Lateral Entry Teachers
A lateral entry license entitles the holder to be employed as a teacher in North Carolina schools. Lateral entry licenses are authorized on a provisional basis in major areas of academic study for which the state has established licensure.
Criteria
- Applicants for a lateral entry license must be employed by a North Carolina school system and hold at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the subject area they are employed to teach or hold at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have satisfied Praxis II testing requirements for the license area.
- Individuals must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or have passed the NTE/Praxis I tests and have earned one of the following: a GPA of 3.0 in the major field of study; a GPA of 3.0 on all work completed in the senior year; a GPA of 3.0 on a minimum of 15 semester hours of course work (related to the area of licensure completed during the preceding five years.
- Graduates of approved education programs who are not recommended for licensure by their college or university are not eligible for a lateral entry license. However, a person who has satisfied all major degree requirements but has a minor deficiency or technical requirement can apply of a lateral entry license if employed by a school system. Such a deficiency cannot exceed six semester hours and must be corrected during the first year of licensure. Individuals who have completed all education program requirements except the Praxis Series tests are not eligible for lateral entry licensing.
Important:
Students wishing to enroll in the lateral entry classes offered through UNCA must have at least a bachelor's degree and be employed as a teacher in a North Carolina school system. The individual must also have a Regional Alternative Licensing Center (RALC) plan of study and submit it with his/her application.
Returning Student: If you have already enrolled in one of our lateral entry courses, an application form is required for each course in which you want to enroll. However, an additional application fee is not required but tuition payment is. You do not have to re-submit your RALC Plan of Study if you have already done so.