Alternative License Type E

The Alternative License Type E was developed to offer an alternative route to teacher licensure for individuals choosing to enter the teaching profession as a second career. An individual with at least a Bachelor's Degree from a regionally accredited college/university may be employed on an Alternative License Type E for up to three years while completing 24 semester hours of professional education coursework to advance to a full Tennessee license. An applicant is eligible for the Alternative License Type E if it can be documented that he or she has met the required knowledge and skills in the specific endorsement area.

There are three possible routes by which an applicant may document knowledge and skills to qualify for an Alternative License Type E:

1. Completion of an appropriate degree with an academic major in the desired area of endorsement; OR
2. Obtaining written verification from the Certification Officer at a Tennessee approved college/university, that the subject area knowledges and skills have been met for the desired area(s) of endorsement. (Although the individual is not required to actually be admitted to a teacher preparation program, a statement from the Certification Office at the college/university that the individual has satisfied the requirements to be admitted to the teacher preparation program must be obtained.) (Click for a list of Tennessee colleges/universities and the programs offered at each.)OR
3. Successful completion of the Praxis Exams Specialty Test(s) required for the desired area of endorsement. (Click for a list of Praxis Series Exams required in Tennessee.)

Certain areas such as School Administrator, School Counselor, School Psychologist, Library Information Specialist, and Speech/Language Pathologist may not be issued an Alternate License type E without an acceptable Master's degree. The Alternative License Type E may be issued for all initial licensure endorsement areas except for Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education. NOTE: Applicants already holding a full academic Tennessee license are not eligible for the Alternative License Type E License, as it is designed to assist with initial licensure, not with additional endorsements.

An Alternative Type License Type E is issued for the duration of one school year at a time and always expires on the August 31 following the academic school year of its issuance. An individual may not be issued an Alternative License Type E more than three times. This includes initial issuance plus two renewals.

Download Application for Alternate License Type E or call (615) 532-4885 to request an application be mailed to you. The application form also includes a list of regulations and guidelines regarding issuance of the license.

An application packet that is missing any one of these items will be returned to the applicant with instructions as to which items are missing. This will delay the application process.