TESTING CHANGES

Beginning September 1, 2021, the testing vendor for the Indiana Department of Education will change from Pearson (CORE) to Educational Testing Service (ETS)/Praxis. Between July 1, 2021 and August 31, 2021, both CORE licensure tests and many--but not all--of the Praxis tests will be available in parallel. Please check with the Office of Teacher Education Services and Clinical Practice to confirm any testing needed. Learn more about the upcoming changes and testing transition. A helpful FAQ sheet has also been provided by the IDOE.

The Office of Teacher Education Services and Clinical Practice serves as a liaison between Ball State students obtaining an educational license and the Office of Educator Effectiveness and Licensing (OEEL), the state licensing agency in Indiana. Under the licensure framework of OEEL, the teaching license will reflect the standards for which you have demonstrated competency through the completion of a degree program. The license will state the content area(s) and the grade coverage in which you are licensed to teach.

Licensing Programs

Services

Licensing (our office) provides the following services to students, former students, alumni, and the education community:

  • advising for graduate students working on license programs
  • evaluation of license requirements for bachelor and higher degree holders
  • information on Indiana license rules
  • interpretation of license coverage
  • license application processing (Indiana and out-of-state)
    license examination information and recording of scores
  • verification of license eligibility and program completion

Covid-19 Licensing Information

We are very aware of the concerns licensure candidates and teachers have with the limited availability of CORE tests and in-person CPR trainings, and we know these concerns add more uncertainty and frustration to these uniquely uncertain times. The Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing has released the most recent guidance available on licensing topics. Learn more.

Request an Evaluation

Do you have a bachelor’s degree or higher? Are you interested in a license in the areas of teaching, license additions, school administration, or school services? We offer post-baccalaureate licensure in all of these areas.

Simply contact us by email or telephone and request information on the license you are interested in pursuing.

When your evaluation is complete, we will mail it to you with additional information pertinent to your license pursuit.

How to Request an Evaluation

If you want an evaluation for licensure to determine the course work it would take to be licensed, follow these directions:

  1. Download and complete the evaluation form (PDF).
  2. Send us the following materials:
  • a copy of your teaching license
  • a letter verifying your teaching experience (if you’re applying for administration licenses or license additions)
  • transcripts from all institutions for evaluation purposes. We can take scanned copies of transcripts.

How to Submit Materials

By Mail

OTES/CP/Licensing
Teachers College, Rm 205
Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306

By Email

Email us.

Evaluation Fee

For non-Ball State graduates, there is a $35 fee for the evaluation. Please pay online or by check or money order made payable to Ball State University.  

Already a Licensed Educator?

If you already have an undergraduate degree and are applying to the university to pursue license renewals, license additions, or new licensing programs, you should apply for admission to Ball State’s Graduate School.

You may apply online. (Application fees paid with a debit card instead of credit card take four to seven days to clear.)

You must apply to the Graduate School before you can register for classes. Information about online and off-campus course offerings are coordinated through the Division of Online and Distance Education.

Start Your Application

Students from Other States

If you live in a state other than Indiana, this information regarding state regulatory authorizations for distance programs might impact whether you can take courses from Ball State. Learn more. 



When you are near the end of your program, you will need to apply for the license itself.

The process will be different depending on whether you apply to for a license in Indiana or another state.

You must apply for your license through Indiana’s Office of Educator Effectiveness and Licensing (OEEL) Licensing Verification and Information System (LVIS).

Start Your Application

In addition to the following instructions, LVIS training webinars that explain the application process are available on the LVIS website. Instructional licenses are teaching licenses.

Tips

  • In order to submit your application, you must first create a username and password to create your profile. Make sure you remember your username and password; you will need them again during the application process. You will receive an e-mail to verify your profile. You are then ready to complete the application.
  • When beginning the application on the My LVIS page, at the end of the very first sentence, click on "here." That will take you to the application.
  • The first step requires you to select the Application Action. That means the license you are applying for: Original, Renewal, Addition, etc. If this is the first time you are applying for an Instructional (teaching), Administrative, or School Services license, you are applying for an original license.
  • Be sure to select the institution that you want to recommend you. If you did your recent work at Ball State, you should choose Ball State.
  • CPR and AED certification (both sides of your card) transcripts, Suicide Prevention Training certificates (if applicable) should be attached where indicated.
  • Be sure to pay at the end of the application. Our office does not see your application until you pay your fee. Print and keep a copy of the "Payment Receipt Screen."
  • Log on to LVIS to follow the progress of your application.
  • You will receive an e-mail from the state when your license is ready to print.

Keep the following in mind when applying for a license in another state:

  • Obtain the Indiana license first.
    • In most instances, it is best to apply for a license in another state based on a valid (not expired) Indiana license rather than based on a completed teacher education or other license program through a college or university.
    • In some instances, it is mandatory to have the Indiana license first.
    • In a few instances, it may not be absolutely necessary to have the Indiana license, but completing a license program through a college or university will be mandatory.
  • Having completed a CAEP (formerly known as "NCATE") accredited program will be of benefit in several states.
  • Applying for a license in a state that has signed an Interstate License Agreement with Indiana will ease the process. (For a list of states that have signed the agreement, see the link entitled "Signatories to 2015-20 Interstate Agreement" in the lower section of the Interstate Agreement link listed above.)
  • Contact the license agency of the desired state for an application and instructions.
  • Even with a valid Indiana license, other states may require the completion of additional requirements.
  • The costs involved in obtaining a license vary greatly from state to state and can be as high as $200 for the license itself. Additional costs may be incurred through the evaluation process (to determine eligibility for the license), license tests, and other requirements. The fees may be non-refundable.