English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

license endorsement requirements

As of Jan. 1, educators will be required by state regulation to meet one of the two options below to add an English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement to a license. Educators will qualify for waivers as they complete course requirements for either option. 

Option 1: Add ESOL to a standard teaching license 

The first option is to complete a Kansas state-approved ESOL program through a university or college that offers the program and pass the state-approved ESOL content exam. The regulation, K.A.R. 91-1-203, updated and approved by the Kansas State Board of Education in March 2023, did not affect this option. Waivers and provisional licenses are available if an educator decides to pursue an ESOL endorsement by completion of the full program while serving in an ESOL position. 

Option 2: Test Plus 

The second option requires that educators complete state-approved ESOL content-specific learning and pass the state-approved ESOL content exam. To verify an educator meets the requirement, the educator must provide an official transcript issued by a Kansas college/university registrar, which details completion of the state-approved ESOL content-specific learning and submit official passing scores on the state-approved ESOL content exam.

The following is a list of Kansas universities/colleges and the courses approved to meet the ESOL content-specific learning training.  

Fort Hays State University 

• Completion of ESOL 884 Methods and Materials, 

and 

• Completion ESOL 885 Practicum. 

University of Kansas (two options) 

Undergraduate options 

• Completion of C&T 330 Instructional Approaches for ESOL Learners in Elementary/Early Childhood Classroom, 

and 

• Completion of C&T 491 TESOL Practicum. 

Graduate options 

• Completion C&T 331 Instructional Approaches for ESOL Learners in the Middle/Secondary Classroom, 

and 

• Completion of C&T 491 TESOL Practicum. 

Kansas State University 

• EDCI 720 ESL/Dual Language Methods, 

and 

• EDCI 742 ESL Dual Language Assessment. 

McPherson College 

• ESL Methods CI 428. 

Newman University 

• Completion of EDUC 6133– ESOL Methods, 

and 

• Completion of EDUC 6113 Applied Linguistics. 

Washburn University 

• Completion of ED 650, 

and 

• Completion of 624. 

Wichita State University 

• Completion of CI 775-Linguistic Concepts and the Language.