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Noncertified Teacher Pilot Program

Pursuant to Act 30 of 2025-26, the Noncertified Teacher Pilot Program (NTP) allows a participating school to hire noncertified teachers in a ratio of up to 10% of its entire teaching staff. The program is available only in participating districts and schools and will end on June 30, 2030, unless extended by the General Assembly.

Within three years of employment, a participant must demonstrate enrollment in a South Carolina-approved educator preparation program, either traditional or alternative route. The pilot is limited to classroom-based teaching positions in designated certification fields and does not include individuals seeking employment as work-based, career and technical education (CTE) teachers. Additionally, due to restrictions in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the pilot program does not include individuals seeking employment as special education teachers. A full list of eligible certification fields is included in the Noncertified Teacher Pilot Program Implementation Guidelines approved by the State Board of Education on October 7, 2025.

For questions regarding the Noncertified Teacher Pilot Program, please email noncertifiedpilot@ed.sc.gov. 

Participant Eligibility

To participate, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements, verified by the hiring school district and the South Carolina Department of Education. These requirements include:

  • Five years of post-secondary work experience.
  • Bachelor's degree or higher from a college or university meeting State Board of Education accreditation requirements.
  • A major or major equivalence in or directly related to the desired certification field.

An applicant who meets any of the following conditions is not eligible to participate in the pilot as a noncertified teacher:

  • An individual who has completed a teacher preparation program, traditional or alternative route, but has not met requirements for issuance of a standard South Carolina educator certificate.
  • An individual whose educator certificate has been suspended or revoked by the South Carolina State Board of Education shall not be employed as a noncertified teacher during the term of the disciplinary action pursuant to S. C. Code Ann. § 59-18-1115.
  • An individual whose educator certificate has been suspended or revoked by the educator licensing authority of another state or jurisdiction is not eligible for registration as a noncertified teacher during the term of the disciplinary action.
  • An individual whose application for educator certification has been denied by the State Board of Education is not eligible for participation in the pilot during the term of the denial.
  • An individual whose registration application to participate in the pilot as a noncertified teacher is not approved by the State Board of Education.

Applying for Noncertified Teacher Pilot Registration

Eligibility Evaluation

Potential candidates must be recommended for participation in the pilot program by a participating school district and work with the district to meet eligibility requirements. Please review the Noncertified Teacher Pilot Program Participant Eligibility Guidelines and seek employment from a participating school district prior to all other steps.

NTP Registration Process

Candidates must submit the Noncertified Teacher Pilot Registration application items once recommended for participation and hired by a participating school district. Candidates must submit the following items to the South Carolina Department of Education after creating an account through the My SC Educator Portal:

  • Noncertified Teacher Pilot Registration application through My SC Educator Portal.
  • $105 non-refundable application fee.
  • Official Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
  • Complete the Fingerprinting and Criminal History Review Process. Specific instructions for completing the fingerprinting process for participation in the pilot in My SC Educator Portal after submitting the registration application. Fingerprinting completed for any other purpose, including standard teacher certification, cannot be used to determine pilot eligibility due to state and federal requirements.

Once the registration process is complete, the South Carolina Department of Education will issue a pilot registration. Candidates may access the registration through their portal account and should provide a copy to their district.
 

Registration Validity

Once issued, a participant's registration is valid for a period of three school years only in the sponsoring school district. The sponsoring district must submit a Confirmation of Employment for the participant each year.

The registration becomes invalid upon its expiration date, subsequent issuance of an educator certificate, separation from employment in the sponsoring district, or State Board of Education disciplinary action. The district must notify the South Carolina Department of Education Office of Educator Services if a noncertified teacher leaves employment. The South Carolina Department of Education will then set the registration to non-current status.

Pursuant to Section 59‑18‑1115(E)(3), if a noncertified teacher is dismissed, resigns, or is otherwise separated from employment with a district following allegations of misconduct, the district superintendent must report to the Chair of the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Education the educator’s name and registration information. Upon a finding of just cause as defined in Section 59-25-160, the State Board of Education is authorized to revoke the noncertified teacher’s registration.

Educator Preparation Program Enrollment

Within the three-year registration period, a participant must demonstrate full enrollment in an approved educator preparation program. This may be either through an Alternative Route Educator Preparation Program or a Traditional Educator Preparation Program. Full enrollment is defined as follows:

  • Alternative Route Educator Preparation Program. The candidate has met all admission, eligibility, and preservice training requirements of an alternative route EPP approved in South Carolina and qualifies for issuance of the first Alternative Route certificate. Standard procedures for issuance of an Alternative Route certificate apply, including an application for certification through the specific provider and updated fingerprinting requirements.
  • Traditional Educator Preparation Program. The candidate has been fully admitted to a college- or university-based teacher preparation program approved for certification purposes. For a candidate enrolled in a traditional preparation program, the noncertified teacher registration may be extended annually for two additional school years at the request of the employing district and with documentation of enrollment and successful progress in the preparation program.

Participants must work with their district to investigate certification pathways aligned with their subject areas and professional goals. 

Eligible Certification Fields

For purposes of the pilot, districts may hire eligible noncertified teachers in the following certification fields:

  • Elementary (Grades 2–6)
  • Middle Level (Grades 5–8)
    • Middle Level Language Arts
    • Middle Level Mathematics
    • Middle Level Science
    • Middle Level Social Studies
  • High School (Grades 9–12)
    • English
    • Mathematics
    • Science
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Physics
    • Earth and Space Science 
    • Social Studies
    • History
    • Economics
    • Geography
    • Psychology
    • Sociology
    • Business and Marketing Education
    • Family and Consumer Science
    • Agriculture
    • Industrial Technology (i.e., Technology and Engineering Education)
    • Computer Science
  • PK-12 Fields
    • Art
    • Music
    • Dance
    • Theatre
    • Physical Education
    • Health
    • World Language (excluding American Sign Language)