How to Get a Teaching License in Montana

Montana tax payers have voiced their concerns and one of their major decisions was to fund their educational system. That means good news for teachers wanting to begin their career in Montana. The state has instituted teacher mentorship programs for new teachers and even more benefits wait for those who are motivated to earn higher degrees.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Obtain a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. This is required for all levels of teaching certificates in Montana.
2. Decide what level of educator license you need to apply for. Class 2 Standard Teacher's License is the initial level requiring a bachelor's degree, the professional educator preparation program described in Step 2 and 1 year of teaching experience or mentoring program. Class 1 Professional Teacher's License is acquired after Class 2 and requires a masters degree or additional college classes and 3 years teaching experience.
3. Enroll in a Montana Professional Educator Preparation Program through an accredited university. This is a specific course that the state requires all teachers to take and includes a supervised teaching experience. Visit Montana's Office of Public Instruction (OPI) website for links to universities offering this program.
4. Request a fingerprint background check and complete the application. This needs to be included with the application and you need to request to have this information shared with Montana's OPI.
5. Complete an application for license; include the applicable licensing fees, an official copy of your college transcripts, your fingerprints and the appropriate criminal history information or forms listed on the Montana Office of Public Instruction website.

Tips & Warnings

• Additional license classes are available for specialized teaching.

Who Can Help:

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