Oregon Emergency & Restricted Teacher Certification
To become a teacher in Oregon, you’ll need to hold a bachelor’s degree, complete a teacher preparation program approved by Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commision (TSPC), and obtain a teaching license through TSPC.
However, it is possible for school districts to hire teachers not yet certified to teach on an emergency or restricted license.
What is an emergency or restricted teacher certification?
Emergency or restricted certification for teaching are district-sponsored licenses given to candidates who are hired to fill a position but are not yet certified to teach. This is in response to a district’s emergency situation, when they are unable to fill a position with a licensed teacher.
This is designed to be a short-term fix. An emergency license lasts for only one year and has to be renewed annually.
An alternative to an emergency teaching license is a restricted license, which can last for three years. To qualify, the teacher must be enrolled in a teacher training program and has three years to earn their preliminary teaching license to remain in the teaching position.
When is emergency certification needed?
Emergency certification is often needed in the following scenarios:
- High-Need Areas Positions in specialized programs such as special education, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), math, science, and dual-language classes.
- Rural Districts Districts with a limited applicant pool may require emergency certifications more frequently.
This certification allows candidates who have not yet completed a teacher preparation program to serve as the teacher of record, providing stability compared to using substitute teachers.
How widespread is the use of emergency and restricted teaching licenses in Oregon?
TSPC’s Oregon Educator Data Dashboard shows the number of teachers in each county on emergency and restricted licenses. For the 2023-2024 school year, there were 1,928 teachers in Oregon working on emergency or restricted licenses.
The county with the most combined emergency and restricted licenses in 2023-2024 was Marion County with 39 emergency licenses and 197 restricted licenses for a total of 236 positions. Sherman County was the only county in Oregon in 2023-2024 without any teachers working under one of these licenses.
Why is it a problem to have teachers working under emergency or restricted licenses?
Simply put, these teachers don’t have the training or experience of a fully licensed teacher, which can lead to kids falling behind in school.
Teacher education programs go beyond subject matter knowledge and teach how to teach, including spending time teaching actual students under supervision. Any parent who has tried to help their child with their homework can tell you that there’s a big difference between knowing how to solve a math problem and knowing how to explain how to do it to a child.
This education and experience gap is particularly problematic for more specialized teaching positions, such as special education, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), math, science, and dual-language.
This is not to put down the hardworking people who work under emergency or restricted teaching licenses – they’re doing the best they can, often under difficult circumstances, and some of them have great knowledge of their field. But it’s still far from ideal.
How do you get an emergency teacher certification?
In order to get an emergency or restricted certification, a district must hire and then sponsor a candidate with the required skill set to apply for emergency certification.
The district must show TSPC that the candidate is their best available option to meet their teaching needs, usually because they’ve been unable to hire a qualified teacher. This is a short-term solution while the district either continues to seek to hire a licensed teacher or the candidate pursues a teaching license.
How do you transition to full certification?
To transfer to full certification, teachers working under a restricted license must be admitted to a teacher licensure program and complete that program within three years, while continuing to teach in the meantime.
Learn More
For more detailed information about the Oregon Emergency Teaching License requirements and policies, visit the OregonLaws page on emergency teacher certification.
George Fox University has partnered with multiple districts across Oregon on Grow Your Own Initiatives. Through collaboration at the ground level, George Fox is strategically listening and responding by finding pathways for people in the community to work and attend school simultaneously.