Educator Licensing Overview

Licensing Structure

Each educator license has a license area; some have an endorsement to indicate a specialization in a content area or particular set of skills. Utah Educator Licensing provides an overview of the new licensing structure.

An educator license is like a tree:

  1. Trunk is the license.
  2. Branches are the license areas.
  3. Leaves are the endorsements.

Educator License Levels

There are three educator license levels.

  1. Professional
    All of the requirements have been met and competencies demonstrated.
  2. Associate
    A minimum number of requirements have been met and/or competencies demonstrated.
  3. Local Education Agency (LEA) Specific
    Under direction of the local governing boards of school districts or charters.

License Areas

These indicate which grade levels you are qualified to teach or service you are qualified to provide in Utah public schools.

License Area

Grade Levels

Possible Positions

Note: Positions vary by school

Audiologist

Kindergarten-Grade 12

Audiologist

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Grades 9-12

Automotive Technology Teacher*
Cosmetology Teacher*
Woods Teacher*

Deaf Education

Kindergarten-Grade 12

High School Teacher of the Deaf*
Itinerant Listening and Spoken Language Teacher*
Third Grade Teacher of the Deaf

Early Childhood Education

Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 3

First Grade Teacher
Reading Specialist*
Title I Preschool Teacher

Elementary Education

Kindergarten-Grade 8

Elementary Interventionist
Kindergarten Teacher
Middle School Math Teacher*

Preschool Special Education

Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten

Individualized Education Program  (IEP) Case Manager for 4-year-olds
Preschool Special Education Teacher

School Counselor

Kindergarten-Grade 12

Career Center Director
Elementary Counselor
High School Counselor

School Leadership

Kindergarten-Grade 12

Assistant Principal
Principal

School Psychologist

Kindergarten-Grade 12

School Psychologist

School Social Worker

Kindergarten-Grade 12

Mental Health Counselor
Social Worker

Secondary Education

Grades 6-12

High School Science Teacher*
Middle School Art Teacher*
Student Government Advisor

Special Education

Kindergarten-Grade 12

Elementary Special Education Teacher
Middle School Math Co-teacher
Self-Contained Resource Teacher

Speech Language Pathologist

Kindergarten-Grade 12

IEP Case Manager for Communication Disorders
Speech Language Pathologist

Speech Language Technician

Kindergarten-Grade 12

Speech Language Technician
Speech Therapy Assistant

*=These positions require an additional endorsement to be fully qualified.

Approved University Programs

There are nine university-based Educator Preparation Programs (EPP). Each institution has a variety of programs and degrees available.

  1. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
  2. Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, Utah
  3. Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah
  4. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
  5. Utah State University, Logan, Utah\
  6. Utah Tech University, St George, Utah
  7. Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
  8. Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
  9. Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah
  10. Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah

In addition to these programs, there are Alternate Pathway to Professional Educator License (APPEL) that are based in Utah school districts and charter schools. Most APPEL programs require candidates to be employed in their schools to enroll in the program. Salt Lake Community College also provides coursework that may be accepted by an EPP.