Links to other states' departments of education can be found on the Out-of-State Department of Education Websites web page. Applicants for licensure/certification in another state will submit application materials to the state's department of education as the state's directions indicate. For some states, requirements may include a verification form signed by licensure staff of the College of Education's Office of Student Services.
Verification Forms
As part of the application for licensure/certification, many states require a form from the educator's college or university to document the preparation the educator completed at the college or university. For all educator preparation programs of The University of Iowa (teacher, administrator, and professional service) these forms are processed by licensure staff in the Office of Student Services.
These forms have a variety of names: State-Approved Program and Completion of Standards Verification, Institutional Endorsement and Assurances, Institutional Verification, and many others, depending on the state. The forms' directions may indicate the form should be sent the university's "Dean," "Registrar," "Certification Officer," or other administrator: Regardless of instructions on the forms, these forms should be sent to the Office of Student Services at the address listed below.
Send forms and direct questions to:
Email documents to: educ-licensure@uiowa.edu
DIrect questions to: Betsy Justis (319-467-4285) or David Tingwald (319-335-5360)
Office of Student Services
The University of Iowa
N201 Lindquist Center
Iowa City, IA 52242-1529
319-335-5360
fax: 319-335-5364
Some verification forms specify where and by what means the forms should be returned (US mail to applicant, email directly to the state's department of education, or other). If no direction is included on the form, please include a note with instructions.
Verification to other states can be provided based on completion of a state-of-Iowa approved program of The University of Iowa. Verification cannot be provided to other states for endorsements that were received under state-of-Iowa minimum standards.
Transcripts
If a transcript is required for the application, you will need to order it through the Registrar's Office. Options for ordering transcripts can found on the web page of the Registrar's Office.
Reciprocity / Exchange Agreements
Iowa does not have reciprocity with any state. All individuals applying for licensure in Iowa must meet Iowa requirements. An evaluation is done to ensure that the coursework completed by the applicant meets Iowa's minimum requirements. In most cases, applicants who have completed a teacher preparation program through a regionally accredited college or university, received college credits, and completed either a student teaching or internship, may be eligible for Iowa licensure. Other states have similar policies and procedures.
NCATE
The University of Iowa is no longer NCATE accredited. This accreditation was dropped following the May, 1992 semester. If you completed a program prior to that time, verification can be provided that you completed an NCATE accredited program.
Deficiencies
It is not unusual to receive notification from the education department of another state that you have deficiencies to satisfy for regular licensure/certification. Most of the time a conditional or provisional license/certificate will be issued giving you time to satisfy the deficiencies. If you question any of the deficiencies noted by another state, please contact Dave Tingwald to discuss the possibility of providing documentation that a particular requirement has been satisfied.