In the spring of 2022, Connecticut expanded the northeastern reciprocity agreement, making it possible for educators certified in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia to apply and obtain a Connecticut certificate after verification by the State Department of Education.

Previously, candidates certified in these states and territories were required to verify the completion of an approved educator preparation program and successful teaching and/or service within the last 10 years. Some candidates were also required to pass certain assessments.

To help further inform the Connecticut State Department of Education’s (CSDE) recommendation that the State Board of Education adopt the enhanced reciprocity policy, the Region 2 Comprehensive Center developed the “Teacher Certification Reciprocity Tool,” which compares certification requirements among the region’s states and territories and significantly reduces the time required for CSDE analysts to approve out-of-state candidates for certification.