How do I get certified to teach?

Question: How do I get certified to teach?

Answer: Certification is usually granted by the state board of education or a certification advisory committee. You may seek certification to teach

• early childhood (nursery school through grade 3)
• elementary (grades 1 through 6 or 8)
• special subjects
• special education (kindergarten through grade 12)

Each state has different requirements for certification, so the best way to proceed is to contact the education department or licensing office in your state. You can get more information by reading The Manual on Certification and Preparation of Educational Personnel in the United States published by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification.

There are several avenues toward certification:

• College: Four- or five-year college degree programs in elementary education or secondary education which lead to certification upon graduation.
• Post-collegiate programs for people who hold a Bachelor's degree and wish to enter the teaching field, generally for one year to obtain certification.
• Graduate school: Getting a masters degree in education isn't absolutely necessary to becoming a teacher, but some schools require that you either have one or are on your way to getting a master's in education or some specialty subject within a certain number of years after being hired. A master's degree is also the ticket to a career in school administration. Many teachers choose to work toward a master's after they've already been teaching for a few years.
• Emergency credentials: States can issue emergency credentials to college graduates who want to teach but who have not yet met the state's minimum requirements for regular credentials. These are given under the pretense that the teacher will eventually take all of the required courses for valid certification (so the teacher must take classes outside of work while they are teaching). Or some states offer intensive programs over a period of months.