Tennessee Teacher Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

The following information summarizes the requirements currently necessary to begin work in the public school system as an audiologist or speech-language pathologist.

This information has been collected by researching individual state department of education regulations and policy documents, state administrative code provisions, and by contacting each state department of education. Please be advised that regulations and policy may change at any time, so always check with your state department of education for the most up-to-date information.

Audiologist

Professional School Service Personnel License

Candidates applying for a professional school service personnel license as a school audiologist shall satisfy one of the following:

1. Applicants new to the field seeking initial professional school services personnel licensure should complete a graduate degree in audiology from a state or regionally accredited institution of higher education with a graduate level program approved by ASHA.
2. Valid license issued by Tennessee or an out-of-state licensing board of communication disorders and sciences or who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from ASHA upon application. There are no additional requirements.
3. Audiologists who have a graduate degree in audiology and hold a valid out-of-state educational credential issued before September 1, 2000, may be issued the professional school service personnel license upon application. Applicants with valid credentials issued on or after that date shall pass the examination required by the state Board of Education (Praxis-Audiology).

Continuing Education Requirement

Professional licenses must be renewed every ten years. All educators holding a professional license based on a master's degree or higher and have accrued five years of acceptable experience during the ten year validity period are not required to complete any additional requirements. Those without five years experience during the ten year validity period must earn 90 renewal points.

Speech-Language Pathologist

Professional School Service Personnel License

Candidates applying for a professional school service personnel license as a school speech-language pathologist shall satisfy one of the following criteria:

1. A graduate degree in speech-language pathology from a state or regionally-accredited institution of higher education with a speech-language pathology graduate level program approved by ASHA, and a passing score on the Praxis examination in speech-language pathology.
2. Valid license issued by Tennessee or an out-of state licensing board of communication disorders and sciences or who hold the CCC from ASHA. There are no additional requirements.
3. Speech language teachers who have a graduate degree or master's equivalence in speech-language pathology and hold a valid Tennessee teacher license with a speech language endorsement may be issued the license upon application.

Continuing Education Requirement

The professional license must be renewed every ten years. All educators holding a professional license based on a master's degree or higher and who have accrued five years of acceptable experience during the ten-year validity period are not required to complete any additional requirements. Those without five years experience during the ten-year validity period are required to earn 90 renewal points.

Emergency Certification

Teachers with a bachelor's degree may be issued a permit only in those school systems which have made a good faith effort to hire the most qualified teachers and have determined that there is an insufficient number of teachers with master's degrees in speech-language pathology. Teachers under this provision must make satisfactory progress toward achieving a master's degree within three years.

Resources

The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on teacher certification requirements, contact the state department of education and visit these websites:

Teacher Licensing

State Board of Education Licensure Rules [PDF]

Questions regarding state advocacy issues? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.