Eligibility Requirements
For Teachers
The chart below outlines the criteria for teacher licenses in the District of Columbia. You must qualify for one of these licenses in order to teach in DCPS. Find more information on licensure from the Office of the State Superintendent.
Type of License | Educational Requirements | | Praxis Requirements |
Regular II* (Valid for 4 years, renewable) | Completed a degree in early childhood, elementary, secondary, or special education at the Bachelor’s or Master’s level. | AND | Passed the relevant Praxis exams.** |
Regular I (Valid for 2 years, non-renewable) | Currently enrolled in a Master's Degree program in early childhood, elementary, secondary, or special education. | AND | Passed the relevant Praxis exams. |
*If you currently have a teaching degree from another state, you can apply for interstate reciprocity if the following 2 conditions are met:
1. Your license is a full, standard license from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Department of Defense Schools, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, or Wyoming.
2. You have taught for three of the last seven years.
**To determine which Praxis exams are required, please visit the ETS website. If you completed a Praxis exam that is not required by DCPS, please do not enter that score in the Praxis section of the application. Only submit scores for the specific tests that DCPS requires.
***You cannot directly apply for this license. In order to obtain the Transitional License, you must hold an offer for hire from a DCPS school. Once you have secured an offer, Human Resources will request the Transitional License from the Office of Educator Licensing and Accreditation in your behalf.
For Instructional Aides
The only requirement to be an Instructional Aide is an Associate’s Degree OR 48 college credit hours OR successful completion of the ParaPro exam administered by ETS.
Option 1 | | Option 2 | | Option 3 |
Associate's Degree | OR | 48 College Credit Hours | OR | Pass the ParaPro Exam |
For Related Service Providers and Librarians
Related Service Providers should submit an application for employment through this website. All such individuals must have a Master’s degree in their area of practice to be eligible for licensure. You do not need to submit Praxis II scores on your application.
Application Process
Please submit an online application and your application will be screened within 15 business days. Select applicants will be invited to continue in the selection process for further screening. The complete selection process can take up to 5 weeks and all communication will be sent by email. Click here to apply now!
