MAKE YOURSELF MORE MARKETABLE! If you hold an Iowa teaching license, it is possible to add endorsements to this license by either completing an approved university program or by satisfying the State of Iowa minimum requirements. The main differences between these two options are:

1. State of Iowa minimum endorsements are usually recognized only in the State of Iowa while approved program endorsements may also be accepted outside of Iowa.
2. There is more flexibility using the minimum standards option, and frequently fewer courses are required.
3. In order to be recommended for an endorsement based on completion of a University of Iowa approved program, students must complete a minimum of 20 s.h. at this Institution.
4. Completion of a University of Iowa approved program will probably require formal program admission.

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION AND AN ANALYSIS FOR STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

1. Information and requirements for State of Iowa minimum requirements are available on their web site.
   (www.state.ia.us/educate/boee/addition.html) See "Requirements for Teaching Endorsements" under the Endorsements section.
2. The University of Iowa does not evaluate for all endorsement areas listed on the BOEE's web site.  Before you submit any materials for evaluation, please contact Lynn McMorris to verify that an analysis can be provided for you.  You may email (lynn-mcmorris@uiowa.edu) or call (319) 335-5358 for this information.  To obtain a transcript analysis from The University of Iowa, send transcripts and your request for a specific analysis to Lynn at the address below.  There is currently no charge for this service.
   
   Lynn McMorris
   College of Education
   N310 Lindquist Center
   The University of Iowa
   Iowa City IA 52242
   
   If you have completed all of your course work at The University of Iowa, you can simply contact Lynn McMorris via email for this analysis (lynn-mcmorris@uiowa.edu).
3. A completed analysis will be mailed to you. Course work for this endorsement may be completed at any institution or through The University of Iowa. Be sure to clear all course work with Lynn prior to registration, especially if it is taken at another college or university.
4. Upon completion of all requirements, Lynn will need a completed Licensure application (available at the State Department web site listed in #1 above - see "Adding Endorsements" 7K), a check for the fee (currently $50 per endorsement, made payable to the Board of Educational Examiners), and official transcripts from all institutions except The University of Iowa.
5. The procedure outlined above is not standard from university to university. Please contact other institutions for their specific instructions.
6. Appeal process. If a college or university will not provide a recommendation, and if the applicant believes the Iowa requirements have been satisfied, the applicant may file for a transcript review directly from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. The rejection from the institution must be in writing. Lynn McMorris provides this letter for The University of Iowa.
7. General observations and examples. If you hold a K-6 General Elementary Teacher endorsement and wish to add
   a K-6 Art endorsement, you would need to complete the art content requirements and an elementary level art methods course. If you hold a 7-12 English endorsement and wish to add 7-12 Mathematics, you would need to complete all the math content requirements and a secondary level math methods course. If you hold a 7-12 English endorsement and wish to add K-6 English/language arts, you would need to complete the content requirements and additional professional education courses including student teaching at the elementary level. Crossing levels usually requires additional student teaching. In most cases, if you wish to cross levels, you would need to complete a university approved program.

CONDITIONAL LICENSURE:

If you are the holder of a valid license and are hired to teach a subject area for which you are not currently endorsed, it may be possible to acquire a Two-Year Conditional License. To be eligible for this type of license you should have completed at least two-thirds of the requirements leading to completion of all requirements for that endorsement. In some instances a Conditional License is granted when less than two-thirds of the requirements are completed. For example, special education conditional licensure can be acquired if half of the program requirements (no less than 12 s.h.) are completed. Some other teacher shortage areas may also fall under this category. A contact with the Iowa State Department of Education may be necessary to determine eligibility. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, TEACH CLASSES FOR WHICH YOU ARE NOT ENDORSED. MAKE SURE YOU OBTAIN A CONDITIONAL LICENSE UNTIL ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE SATISFIED.

An application for a two-year Conditional License is available at (http://www.boee.iowa.gov/ChooseClassBC.html). This application will require the signature of an Administrator at the employing school district, and proof that an ample portion of the program has been completed. For regular teaching endorsements, a copy of the transcript analysis provided by a college or university should be included with the application.

Special Education conditional applications will require a "plan of study". The University of Iowa has a specific procedure for acquiring this special education plan. An application for Special Education Conditional License is available at http://www.state.ia.us/educate/boee/forms/SpEdCond.pdf.

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