How to Become a Teacher in Maryland

Maryland certification requirements, step by step

Each requirement below is stated as Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) — Educator Licensure publishes it, with the governing source cited.

1. 1

   Earn a bachelor's degree or higher

   Complete a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution. Maryland-approved traditional teacher preparation programs require a baccalaureate degree as the entry credential.

   Source: marylandpublicschools.org

2. 2

   Complete a Maryland-approved teacher preparation program

   Finish a program approved to lead to licensure in Maryland, including clinical practice and pedagogy performance assessment requirements integrated into the program.

   Source: marylandpublicschools.org

3. 3

   Pass Maryland licensure assessments

   Demonstrate mastery of basic skills (Praxis Core where applicable), subject-area content (Praxis content tests), pedagogy (edTPA, PPAT, or approved program portfolio), and reading instruction assessments for Early Childhood, Elementary, Special Education, and ESOL areas.

   Source: marylandpublicschools.org

4. 4

   Apply through TEACH for an Initial Professional License

   Submit your application via The Educator Application and Credentialing Hub (TEACH). MSDE issues a five-year Initial Professional License (IPL) to educators who meet a pathway to initial licensure.

   Source: marylandpublicschools.org

5. 5

   Advance and renew with IPDP and PDPs

   Maintain an Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) for each five-year cycle. Professional license holders complete 90 Professional Development Points (PDPs) to renew through TEACH.

   Source: marylandpublicschools.org

Maryland layers performance assessment on top of Praxis in ways many states have moved away from or never adopted. Traditional and alternative preparation program completers must demonstrate pedagogy mastery through edTPA, PPAT, or a Maryland-approved program portfolio—not merely pass content exams. That triple stack (basic skills, content, performance) lengthens the preparation timeline and affects reciprocity candidates who hold out-of-state licenses but lack comparable performance evidence.

Reading instruction assessments create endorsement-specific forks. Early Childhood, Elementary, Special Education, and ESOL candidates face Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) with a passing score of 159 per MSDE testing tables, plus evolving Foundations of Reading requirements documented on MSDE's future reading requirements page. Beginning July 1, 2025, professionally licensed teachers assigned to those areas in Maryland public settings must also demonstrate scientific reading instruction proficiency at renewal—a policy shift that ties continued licensure to literacy pedagogy, not just initial hire.

TEACH centralizes application workflow, and MSDE advertises eight-week processing for completed applications. The Initial Professional License (IPL) is a five-year renewable credential—not a permanent certificate—requiring an Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) aligned to each validity cycle before renewal is even contemplated.

Reciprocity through the Out-of-State Professional License pathway demands more than a valid certificate. Applicants need a reading assessment for applicable areas plus one of several experience or portfolio options (performance assessment, two years of effective evaluations, National Board certification, or Maryland LEA evaluation). Temporary Professional Licenses bridge candidates who meet all requirements except Maryland assessments, giving employers a two-year non-renewable window.

Required exams and fees

Maryland uses Praxis Core/content, pedagogy performance assessments (edTPA, PPAT, or Maryland-approved portfolio), and reading instruction assessments. Fees and cut scores appear only when published by the cited source (as of August 2026).

Full Maryland exam requirements →

Moving a license to Maryland

Out-of-State Professional License pathway: bachelor's degree, valid professional out-of-state license, passing reading instruction assessment for ECE/elementary/generic special education/ESOL if applicable, plus portfolio assessment, two years effective evaluations, National Board certificate, or Maryland employment evaluation. Temporary Professional License (two-year non-renewable) available when all requirements except Maryland assessments are met.

Official Maryland reciprocity guidance