(1) Teacher, specialist, or administrator licenses are issued by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to applicants who submit acceptable evidence of successful completion of an accredited professional educator preparation program.

(2) Applicants for initial licensure who qualify under subchapter 4 and meet the following qualifications to practice may be licensed Class 1, 2, 3, or 6 as appropriate:

(a) individuals who have a current professional - not provisional or alternative - teacher, specialist, or administrator license from another state in an area that can be licensed in Montana. This section applies only to individuals who have completed an applicable accredited professional educator preparation program in an area that can be licensed in Montana and have satisfied minimal educator licensure requirements as defined in ARM 10.57.102;

(b) individuals who have graduated within the last five years from an accredited teacher, specialist, or administrator professional educator preparation program in an area that can be licensed in Montana and have satisfied minimal educator licensure requirements as defined in ARM 10.57.102;

(c) individuals who hold a current license from the national board for professional teaching standards in an area that can be licensed in Montana and have satisfied minimal educator licensure requirements as defined in ARM 10.57.102; or

(d) individuals who currently hold a Class 5 alternative license who meet one or more of the above three qualifications and have satisfied minimal educator licensure requirements as defined in ARM 10.57.102;

(3) Applicants for initial Class 1 or 2 licensure must verify completion of a supervised teaching experience either as part of an accredited professional educator preparation program or successfully complete one year of supervised internship in a state accredited elementary and/or secondary school or school district either in Montana or elsewhere.

(4) Applicants for initial Class 1, 2, or 3 licensure whose degree is more than five years old and who do not have current out-of-state licensure must have earned six semester credits within the five-year period preceding the effective date of the license.

(5) Applicants for an initial Class 6 license whose degree is more than five years old and who do not have current out-of-state licensure must have earned six graduate semester credits within the five-year period preceding the effective date of the license.

(6) Applicants for initial Class 4 licensure who have a current career and technical license from another state in an area that can be endorsed in Montana shall be licensed as Class 4A, 4B, or 4C depending on the level of education and extent of training.

(7) Applicants for initial Class 5 alternative licensure who meet the requirements of ARM 10.57.424 and the relevant section(s) of ARM 10.57.425 through 10.57.432 may be licensed as appropriate.

(8) Applicants for initial Class 8 dual credit-only postsecondary faculty licensure shall meet requirements of ARM 10.57.437.

(9) Applicants must meet all other nonacademic requirements for licensure in Montana.