Teacher Certification for DACA and Undocumented Students
Only five states—California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, and New Jersey—have policies allowing individuals to receive teacher certification and all other forms of occupational licensure regardless of immigration status. A few states, such as New York, West Virginia, and Arkansas, have recently passed laws specifically allowing teacher certification eligibility for DACA recipients. Most states lack policies that expand access to occupational licensure, such as teacher certification for people without legal immigration status—even if they have completed all of the necessary testing and training.
