FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Does every educator in Nebraska need to register for TEACH?

Yes. TEACH is the system that we use to issue certificates, renew certificates and communicate updates.

Are there instructions on how to register for the Nebraska TEACH site?

Instructions can be found at the Registration Instruction portion of NDE or you can go to the TEACH registration page and enter your information on our secure site. The registration process should only take a few minutes. Once logged in, you will see your dashboard which includes information on your in-state teaching experience, past certifications, the statue of current applications and more.

What do I do if I receive an error stating that my email domain is not allowed for registration?

To complete registration, the TEACH system requires a personal email address. Your username and password in the TEACH system will follow you throughout your career. This allows us to continue to communicate with you if you move districts or retire.

How do I find the status of my application?

To see the status of your application, log in to your dashboard. Under the box “Status of Most Recent Application” there will be four circles.

1. After you apply, your dashboard will show your application has been submitted with the “application submitted” circle showing green.
2. Once your application has been assigned to an analyst (4-6 weeks), the status will show a yellow circle with “under review” on it. Your analyst name, email and phone number will show under the status.
3. If the “under review” circle is red, check your secure messages on TEACH for deficiencies that need to be completed.
4. Once approved, your status circles will all show green.

The checklist on the dashboard can help you track what information has been collected or is still needed for your application. Please note, your dashboard gets updated when your analyst reviews the information, not when it gets uploaded. A green checkmark on the list means the item has been received and reviewed. A red check mark means that the item is still needed or has yet to be reviewed. Please note, some items may disappear from the checklist if they are no longer needed.

How do I send a transcript?

We will only accept transcripts that are sent directly from a college or university. Most institutions have a portal that will identify the service they use to send transcripts.

Please choose one of the options below.

Electronic Transcripts: A transcript from Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse can be sent directly to nde.tcertweb@nebraska.gov.

By Mail: You can also mail a transcript to the following address: Nebraska Department of Education, Educator Certification, PO Box 94987, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509. Please note that if you mail a transcript yourself, it must be in a sealed envelope from the college.

How long does it take for my certificate to be issued after I apply?

The processing time for applications may take 4-6 weeks depending on what is needed for the application. Please note, we do not start processing renewals until the January of the year they are set to expire.

My certification expires this coming August, when should I renew?

Our system will automatically send you reminders to renew your certification. We start to process renewals January of the year they are going to expire. If you apply for a renewal before this, please note that the earliest it will be processed is January. You will continue to receive automated emails sending you reminders until your application has been processed and approved.

I applied for the wrong certificate type; how do I change it?

Contact the certification team at nde.tcertweb@nebraska.gov or call (402) 471-0739 and our office can assist you in changing the certification type. If you have not submitted your application, you can delete it and start a new on with the correct certification.

Can I submit an application if I don’t have all my supporting documents yet?

Yes. You can submit your application while waiting for supporting documents. This holds your place in our queue. We do archive applications after a 6-month period.

Where do I have the school district send a local substitute, transitional teaching certificate or Nebraska Entry permit letter from the superintendent?

These letters can be emailed to nde.tcertweb@nebraska.gov.

How do I send test scores or other supporting documents?

Email supporting documents (i.e. test scores, employment verification, out-of-state certificate, etc.) to nde.tcertweb@nebraska.gov. You can also upload them directly to your TEACH account when you apply for a certificate. Please note, transcripts must be delivered directly from the college or university and cannot be uploaded by an applicant.

In order to change your name on your current Nebraska Certificate, you must submit a “Name Change” Application with the Nebraska TEACH (The Educator Application and Certification Hub) system. There is no fee for a name change request. You will need to provide documentation of the name change (i.e. valid driver’s license, valid passport, etc.) in PDF format. Please note, the system only accepts uploads in PDF format.

Once logged in, there will be series of questions at the top of your dashboard. Answer them as follows:

1. What type of Certificate or Permit are you applying for today? Select the appropriate option (your current certificate type or renewal).
2. Ever held a Nebraska educator certificate? Yes
3. Making changes to your certificate? No (even though you are changing your name).
4. Select Name Change and select the appropriate option from the dropdown menu.
5. Complete the online application.

Once the application is submitted, please allow up to a week for the application to be reviewed and processed.

Once issued, your certificate or permit will be emailed to you as a PDF attachment from licensing@nedoe.org.

If you need a COPY of your current Nebraska Certificate, you can print a PDF copy directly from your dashboard.

1. Once you log on to TEACH, click on the “+” sign for Certificates and Permits.
2. Under the “action” section, you have the option to view and print your certificate.
3. Clicking the eyeball icon will let you look at the certificate.
4. Clicking the printer icon will get you a printable version of the certificate or permit.

You are only able to print copies of valid certificates.

You may also submit a Duplicate Application within Teach. Please note, the Department of Education does not provide copies of expired certificates or permits. You can verify this information using the public lookup website. There is no fee to request a duplicate certificate, but it could take up to 1 week to get the copy.

Log into TEACH. Answer the questions at the top of the dashboard as follows:

1. What type of Certificate or Permit are you applying for today? Select the appropriate option (the type you need a duplicate of)
2. Ever held a Nebraska Educator Certificate? Yes.
3. Making Changes to your certificate? No.
4. Select “Duplicate” and select the appropriate option from the dropdown menu.

Once the application is submitted, please allow up to a week for the application to be reviewed and processed.

Where can I learn more about what endorsements are available in Nebraska?

Rule 24 contains information on what endorsements can be placed on a certificate, as well as requirements for each endorsement.

How do I know if the endorsements I have allow me to teach a particular subject in a Nebraska school?

The college where you complete your teaching degree will need to send an Institutional Verification form to our office stating what endorsement(s) you have earned as part of your degree program.  If your college is from outside of Nebraska, please provide them with an Institutional Verification form that can be submitted to nde.tcertweb@nebraska.gov.  If your school district has a question on whether you can teach a particular subject or class, they can contact NDE Accreditation at nde.accreditation@nebraska.gov.

How do I know if my endorsement allows me to teach Special Education and/or allow my school system to be reimbursed?

Please contact the Office of Special Education  and look for the appropriate contact for your questions. You can also email nde.spedmail@nebraska.gov with any questions you may have concerning special education.

Where are all of my years of teaching?

Your dashboard should show all years of service back to 1982. If there is an error (title, FTE, etc.), please contact the school district you were working at the time for clarification. All data is collected directly from the school districts. You may add your out-of-state teaching experience on your own.

Is the information on Nebraska TEACH tied to my retirement?

No. The information that is displayed on the dashboard is provided by your school district. The retirement system has a separate reporting system that is not linked to the Staff Reporting system at the Nebraska Department of Education.

Information on fees associated with certification can be found on the payments page.