by CourseAdvisor

Public school teachers must be certified or licensed in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. Most states do not require teacher certification for private school.

Teacher certification is granted by state education boards or licensing committees. They license educators to teach specific grade levels and/or specialized subjects. For example, an early childhood teacher might have a teacher certification to teach kindergarten through grade 3, or a high school teacher might be certified to teach biology. Reciprocity agreements between some states help teachers to become licensed in other states.

To achieve teacher certification, teachers must have earned a bachelor's degree, completed an approved teacher training program, and done practice teaching. Depending on the state and type of license, there may be additional requirements such as basic skills testing, subject matter expertise, continuing education requirements, or graduate work.

Vocational education teachers without bachelor's degrees may be certified in some states if they have expertise in particular fields and, sometimes, coursework in education.

Many states have alternative teacher certification programs to quickly bring in new educators who do not meet licensing requirements, especially in areas such as math and science where there are teacher shortages. Individuals in these programs receive provisional licenses to teach, but must work under close supervision and complete coursework before obtaining a regular teacher certification.

In addition to teachers, states require other school personnel to be licensed. This includes counselors, administrators, and curriculum specialists.

Your State's Teacher Certification Requirements

Check with your state's department of education to find out what your teacher certification requirements are.

Getting Certified to Teach
Elementary School Teacher
Education Administrator
Middle or Secondary School Teacher

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Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-2007 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor