New Design for Hardcopy of Educator License

The Office of Educator Licensure is happy to announce that after almost three decades, a new fresh look and design for hardcopy licenses are in production.

The license design has more reminiscent of a diploma and is printed on a full page (8.5 x 11) and includes core features such as the name of the educator, license number. Field, grade level and type of credential (Initial, Endorsement, etc.), issue date and expiration date. In addition, the license is signed by Commissioner Jeffrey Riley and Director of the Office of Educator Licensure, Brian Devine. We think this new license is a better recognition of the hard work and accomplishments of achieving licensure and joining or continuing in this great profession.

While the Department does offer the ability to obtain a hardcopy license, we do not believe it is necessary component of securing employment. As indicated in the recent careful hiring practices memo, we believe that the best way for a school district to verify licensure is to utilize their administrator access in ELAR and check the status via the online licensure system. In addition, while the Department has a public lookup, authorized district users have greater access in ELAR and can see information that is not available in the public lookup such as endorsements and invalid licenses.