Rank System and Change
Kentucky Revised Statute 161.1211 Classification of Teachers establishes the rank system for teachers as follows:
Rank I. Those holding regular certificates and who have a master's degree in a subject field approved by the Education Professional Standards Board or equivalent continuing education and who have earned thirty (30) semester hours of approved graduate work or equivalent continuing education; or those teachers who have met the requirements for Rank II and earned initial certification of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The board shall not allow a teacher who qualified for Rank I status on the basis of his or her national board certification to maintain that classification if the national board certificate is revoked for misconduct or voided for other reasons.
Rank II. Those holding regular certificates and who have a master's degree in a subject field approved by the Education Professional Standards Board or equivalent continuing education.
Rank III. Those holding regular certificates and who have an approved four (4) year college degree or the equivalent.
Rank IV. Those holding emergency certificates and who have ninety-six (96) to one hundred twenty-eight (128) semester hours of approved college training or the equivalent.
Rank V. Those holding emergency certificates and who have sixty-four (64) to ninety-five (95) semester hours of approved college training or the equivalent.
Pathways to Obtain a Rank Change
National Board Certification
Continuing Education Option Plan I or Plan II
Approved Planned 6th Year Program with a Kentucky college or university
Approved Master’s degree program that results in additional certification (administrator,
counselor, etc.)
Master's degree or equivalent in the content area that the educator holds certification
If an educator has completed additional certification programs beyond Rank II and has a total of 60
semester hours of graduate coursework completed, the Certification staff at OELE can review for a rank
change eligibility.
Random graduate hours that are NOT in the educator’s certification content area and were not part of a
completed certification program MAY NOT be eligible for consideration of rank change. Similarly,
completed graduate degrees that are not in the educator’s certification area may not be eligible for
consideration for rank change.
If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, reach out to Whitney Kline at Whitney.Kline@nelson.kyschools.us
RANK CHANGE PROGRAMS
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