Definitions
Teacher license discipline: common record types and what they mean
State education agencies use different terminology for educator discipline. Understanding the common categories helps users interpret search results more responsibly.
Last updated: 2026-06-26
Common discipline categories
Revocation generally means the educator credential was terminated or cancelled by the licensing authority, sometimes permanently and sometimes for a defined period depending on the state.
Suspension generally means the credential is inactive or restricted for a period of time. Reprimands, consent orders, probation, and restrictions may indicate other public agency actions.
Voluntary surrender and consent orders
A voluntary surrender often means the educator gave up a credential as part of an agency process or agreement. States may publish these under surrender, revocation, settlement, or consent-order language.
Consent orders and stipulated agreements can contain important context, but the available detail depends on what the state publishes publicly.
Why definitions vary by state
Each state has its own licensing board, statutes, administrative rules, publication practices, and terminology. That means the same underlying concept may appear under different labels.
teachersanctions.io normalizes records for search and API use while preserving source attribution where available.
Common questions
Does every state use the same sanction labels?
No. States use different labels and publication formats. Normalization helps make records searchable, but source review is still important.
What does voluntary surrender mean?
It usually means the educator gave up a license or credential as part of an agency process, but the precise legal meaning depends on the state and source record.
Use the data in your workflow
Search by name in the web app or integrate teacher disciplinary records into your own product with the REST API.