About the Licensing Office
Teacher Licensure
It is essential that you apply for your teaching license within one year of completing a licensure program, since licensure approval is not guaranteed beyond the year following program completion. Ashland University’s Teacher Licensure & Academic Support Services can help. We’re here to assist you in obtaining your initial teaching licenses as well as any additional teaching or administrative license you may wish to pursue.
Our team helps by:
- Evaluating potential teachers and administrators in determining the qualifications you need to become licensed.
- Acting as a resource for state of Ohio requirements, including the renewal and upgrading of licenses.
- Presenting important information to students in education classes and seminars.
- Answering questions concerning licensure and verifying completion of the necessary requirements for the State of Ohio.
What is the LPDC?
Using the Local Professional Development Committee Process
The Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) is the structure used by the Ohio Department of Education to facilitate the renewal of existing teaching licenses or advancing a license from a Two-Year Residential to the Five-Year Professional status. The LPDC makes decisions only for employees in the district or institution served by the committee. The purpose of Ashland University’s LPDC is to renew the license of any AU faculty member who wants to maintain an active Ohio teacher’s license or for a student teaching supervisor who is not employed by a school district.
The university’s LPDC meets each semester to review renewal applications and Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP). Dates of those meetings and deadlines for submitting materials will be announced on the AU Portal.
For additional information about the LPDC process and the forms needed for IPDP and renewal applications, download the materials included below.
How to Apply
How to Apply for a Teaching, Principal, CIPD or Superintendent License
Please begin your license application process early in your teacher preparation program. The Ohio Department of Education website provides information about the licenses and endorsements that are available in Ohio.
Qualifying Grade Bands
Qualification for grade bands depends on the license you hold, and number of years teaching. You must have had a standard license appropriate to the grade level(s) and subject area(s). Teaching with a provisional or alternative license does not count toward years of experience.
| Teaching License Held | Years Teaching | Grade Level(s) Taught | Qualifying Principal License |
| PK-3 | 2 or more | PK | PK-6 |
| PK-3, K-8 | 2 or more | K | PK-6 |
| PK-3, K-8, 1-8 | 2 or more | 1 | PK-6 |
| PK-3, K-8, 1-8 | 2 or more | 2 | PK-6 |
| PK-3, K-8, 1-8 | 2 or more | 3 | PK-6 |
| 4-9, K-8, 1-8 | 2 or more | 4 | PK-6, 4-9 |
| 4-9, K-8, 1-8 | 2 or more | 5 | PK-6, 4-9, 5-12 |
| 4-9, K-8, 1-8 | 2 or more | 6 | PK-6, 4-9, 5-12 |
| 4-9, K-8, 1-8, 7-12 | 2 or more | 7 | 4-9, 5-12 |
| 4-9, K-8, 1-8, 7-12 | 2 or more | 8 | 4-9, 5-12 |
| 4-9, 7-12 | 2 or more | 9 | 4-9, 5-12 |
| 7-12 | 2 or more | 10 | 5-12 |
| 7-12 | 2 or more | 11 | 5-12 |
| 7-12 | 2 or more | 12 | 5-12 |
K-12 Multi-Age* 2 or more PK-6 and/or 4-9 and/or 5-12 Depends on grades taught
K-12 Intervention Specialist 2 or more PK-6 and/or 4-9 and/or 5-12 Depends on grades taught
*(Art, Foreign Languages, Music, PE)
