10A NCAC 09 .3012 NC PRE-K TEACHER EDUCATION, LICENSURE AND CREDENTIALS

(a) All teachers shall hold, or be eligible to hold a North Carolina (NC) Birth through Kindergarten (B-K) Initial or Continuing License or a NC Professional Educator's Initial or Continuing License with a B-K or Preschool Add-on License issued by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Teachers working toward the required education and license shall meet one of the following requirements:

(1) a NC B-K Initial License;

(2) a NC Lateral Entry B-K License;

(3) a NC Residency B-K License;

(4) a NC Emergency B-K License as determined by the Early Educator Support (EES) ) Unit;

(5) a NC Professional Educator's License with a Provisional B-K or Preschool Add-On;

(6) another state's license; or

(7) a BA/BS degree and be eligible for a NC Residency B-K License.

(b) Pre-K teachers with a NC Lateral Entry B-K License as specified in Subparagraph (a)(2) of this Rule shall make progress toward the NC Professional Educator's B-K Continuing License by:

(1) obtaining and following an official Lateral Entry B-K Plan of Study issued by an accredited college or university with a North Carolina Department of Public Instruction approved B-K Teacher Education Program;

(2) submitting to the Division, college or university transcripts verifying the completion of a minimum of six semester credit hours per school year in accordance with Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph;

(3) completing the three-year North Carolina State Board of Education Beginning Teacher Support Program in accordance with G.S. 115C-300.1 and North Carolina State Board of Education Policy LICN-004; TCED-0016; and

(4) achieving the NC B-K Initial or Continuing Professional License issued by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction within three years.

(c) Pre-K teachers with a NC Residency B-K License as specified in Subparagraph (a)(3) of this Rule shall make progress toward the NC B-K Initial or Continuing Professional License by:

(1) obtaining and following an official Residency B-K Plan of Study issued by an approved North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Educator Preparation Program (EPP) based on:

(A) submission of all college transcripts to the EPP;

(B) overall GPA of 2.7 or higher on the undergraduate degree or as determined by the EPP; and

(3) meet the Division's and EPP's requirements to renew the Residency B-K License no more than two times within a three-year period; and

(4) achieving the NC B-K Initial or Continuing License issued by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction within three years.

(d) Pre-K teachers with a NC Emergency License shall make progress toward the Residency B-K License by:

(1) obtaining and following an official Plan of Study prepared by an EPP. This official Plan of Study must specify how to qualify for a Residency B-K License during the upcoming school year.

(2) submitting to the Division, college or university transcripts verifying the completion of a minimum of six semester credit hours or less per school year in accordance with Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph; and

(3) holding an Emergency License does not guarantee conversion to a Residency B-K License the following school year.

(e) Pre-K teachers with a NC Professional Educator's License with a Provisional B-K or [Preschool] Add-on shall make progress towards clearing the Licensure Add-On provisions by:

(1) obtaining and following a Plan of Study issued by an accredited college or university with a North Carolina Department of Public Instruction approved B-K or Preschool Add-On Teacher Education Program;

(2) submitting to the Division college or university transcripts verifying the completion of a minimum of six semester credit hours per year in accordance with Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph;

(4) completing all coursework required as prescribed by the official BK Add-On or Licensure Only Plan of Study within five years from the initial effective date of the BK provisional licensure area established by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

(f) Teachers not meeting the annual minimum semester hours as set forth in Subparagraphs (b)(1), (c)(1) and (d)(1) of this Rule shall submit a written request to the Division of Child Development and Early Education Early Educator Support Unit requesting an extension to complete the requirement. Teachers shall submit a written request to the Division of Child Development and Early Education Early Educator Support Unit. The written request shall include the reason for not meeting the provisions of this Rule, a list of the required coursework and semesters hours to be completed as prescribed by the Plan of Study, a timeline for completing the required semester hours, and documentation supporting course enrollment and expected completion dates.

(g) In determining whether to approve less than the annual minimum required semester hours, the Division shall consider reasons, including:

(1) parental or family leave;

(2) death, disability, or illness; and

(3) natural or man-made disasters.

(h) Teachers shall maintain the B-K or Pre-K/K Add-on Continuing License in accordance with G.S. 115C-296(b)(1)b.4. 115C-296 (II). and NC State Board of Education Policy LICN-005. These policies can be found at https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=LICN-005&Sch=10399&S=10399&C=LICN&RevNo=1.03&T=A&Z=P&St=ADOPTED&PG=6&SN=true.

(i) Teachers with expired B-K Continuing licenses shall meet the provisions set forth in G.S. 115C-296(II). which can be found at https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=LICN-005&Sch=10399&S=10399&C=LICN&RevNo=1.03&T=A&Z=P&St=ADOPTED&PG=6&SN=true and North Carolina State Board of Education Policy LICN-005. These policies can be found at https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=LICN-005&Sch=10399&S=10399&C=LICN&RevNo=1.03&T=A&Z=P&St=ADOPTED&PG=6&SN=true.

(j) The site-level administrator shall maintain documentation available for review by the Division, of the progress toward the requirements as specified in this Rule.

(k) All NC Pre-K lead teachers employed by nonpublic schools must be enrolled with the Early Educator Support Unit of the Division of Child Development and Early Education. The enrollment application may be found online at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/N/NCPre-K_EESLPD_Enrollment_Application_REV_JUL2019.pdf?ver=2019-08-16-135555-313.

History Note: Authority G.S. 110-85; 110-88; S.L. 2011-145, s. 10.7(a);

Eff. November 1, 2012;

Readopted Eff. October 1, 2017;

Amended Eff. February 1, 2021.