TEACH Sumner

Teach Sumner is a program that houses our Educator Preparation Program (EPP), collaborates with universities to place student teachers in classrooms, and provides professional learning and support for new teachers in Sumner County.

Yes — education has its own language. Below are some common terms:

• EPP – Educator Preparation Program
• CTE – Career and Technical Education
• Endorsement – Content area of study/preparation
• Job-Embedded – Placed as a teacher in a classroom
• Praxis – Subject-specific tests that may be required to earn licensure
• TN DOE – Tennessee Department of Education; governing body of teacher licensure
• CTE Academic
• CTE Occupational

You must have completed a bachelor’s degree before beginning the Teach Sumner EPP program. Official transcripts from your university will be required.

You must first be hired by a principal for the position you wish to teach. Full-time employment is required for the duration of the program.

No, you do not need to have taken and passed the Praxis before beginning the program. Depending on the subject you want to teach, a Praxis may be required to obtain licensure. You will have time to pass the test once you are enrolled. We encourage you to prepare for or take the Praxis early, but it is not required to start.

Our program has been approved by the State of Tennessee as an alternate pathway to licensure. The following items must be submitted to the TN DOE:

• A completed bachelor’s degree with official transcripts
• Confirmation of enrollment in our program
• Employment in a teaching position
• Passing a Praxis exam (or certification for CTE) if required

Some endorsements do not require a Praxis test to obtain licensure. For example:

• If your bachelor’s degree matches the endorsement area (e.g., a biology degree to teach biology)
• If you are teaching in CTE Occupational programs (which have certification requirements instead, reviewed case by case)

Otherwise, assume you may need to take a Praxis test if the subject you will be teaching is academic.

The program takes two years to complete:

• Year 1: A one-week summer intensive, followed by monthly classes from August to May (4–7 p.m.).
• Year 2: Another one-week summer intensive, followed by monthly classes from August to May (4–7 p.m.), ending with graduation.

Yes. After completing the program, you must remain employed for three years to avoid financial penalties.

Yes. You will be the teacher of record in your classroom. This is not an assistant role; you will be the primary teacher.

Eventually, yes. While completing the program and fulfilling the employment requirement, you can only teach the content you are licensed to teach. Afterward, you may pursue additional endorsements by following TN DOE regulations.

An endorsement is the subject area you are licensed to teach. For example, if your license includes an endorsement for 6–12 Math, you may only teach math in grades 6–12. To teach another subject, such as 8th-grade English, you would need an endorsement in 6–12 English.

Each semester costs approximately $500, which is paid by Sumner County BOE. If you do not meet the three-year employment requirement, you may be required to repay the cost per semester completed.