Licensure Reciprocity: Oregon

Analysis of Oregon's policies

Oregon does not support licensure reciprocity for certified teachers from other states.

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; however, the latest iteration of this agreement no longer purports to be a reciprocity agreement among states and thus is no longer included in this analysis.

Citation

Oregon Administrative Rules, 584-060-0014

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.

State response to our analysis

Oregon was helpful in providing NCTQ with the facts necessary for this analysis. The state added that it accepts out-of-state tests that are comparable to its own subject-matter tests, and that licensure tests are for beginning teachers, not veterans. Only veterans may obtain a transcript analysis, and that is based exclusively on the quality of their content-matter preparation. Oregon noted that very few out-of-state teachers take advantage of this option, and that it does an extensive background check on out-of-state teachers, including an exhaustive Internet search for any off-duty conduct or other matters that may arise. The state also pointed out that out-of-state teachers must pass the state's Civil Rights and Ethics test.  

Last word

Licensure tests are a vehicle for anyone to demonstrate subject-matter and professional knowledge, at any point in his or her career. The point is not that Oregon needs to make every out-of-state teacher take new tests, but that the state should ensure that applicants for licensure in Oregon meet Oregon's standards, and not just the standards from the original state.