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obnoxitytheword
Joined: 23 May 2016
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 4:48 pm Post subject: U.S. Teacher Certification |
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Hello all,
I want to earn a teacher certification in any U.S. state but I have some particularly difficult circumstances that are confusing me as to the way I should go about this.
I have a B.A. in Journalism and an M.Ed in TESOL. I have taught for the last 4 years, 3 years as a teacher assistant and this last year as a head teacher with my own classroom. Although I have a Master's and teaching experience, I keep running into the issue of not having done a teacher prep program (B.A.).
The issue is that I could get a temporary certificate in almost any state with these qualifications IF I wanted to teach in the U.S....but I don't! I want the certification to teach at an American school in South America where I currently live. I have no intention of ever moving back to the States, though most American schools abroad require U.S. teacher certification.
Does anyone have suggestions of a state in which I would qualify for certification with my M.Ed, experience, and taking exams? I don't qualify in my home state of Florida because they won't award even a temporary certification to someone who doesn't apply for and offered a teaching position in the state.
Thanks in advance,
Sadie |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: U.S. Teacher Certification |
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Education licensure is highly regulated by each state in order to maintain standards and for security reasons, which is why there are specific requirements and regulations. Even then, the states have to follow teacher education/prep program regs per the US Dept. of Education.
For regular/standard teacher licensing, you need to be enrolled in a state-approved teacher prep program. Alternately, transitional/temporary licenses can only be offered at the request of an employing school district.
There's no easy way around it. |
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kazpat
Joined: 04 Jul 2010
Posts: 140
Location: Kazakhstan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 2:38 am Post subject: |
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If you can pass the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure in ESL then you can get a preliminary K-5 or 5-12 ESL teaching license. It is good for 5 years of employment in Massachusetts and will therefore not expire if you don't teach in the state. You do not have to complete a teacher prep program for the preliminary license. You need a 4 year degree and to pass the subject test as well as the communication and literacy test which is required for all licensure areas.
The test is extremely difficult, it has like a 50% pass rate and the majority of those taking it have been through prep programs I imagine.
I was a licensed history teacher in Mass. who transitioned to ESL and obtained the prelim. license to teach secondary ESL internationally. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:05 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| If you can pass the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure in ESL then you can get a preliminary K-5 or 5-12 ESL teaching license. It is good for 5 years of employment in Massachusetts and will therefore not expire if you don't teach in the state. You do not have to complete a teacher prep program for the preliminary license. |
The preliminary license clearly states: "Valid for five (5) years of employment" on it. Prospective employers may not accept it past those five years. It also can't be renewed; once it expires, it's done, and the holder can't reapply for a similar Massachusetts license. This is because the prelim license is meant to be for teachers apprenticing in a school district while working toward their initial license (which is renewable). It's sort of like a starter or newbie teaching qualification. Prospective employers abroad may not care that it's not an initial license, but it's something the OP needs to be aware of if she plans to change employers and/or teach in international schools well into the future. |
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kazpat
Joined: 04 Jul 2010
Posts: 140
Location: Kazakhstan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:23 am Post subject: |
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| I know what the license is, I have it. In the Massachusetts ELAR system it does say "valid for 5 years of employment" but does not expire, I think it says the same on my hard copy as well. True, an employer may not accept it past 5 years. But nevetheless, your information that only school districts can request temporary licenses was wrong. I highly doubt anyone can know the licensure requirements for all 50 states, therefore, I provided the OP my personal experience. Given the OP's credentials she may be able to pass the test and the preliminary license will satisify her requirements for at least 5 years. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:51 am Post subject: |
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| kazpat wrote: |
| Nevetheless, your information that only school districts can request temporary licenses was wrong. I highly doubt anyone can know the licensure requirements for all 50 states, therefore, I provided the OP my personal experience. Given the OP's credentials she may be able to pass the test and the preliminary license will satisify her requirements for at least 5 years. |
Okay. However, I was under the assumption the OP was interested in going through the process to obtain full licensure rather than one that's temporary/preliminary. But you've given her an option to consider even if it's not long term.
obnoxitytheword:
You can find a list of Teaching Certification Requirement Information by State. You might go through it state-by-state to see what's required for full or transitional licensure. It's tedious, but... Just be sure to double-check with the particular state's Dept. of Ed to make sure the info is up to date.
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RedLightning
Joined: 08 Aug 2015
Posts: 137
Location: United States
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| Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Okay. However, I was under the assumption the OP was interested in going through the process to obtain full licensure rather than one that's temporary/preliminary. But you've given her an option to consider even if it's not long term. |
Does any state issue a permanent license(any longer)? It was my understanding that most require teachers to 'recertify' themselves (via exams) every few years. This also does not speak to reformatting; in my state they did away with 8-12 and gave us one year to take the 7-12 test(I didn't).
*After having explained the situation, not one of the international schools I interviewed with said this would be an issue (each offered me a position). |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Does any state issue a permanent license(any longer)? It was my understanding that most require teachers to 'recertify' themselves (via exams) every few years. This also does not speak to reformatting; in my state they did away with 8-12 and gave us one year to take the 7-12 test(I didn't). |
Just like licensing for medical and legal professionals, I doubt so-called permanent teaching licenses exist. Since student achievement (via state-standardized testing) is tied to quality of teaching, professional teacher development and/or testing for educators along with license renewal are a given. Education reforms and curriculum aren't static; teachers are expected to show evidence of their ability to effectively meet their particular state's academic and teaching standards. |
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rony albert
Joined: 29 Mar 2017
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Is there online certification too?
tachophobia
ipledges
Last edited by rony albert on Fri May 05, 2017 9:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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papuadn
Joined: 19 Sep 2016
Posts: 131
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| Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 10:20 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Does any state issue a permanent license(any longer)? It was my understanding that most require teachers to 'recertify' themselves (via exams) every few years. This also does not speak to reformatting; in my state they did away with 8-12 and gave us one year to take the 7-12 test(I didn't). |
Just like licensing for medical and legal professionals, I doubt so-called permanent teaching licenses exist. Since student achievement (via state-standardized testing) is tied to quality of teaching, professional teacher development and/or testing for educators along with license renewal are a given. Education reforms and curriculum aren't static; teachers are expected to show evidence of their ability to effectively meet their particular state's academic and teaching standards. |
"Permanent" or "lifetime" licensure began to disappear in the mid-80s. Neoconservatives, such as Wisconsin's Scott Walker, have recently proposed their return. |
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Gringo Greg
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 264
Location: Everywhere and nowhere
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Kazpat!
Just what I was looking for. I have teaching experience, but no certification. I think that would fit exactly what I want to do. |
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BadBeagleBad
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Posts: 1186
Location: 24.18105,-103.25185
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 2:34 am Post subject: Re: U.S. Teacher Certification |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
For regular/standard teacher licensing, you need to be enrolled in a state-approved teacher prep program. Alternately, transitional/temporary licenses can only be offered at the request of an employing school district.
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This is not true in all states. I had a 2 year licenses in a state where I did not meet their requirements for full certification. I never ended up working, or even applying for jobs in that state, but I was issued the license without anyone requesting it. I would have only had to take 6 additional hours to meet their requirements, which were slightly different from the requirements in the state where I went to school. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:41 am Post subject: Re: U.S. Teacher Certification |
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| BadBeagleBad wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
| For regular/standard teacher licensing, you need to be enrolled in a state-approved teacher prep program. Alternately, transitional/temporary licenses can only be offered at the request of an employing school district. |
This is not true in all states. I had a 2 year licenses in a state where I did not meet their requirements for full certification. I never ended up working, or even applying for jobs in that state, but I was issued the license without anyone requesting it. |
And unfortunately, state requirements can/do change. |
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:23 am Post subject: Re: U.S. Teacher Certification |
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| BadBeagleBad wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
For regular/standard teacher licensing, you need to be enrolled in a state-approved teacher prep program. Alternately, transitional/temporary licenses can only be offered at the request of an employing school district.
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This is not true in all states. I had a 2 year licenses in a state where I did not meet their requirements for full certification. I never ended up working, or even applying for jobs in that state, but I was issued the license without anyone requesting it. I would have only had to take 6 additional hours to meet their requirements, which were slightly different from the requirements in the state where I went to school. |
Thank you for contributing your personal first-hand experience, BBB.
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