Out of State Teaching Certificates

February 22, 2009 9:28 AM

Out of State Teaching Certification: do I need to have it completed before I apply to teaching jobs that are out of state?

I'm in the process of applying for teaching jobs in several different states: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. I have an Illinois Alternative Certificate and feel reasonably sure that I will be certified in any of these states. I'm wondering, do I have to have my certification complete before I apply?

All the information on Google says that it depends on the district and how picky they want to be. So how picky are districts, usually? I guess what I'm hoping for is some information about whether they will just throw my application in the trash if I don't have the certification complete. I don't want to hurt my chances to get in, but neither do I want to pay $150 to each state that has a job I would like to apply for.

I will be contacting the school I did my teaching degree with tomorrow, but I was looking for some information today. Any additional advice on how I should handle this on my resume before I have the certification would also be appreciated. Should I just add Teaching Certificate expected Summer ______.?

posted by aetg to Work & Money (2 answers total)

From my girlfriend the education major:

You might have to be in the process of applying. Some districts are pickier than others. But they won't hire you unless you'll have your certification by the time you start teaching. Unless you're looking at a private school.

Since [you] already have it in another state that makes things easier. They might make [you] take a test similar to the Praxis, might not. I would suggest looking at the state's website and the district one.

If [you] happen to be National Board certified you're pretty much fine since that certifies you nationally.
posted by theichibun at 4:06 PM on February 22, 2009

Seconding thichibun's girlfriend's comment. I'm a music education major in Washington and I've been told similar things. For your resume, i would just make it clear that you are certified in Illinois. They understand that you will have to get re-certified, and you can almost always get a provisional license to teach for x weeks/months until you get the new license.
posted by rossination at 9:30 PM on February 22, 2009