An aspiring leader license lets an assistant principal work while enrolled in such a program.

A school counselor needs an advanced degree in school counseling and proof of a counseling program through a recommendation or an out-of-state professional license. Programs in educational leadership and school counseling need to satisfy those separate lists.

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

NC-SARA membership does not cover teacher licensure for Tennessee online master's students, because SARA does not address licensing board approval of programs. Tennessee was approved in June 2015 through the southern compact, which lets participating schools reach its residents, but the Department of Education alone issues licenses.

SARA does require participating schools to state whether a program meets licensure requirements where you live.

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

Before enrolling from Tennessee, ask an online program to state in writing what it has found about your license. 34 CFR 668.43 makes a school that advertises licensure preparation list the states where the program does and does not qualify, and notify you before enrollment if the answer is negative or unknown.

Then ask the Tennessee questions: will the program complete the Out-of-State Educator Preparation Verification form, does it meet State Board Rule 0520-02-04, will it prepare you for the edTPA or Principles of Learning and Teaching, and can student teaching happen in a Tennessee school.