Licensure Reciprocity: Oregon

Analysis of Oregon's policies

Regrettably, Oregon grants a waiver of its licensing tests to any out-of-state teacher who "demonstrates special academic preparation" and has at least five years of experience.

Teachers with valid out-of-state certificates are eligible for Oregon's Initial Teaching License, and there is no longer a state-mandated recency requirement.

However, transcripts are required for all out-of-state teachers. It is not clear whether the state analyzes transcripts to determine whether a teacher was prepared through a traditional or alternate route or whether additional coursework will be required.

Oregon is also a participant in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which outlines which other states' certificates will be accepted by the receiving state. This agreement is not a collection of two-way reciprocal acceptances, nor is it a guarantee that all certificates will be accepted by the receiving state, and is therefore not included in this analysis.

Oregon requires state-certified teachers at virtual public charter schools to teach at least 95 percent of the school's instructional hours. It is not clear, however, whether online teachers outside Oregon are required to meet the state's requirements for teacher certification. 

Citation

Oregon Administrative Rules, 584-060-0012, -0014 ORS 338.120

Recommendations for Oregon

To uphold standards, require that teachers coming from other states meet testing requirements. 

Oregon takes considerable risk by granting a waiver for its licensing tests to any out-of-state teacher who has "academic preparation" and five years of experience. It should not provide any waivers of its teacher tests unless an applicant can provide evidence of a passing score under its own standards. The negative impact on student learning stemming from a teacher's inadequate subject-matter knowledge is not mitigated by the teacher's having coursework and experience.

Offer a standard license to certified out-of-state teachers, absent unnecessary requirements. 

Oregon should offer standard licenses to certified out-of-state teachers, rather than restricting them to initial ones once they meet Oregon's requirements.

Further, Oregon should consider discontinuing its requirement for the submission of transcripts. Transcript analysis is likely to result in additional coursework requirements, even for traditionally prepared teachers; alternate route teachers, on the other hand, may have to virtually begin anew, repeating some, most or all of a teacher preparation program in Oregon. Regardless of whether a teacher was prepared through a traditional or alternate route, all certified out-of-state teachers should receive equal treatment.

Require evidence of effective teaching when determining eligibility for full certification. 

Rather than rely on transcripts to assess credentials, Oregon should instead require that evidence of teacher effectiveness be considered for all out-of-state candidates. Such evidence is especially important for candidates who come from states that make student growth at least a significant factor of a teacher evaluation (see Goal 3-B). 

Ensure that requirements for online teachers are as rigorous as those for in-state teachers. 

Oregon should ensure that online teachers based in other states are at least equally as qualified as those who teach in the state. However, Oregon should balance the interests of its students in having qualified online instructors with making certain that these requirements do not create unnecessary obstacles for out-of-state teachers. 

State response to our analysis

Oregon asserted that the waiver is only allowed for veteran teachers, and that all out-of-state teachers must submit evidence of having either passed their state-adopted test or earned a major in the area. 

Oregon also contended that transcripts are required to verify a bachelor's degree—an ESEA requirement for highly qualified status and a state requirement since 1965. It is contradictory to eliminate regulation for alternate routes yet not deem veteran teaching experience in a subject as "adequate."  Oregon added that it has one of the most liberal reciprocity policies of any state, and that it accepts full out-of-state licensure as evidence of meeting that state's requirements. It requires transcripts as evidence of having obtained a bachelor's degree and as evidence of meeting subject-matter competency for purposes of being HQT. Oregon also pointed out that it only imposes minimal additional requirements: proof of good character, review of criminal records, and passage of a civil rights and ethics test. 

Last word

Oregon should uphold its standards for all teachers by insisting that certified teachers coming from other states meet the incoming state's testing requirements. Further, the submission of transcripts should be unnecessary for certified out-of-state teachers, unless the state has some reason to suspect that the certifying state routinely licenses teachers who do not have a degree.