Wyoming teachers are licensed and endorsed. Licensure signifies that they have met education and assessment standards, cleared a background check, and met other state mandates. Endorsements denote who or what they are qualified to teach. Endorsements include grade level. Some early childhood endorsements cover teaching through third grade; others are designed specifically for Pre-K. Elementary covers K-6; middle grades, 5-8; and secondary, 6-12.
Teachers receive endorsements that are appropriate to their teaching preparation. The teacher may be a generalist at the early childhood or elementary level. Additionally many core and special subject endorsements are available in elementary, middle grade, secondary, and K-12 grade bands. Art, music, PE, and world language endorsements are available in any of these grade bands. This is also the case with special education. The teacher may be an exceptional generalist or an exceptional specialist in a field such as cognitive disability or learning disability. Early childhood special education is another teaching option.
Endorsements in core academic subjects are available at the middle and secondary levels. At the secondary level, one finds a number of science and social science disciplines as well as career/ life subjects such as agriculture and family and consumer science. Theater is secondary level.
Wyoming educator preparation follows a traditional pathway. Teachers who obtained licensure in other states through alternative means are eligible for licensure in Wyoming if they taught as licensed teachers during at least three of the prior six years. (Otherwise they are not eligible for licensure, but may, in some cases, receive an exception authorization to begin teaching.)
Education is a first step. There are minor differences in requirements depending on whether the individual completes an in-state program or an out-of-state program. Most available programs will be considered out-of-state, regardless of where the person was living at the time. One Montana program is considered in-state, Northern Plains Transition to Teaching, offered by Montana State University. This, along with the University of Wyoming, represent the only in-state options.
It is well recognized that Wyoming residents sometimes choose to enroll in out-of-state or online programs. The Board has provided a list of questions that prospective students may ask themselves in order to determine if the program will meet Wyoming standards (http://wyomingptsb.com/education-resources/online-and-out-of-state-programs). Programs must be housed in regionally or nationally accredited institutions and must be license qualifying in their own state. The school must issue an institutional recommendation; this will indicate that the individual is eligible for licensing in the other state. The candidate will need to meet all requirements necessary for the license recommendation, including testing.
Wyoming has specific assessment requirements for only a few teaching areas. Elementary education candidates take the Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects examination. It consists of four sub-tests which may be taken individually or together; it is offered by ETS as part of the Praxis series. Social studies composite candidates take a Praxis social studies assessment at the appropriate level. Early childhood candidates also take a subject test to serve as teacher of record; those seeking endorsement through grade 3 will take Education of Young Children. Additionally, special education teachers who will be serving as teacher of record will need to pass a Praxis exam in the appropriate subject area. The ETS website includes a page about Wyoming testing requirements (https://www.ets.org/praxis/wy/requirements/); it includes minimum scores for elementary, early childhood, and social studies assessments. Information is also found in license application packets.
Some applicants will need to complete assessments used for licensing purposes in other states, as opposed to those of Wyoming. The Wyoming Board has provided links to six state testing sites that are among the most common for out-of-state applicants: those of Arizona, Washington, Illinois, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas (http://wyomingptsb.com/education-resources/online-and-out-of-state-programs/). The Board notes that prospective students can find out the Praxis requirements of the state in question by visiting the state requirements overview page on the ETS website (www.ets.org/praxis/states).The Board has provided a list of frequently asked questions about the Praxis. ETS can be reached at 1-800-772-9476.
The main Wyoming licensing page includes clarification about how the testing process works for candidates considered out-of-state (http://wyomingptsb.com/licensure/becoming-licensed/).
Wyoming has a minor state-specific requirement: US Constitution and Wyoming Constitution. This requirement may be met through coursework or examination.
Teachers may choose to add additional endorsements later. There are two methods for doing so. One is demonstration of competency. This method can be used only in instances where the individual is adding an endorsement at a grade level for which he or she is already qualified to teach. Wyoming explicitly states that elementary education cannot be added in this way. The teacher will need to demonstrate 27 semester hours of coursework in the subject area. He or she will credit, at maximum, three semester hours of pedagogical coursework. Coursework taken in the past, as part of the original degree, can be credited. However, at least nine semester hours must be from the recent past. This pathway requires examination; Wyoming has adopted Praxis tests.
The teacher may choose to complete a new program and obtain institutional recommendation. The Board states that this is the preferred method as an endorsement obtained in this manner will be recognized round the country. If the endorsement is in a grade band the teacher is not currently qualified to teach, it will be necessary to complete a practicum or student teaching experience.
Wyoming does not accept added endorsements that were obtained on the basis of examination alone.
Applications can be downloaded from the website of the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board (http://wyomingptsb.com/applications/).
A new applicant will need to have fingerprints made. The current procedure is to include two FBI fingerprint cards in the application packet.
Official transcripts are required.
The applicant will document assessment, experience, and out-of-state licensure, as applicable.
International education must be professionally evaluated. The Board has provided a list of agencies.
Wyoming teachers are under the licensing authority of the Professional Teaching Standards Board (http://wyomingptsb.com/licensure/becoming-licensed/).
Requirements are subject to change.
Applicants with questions may call 307-777-7291.