Alternative Resident Educator License - Montessori

The Department issues Alternative Resident Educator licenses under Ohio law1 to educators employed in an Ohio school that operates a program using the Montessori method endorsed by the American Montessori Society, the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, or the Association Montessori Internationale as its primary method of instruction. This four-year licensure pathway allows candidates to work in an Ohio school while completing requirements for a professional educator license. 

Initial Requirements for Licensure

Candidates must meet the following requirements for the initial Alternative Resident Educator -Montessori license:

  • Education. Candidates must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education and have successfully completed a teacher education program through ONE of the following: 
    • American Montessori Society
    • Association Montessori Internationale
    • An institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education
  • Background Checks. All applicants must have current background checks on file with the Department. 

Documents

The following documents should be submitted with the online application:

  • Transcripts. Applicants must submit their official transcripts from an accredited college or university reflecting their conferred degree (minimum of a bachelor's degree required). Please review the Instructions for Submitting Transcripts and short video tutorial before uploading transcripts. 
    • Applicants who prefer to mail their original, official transcripts must use the following address: 

      Ohio Department of Education
      Office of Educator Licensure
      25 S. Front Street
      Mail Stop 504
      Columbus, OH 43215

    • ​Coursework completed outside the United States. Applicants who completed college coursework outside the United States must submit a course-by-course analysis from a Department approved international credential evaluation service. 
  • Certificate. Applicants must submit their certificate verifying completion of a teacher education program through the American Montessori Society, Association Montessori Internationale or an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.

The online license application system will prompt applicants to select the employing Montessori school to electronically sign and approve the alternative licensure application and verify employment. Applicants may contact the Ohio Department of Education for assistance if the employing Montessori school does not appear in the list of available options to select in the application.

Requirements for a Professional Educator License

Candidates must meet all of the following requirements to ADVANCE  from the Alternative Resident Educator – Montessori license to the five-year professional educator license:

  • Teaching experience. Candidates must complete four full school years of successful teaching experience under the Alternative Resident Educator - Montessori license. Candidates must submit one of the following with the application to advance the alternative license:
    • A letter on district letterhead signed and dated by the employing superintendent or human resources director verifying the grade levels and subjects taught during each year of employment under the Alternative Resident Educator - Montessori license; OR
    • The Work Experience Verification form completed by the employing school or district human resources director or  superintendent and submitted directly to the Department. School personnel may either email the completed form to educator.licensure@education.ohio.gov or mail it (originals only) to:
      Ohio Department of Education
      Office of Educator Licensure
      25 S. Front Street
      Mail Stop 504
      Columbus, OH 43215
  • Ohio Resident Educator Program. Candidates must successfully complete all components of the Ohio Resident Educator Program.
  • Professional Education Coursework. Candidates must successfully complete a  Professional Development Institute approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, OR 12 semester hours of professional education coursework as offered through an approved teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university. Appropriate courses will be those designed for students in a traditional, college or university teacher preparation program. They will cover topics such as principles and practices of teaching, student development and learning, student assessment, curriculum development, classroom management and teaching methods.
Please note that continuing education (sometimes referred to as professional development) courses WILL NOT meet the professional education coursework requirement for the Alternative Resident Educator licensure pathway. Continuing education courses are those designed for educators who already hold a standard teaching license and need to meet renewal requirements. Candidates completing professional education coursework in lieu of  an approved Professional Development Institute should contact an accredited college or university that offers approved teacher preparation programs for guidance in selecting appropriate professional education courses.
  • Licensure exam. Candidates must pass the Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) 004 Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Multi-Age (PK-12) during the second year of teaching under the alternative license.
Candidates who need to extend or renew an Alternative Resident Educator license to complete the teaching experience or the Ohio Resident Educator Program requirements must first complete all licensure exams and applicable coursework before applying for the renewal or extension. All of the above requirements must be completed before advancing to the professional license.

Responsibility for Maintaining and Advancing a Valid License

Alternative Resident Educator – Montessori license holders are responsible for maintaining the validity of their licenses. License holders must keep current on requirement to advance to a five-year professional educator license as set forth in Ohio law2. Candidates should request an evaluation to determine their requirements to advance to the professional educator (Montessori) license. The $50 fee for the evaluation includes the original evaluation and any re-evaluations requested within two years of the initial evaluation completion date. The evaluation form must be completed correctly and submitted with required transcripts and payment to avoid delays in processing. An additional $50 fee and evaluation request application is required for evaluation requests after the two-year evaluation period for an initial request.

Application Instructions

Last Modified: 9/5/2023 1:43:52 PM