16 NCAC 06C .0305         Administrator license

(a)  An administrator license shall entitle the licensee to serve in general and program administrator roles, as provided by this Rule. To qualify for an administrator license, an applicant shall meet the requirements of G.S. 115C-270.20(b)(1) and other applicable requirements provided by this Rule.

(b)  Each administrator license shall be classified as one of the following:

(1)           Superintendent

(2)           Principal

(3)           Curriculum Instructional Specialist

(4)           Instructional Technology Specialist

(5)           Career and Technical Education Director

(6)           Exceptional Children Program Administrator

(c)  To qualify for a superintendent license, an applicant must complete an administrator preparation program at the specialist or doctoral degree level. A superintendent license shall entitle the licensee to serve as a superintendent, associate superintendent, or assistant superintendent in a local school administrative unit. To serve as the superintendent of a local school administrative unit, a person shall:

(1)           Hold a principal license and superintendent license issued by the State Board of Education; or

(2)           Hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and five years of leadership or managerial experience deemed relevant by the local board of education that intends to hire the person. The SBE shall verify that any such person holds these credentials prior to employment by the local board. Employment as a local superintendent pursuant to this Subparagraph shall not entitle a person to a superintendent license for which the person would not otherwise qualify, but the local board may use State funds to pay the person's salary.

(d)  To qualify for an Exceptional Children program administrator license, an applicant shall meet one of the following sets of credentials:

(1)           Option 1

(A)          An M-Level license or higher in an Exceptional Children license area, or an S-Level license or higher in school psychology;

(B)          Three credit hours of graduate degree-level coursework each in of the areas of school administration, curriculum development, and supervision; and

(C)          Satisfaction of any applicable licensure examination requirements.

(2)           Option 2

(A)          An M-Level license or higher in school administration or curriculum instruction;

(B)          Nine credit hours of coursework in the area Exceptional Children; and

(C)          Satisfaction of any applicable licensure examination requirements.

(e)  To qualify for any other administrator license, an applicant shall have completed an administrator preparation program at one of the following levels:

(1)           Master's Degree (M – Level)

(2)           Specialist Degree (S – Level)

(3)           Doctoral Degree (D – Level)

For a principal license, the master's degree must be in School Administration, Educational Leadership, or another education-related field.

(f)  An applicant is only eligible for a license at the highest degree level at which the applicant completed an EPP or APP; however, the applicant may qualify for graduate salary pay under 16 NCAC 06C .0369.

(g)  An applicant for an administrator license must satisfy any applicable licensure examination requirements before or during the third year of licensure, provided that the applicant attempts the examination(s) at least once during the first year of licensure.

(1)           If an applicant satisfies the examination requirements prior to initial application for an administrator license, the State Board of Education shall issue the applicant a continuing professional license.

(2)           If an applicant does not satisfy the examination requirements prior to initial application for an administrator license but otherwise meets the qualifications for the license, the State Board of Education shall issue the applicant an initial professional license.

(h)  Any person employed as an assistant principal in a PSU must hold either a principal license or a provisional assistant principal license issued in accordance with 16 NCAC 06C .0308(g).

(i)  In the event a principal position becomes vacant in the middle of a school year, a local board of education may hire a retired principal or retired assistant principal to serve as an interim principal for the remainder of the school year, even if that person's principal license has expired.

History Note:        G.S. 115C-12(9); 115C-154; 115C-270.1; 115C-270.5; 115C-270.20; 115C-271; 115C-284; 115C-284.1;

Eff. July 1, 1986;

Amended Eff. January 2, 2006; August 1, 2000; March 1, 1990;

Readopted Eff. July 1, 2026.