Alternative Licensing Program

Individuals employed with the Hawaii Department of Education in critical shortage areas (subject and/or geographical) who are teaching without the initial basic license may earn their teaching license through the School of Education's state approved Alternative Licensing Certification Program. This program allows the teacher to remain on the job and complete the requirements leading towards the initial basic license.

Once accepted, the individual is supervised for one semester as a student teacher. If the individual meets the performance standards as established by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, then the School of Education has an option of prescribing no more than fifteen semester hours of coursework to be completed. This coursework would be prescribed based on perceived deficiencies in the performance standards required for the initial basic licensing. Once any coursework prescribed is successfully completed, the individual is recommended to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board for the initial basic teacher license.

Prerequisites for admission include but are not limited to:
  1. Official transcript verifying the Baccalaureate Degree was earned from an accredited institution.
  2. Minimum of two semesters full-time teaching responsibilities in the content area/ field in which licensing is being sought.
  3. A favorable letter of recommendation from a peer teacher.
  4. A favorable letter of recommendation from the applicant's principal as well as the completed "Principal's Recommendation for Temporary Teachers" form.
  5. A transcript evaluation to determine specific courses needed, with a minimum of 2.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) on the baccalaureate degree.
  6. Successful completion of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) for Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education applicants.
  7. Successful completion of PRAXIS II Content Area Test for area in which certification is being sought.


           For an application or more information, please contact our Academic Advisor, Marilee Ching at (808) 293-3891 or        chingm@byuh.edu