Licensing and Endorsement Assistance

Kansas State University offers educational licensing/endorsement programs for Teaching, School Specialist, and School Leadership in the State of Kansas. Below you will find information for completion requirements and application of these Kansas licenses, as well as substitute licenses, added endorsements, and license renewal.

Teaching Licenses

Initial Kansas Teaching License Requirements
The two-year ”Initial License“ is the first license that is issued to beginning teachers in Kansas. For an Initial Kansas Teaching License you must have a Bachelor’s degree, complete a teacher education program, have recent college credits, and pass the Praxis Tests.

Teacher Education programs available at K-State:

If you complete the early Childhood Education program, you will be eligible to teach children from Birth through Kindergarten, including Special Education in the State of Kansas. To be licensed, you must complete the Praxis Early Childhood content test. More information can be found on the Health and Human Sciences website, or by contacting Dr. Mary Deluccie at deluccie@k-state.edu.

If you complete the B.S. in Education – elementary education program , you will be eligible to teach in a K-6 self-contained classroom in the State of Kansas. To be licensed, you must pass the Praxis Elementary: Content Knowledge for Teachers (CKT) test. Additional endorsements that can be added at the elementary level are ESL and High Incidence and Low Incidence Special Education .

A Middle Level Endorsement allows you to teach Grades 5-8 in Social Studies (History Comprehensive), General Science, English, or Math in the State of Kansas. Secondary students in Math, Social Studies, and English are eligible to teach in the 6-8th grades when they complete the 6-12 program. Others can add the endorsement in Kansas by passing the appropriate Praxis Middle Level test.

If you complete the B.S. in Education – secondary education program , you will be licensed for grades 6-12 with an endorsement in your teaching field in the State of Kansas. Teaching Fields are available in Agriculture, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, English/Journalism, Family and Consumer Sciences, Journalism, Math, Physics, Social Studies, Speech/Theatre, and Technology. To be licensed in Kansas, you must pass the Praxis subject/content assessment test in your teaching field. Additional endorsements that can be added at the secondary level are ESL and High Incidence and Low Incidence Special Education .

If you complete an Education program in Art, Music, Modern Languages (Chinese/French/German/Japanese/Spanish) or Physical Education/Health, you will be licensed to teach in Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 12 in the State of Kansas. To be licensed in Kansas, you must pass the Praxis subject/content assessment test in your teaching field. You can work at an Early Childhood, Elementary or Secondary school, teaching in your subject area.

If you have a Bachelor’s degree in any area, you can complete a Master’s degree and an Elementary (K-6), Social Studies (6-12) or Modern Language (PK-12) Teacher Education program in one year through an online program. See Master of Arts in Teaching. To be licensed in Kansas, you must pass the Praxis subject/content assessment test in your teaching field.

If you have a Bachelor’s degree in a content area taught in the secondary schools, you can add the Teacher Education program at the Graduate level by completing the Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning (TELRN). To be licensed in Kansas, you must pass the Praxis pedagogy test – Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT), as well as the subject/content assessment test in your teaching field.

After completing the coursework and practicum, applicants for the Kansas license must also meet the following additional KSDE requirements:

1. Hold a Bachelor’s degree from a regional accredited university.
2. Meet recency requirement by having 8 credit hours within the last six years.
3. Complete the Praxis Subject/Content test in the area you wish to be endorsed.
4. Submit to KSDE a fingerprint card for a KBI and FBI background check.

The Form 1 application can be found on the KSDE website.

• If you have completed a Teacher Education program, but have not passed the required tests, you can apply for this Kansas license.
• This license is available for people who have all of the requirements for an Initial Kansas Teaching License, except the Praxis tests. It allows a person to teach for one year in Kansas while the testing requirements are completed.
• To apply for this Kansas license, you complete the same KSDE Form 1 application as the Initial License. In question 30, mark the option Temporary Non-Renewable.
• As the title states, it is only good for one year in Kansas (July 1 – June 30 of the year you apply), and it can not be renewed.

Specialist Licenses

Requirements:

• The Master of Science in School Counseling is a 48-hour program and is one requirement for Kansas licensure as a school counselor. There are two options for licensure as a school counselor in the State of Kansas:
  • Traditional route - One option is for individuals who have a professional teaching license. This is for the teacher who has completed at least one year of teaching and successfully completed mentoring to move from the Initial License to a Professional Teaching license.
  • Parallel Pathway - The Parallel Pathway is for individuals who do not have a professional teaching license. The parallel pathway option requires additional field experiences and activities in schools over two semesters during the master’s degree program to enhance a candidate’s understanding of the school culture.

  Applying for your Kansas License:

  • After completing the coursework, applicants for the initial Kansas license must also meet the following KSDE requirements:
    1. Hold a currently valid Kansas professional teaching license or have successfully completed field experiences in schools over two semesters during the master’s program.
    2. Complete the master’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25.
    3. Complete the Praxis Exam for Professional School Counselor. To have your score sent to Kansas State University, enter code #6334 when registering for the Praxis test.
    4. Have recent teaching experience or coursework (i.e., at least one year of teaching or 8 credit hours within the last six years).
  • The Form 1 applicationcan be found on the KSDE website.
    Step-by-step Form 1 Instructions (PDF)

  Provisional Kansas Licensure:
  An individual with a professional Kansas teaching license may be granted a provisional Kansas counseling license if a minimum of 50% of the counseling coursework is completed and the individual has a counseling position. Use Form 4 on the KSDE website to apply.

  Requirements:
  Special Kansas licensure requirements exist for K-12 school teachers of special reading classes in Kansas. At K-State, the Reading Specialist requirements can be part of the M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction. Students seeking this Kansas endorsement must hold a valid Kansas Professional teaching license.

  Applying for your License:

  • After completing the coursework and practicum, applicants for the Kansas license must also meet the following KSDE requirements:
    1. Hold a currently valid Kansas professional teaching license.
    2. Complete the master’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25.
    3. Complete the Praxis Exam for Reading Specialist. To have your score sent to Kansas State University, enter code #6334 when registering for the Praxis test.
    4. Have recent teaching experience or coursework (i.e., at least one year of teaching or 8 credit hours within the last six years).
  • The Form 1 applicationcan be found on the KSDE website.
    Step-by-step Form 1 Instructions (PDF)

  
  Leadership Licenses

  The Building Leadership Kansas licensure qualifies you provide leadership at the building level as the Principal in the State of Kansas.

  Requirements:
  The program at K-State is a Master of Science in Educational Leadership.

  Applying for your Kansas License:

  • After completing the coursework and practicum, applicants for the Kansas license must also meet the following KSDE requirements:
    1. Hold a currently valid Kansas professional teaching license or have successfully completed field experiences in schools over two semesters during the master’s program.
    2. Complete the master’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25.
    3. Complete the Praxis Exam for School Leadership. To have your score sent to Kansas State University, enter code #6334 when registering for the Praxis test.
    4. Have recent teaching experience or coursework (i.e., at least one year of teaching or 8 credit hours within the last six years).
    5. Verify five years of experience in a state-accredited school while holding a standard teaching or school specialist license and having achieved the professional-level license.
  • The Form 1 applicationcan be found on the KSDE website.
    Step-by-step Form 1 Instructions (PDF)

  The District Leadership Kansas licensure qualifies you to be a District Superintendent at the PK–12 level in the State of Kansas.

  Requirements:
  You must have completed a Building Leadership program to complete this endorsement.

  Applying for your License:

  • After completing the coursework and practicum, applicants for the initial Kansas license must also meet the following KSDE requirements:
    1. Hold a currently valid Kansas professional teaching license.
    2. Complete the master’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25.
    3. Complete the Praxis Exam for District Leadership. To have your score sent to Kansas State University, enter code #6334 when registering for the Praxis test.
    4. Have recent teaching experience or coursework (i.e., at least one year of teaching or 8 credit hours within the last six years).
    5. Verify five years of experience in a state-accredited school while holding a standard teaching or school specialist license and having achieved the professional-level license.
  • The Form 1 applicationcan be found on the KSDE website.
    Step-by-step Form 1 Instructions (PDF)

  
  Substitute Licenses

  This Kansas license is available for people with 60 hours of college credit. A background check is required. The first E-Sub expires in June of the academic year. Subsequent Kansas E-Sub licenses expire in June after two years. If you plan to substitute in Kansas at the end of the semester after you complete your Student Teaching, apply for the Kansas E-Sub now. If you currently have a Kansas E-Sub license, you do not need another background check for your Initial Kansas License. If your Kansas E-Sub license expires, you will need to do another background check to get your Initial Kansas License. This application goes directly to KSDE.

  This Kansas license is available for people who have a B.S. degree and have completed a teacher education program. Typically, the missing requirements are the Praxis tests or recent college credit. A background check is required. This Kansas license expires after 5 years.

  
  Endorsements

  There are two ways to add endorsements to your Kansas teaching license:

  If you are interested in completing an approved program for the endorsement, not just passing the test, contact the licensing officer. Elementary teachers can add additional endorsements in ESL and Special Education. Doing the approved program is very important if you are planning to move to a state that requires more than a test for an endorsement. To add an Endorsement for an approved program, submit Form 1.

  You cannot add Elementary, Early Childhood, or Special Education with the “Test Only” rule. Teachers often teach more than one area, so they need endorsements in each area they teach. Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) no longer requires you to complete an approved program of study to add another endorsement to a current teaching license. You can add teaching endorsements (in all areas except Elementary, Early Childhood, and Special Education) by taking and passing the Praxis content test. After you pass the content test, send your scores to KSDE along with Form 22 to have the endorsement added to your license. This regulation is for Kansas only. Since this is a Kansas rule, it does not assure that you will be licensed in the area if you go to another state.

  • Required Kansas Test Requirements needed to add an Endorsement
  • KSDE Form 1 Application and Requirements

  Notes:

  • If you have the test completed as you apply for your Initial License, request the endorsement in question 30 and 31 on Form 1.
  • If you are Adding an Endorsement Through Testing Only after you have your Initial License, use Form 22.
  • Adding an endorsement will not renew your license. It requires the Renewal of Professional License application.
  • Adding an endorsement by passing the test and renewing your license does not require any action from the University.

  Other Endorsement Options:

  A Provisional Kansas License allows you to teach in a content area that you are not fully licensed in and have not passed the content test. To qualify for the Provisional Kansas License, you must:

  • hold a valid teaching Kansas license;
  • have completed 50% of the required coursework for the content area (or the Special Education* requirements); and
  • have a job teaching in the endorsement area.

  * Special Education has an exception to the 50% rule. See Kansas Special Education Endorsements or contact Dr. Warren White at wwhite@k-state.edu for more information.

  The Provisional Kansas License expires in two years. If you have completed 50% of the remaining coursework, you can apply for a second Provisional Kansas license, following the same directions as for the first. It cannot be renewed if all that is remaining is the content test. It is added to your Initial or Professional Kansas License. It will allow you to teach the subject while you complete the coursework. When you complete all of the coursework and the Praxis Subject/Content Assessment Test(s), you can apply to add the Kansas endorsement to your Kansas license using Form 1 for Additional Endorsements.

  A school district has an option to hire a person on a Kansas Waiver if they can not find a qualified candidate for the position. The Kansas Waiver requires that the teacher and the University put together a Plan of Study showing the needed coursework to complete the Kansas endorsement. The teacher must enroll in one course each semester while on the Kansas Waiver.

  
  Renewing Licenses

  An Initial Kansas License is valid for two years. If you are teaching during that time and successfully completed a one-year mentoring program, you are able to upgrade from an Initial Kansas License to a Professional Kansas License. If you have not completed a Mentoring year, you can apply for a second Initial Kansas License. No additional requirements are needed if you apply within five years of your first Kansas Initial – you must complete KSDE Form 20. If it has been more than 5 years, or this is your second renewal of the Initial Kansas License, see the KSDE requirements .

  Once you have completed your mentoring through your school district, you can apply for your Professional Kansas License with KSDE Form 21. It is completed by you and your administrator. You will then be issued a five year Professional Kansas License.

  The Professional Kansas License is valid for five years and is renewed through Professional Development or adding a new Kansas endorsement. See Renewal of Kansas Professional License on the KSDE website.

  K-State Global Campus offers a wide variety of coursework that can be used to renew your Kansas license. Coursework being used to add an additional Kansas endorsement must be approved by the college representative. Other coursework must be approved through your Professional Development Council.

  If you are renewing your Kansas license at the same time you are adding a Kansas endorsement, you can request a Kansas paper application for both processes and send them both in at the same time. Having both Kansas applications processed at the same time will only cost you one application fee. Contact Di Murphy at dim@k-state.edu for the Kansas paper applications.

  
  Resources

  Center for Student Success and Professional Services

  Di Murphy
  Licensing Officer
  edcatslicensing@ksu.edu

  Joe Duntz
  Administrative Officer
  edcatslicensing@ksu.edu