Teaching candidates with a lateral entry license have another option for pursuing full licensure and that is to utilize one of the states' four Regional Alternative Licensing Centers. The Regional Alternative Licensing Centers were created by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) specifically to help lateral entry teachers in North Carolina achieve full licensure. The RALCs do not replace the services offered by local colleges or universities, but instead work in collaboration with them to provide various routes toward obtaining a clear professional educator's license. The regional centers provide another option for clearing the outstanding requirements on the lateral entry or provisional professional educator's license in specified licensure areas. All RALC applicants must qualify for a lateral entry professional educator's license in North Carolina to receive services through the regional centers.
RALCs are state approved as of 2001, and began in 2002 to evaluate transcripts and prescribe professional educator's licensure plans of study to obtain a clear teaching license. Required coursework needed to meet the identified competencies on the RALC plans of study may be completed at any regionally accredited college or university. Approved coursework can be found on the RALC website. A minimum of one year of successful public school employment in the licensure area in which an applicant receives a plan of study and completes a plan of study is required to obtain a clear professional educator's license.
- For more information about the RALC, please visit www.ralc.us/
- To Qualify for Lateral Entry in North Carolina
(pdf, 150kb) UPDATED 7/1/16- North Carolina Praxis Test Requirements - Educational Testing Service (ETS)
RALC Regional Service Areas: The regional office responsible for the county where your school system of hire is located, or, if not employed, the county where you reside, will be responsible for processing your evaluation.
- Charlotte/Cabarrus
- Fayetteville
- Nash
- Catawba
LEAs Served and Contact Information
(pdf, 39kb) UPDATED 9/28/16