Glossary
Each state's nomenclature for credentials, programs, and student populations differs. To enable cross-state comparison, the catalog normalizes SEA wording to a canonical taxonomy defined below.
Student term
| Code | Expansion | Canonical? |
|---|---|---|
| EL | Classified English Learner | Yes — used in site copy |
| ELL | English Language Learner | Recorded in source quotes only |
| ESOL | English for Speakers of Other Languages | Recorded in source quotes only |
| EB | Emergent Bilingual | Recorded in source quotes only |
| ML | Multilingual Learner | Recorded in source quotes only |
| LEP | Limited English Proficient (older federal term) | Recorded in source quotes only |
Credentials and program types
- credential
- Aliases: license, licensure, authorization. Umbrella covering both standalone certifications and add-on endorsements.
- certification
- Aliases: license, licensure, standalone certificate. Standalone — earned via its own preparation program.
- endorsement
- Aliases: add-on, add-on endorsement, extension.
- bilingual
- Aliases: DBE, DLBE, TBE, Developmental Bilingual Education, Dual Language, Dual Language Bilingual Education, Transitional Bilingual Education, Heritage language, Bilingual/Bicultural.
- eld
- Aliases: ESL, English as a Second Language, ENL, English as a New Language, ESOL, English to Speakers of Other Languages, TESOL, TESL, CLD, Cultural and Linguistic Diverse, ELL.
- sei
- Aliases: Sheltered English Instruction, Sheltered English Immersion, SIOP endorsement.
State-local names
How each of the 51 SEAs labels its own credentials. Click a state name for the full per-state record. A dash means the credential type isn't offered (bilingual) or isn't mandated for all teachers (SEI).
| State | Bilingual | ELD | SEI mandate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Alaska (AK) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Arizona (AZ) | Bilingual Education PreK-12 Endorsement | English as a Second Language PreK-12 Endorsement | Structured English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement |
| Arkansas (AR) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| California (CA) | Bilingual Authorization | CLAD / EL Authorization | — |
| Colorado (CO) | CLD Bilingual Education Specialist | Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education | — |
| Connecticut (CT) | — | TESOL Cross Endorsement | — |
| Delaware (DE) | Bilingual Teacher (Code 1561) | Teacher of ELs (Code 1562) | — |
| District of Columbia (DC) | Bilingual Education Credential | ESL Credential | — |
| Florida (FL) | — | ESOL Endorsement | — |
| Georgia (GA) | — | English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) | — |
| Hawaii (HI) | — | ESL License Field | — |
| Idaho (ID) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Illinois (IL) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | English as a New Language (ENL) / ESL Endorsement | — |
| Indiana (IN) | — | English as a New Language | — |
| Iowa (IA) | — | ESL K-12 Endorsement | — |
| Kansas (KS) | — | ESOL Endorsement | — |
| Kentucky (KY) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Louisiana (LA) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Maine (ME) | — | English as a Second Language Endorsement K-12 (660) | — |
| Maryland (MD) | — | ESOL Endorsement | — |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | ESL Licensure | SEI Endorsement |
| Michigan (MI) | Bilingual Endorsement | Teachers of English as a Second Language | — |
| Minnesota (MN) | Bilingual Education License | K-12 ESL | — |
| Mississippi (MS) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Missouri (MO) | — | ELL Educator Certificate | — |
| Montana (MT) | — | ESL | — |
| Nebraska (NE) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Nevada (NV) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | English Language Acquisition and Development (ELAD) Endorsement | ELAD (phased in 2020–2021 as SEI-equivalent for all teachers) |
| New Hampshire (NH) | — | English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (Ed. 612.06) | — |
| New Jersey (NJ) | Bilingual/Bicultural Education Standard Certificate (1480) | English as a Second Language Standard (1475) | — |
| New Mexico (NM) | Bilingual Education Endorsement (incl. Native American/Indigenous languages) | TESOL Endorsement | — |
| New York (NY) | Bilingual Extension | ESOL Certification | — |
| North Carolina (NC) | Bilingual Education License (K-6) | ESL Add-On Licensure | — |
| North Dakota (ND) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | English Language Learner (ELL) Endorsement | — |
| Ohio (OH) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | TESOL Endorsement | — |
| Oklahoma (OK) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Oregon (OR) | Bilingual Specialization + Dual Language (separate endorsements) | English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Endorsement | — |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | — | ESL Program Specialist | — |
| Rhode Island (RI) | Elementary Bilingual and Dual Language Education Certificate | ESL Specialist/Consultant | — |
| South Carolina (SC) | — | ESOL Endorsement | — |
| South Dakota (SD) | — | English as a New Language Endorsement (Elementary + Secondary) | — |
| Tennessee (TN) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Texas (TX) | Bilingual Education Supplemental | ESL Supplemental | — |
| Utah (UT) | Dual Language Immersion Endorsement | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Vermont (VT) | Bilingual Education Endorsement (#39) | English Learner Endorsement (#40) | — |
| Virginia (VA) | — | ESL Add-On Endorsement | — |
| Washington (WA) | Bilingual Education Endorsement | ELL Endorsement | — |
| West Virginia (WV) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
| Wisconsin (WI) | Bilingual/Bicultural Education (23) Licensure | ESL Licensure | — |
| Wyoming (WY) | — | ESL Endorsement | — |
Names sourced from Leider et al. (2021) Appendix A document titles where explicitly documented; otherwise the most common SEA wording for that credential type. Per-state pages will supersede these as each state is re-verified against current SEA sources.