Kansas Teaching License Renewal Requirements

<p>Educators in Kansas can renew their Substitute, Professional Teaching, School Specialist or School Leadership licenses. While the requirements for renewal vary, the general criteria are summarized in the table below. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Education/Experience Required</td><td> Bachelor's degree (minimum)</td></tr> <tr><td>Exam Requirements </td><td> None</td></tr> <tr><td>Certification Renewal Period </td><td>Five years</td></tr> <tr><td>Requirements for Renewal </td><td> 120 professional development points</td></tr> <tr><td>Average Salary (2018) </td><td> $31,560 (preschool teachers in KS) <br /> $51,230 (kindergarten teachers in KS) <br /> $51,020 (elementary school teachers in KS) <br /> $51,790 (middle school teachers in KS) <br /> $51,490 (high school teachers in KS)*</td></tr> <tr><td>Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td>8% (high school teachers nationally)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---ProfessionalDevelopmentPoints">Professional Development Points</h3> <p>The state of Kansas works on a system of professional development points. These are points awarded for things like experience in the classroom and college credits. Professional development points must be approved by the Kansas Professional Development Council for them to count towards certificate renewal. School districts must offer annual professional development trainings to their educators but professional development points can also be earned from courses that the Kansas Professional Development Council offers. These courses include Foundations of Teaching Excellence and Advanced Elements of Teaching Excellence. </p> <h3 id="section---ProfessionalTeachingSchoolSpecialistAndSchoolLeadershipLicenses">Professional Teaching, School Specialist and School Leadership Licenses</h3> <p>For educators with a graduate degree, these licenses can be renewed after the completion of 120 professional development points under an approved individual development plan. If the educator is retired and is participating in a retired educator program, they must earn 60 professional development points. Educators who do not have a graduate degree must earn 160 professional development points under an approved individual development plan, which must include at least 80 points for college credit. If retired and participating in a retired educator program, the educator must earn 80 professional development points, of which at least 40 must be for college credit. Educators with graduate degrees may also use three years of accredited work experience for the renewal of their teaching license but this can only be done twice. </p> <h3 id="section---SubstituteLicenses">Substitute Licenses</h3> <p>Educators who wish to renew their substitute teaching licenses must earn 50 professional development points awarded by a local Kansas Professional Development Council. </p> <h3 id="section---FingerprintCard">Fingerprint Card</h3> <p>The educator will only need to redo a background check if their license has expired or they were not required to submit a fingerprint card with their initial license application. If the background check needs to be redone, the educator must request a fingerprint card from the Kansas State Department of Education and visit a local law enforcement office to have their fingerprints taken. The completed card must then be submitted to the Kansas Department of Education with the $50 application fee. Application fees must be paid by check or money order. </p> <h3 id="section---ApplicationProcess">Application Process</h3> <p>Educators who need to renew their licenses can do so online by logging into the Kansas Licensure Application System that can be accessed from the Kansas State Department of Education website. Applicants must use the username and password they had created to use the Web Applications link. They can then select the application form that is relevant to the license they would like to renew, complete it and then submit the completed application.</p>