Educator Endorsements

Endorsement Overview

An endorsement is a credential attached to your license area. Endorsements demonstrate your competency to:

  • Teach a specific subject: Content-area and CTE endorsements qualify you to provide instruction in a content area, such as Mathematics, History, or Technology (CTE).

  • Support specific student groups: Special Education and Supplemental endorsements allow you to work with specialized populations, such as Deaf and Hard of Hearing or Gifted and Talented students.

  • Provide specialized expertise: Value-add endorsements verify your skills in a specific area, such as Instructional Coaching or Elementary Math, but do not qualify you to teach a specific course.

Competency-Based

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) uses a competency-based model to create more personalized pathways for educators to earn endorsements.

What is Educator Competency?

Educator Competency is the demonstration of three essential areas needed to effectively and efficiently instruct every student toward mastery in their learning:

  • Content Knowledge: Mastery of the subject matter.
  • Pedagogical Skills: The ability to teach the subject effectively.
  • Professional Dispositions: The essential professional attitudes and behaviors.

This approach, which aligns with Utah’s education goals, offers several benefits for educators and schools:

  • Flexibility: Provides greater flexibility in how educators can meet endorsement requirements.
  • Recognition: Acknowledges and validates your previously acquired knowledge and skills.
  • Workforce Quality: Gives schools and districts more options for building a highly qualified teaching staff.

Endorsement Levels: Associate vs. Professional

You can apply for one of two levels of endorsements: Professional or Associate.

Professional Endorsement

A Professional endorsement means you have demonstrated competency in all endorsement requirements. The Professional endorsement:

  • Can only be attached to a Professional Educator License.
  • Is valid until your current educator license expires.
  • Is renewable when you renew your educator license.
  • Important Note: If you meet all requirements for this endorsement but have not yet earned your Professional Educator License, an Associate endorsement will be granted temporarily until you earn your Professional License.

Associate Endorsement

An Associate Endorsement means you have shown the minimum competency as outlined in the endorsement's specs document. You are expected to complete any remaining requirements during the valid period. An Associate endorsement: 

  • Can be attached to a Professional Educator License or an Associate Educator License.
  • Is valid until June 30 of the third year after it is issued, or the date your current educator license expires, whichever date comes first.
  • Is not renewable.
  • Action Required: Once you complete all remaining requirements, you must re-apply for the Professional Endorsement using the Endorsement Only application in SM Apply. 

Before You Apply

You must meet one of the following requirements to apply for an endorsement:

  • You already hold a current Associate or Professional Utah Educator License.
  • You are submitting the endorsement as part of an Associate Educator License (AEL) application.

Applications and Specs

For most endorsements there are two important items, the specs document, and the application form.

  1. The Specs Document:

    This guide lists the specific competencies (knowledge and skills) you must demonstrate, along with the approved pathways for meeting those requirements.

    Note: Requirements for the Associate-level endorsement are listed in the specs document.

  2. The Application Form:

    This form is where you select and document the specific pathway you completed for each competency area.

    Action: You must download and complete the application form and submit it as part of your online application.

A Content Area endorsement authorizes you to teach the specific subject named on the endorsement (e.g., Math, History).

This qualification applies to departmentalized classes, such as those typically found in middle school or high school settings.

If you hold a Professional Educator License in a qualifying teaching area, you can use a professional Content Area Endorsement to add the Secondary License Area to your license. See the Endorsement Updates tab for more information. 

Elementary mathematics endorsements are found under the Supplementary and Value-Add Endorsements menu. They are considered "Value-Add" endorsements because they do not qualify you to teach any additional courses/grades.

A CTE endorsement authorizes you to teach Career and Technical Education classes (e.g., business, skilled trades). 

Visit the CTE Endorsement Applications page to find the applications and additional information about becoming a Career and Technical Education teacher in Utah.

If you hold a Professional Educator License in a qualifying teaching area, you can use a professional CTE endorsement to add the Secondary license area to your license. See the Endorsement Updates tab for more information. 

Authorizes an educator to deliver specially designed instruction to specific groups of students with disabilities.

A Special Education endorsement cannot be used to add the Secondary license area to your existing educator license. 

Supplemental endorsements authorize an educator to teach specific groups of students when combined with another License Area and/or Content-Area Endorsement (e.g., Gifted and Talented, DLI)

Value-Add endorsements provide formal evidence of your expertise in a particular field, or to apply a specific set of skills in an education setting (e.g., Instructional Coaching, Elementary Mathematics).

Supplemental and Value-Add endorsements cannot be used to add the Secondary license area to your existing educator license. 

Submitting Your Application

Follow these three steps to submit your application:

  1. Download and complete the endorsement application form.
  2. Request official transcripts from the U.S. college or university or transcript evaluations from an a NACES or AICE approved service. Visit our Transcripts page for more information.  
  3. Submit an online Endorsement Only application through SM Apply.

Need Help? A tutorial is available here: https://ior.ad/994G

 

For general Inquiries about the endorsement application process, please contact USBE licensing at (801) 538-7740 or by email licensing@schools.utah.gov.

 

Endorsement Updates

Endorsement Name Changes

Please review the following updates to endorsement names for the 2025-26 school year. 

 
Endorsement Name Explanation of Change 
Elementary Visual Arts Integration Deactivated, now Elementary Arts Integration
Elementary Dance Integration
 Deactivated, now Elementary Arts Integration
Elementary Drama Integration Deactivated, now Elementary Arts Integration
Elementary Music Integration
 Deactivated, now Elementary Arts Integration
English Deactivated, now English Language Arts
Introduction to Information Technology
 Deactivated
Physical Education Deactivated, now Physical Education K-12
Elementary Arts Integration
 New, replaced the individual elementary arts, e.g. Elementary Music Integration
CPR New Certificate
LETRS Science of Reading
 New Certificate
Power Motor Sports Repair  
Business, Finance & Marketing High School Formerly Business, Finance & Marketing Essentials
Surgical Technology
 Formerly Surgical Technician
Agriculture Formerly Agriculture Science 
Business, Finance & Marketing Middle (6-8)
 Formerly Business, Finance & Marketing Basic
Family & Consumer Sciences Middle (6-8) Formerly Family & Consumer Sciences Basic
Family Consumer Sciences High School
 Formerly Family Consumer Sciences Essentials
English Language Arts Formerly Language Arts or English 
Mild to Moderate Support Needs
 Formerly Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Complex Support Needs Formerly Severe Disabilities
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
 Formerly Unmanned Aerial Systems

Adding a Secondary License Area

You can now add the Secondary license area to your current Professional Educator License with a qualifying professional license area and professional endorsement.

Check Your Eligibility

You may add a Secondary license area if you currently hold a Utah Professional Educator License in any of these areas:

  • Deaf Education
  • Early Childhood
  • Elementary Education
  • Preschool Special Education
  • Special Education

Choose Your Application Route

Once you confirm your eligibility, use the SM Apply system to submit one of the following applications based on your current status:

Route 1: Upgrade to Professional Application

If you already hold a qualifying professional Content Area or CTE endorsement, use the LER Upgrade to Professional application. 

Route 2: Endorsement Only Application

If you are applying for your first professional Content Area or CTE endorsement, use the Endorsement Only application. 

Retired Endorsements

We no longer accept forms for endorsements that have been retired. The approval period for retired Professional Endorsements ended on June 30, 2025.