NWI Licensure

Preparing For Your Transition to Teach License

Your Transition to Teach (T2T) license is the two year temporary license that you receive prior to the first day of school (FDOS). Your T2T allows you to hold full certification, and therefore legally be able to teach, while completing your University Partner program.

In order to apply for your Transition to Teach license by August 2024, the following needs to be completed:

1. You have taken and passed a CPR/AED certification course

2. You have taken and passed an online Suicide Prevention course

3. You have created your LVIS account (your online Indiana State licensure account)

4. You have a letter of admissions from your NWI University Partner

All of the action items and directions are listed in Docebo!

Once you have completed the above action items you will be able to apply, via your LVIS account, for your Transition to Teach license. In most instances approval takes 1-3 months. Schools allow for a grace period, should there be gap between when you apply and when you are approved for your license. However, it is important you can document that you have applied and that your review is pending with the State. We will support you in ensuring you have applied for your T2T no later than August 30th 2024 (as to meet this requirement). 

Step-by-Step Instructions For Preparing For Your T2T

Please note that all of these steps, and your specific timeline for completing them, will be in Docebo.

Step 1: Register for your Licensure Verification and Information System (LVIS) account

• Register here (all you need to do is create an account; no further steps are needed after that. You will not use this account again until you apply for your T2T in August)

Step 2: Register and complete your suicide prevention training

• You can select from a series of approved Indiana online programs here

• The suicide prevention course is free and can be completed online, please save your "certificate of approval" you will need it to apply for your T2T in August

Step 3: Complete your CPR/AED certification course

• To see approved CPR/AED/Heimlich training programs, click here.

• You will need to find time to complete the course before registering for your T2T in August. We will not be able to excuse you from Pre-Service to take this steps so it will need to be on your own time.

Step 5: Apply to our University Partner and receive your letter of admission

• You will apply to our University Partner during the spring. We are still in the process of determining our specific partner for the 2024-2025 school year

• Once you have applied, and completed all their action steps, you will receive your letter of admission. Save this as you will need it to apply for your T2T in August.

Step 6: Apply for your T2T

• Once steps 1-4 have been completed you will be able to apply for your T2T license. You can find all instructions for completing that process here

• You cannot begin the application process until steps 1-5 have been completed

• Teach For America will prompt you to apply in early August via email

Information Regarding Testing

Testing in Northwest Indiana happens on a slightly different timeline than those pursuing certification in Illinois. In Indiana content test passage timelines vary based on your subjects:

• If you are teaching Elementary, they do not need to be passed until July of 2025.

  • We recommend you start testing no later than May/June 2025.

• If you are teaching a Secondary subject they do not need to be passed until December 2024.

  • We recommend you testing no later than July 31st 2024.

Why the delayed timeline? Passage of content tests is required to move in to the "student teaching" phase of your university partner program. For folks teaching secondary education, Student Teaching happens in February of 2025 and for those teaching Elementary Student Teaching happens in September 2025.

Guidance for those taking the Elementary Content Exam

We recommend not attempting the test until Spring of 2025 for Elementary corps members, as the content exams are slightly more difficult than in Illinois and it is helpful to have some official university partner coursework completed. However, our alums and current corps members have said that waiting to test can be difficult as the realities of being a full time teacher and in a certification partner does not leave time for studying. We highly recommend that you register for your exam no later than December 2024 (over the winter break) and set your test date to no later than April 2024. Someone from Teach For America will follow up with you to ensure you have a plan to test, however, it is your responsibility to take this step independently.

You can find information on the exam, and how to register, here. 

Guidance for those taking a Secondary Content Exam (MS/HS English, Social Studies, or MS/HS Science)

The rigor of the Middle School and High School subject exams is not as difficult as the Elementary content exam. We highly recommend that you register for your exam no later than June 2024 and set your test date to no later than July 31st 2024. Testing by July 31st ensures that (1) you have testing out of the way and can focus on your training and development, and (2) helps you identify if passing the exam will be a risk so that you can work with your university partner during the fall to study and retest no later than December 2024. Someone from Teach For America will follow up with you to ensure you have a plan to test, however, it is your responsibility to take this step independently.

You can find information on the exam, and how to register, here. 

What happens if you don’t pass?

It's ok! It happens! Passing the content exam is required for you to complete your program at your University Partner. If you don't pass by the deadlines above then it will delay your graduation from your University Partner. Should you not pass your exam on the first attempt please reach out to your MD,LD via email or direct message on Slack and we will work through next steps.