Missouri Teacher Certification

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Division of Teacher Quality & Urban Education is responsible for Missouri teacher certification. Missouri offers teaching certification in the following areas: early childhood education (birth-grade 3), elementary education (grades 1-6), middle school (grades 5-9), subject certificates, special education, student services, administration, career education, and other areas (English for Speakers of other languages (ESOL), gifted education, special reading (remedial), and library media specialist). This article will focus on the certification requirements to become an elementary or secondary teacher in the State of Missouri.

Missouri offers a two-tiered teacher certification system that was created in 2003. The following types of teaching certificates are available:

• Initial Professional Certificate (IPC). This certificate is valid for four years and is is intended for new graduates of teacher preparation programs or individuals with less than four years of teaching experience.
• Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC). This certificate is continuously valid as long as the individual meets certain professional development requirements.

Additional certification areas may be added to Missouri teaching certificates by completing required coursework or passing the required PRAXIS II tests.

The Process for Missouri Teacher Certification

The process to obtain an Initial Professional Certificate (IPC) is relatively straightforward. To obtain an IPC, an individual must:

• Satisfy the educational requirements of at least a bachelor's degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program from a Missouri college or university or an out-of-state approved educator program. An individual must graduate with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher on a scale of 4.0.
• Obtain a recommendation for certification from the appropriate person at the college or university where they completed their teacher preparation program
• Pass the appropriate PRAXIS II content knowledge or specialty area tests for the certificate sought.
• Complete the necessary educational, professional, and subject area requirements for the certificate sought. This should have been accomplished in a state-approved teacher preparation program at a Missouri college or university. Individuals who attended, or are attending, out-of-state programs should consult the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Division of Teacher Quality & Urban Education's web site for the specific semester hour, education concentration, and subject requirements.
• Pass a criminal background check.

To obtain a Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC), an individual must:

• Participate in a district provided and approved mentoring program for two years.
• Complete 30 contact hours of professional development. This may include college credits.
• Participate in a Beginning Teacher Assistance program.
• Have four years of approved teaching experience.
• Have a local professional development plan.

Certification for Teachers Certified in Other States

Missouri does not have any formal reciprocity for certification with other states. Individuals with valid out-of-state certificates must meet Missouri's requirements with some exceptions. Individuals with valid certificates from other states must:

• Verify meeting the educational requirements by providing official transcripts from all institutions attended.
• Provide verification of teaching experience.
• Provide copies of their valid teaching certificates.
• Apply and pay the necessary fee.
• Pass a criminal background Check

They do not have to meet the requirement for an institutional recommendation for certification. They also do not need to take the PRAXIS II specialty area tests, however, if an individual has test scores it is requested that they submit them when they are applying.

Missouri Certificate Renewal

Missouri Career Continuous Professional Certificates are continuously valid as long as an individual meets the following requirements:

• Have met all of the requirement at the IPC level and have four or more years of teaching experience.
• Complete 15 contact hours of professional development annually. This may include college credits.
• Have a local professional development plan.

As an alternative, an individual may have two of the following three requirements:

1. Have ten years of teaching experience.
2. Have a master's degree.
3. Have National Board of Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification.