Most Louisiana teaching certificates require employment as a teacher in Louisiana and evaluation in an approved setting to renew or issue a higher certificate. Teachers who are not serving/employed or who are serving in another state/country should place their Louisiana teaching certification into non-practicing status. Doing so preserves the validity of the certificate while not serving in Louisiana. A certificate in non-practicing status is considered valid in Louisiana, just 'frozen.'
Educational Leaders serving on EDL certificates should place their teaching certificates into non-practicing status while serving as a leader on the EDL certificate to preserve the validity on the teaching certificate. When/if the educator returns to a teaching role, validity will remain on the certificate. The same is true for teachers who hold EDL certificates but who are teaching; the EDL would be placed into non-practicing while serving on the teaching certificate in practicing status.
The requested effective date of non-practicing status should be the last date of employment as a teacher or leader in Louisiana and within the certificate’s validity, no earlier than August 1, 2012, as verified by the former Louisiana school system.
Teachers and leaders previously employed in Louisiana schools: A request for a status change to non-practicing status may be made using the Status Change application in the Louisiana Educator Portal if you have a standard (Type C, Level 1, 2, or 3), Ancillary Teaching, or CTTIE teaching certificate. There is a fee associated with this type of request and your former school system is required to verify your experience in Louisiana. The effective date requested must be within the validity period of the certificate and aligned with the experience verified. The Status Change application must be routed to your current or former Louisiana employing system for this verification and signature.
Louisiana teacher preparation program completers who never taught in Louisiana schools: If you were issued certification after completing a Louisiana teacher preparation program, but never taught in Louisiana schools, you may contact your Louisiana preparation program (college, university, or private provider) for assistance with requesting non-practicing status. The Status Change application must be routed to a Louisiana teacher preparation program for verification and signature if the educator never taught in Louisiana after earning certification.
Status Change requests cannot be granted without verification from a Louisiana employing school system or Louisiana preparation provider.
Should you return to teaching in Louisiana, then a new Status Change application would be submitted with verification and signature from the new Louisiana employing system to place the certificate back into practicing status (unfreeze). All remaining validity, which was preserved while in non-practicing status, will be given to you.
Please note, Type A/B certificates are valid for life for continuous service. These certificates are not eligible for non-practicing status.