Alternative teacher certification is a process by which a person is awarded a teaching
license even though that person has not completed a traditional
teacher certification
A certified teacher is an educator who has earned credentials from an authoritative source, such as the government, a higher education institution or a private body or source. This teacher qualification gives a teacher authorization to teach and ...
program. In the US, traditional teacher certification is earned through completing a bachelor's or master's degree in
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
, taking standardized tests (usually a
Praxis test
{{Education in the U.S.
A Praxis test is one of a series of American teacher certification exams written and administered by the Educational Testing Service. Various Praxis tests are usually required before, during, and after teacher training c ...
), and fulfilling additional state requirements. Alternatively certified teachers typically possess a bachelor's degree from an
accredited
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...
or
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
and are completing (or have completed) an alternative certification program while teaching full-time. Other state certification requirements, such as the type of education coursework or the length of practice teaching, may be modified or waived. In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, alternative certification is offered in forty-eight states and the
District of Columbia
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
. Program prerequisites vary by state, but if you have a bachelor's degree and are legally eligible to work in the US, you'll likely meet the minimum requirements!
Alternative certification programs first appeared in the 1980s. A decline in the number of students seeking a degree in education was creating a shortage of teachers in American
elementary
Elementary may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001
* ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007
* ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977
Other uses in arts, entertainment, a ...
and
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
s. States began to search for a way to recruit and train people who had already earned a four-year degree and wanted to become teachers. While the requirements for an alternative certification vary from state to state, there are certain commonalities found in the programs. A prospective teacher is usually required to complete an accelerated university program, pass the state licensing test, and submit to a series of interviews. The prospective teacher must be able to demonstrate a mastery of educational methods, and participate in a mentor program with a teacher who has completed a traditional education degree.
See also
*
Teach For America
*
Academy for Urban School Leadership
AUSL (Academy for Urban School Leadership) is a Chicago nonprofit school management organization founded in 2001. Today, it manages 31 Chicago Public Schools serving more than 16,000 students. Over 1,045 teachers have graduated from the AUSL Chi ...
*
New Teacher Project
TNTP, formerly known as The New Teacher Project, is an organization in the United States with a mission of ensuring that poor and minority students get equal access to effective teachers. It helps urban school districts and states recruit and t ...
*
American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence
The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, often referred to as the American Board, was launched with a $5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2001.Archibald, George, "Paige backs reform in certification ...
(ABCTE)
*
New York City Teaching Fellows
The NYC Teaching Fellows is an alternative certification program that focuses on education quality in New York City public schools by attracting mid-career professionals, recent graduates, and retirees from all over the country. The program pro ...
*
Mississippi Teacher Corps
The Mississippi Teacher Corps (MTC) is a two-year alternate route teaching program that recruits college graduates to teach in critical-need areas of Mississippi. As of May 2017, 569 participants have graduated from the program. Upon completion of ...
*
Educators of Change
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alternative Teacher Certification
Teaching