How to Get a Teaching Certification in Pennsylvania
To provide formal education to students in Pennsylvania, you must receive state certification. This process is required to prepare you to teach kindergarten through 12th grade. It is also required of those teaching vocational and special education students. This state-mandated certification is required in public, private and parochial schools. Educators within the state must prepare themselves to meet the educational and psychological needs of children.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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Enroll in one of the 93 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania with a teaching program approved by the state Department of Education. The program must include student teaching experience (see Resources below for a list of approved schools).
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Select the appropriate type of certification for the area of education you plan to teach. Options include Instructional Certifications for elementary and high school education, Educational Specialist Certifications, Supervisory Certificates and Administrative Certificates.
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Learn more about the Praxis I and II assessments, which must be taken to obtain teaching certification. The Educational Testing Service offers details at its website (see Resources below).
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Pass the Praxis I and II assessments. Individuals must take assessments in basic skills, general knowledge, professional knowledge and specific subject area knowledge. View the testing requirements and minimum passing scores at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (see Resources).
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Consider a Pennsylvania Teacher Intern Certification Program to further enhance your education. The program allows individuals who have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree to enroll in an intern program related to their specialty.
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Obtain a certification application from the state Department of Education. Praxis test scores are sent automatically to the state, but you must send a formal letter of application to the department, which takes about a month to complete processing.
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Teachers from out-of-state will need to obtain certification to teach in Pennsylvania as no automatic license transfer system is in place. In many instances, they will have to pass the Praxis I and II in their subject areas to obtain certification.
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