Requirements for the State of Alabama
Visit the Alabama State Website
Helpful Links
Apply for Your Out of State Certificate
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Through the certificate reciprocity approach to certification, Alabama recognizes valid professional educator certificates issued by other states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, or the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) as the basis to offer professional certification in Alabama. The certificate(s) presented must be at a degree level, in a teaching field or instructional support area, and at a grade level in which Alabama offers comparable certification. Basic Requirements:
- Completed Out of State Certificate Form. This form details out step by step what to send in, how and where.
- Background Clearance (if not previously cleared)
- Valid Professional Educator Certificate issued by another state
- Verification of specific educational experience in grades P-12 for areas of instructional support (educational administration, school counseling, etc.)
- Verification of US Citizenship or Lawful Presence
- Official transcripts of all credits and degrees earned (must hold at least a master’s degree for areas of instructional support)
- Degrees must be from a regionally accredited senior institution.
Registration Fees
- $30 Application fee (an additional $30 fee is required for each area of certification for which an individual is eligible)
- Required background clearance/fingerprinting fee is $48.15 for residents and $56.15 for non-Alabama residents
- Fingerprinting Information
Reciprocity with Illinois
- The applicant must hold a valid professional certificate issued by another state and meet all background clearance, tests, and experiential requirements for reciprocity to occur. Someone who has completed a teacher education program at a college but has not been certified cannot expect reciprocity.
Additional Endorsements (found on page 6 of the Out of State Certificate Form)
- Some states issue professional educator certificates in areas of certification designated as “In-Field,” “Supplemental,” “Endorsement,” or “Add-On,” which are contingent upon the individual holding a valid base professional educator certificate in that state. Certificate reciprocity for In-Field, Supplemental, Endorsement, or Add-On areas provides recognition for those areas if Alabama offers an area of comparable professional educator certification
- If the Educator Certification Section determines an applicant is eligible for an area of Alabama certification based on an In-Field, Supplemental, Endorsement, or Add-On area held in another state, to have that area of certification issued in Alabama, the applicant must meet Alabama’s current Praxis Subject Assessment (content knowledge) for the area. a. Test requirements will be individually prescribed by the Educator Certification Section when eligibility for certification has been determined. Individuals who choose to test prior to receiving a letter of eligibility from the Educator Certification Section do so at their own risk.
Major Districts
- A list of all Alabama districts
- Largest Districts: Mobile, Jefferson,Montgomery, Baldwin, Birmingham City, and Huntsville City.
- Current Size District Size Ranking
Tips for Major Districts
- A job application can be sent out to every district in the state, for free, on the Alabama State Department of Education website.
Application Deadlines
- Most applications close the last week of December (about 7 days before the position begins, which is often in January).
Ideal times to apply
- During fall semester or before the end of December.
Related Blogs
ESL
- Must complete these steps:
- Earn a degree in ESL Education from an approved educator preparation program
- Pass the praxis II: English to Speakers of Other Languages Exam
- Renew Your ESL Teaching Certification
Special Education
- Licensure Requirements:
- The specific job openings on the web portal for the Alabama State Department of Education provides information about the requirements for working as a special educator in Alabama. The ALSDE requires teachers to have completed a bachelor’s degree and a teacher preparation program, which can be done concurrently at select institutions. All degrees and certificates earned must be from accredited institutions.
- A teaching certification program, or a graduate degree, in education, or special education, qualifies a candidate to teach in Alabama, provided that it includes all courses and fieldwork required by the ALSDE.
- A master’s or a doctorate degree in education can qualify candidates for an advanced level of licensure. Graduate students who hold general education degrees or certificates can pursue a special education endorsement program.