NWI Licensure

Preparing For Your License

In Northwest Indiana, our corps members have 2 licensure pathways to choose from. Speak to a TFA staff member to determine which pathway is best for you and your long-term goals.

• Option 1: Charter license

  • This pathway is free (other than application fees) and does not require enrollment in a grad school program. It is valid to teach in local charter schools but does not lead to full licensure after your 2 years in TFA. This pathway is best-suited for CMs not interested in teaching long-term.

• Option 2: Transition to Teach (T2T) license

  • The T2T is the two year temporary license that allows you to hold full certification. This license requires enrollment in a state-approved graduate school program to learn the ins and outs of being a teacher. You can choose which program feels right for you but we anticipate costs to be around $5,000 out-of-pocket. Once you complete your coursework over the next 2 years you can earn a full teaching license in Indiana that is also transferrable to other states. This pathway is best-suited for CMs who want to teach long-term and where full licensure would be beneficial.

In order to apply for either license by August 2026, the following needs to be completed:

1. You have passed the required Praxis exam for your subject

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

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

4. You have taken and passed an online Human Trafficking Training

5. You have taken and passed the Child Abuse and Neglect Training

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

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

For Corps Members pursuing the Transition to Teach pathway, you must also

apply to and enroll in a state approved graduate program and have a letter of admissions from that program.

Once you have completed the above action items you will be able to apply, via your LVIS account, for your 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.

Information Regarding Testing

All Corps Members will be required to pass a content exam by July 1 2026. For corps members in a T2T pathway, you must pass a pedagogy exam by the end of the 2 years in TFA in order to earn your Initial Practitioner’s License.

You can learn more about the Praxis exam you need to take in our Indianapolis Certification Overview. While it’s geared toward the Indy region, the state licensure laws still apply to you!