1. TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES
PRAXIS TESTING
CHARACTER AND FITNESS REVIEWS
Gary G. Schroeder, UK Certification Officer
Christopher Reese, Assistant Certification
Officer
Welcome to this presentation on applying
Office of Program Development, Accountability and Compliance
for a teaching certificate following
University of Kentucky College of Education
completion of an educator preparation
Lexington, KY 40506-0001
859-257-7971
program at the University of Kentucky.
URL: education.uky.edu/AcadServ/
Spring, 2014
1

2. THE STATUTES………….
KRS 161.020 Certificates Required of
School Employees: Filing Requirements;
Validity and Terms for Renewal
CERTIFICATES ARE REQUIRED
No person shall be eligible to hold the
position of superintendent, principal,
teacher, supervisor, director of pupil
personnel, or other school position for
For you, certification be issued, or
which certificates may is important because
receive salary statutes require that a person
Kentucky for services rendered in
such position, unless he holds a certificate
hold the required certification before
of legal qualifications for such position.
being hired and paid.
2

3. KRS 161.020 Certificates Required of School
Employees: Filing Requirements; Validity and Terms for
Renewal
TIMELINES ENFORCED
No person shall enter upon the duties of a position
requiring certification until his certificate has been filed
or credentials registered with the local district employing
him.
School districts are justifiably concerned that all
candidates have their credentials in order before
they are hired.
However, at the beginning of each semester there is
a window of time during which your paper work can
be finalized and the actual certificate be received by
the hiring school district.
Completing required paperwork in a timely manner
is important!
3

4. KRS 161.020 Certificates Required of School
Employees: Filing Requirements; Validity and Terms for
Renewal
CURRENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS MUST BE
FOLLOWED
The validity and terms for the renewal of any
certificate shall be determined by the laws and
regulations in effect at the time the certificate was
issued.
When you apply for a Kentucky teaching certificate,
you must meet the statutory and regulatory
requirements in effect at the time you apply. This
is why it is important to apply for your teaching
certificate as soon as you finish your program.
Do not wait until you are ready to start looking for
a teaching position to apply for your certificate.
4

5. There are a couple of important
websites that you should know and use
as you prepare to finish your teacher
education program and begin teaching.
You can use these websites on your
own time as you are completing
certification processes.
The Kentucky Education Professional
Standards Board website, at kyepsb.net
is a very important site.
kyepsb.net

6. You will be needing to interact with the KY EPSB,
so you will create an EPSB account for use as a
candidate, and as a teacher.
You should go ahead and register for an EPSB
account on the EPSB website as soon as possible.
Note: you’ll be using this account during all the
time you teach in Kentucky, so be sure to register
with your full legal name.

7. Certificate
Application
Packet
Another important website is the UK College
of Education Academic Services and Teacher
Certification site
http://education.uky.edu/AcadServ/.
This site has been prepared specifically for
education students.
There is a great deal of important information
here.
For example, from this site you can download
the UK certificate application packet.

8. It would be well for you to take a look at these
important documents on the TEB166 webpage.
The documents that are included:
• A page of Topics and Links related to Teacher
Certification and Employment
• A page of
This webpage also has the Top 10 PRAXIS questions… prepared
links to somethe Educational Testing Service.
by important
information documents
• A copy of this PowerPoint presentation.

9. Once you open this document, you’ll be able to click
on the many links that will take you to other sites that
are important for your teaching career.
Examples of included links…..
• UK Certificate Application Links
• PRAXIS Links
• EPSB Links
• Employment Links

10. NOTE: ETS
Account needed
PRAXIS II scores are required by the EPSB for all
Kentucky teaching certificates.
Here is the website you’ll want to review for
information…. www.ets.org/praxis.
The site is packed with information, so take some
time to explore.

11. Create New
User Account
As with the EPSB, you will need to have an
account with ETS to use their PRAXIS services.
Remember to use the SAME exact name as you
used to create your EPSB account.

12. Navigate to this page for all of the “OFFICIAL”
information about PRAXIS testing for Kentucky
certification.
NEVER sign up for a test unless it has been listed on
this site as an allowable test for YOUR area of
Kentucky certification.

13. • It is STRONGLY recommended that you review this
document: “Top 10 Questions Asked by PRAXIS
Candidates.”
• It is available as a document on the TEB166
webpage.
• Remember: Start Early, Follow a Preparation Plan,
and do your best on the PRAXIS exams required for
your certificate area!

14. Final caveats from this section of slides:
1. Create your EPSB personal account as soon as possible. The home
page of the EPSB site kyepsb.net has a “sign in” box which you will
use to start the process of creating your account.
2. Review all of the “important information” documents on the
Academic Services and Teacher Certification page carefully. They
have been specifically designed to serve your needs as a teacher
education candidate.
3. Don’t underestimate the importance of doing your best on
required PRAXIS exams. Do read the “Top Ten Praxis Questions”
document.
4. Always use the ETS Praxis site to review the testing requirements
for your target state… in most cases for UK students, Kentucky.
Never register for an exam until you have carefully reviewed the
information on the ETS Praxis site.
5. Do set regular time aside to develop your career skills. Start by
creating your account at the UK Career Center and make an
appointment with a career counselor to establish a job search plan.

15. Next: A more detailed review of the
process of applying for your teaching
certificate through TEB166, the office of
the UK Teacher Certification Officer and
the UK Assistant Teacher Certification
Officer.

16. Checklist for Certification
1. Apply for degree (via MyUK). Make sure to check
the Registrar’s academic calendar for the deadline
for the term when you want to graduate.
2. Take and pass the required Praxis II exams.
3. Submit the TC-1 packet to TEB 166 (having already
taken care of any Character and Fitness issues)
Turning to the certification process, you can see that
4. Once your degreestepsposted to your transcript, TEB
there are four basic has to the certification process.
166 will submit your application to the EPSB, and
Some of these steps statementhave already taken care
they will issue the you may of eligibility.
of. However, each is a vital part of the process and
needs to be addressed so that your certification is not
stalled or held up unnecessarily.

17. We will begin with the main page for the College of
Education. It is here that you will find the Teacher
Certification packet, or TC-1 packet, that you will need
to complete and submit to TEB 166 to begin the
process of becoming a certified teacher.
You will begin by selecting the “Offices” tab at the
top of the screen and then selecting “Academic
Services and Teacher Certification.”

18. Once you are on the page for the Academic Services
Office, you will note that there is a lot of information
available on this page concerning certification.
For our purposes, you will want to click on the link that
says “Certification Applications.”

19. You will then click on the link for the certification
packet. Once this packet comes up, you will need to
print it out and complete it as the instructions
included in the packet indicate. There is a checklist
included with this packet that will direct you to other
materials (such as transcripts from other institutions
and Praxis II scores) that you will need before you can
turn in your completed application.

20. The Character and Fitness
Review and THE KENTUCKY
SCHOOL PERSONNEL CODE
OF ETHICS ….
An important part of the TC-1 packet is the statemandated Character and Fitness Review. The
Character and Fitness Review requires you to disclose
any legal issues that you have had (beyond a speeding
ticket). If you have a Character and Fitness Review
issue, it does not mean that you will not receive your
certificate. It does mean, however, that the issue will
need to be carefully documented, and reported to the
EPSB for their review and approval.

21. The Character and Fitness form asks you a series of
questions. If you can answer “no” to all of these
questions, then completing the form is all that you
will need to do. If, however, you answer “yes” to any
of the questions on this form, you will need to
complete a separate Character and Fitness Review
packet that you will need to have approved in TEB 166
before you can turn in your TC-1 application.

22. Character and Fitness Review
To complete a character and fitness review packet
you will need to have three things:
1. A KY courtnet document showing the charge(s)
concerned (available from the Administrative Office
of the Court in Frankfort).
2.If you have a explanation from you issue, you will
A letter of Character and Fitness concerning the
incident.
need to acquire the three items listed on this slide in
3.order to complete your Character and Fitness Packet. a
A character reference from someone (who is not
relative) come to TEB 166 to pick up information
You should who knows about this incident and can
speak to your character.
materials which will provide you with more detailed
instructions about this process.

23. Included in your certificate application packet is a UK
Transcript Request. You will need to fill out this
request and turn it in with the other application
materials. TEB 166 will submit all transcript requests
for certification purposes to the Registrar. If the
transcript request comes from TEB 166, there will be
no charge to you for the transcript.

24. As stated earlier, the first page of the application packet
is a checklist that outlines all the items that you will
need in order to submit your application to TEB166.
Please read over this document carefully to make sure
you have all the items that are specified.
If you have any questions about this checklist, please
contact TEB 166 at 257-7971 (press 1).

25. NOTE: Only complete applications will be accepted by
TEB 166.
However, if you have any questions or concerns about
your application as you are working on it, please feel free
to either call TEB 166 or bring your application in, and we
can look it over for you.

26. Also included in the TC-1 packet is a “What Happens
Next” sheet. This sheet provides you with information
about what happens after you turn in your completed
application. This sheet is for your information only and
should not be returned to TEB 166 with the rest of your
application.

27. NOTIFYING POTENTIAL
EMPLOYERS
• TEB166 BY REQUEST can and will write official
letters to schools and school districts verifying that a
candidate has completed the program.
• Note that letters will only be written directly to
potential employers.
• Letters will ONLY your completed the candidate
After you have turned in be supplied when TC-1 application,
TEBhas completed all to provide you with an official letter
166 will be able requirements… including a
completed application packet, all required coursework,
stating that you have submitted an application and are
and passing PRAXIS scores.
awaiting certification. If you would like such a letter or
letters to be sent to potential employers, please contact
TEB 166 at 859-257-7971 (press 1).

28. If you are interested in becoming certified in a state
other than Kentucky, you will want to consult the 50
States Certification Requirements page that is part of
the Academic Services website. This page provides
links to the Boards of Education for the various states.
TEB 166 cannot answer specific questions about other
state certification requirements. You will need to
contact the Board of Education for that state if you
have questions or concerns about being certified in
that state.

29. This has been a presentation
of the
University of Kentucky College of Education
Office of Program Development,
Accountability, and Compliance
859-257-7971
URL: education.uky.edu/AcadServ/
1/6/2014 v.2.0

30. To review these slides again, click here for a version of the
presentation without the notes.

31. TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES
PRAXIS TESTING
CHARACTER AND FITNESS REVIEWS
Gary G. Schroeder, UK Certification Officer
Christopher Reese, Assistant Certification
Officer
Office of Program Development, Accountability and Compliance
University of Kentucky College of Education
Lexington, KY 40506-0001
859-257-7971
URL: education.uky.edu/AcadServ/
Spring, 2014
31

32. THE STATUTES………….
KRS 161.020 Certificates Required of
School Employees: Filing Requirements;
Validity and Terms for Renewal
CERTIFICATES ARE REQUIRED
No person shall be eligible to hold the
position of superintendent, principal,
teacher, supervisor, director of pupil
personnel, or other school position for
which certificates may be issued, or
receive salary for services rendered in
such position, unless he holds a certificate
of legal qualifications for such position.
32

33. KRS 161.020 Certificates Required of School
Employees: Filing Requirements; Validity and Terms for
Renewal
TIMELINES ENFORCED
No person shall enter upon the duties of a position
requiring certification until his certificate has been filed
or credentials registered with the local district employing
him.
33

34. KRS 161.020 Certificates Required of School
Employees: Filing Requirements; Validity and Terms for
Renewal
CURRENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS MUST BE
FOLLOWED
The validity and terms for the renewal of any
certificate shall be determined by the laws and
regulations in effect at the time the certificate was
issued.
34

35. kyepsb.net

37. Certificate
Application
Packet

38. This webpage also has
links to some important
information documents

43. Next: A more detailed review of the
process of applying for your teaching
certificate through TEB166, the office of
the UK Teacher Certification Officer and
the UK Assistant Teacher Certification
Officer.

44. Checklist for Certification
1. Apply for degree (via MyUK). Make sure to check
the Registrar’s academic calendar for the deadline
for the term when you want to graduate.
2. Take and pass the required Praxis II exams.
3. Submit the TC-1 packet to TEB 166 (having already
taken care of any Character and Fitness issues)
4. Once your degree has posted to your transcript, TEB
166 will submit your application to the EPSB, and
they will issue the statement of eligibility.

48. The Character and Fitness
Review and THE KENTUCKY
SCHOOL PERSONNEL CODE
OF ETHICS ….

50. Character and Fitness Review
To complete a character and fitness review packet
you will need to have three things:
1. A KY courtnet document showing the charge(s)
concerned (available from the Administrative Office
of the Court in Frankfort).
2. A letter of explanation from you concerning the
incident.
3. A character reference from someone (who is not a
relative) who knows about this incident and can
speak to your character.

55. NOTIFYING POTENTIAL
EMPLOYERS
• TEB166 BY REQUEST can and will write official
letters to schools and school districts verifying that a
candidate has completed the program.
• Note that letters will only be written directly to
potential employers.
• Letters will ONLY be supplied when the candidate
has completed all requirements… including a
completed application packet, all required coursework,
and passing PRAXIS scores.

57. Office of Program Development,
Accountability and Compliance
University of Kentucky College of
Education
Lexington, KY 40506-0001
859-257-7971 (press 1)
URL: education.uky.edu/AcadServ/
1/6/2014 v.6.0