I completed an Indiana Educator Preparation Program and am earning my first INITIAL LICENSE for K-6 Elementary Generalist, P-3 Early Childhood Education, or any Special Education Area (Mild Intervention, Intense Intervention, Blind and Low Vision, or Deaf and Hard of Hearing):
OR
I completed an ADDITION program at an Indiana college/university for K-6 Elementary Generalist, P-3 Early Childhood Education, or any Special Education Area (Mild Intervention, Intense Intervention, Blind and Low Vision, or Deaf and Hard of Hearing) and need to add it to my existing license.
As of July 1, 2025, all Indiana Educator Preparation Program completers who are eligible for their original professional educator license or for a new addition in one of the following areas to an existing license, will be required to have the new early literacy endorsement.
The content areas requiring the early literacy endorsement are:
- Early Childhood
- Elementary Generalist
- Blind and Low Vision
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Mild Intervention
- Intense Intervention
If an applicant in one of the above-mentioned content areas meets all requirements for licensure except for the early literacy endorsement (for either their initial license or the addition of one of the above areas to their existing license), they may receive a one-year Professional Educator License Extension (PELE). The one-year professional educator license extension will not include the early literacy endorsement. The application for the PELE will be processed by the licensing advisor at the recommending educator preparation program.
Once a holder of a PELE has met all requirements to add the early literacy endorsement to their license, they can convert their license to a standard Professional Educator License (PEL) that includes the endorsement. For information on how to convert a PELE to a PEL please Click Here.
OR
I have a 5 or 10 Year Professional Educators License in Early Childhood, Elementary, or any Special Education Content (Mild Intervention, Intense Intervention, Blind and Low Vision, or Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
Teachers who hold a professional educator five- or ten-year license that contains either early childhood, elementary, or any special education content area will be required to add the early literacy endorsement (ELE) on their license for any renewal that falls ON OR AFTER July 1, 2027.
Who is NOT YET required to add the early literacy endorsement, but will eventually need to add it to their license?
If you have completed an OUT-OF-STATE educator preparation program, this will not be required until you have a five or ten year license and are applying to renew that license after July 1st of 2027. Additionally, if you are adding to your license using out-of-state coursework, and found eligible for your addition, then you will not be required to have the early literacy endorsement at the time of the addition
If you hold an Initial Practitioner (2-year) professional educators license in one of the required areas, then you will need to first convert your license to a Practitioner (5-year) license before the early literacy endorsement would be required. Then, once you are doing the first renewal of your license, and it is after July 1, 2027, then you will need to have the early literacy requirements completed. For information on how to convert, please click here.
If you hold a Reciprocal Permit (Out-of-state Candidates that were not immediately eligible for licensure) and you are converting your permit to a standard professional educator license in any of the required areas, then you will not need to add the early litearcy endorsement until you are renewing your license after July of 2027. For information on how to convert the reciprocal permit, please click here.
Who does not need to add the early literacy endorsement on their license?
If you are a secondary license holder, then you are not required to add the endorsement.
If you are a P-12, K-12, or All Grades teacher for any other content area that is not listed above, then you do not have add the early literacy endorsement at this time.
If you have more than one content area on your license besides early childhood, elementary, and/or special education area on your license, and you are not currently teaching that subject matter to those grade levels, then you are not required to add the early literacy requirement to your license.