Transferring your teaching license from South Dakota to Louisiana
Both South Dakota and Louisiana participate in the NASDTEC interstate agreement, which standardizes how states evaluate out-of-state teaching credentials. Educators relocating from South Dakota can generally expect a streamlined review process, though state-specific content exams or coursework may still be required.
See 783 open teaching jobs in Louisiana →Your current credential (South Dakota)
- Issuing authority
- South Dakota Department of Education
- License type
- Initial Certificate (5 years)
- Reciprocity policy
- South Dakota participates in the NASDTEC compact. Out-of-state educators with valid certificates may receive a South Dakota certificate with verification of content knowledge.
Louisiana certification
- Issuing authority
- Louisiana Department of Education
- License you'll earn
- Level 1 Teaching Certificate (3 years)
- Typical timeline
- 12–18 months traditional; LAC allows classroom entry immediately with coursework over 2 years
- Louisiana reciprocity policy
- Louisiana participates in the NASDTEC compact. Valid out-of-state certificates are evaluated; content assessments may still be required.
Exams typically required in Louisiana
Out-of-state applicants are usually asked to demonstrate content-area knowledge on Louisiana's preferred exams, even when basic-skills testing is waived through reciprocity. Plan for one or more of the following:
- Praxis Core Academic Skills (or qualifying ACT/SAT/GRE scores)Basic reading, writing, and mathematics
- Praxis Subject AssessmentsContent knowledge for your certification area
- edTPAPerformance assessment during student teaching
Steps to transfer your license
- Verify your South Dakota credential is current. Louisiana will request a verification of your active Initial Certificate from South Dakota Department of Education.
- Apply through Louisiana Department of Education. The application packet typically includes official transcripts, prior teaching service verification, and a fingerprint-based background check.
- Sit for any Louisiana-specific exams. Most states honor out-of-state content-area exams when scores meet their cutoff, but Louisiana may require an additional jurisprudence or state-specific assessment.
- Apply to Louisiana districts that match your endorsement. We're currently tracking 783 active openings — browse Louisiana teaching jobs to start identifying districts.