ALPDI FAQs
I want to earn an alternative license. How do I do that?
You must first start the alternative licensure evaluation process through the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) in order to obtain the Alternative Resident Educator License. There are several steps to this process, clearly articulated on this ODE web page: Alternative Resident Educator Licenses. Kent State is not an approved institution that offers an Alternative Resident Educator Institute (AREI) or an Intensive Pedagogical Training Institute (IPTI) required to initially obtain the Alternative Resident Educator License. Kent State is an approved institution that offers an Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute (ALPDI) for licensed and employed Alternative Resident Educators seeking to advance their Alternative license to a 5-Year Professional Teaching license.
I already have an Alternative Resident Educator License. How can I advance to a 5-year professional license?
Holders of an Ohio Alternative Resident Educator License have four years to complete some requirements to be eligible to advance to a professional license. These include:
- Reading course(s): 3 credit hours in a course related to the teaching of reading is required for all of the subject areas. Integrated English Language Arts teachers are also required to take a course devoted to learning about the teaching of phonics.
- Professional education courses: 12 credit hours of coursework are required related to the following topics: principles and practices of teaching, student development and learning, student assessment, curriculum development, classroom management and teaching methods. Please Note: Continuing Education (sometimes referred to as Professional Development) courses WILL NOT meet the professional education coursework requirement for the Alternative Resident Educator licensure pathway.
I have an Alternative Resident Educator License, I have passed the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA), and I have passed the Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) test #004 - Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Multi-Age (PK-12). I have not taken the coursework to advance to a professional license. Help!
Alternative Resident Educator License holders must complete 15-18 hours of professional licensure coursework (see question above), OR a State-approved Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute (ALPDI) such as this program. Our program takes 3 semesters, one calendar year, to complete and is fully online.
I hold an Alternative Resident Educator License in Spanish P-12 and want to advance my license to a 5-Year Professional License. Is this program right for me?
Our State-approved ALPDI program is currently for Alternative Resident Educator License holders in Integrated Language Arts (050145), Integrated Mathematics (110094), Integrated Science (132010) and Integrated Social Studies (150004). We hope to expand our program in the future to other Alternative License types.
We do offer the professional coursework in reading/phonics, principles and practices of teaching, student development and learning, student assessment, curriculum development, classroom management and teaching methods required by ODE to advance the alternative license to a professional license; however, it is not in a structured program and we cannot guarantee all course offerings will be offered within one calendar year and/or in an online format.
I only need a few courses and not the entire 15-18 hours of this program. Can I still apply to this program?
Yes - you can apply to this program and take the desired coursework; however, you will not earn a Certificate of Completion issued by our College after completion of the entire program. This program is State-approved as a Professional Development Institute, and the Certificate of Completion can be used for application to advance your alternative license to a 5-year professional teaching license.
The Kent State University College of Education, Health and Human Services does not provide advising guidance for teacher licensure candidates not formally admitted to one of our State-approved teacher licensure programs. This might include alternative-licensed teachers seeking to advance their license to a professional one [other than those formally admitted to our Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute (ALPDI)]; supplemental-licensed teachers (Option B candidates); or out-of-state license holders seeking additional coursework for Ohio licensure. Although the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) may have referred you "to a University" to find coursework for your program, we (the Universities) are not the ones recommending you for these types of licensure (DEW is the recommending agency) and thus have no control over what they will or will not accept as appropriate coursework for these types of licensure. Although we may provide course suggestions, we cannot guarantee singular coursework taken here will meet the needs of your licensure requirements outlined by DEW. We can only guarantee coursework (completed within an entire KSU State-approved program) will lead to State of Ohio licensure.
Please contact the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce for further information:
OFFICE OF EDUCATOR LICENSURE & EFFECTIVENESS
25 S. Front Street, Mail Stop 504
Columbus, Ohio 43215-4183
(Toll Free) 855-983-4868
(P) 614-466-3593
Educator.Licensure@SBOE.ohio.gov
AlternativeLicense@education.ohio.gov
I prefer a more traditional teacher licensure program: face-to-face coursework and a student teaching experience to bridge theory and practice. Do you offer these types of programs?
At Kent State, we have Master of Arts in Teaching programs leading to Primary PK-5 licensure, and to AYA 7-12 licenses in specific subject areas and multi-age licensure PK-12 in art, world languages, dance, physical education, health, and music. There are also non-degree initial license programs in Middle Childhood Education 4-9 and in Special Education.
If you are interested in learning more about these options, please follow these links:
Master of Arts in Teaching: Early Childhood (PK-5)
Non-Degree License Program in Middle Childhood Education 4-9: Initial Licensure
