Louisiana offers Temporary Authority to Teach (TAT) certificates to Louisiana employing school systems that are unable to hire certified teachers. The TAT allows the holder to teach in Louisiana approved schools while the holder pursues alternate-certification program admission or certification requirements.
Initial TAT Eligibility Requirements
- The applicant must teach in a demonstrated area of need as evidenced by LEA-level workforce need.
- The applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an institution accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602.
- The applicant must have at least a 2.20 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
- An applicant who does not meet the GPA requirement may be certified upon satisfactory completion of a personal interview by the employing school system.
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The employing school system must submit the request for the initial TAT verifying the following:
- Good faith efforts for were made to recruit certified personnel, including posting the positions for which TATs are issued, and
- There is no regularly certified, competent, and suitable person available for the position.
Please consult with your current or prospective employing Louisiana school system if you are interested in a TAT certificate.
Official transcripts should be provided to your employing school system so they may verify your eligibility before submitting the application. Transcripts are required from all universities/colleges attended showing all coursework completed and degree(s) earned.
- Transcripts should be sent (mailed or emailed) directly to you or your employing school system and will be considered official. Do not send transcripts directly to the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). Transcripts should be uploaded in this certification application.
- If the transcript does not list a cumulative/overall undergraduate GPA, or includes coursework completed after the award of the degree which is included in the cumulative GPA calculation, a letter from the registrar verifying the GPA at the time the degree was awarded must be included.
- If the institution uses only a Pass/Fail grading system without awarding a calculated GPA, the applicant may qualify based on a satisfactory personal interview.
- Transcripts for degrees already verified by LDOE and listed in the Educational Qualifications section on TeachLouisiana.net do not need to be resubmitted.
- A copy of the bachelor’s degree transcript specifically must be included with the TAT application. Applications including only a graduate degree transcript will cause delays in certification.