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.