South Carolina Teacher Certification

The state of South Carolina Department of Education offers two major paths toward licensing: The Initial Certificate (three years) for candidates who have satisfied testing and state educational requirements, and the Professional Certificate (five years), which has various levels depending on your degree and continuing education credits.

Certificates are also linked to the grades for which you're qualified: early childhood, elementary, middle school, and secondary. The Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE) is an alternative path that allows you to teach in a South Carolina public school while completing your professional certification requirements.

How to Get an South Carolina Teacher Certification

For your Initial Certificate, you'll need to hold a bachelor degree from a state-approved South Carolina university or college teacher education program, an out-of-state program, or an institution with National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education approval. Candidates also must pass PRAXIS II and General Professional Knowledge tests. You can upgrade to the Professional Certificate following three years of classroom experience and passing the ADEPT formal evaluation process.

Certification for Teachers from Other States

Teachers with out-of-state certifications are welcome in South Carolina if they have completed 27 months of teaching experience in the previous seven years. Submit your original test scores in your teaching area or take the South Carolina tests.

South Carolina Teacher Certification Renewal

Initial three-year certificates can be renewed if you haven't completed requirements for a Professional Certificate. Following your Professional Certificate term, you can re-apply if you've completed a minimum of 120 renewal credits during the five-year period of teaching under the certificate.