Teacher Licenses and Levels in the state of Utah

In the State of Utah there are three levels of teacher licensure. Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. For a detailed explanation of the licensing process, you can refer to the Utah State Office of Education Licensing page, OR, just keep reading and I will give you basic overview.

First things to know. There are 3 ways to get a license in Utah.

• Complete a Utah Teacher Prep Program. In our state that can currently only be done at a university. We don’t have any alternate teacher prep programs such as Teach for America, etc. There are 10 institutes of higher education in the state that offer educator preparation programs approved by the State Office of Education (USOE) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). These schools are:
  • University of Utah
  • Utah State University
  • Weber State University
  • Southern Utah University
  • Dixie State University
  • Utah Valley University
  • Brigham Young University
  • University of Phoenix
  • Western Governors
  • Westminster College

• Move into Utah with a current out of state teaching license. Depending on the states reciprocity with Utah licensing system will determine how easy or difficult of a process this is.
• Work on an Alternative Route to Licensure. The Utah State Office of Education explains that. “Utah’s ARL Program is a teacher preparation program for individuals who wish to earn an initial Level 1 teaching license or are currently licensed teachers who wish to earn another type of teaching license. ARL allows participants to teach in an accredited Utah school on a temporary license for up to three years while they are fulfilling licensure requirements.”

Level 1- this is the license teachers receive after they successfully complete their Teacher Prep Program, including the required student teaching hours, and passing the mandatory Praxis test. Teachers are also generally considered a Level 1 teacher if they are working on a Letter of Authorization or are a teacher going through the Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) process. Teachers can only work as a Level 1 teacher for 3 years as they go through the Entry Years Enhancement (EYE) process. If a teacher is unable to upgrade to a Level 2 after their first three years as a Level 1 teacher, the individual must pay a fine to extend their Level 1 license for an additional year.

Level 2- after successful completion of EYE as a Level 1 teacher, a teacher can apply to upgrade to a Level 2 license. A Level 2 license must be renewed every 5 years. Most teachers in the state of Utah remain a Level 2 teacher for the entirety of their career.

Level 3- the only way to become a Level 3 teacher in the state of Utah is to complete a Phd in an education related field or, to be a National Board Certified Teacher. This is one of the reasons I chose to become a National Board Certified Teacher, so I could have a Level 3 license in my state. A Level 3 license must be renewed every 10 years.

I think Utah is a wonderful state to live and teach in. If you have more questions about becoming a licensed teacher in Utah, please refer to the State Office of Education.

Cheers!

Tabitha