Vermont Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

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

Vermont licenses teachers through Vermont Agency 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 Vermont are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

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

Getting a Vermont teaching license with an online master's depends on a state-approved preparation program and its recommendation, since the Agency of Education grants traditional-route eligibility for finishing a program at a bachelor's, post-baccalaureate or master's level. The first license is the Level I Professional Educator License. The 2024 licensing rules make it valid for three years, and a Level II lasting five years follows after three years of practice in Vermont and 45 hours of professional learning.

A program outside Vermont can qualify when its state signed the NASDTEC agreement and the school recommends you. Degree level is not what sorts classroom teachers, so a master's matters mainly to leaders and counselors. Compare secondary education and early childhood education programs on that basis.

Which Exams Does Vermont Require for Teacher Licensure?

The exams Vermont requires for teacher licensure are, for most candidates, the Praxis Core in reading, writing and mathematics plus a Praxis II in the endorsement area, and the Agency of Education wants every testing requirement met before you submit the application. ETS runs the Praxis, so Vermont has no exam system of its own.

The Praxis Core has substitutes. Rule 5241 accepts a basic skills test approved in any other state, an approved alternate assessment, or coursework on the transcript with a grade of B or better, and a valid non-conditional license in the same endorsement from another state exempts you from Praxis II. Anyone seeking an administrator endorsement takes Praxis 6990 unless they have completed a post-baccalaureate degree in educational leadership or an approved teacher leadership program, or hold a current administrator endorsement.

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

A teaching license can transfer to Vermont from another state, and the Agency of Education accepts professional teaching licenses from all United States jurisdictions. Under rule 5323 an applicant licensed in a NASDTEC signatory state must also hold the degree the endorsement requires and meet Vermont's jurisdiction-specific requirements, which can include years of experience or a professional credential. The rules add that a license cannot simply be traded in.

An unlicensed graduate of a program in a state that did not sign the NASDTEC agreement goes through transcript review instead. The 2020 Education Commission of the States comparison in the table does not capture that statement, so trust the agency's wording for today.

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

Teacher licensure for Vermont online master's students sits outside what NC-SARA membership covers. NC-SARA states that SARA does not address licensing board approval of programs leading to a license, and Vermont joined in April 2015 through NEBHE. A school's SARA authority lets it enroll you from Vermont, while the Agency of Education and its Standards Board decide your license. The one duty SARA adds is notice: a participating school must tell you whether its program meets licensure requirements in your state.

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

Before you enroll from Vermont, an online program should tell you in writing whether it meets the requirements for your license. 34 CFR 668.43 obliges a school that promotes licensure preparation to list the states where the program does and does not qualify, and to warn you before enrollment when it falls short or has not decided.

Then ask the Vermont questions. Is the program in a NASDTEC signatory state, and will the school recommend you for licensure? Does a leadership program document the 300 hours of supervised field experience? Does a counseling program include the 600-hour internship and both practicum settings? Which Praxis exams should you plan to take?

Which License Do Vermont Principals and School Counselors Need?

Vermont principals and school counselors each hold a license carrying an endorsement, and both endorsements ask for a master's. The Principal endorsement requires a master's degree, leadership coursework, 300 hours of supervised field experience and three or more years of licensed PK-12 teaching; assistant principals hold it too.

The School Counselor endorsement asks for a master's with a concentration in school counseling or the equivalent, plus a supervised internship of 600 clock hours. For the full PK-12 authorization, a practicum in a PK or elementary setting and a second in a middle or high school are required. Check educational leadership and school counseling programs against those hours.