Education Credential Verification
How to Verify a Teaching Credential by State
Teaching credentials are issued and regulated by individual states. Verification requires checking the specific state licensing database where the teacher is licensed. Every state provides a free online search tool — this guide covers the major states and key credential distinctions to check.
Quick answer
Verify teaching credentials through the state education agency where the teacher is currently licensed. Every state maintains a free public educator certification lookup. For multi-state verification or for finding records across states, NASDTEC (nasdtec.net) maintains an Interstate Clearinghouse that includes educator sanctions.
How to verify: state-by-state lookup
California — Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Verify at ctc.ca.gov → Educator Search (search.ctc.ca.gov). Enter the educator's name to see all credentials, authorizations, and any disciplinary actions. California credentials include Multiple Subject (elementary), Single Subject (secondary), Education Specialist (special education), and administrative credentials.
California credentials require subject-matter competency verification and passing the CSET or meeting an approved coursework alternative. The credential record shows the specific subjects the teacher is authorized to teach.
Texas — State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
Verify at tea.texas.gov → Educator Certification → Verify a Certificate (tcereg.tea.state.tx.us). Search by name, Social Security number last four digits, or Texas Education Agency ID.
Texas certificates show grade level (EC-12, EC-6, 4-8, 7-12), certification type (standard, probationary, emergency), and specific content areas. Check that the certificate covers the grade level and subject the teacher is being hired to teach.
New York — TEACH Online System
Verify at eservices.nysed.gov/teach/certhelp/CpPersonSearchExternal.do. New York credentials include Initial (3 years), Provisional (for older certificates), Professional (permanent), and Teaching Assistant certificates. The search shows active credentials, expired certificates, and revocations.
Florida — Department of Education (FLDOE)
Verify at fldoe.org → Educator Certification → Verify a Certificate. Florida certificates cover coverage areas (subject + grade level), certificate type, and expiration. Florida uses a 5-year certificate cycle with professional development requirements for renewal.
Illinois — ELIS (Educator Licensure Information System)
Verify at isbe.net → ELIS Educator License Search. Illinois licenses include Professional Educator License (PEL), substitute teaching licenses, and endorsements. Endorsements are critical — a PEL without the correct endorsement does not authorize teaching a specific subject or grade level.
Pennsylvania — TIMS (Teacher Information Management System)
Verify at teachercertification.pa.gov. Pennsylvania certificates include Instructional I, Instructional II (permanent), and Emergency Permits. Instructional I certificates require 3 years of satisfactory service and a master's degree or 24 credits for Instructional II.
Ohio — Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODE)
Verify at license.ohio.gov — select "Education Professionals." Ohio licenses cover Resident Educator (4-year), Professional Educator, and Senior Professional Educator tiers. The Ohio Resident Educator Program (OREP) is a mentored induction program completed before Professional licensure.
What to check in the credential record
Active status and expiration date
An expired credential does not authorize classroom teaching in most states. Many states allow teachers to begin employment under an expired credential while renewal is pending — confirm this is the case if expiration appears recent.
Endorsements and subject authorizations
Teaching a subject or grade level outside the credential's authorizations is an out-of-field assignment. Check that the credential specifically covers the grade level (e.g., K-6, 7-12) and subject (e.g., mathematics, English, special education) you are hiring the teacher to cover.
Disciplinary actions and revocations
Most state education agency lookups show active disciplinary actions, license suspensions, and revocations. This is distinct from criminal background checks — the credential database shows educator-specific disciplinary history.
Provisional, emergency, or temporary credentials
Many states issue temporary or emergency credentials to address shortages. These are valid teaching credentials but may have restrictions — limited to specific subjects, specific districts, or tied to completion of additional coursework within a timeframe. Note the credential type and any conditions.
NASDTEC: cross-state educator sanctions
The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) maintains the NASDTEC Educator Information Clearinghouse — a database of educator sanctions, revocations, and license actions across member states. This is a critical tool for identifying teachers who have had credentials revoked in one state and are applying in another.
NASDTEC access is not public
The NASDTEC Clearinghouse is available to member state education agencies and institutional members (school districts, universities). It is not a free public tool. School districts can request clearinghouse access through NASDTEC — this is the authoritative resource for identifying the "wandering teacher" problem (educators sanctioned in one state seeking employment in another).
Member states share disciplinary data with the clearinghouse. When hiring a teacher who has worked in multiple states, verify credentials in each state where they previously held a credential, not just their most recent state.
Out-of-state credential evaluation
Teachers moving between states must typically apply for a new credential in the destination state. Most states participate in NASDTEC's Interstate Agreement, which streamlines credential recognition across member states. However, participation in the agreement does not mean automatic reciprocity — additional requirements (subject-specific tests, fingerprinting, coursework) may still apply.
When evaluating an out-of-state candidate, verify both the sending state credential (to confirm they held a valid credential) and the receiving state application status (to confirm any pending conditional credential or reciprocity determination).
Verify the education program behind the credential
Teacher credentials require completion of an approved educator preparation program (EPP). Some EPPs are accredited by CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation); others are state-approved without national accreditation. Use VerifyED to confirm that a candidate's education degree comes from a legitimately accredited institution — and catch any diploma mill education programs in your teacher hiring pipeline.
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