Licensure Rules and Policies�October 2025 PANC Meeting���Thomas Tomberlin�Senior Director of Educator Preparation, Licensure, and Performance

Rationale

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Rules

• Administrative rules are required for state agencies pursuant to NC General Statute 150B.
• NCDPI’s Licensure Rules are set to expire June 2026 and must be readopted.
• The current rules do not align with the current licensure policy landscape of the State Board of Education.
• Additionally, many legislative changes to licensure rules have been made since the expiration of the rules.

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Policies

• Many policies have been amended over the years based on legislative changes to licensure. These amendments have led to some internal inconsistencies in the policies.
• LICN-001 is somewhat inaccessible due to its length and broadness.
• Certain terms in policies needed to have a clear definition (in rules).
• Restructuring LICN-001 into smaller, more manageable policies with specific foci.

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Policies and Rules

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List of Policies and Rules

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List of Policies and Rules

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List of Policies and Rules

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Substantive Changes

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Formatting and Clarity

• Most of the changes in the rules and policies address the structure and organization of the licensure policies.
• NCDPI Legal team has done a great deal of work to clarify language while maintaining the original intent of the policies.
• There are some substantive changes to the policies and rules to bring policy in alignment with current statute and/or to address issues of consistency in the field.

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16 NCAC 06C .0337

• Satisfy the applicable licensure examination requirements before or during the third year of licensure, provided that the applicant attempted the examination(s) at least once during the first year of licensure;

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• The language of the rule (and statute) indicates that an educator must attempt the licensure exam(s) in the first year in order to convert the license to a continuing professional license.

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16 NCAC 06C .0304, et al.

• (c) A S-Level license may be awarded to an applicant under the following conditions:
• The applicant holds a master’s level license and has completed an advanced preparation certificate program approved by the institution’s academic administration which governs graduate programs and is documented on the official transcript, or,
• The applicant has completed a preparation program that results in an Ed.S. degree.

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• This policy change will provide clarity and standardization among EPPs in how an S-level license is awarded.
• Institutions regulate what is an acceptable advanced program, not NCDPI.

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16 NCAC 06C .0307

• (a) An applicant may request to add a new license area to an existing IPL or CPL. An applicant may only add a license area to an IPL if the applicant has met the licensure examination requirements for the initial license area. To qualify for additional areas on a teaching license, the applicant shall:

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• Requires educator to complete testing requirements before he/she can add an additional area to the license.
• IPL holders can still add an area provisionally (see rule .0308) prior to passing required licensure exams.

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Communication to Field

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NCDPI Communication Plan

• NCDPI routinely communicates changes to policies and rules in its monthly Human Capital webinars (K-12) and EPP webinars.
• NCDPI disseminated its monthly newsletter to HR staff announcing this week’s PEPSC meeting and the agenda items. NCDPI provided the links to the live stream for the meeting.
• NCDPI sent notification of the PEPSC meeting to EPPs this week via GovDelivery messaging.
• NCDPI will discuss the proposed changes to Licensure rules and policies at the state-wide PANC meeting on October 21, 2025.

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NCDPI Office Hours

• NCDPI will hold virtual office hours on October 22, 2025, for PSU staff that have questions about the proposed licensure changes. These office hours will be held from 9-10 am and again from 4-5 pm.
• NCDPI will hold virtual office hours on October 22, 2025, for EPP staff that have questions about the proposed licensure changes. These office hours will be held from 9-10 am and again from 2-4 pm.

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Questions

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