Alabama is a great state to pursue a fulfilling career in education. The state continues to experience a statewide shortage of educators, providing a prime ground to launch your educator journey.
If you are looking for a career that will allow you to empower and leave a positive legacy on future generations in Alabama, then a career in teaching is suitable for you. By becoming an educator in Alabama, you will empower, inspire, and influence students’ dreams, helping them become reliable and productive members of society.
Alabama has taken measures to improve the teaching of math and sciences in the state to enhance educator experiences. This includes offering incentives of up to $20,000 yearly to attract aspiring teachers into the career.
You must obtain teacher certification to teach in the state’s public schools. You should also acquire certification from accredited certification providers that the Alabama Department of Education regulates. The Alabama Department of Education sets regulations to ensure that certification programs offered to educators uphold high standards and produce well-equipped educators.
In this guide, we will highlight all the information and steps that you need to start your rewarding educator career in Alabama.
How to Become a Teacher in Alabama
The teacher certification requirements vary from state to state, depending on the prevailing educator situation. For instance, a state experiencing an extreme educator shortage will have fewer requirements.
Alabama has specific teacher certification requirements that you should follow to be certified to teach in the state. The Alabama Department of Education requires that all aspiring teachers hold a bachelor’s degree and then complete an Alabama teacher certification program to be considered for teacher licensure.
The type of bachelor’s degree you hold will guide you on whether to enroll for the traditional or the alternative route to teacher certification.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in education, the traditional route to certification is more suited for you. If your degree is in a field other than education, the alternative pathway to teacher certification will ensure that you are well-equipped and qualified for teacher certification in Alabama.
Teacher certification programs are vital in ensuring that students acquire skills in pedagogy and fieldwork through hands-on student teaching. Once you have earned a bachelor’s degree and completed an approved teacher certification program from an accredited institution, you will take the Alabama Prospective Teacher Testing Program (APTTP).
This test consists of a Basic Skills Assessment and the Alabama Praxis II test for subject area proficiency, and you should obtain a passing score. After passing all tests, you’re issued an Alabama professional educator certificate.
You need to gain professional development hours to keep your teacher certificate valid. Earning a master’s degree is also an option, as you can attain an advanced educator certificate.
After meeting the requirements for a teaching license, you are issued the initial standard certificate, the Professional Educator Certificate (Class B). It is essential to keep this certificate valid and active by continually documenting professional development hours.
Once you attain a master’s degree, you will be issued a Class A certificate, an advanced teacher certificate.
Where to Find an Approved Teacher Education Program in Alabama
One of the most essential steps to becoming a teacher in Alabama is completing an approved teacher education program at an accredited institution.
At Teachers of Tomorrow, we’re committed to helping aspiring teachers achieve their goals through the alternative teacher certification route.
Click here to learn more about our program and how we can help you succeed.
Any institution offering educator preparation programs should have good relations with one of the six regional accrediting bodies. If an institution is not accredited by one of these six educator preparation agencies, it doesn’t qualify to offer Alabama teacher licensing.
If you are enrolled in educator preparation programs outside Alabama, you must also be certified in that state before applying for an Alabama educator certificate.
Your educator preparation institution may also hold accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which was established through a merger of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).
Education Requirements for Alabama Teachers
Educator requirements in Alabama also vary depending on the level of education you are planning to teach. All aspiring teachers across all levels of education in Alabama must hold at least a bachelor’s degree and complete an approved educator preparation program.
The most common pathway to teacher certification nowadays is through alternative certification programs. These programs create a channel through which professionals holding a four-year degree can earn their teacher certification without returning to university or college.
To enroll in an alternative certification program, you must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree with a 2.75+ GPA. If you have not yet attained a bachelor’s degree, you should pursue a four-year degree program.
Here are four steps to getting certified as a teacher in Alabama:
1. Enroll in a teacher education program
The first step to getting certified as a teacher in Alabama is to complete your bachelor’s degree in a program approved by the Alabama State Department of Education. The program will give you knowledge of the principles of teaching and help you specialize in a specific subject matter, such as English, math, or history, if you want to teach secondary school.
The details of each program depend on the subject area you are covering. The first thing is to carefully consider the teaching area you want to pursue and ensure the program you are applying to offers it.
You could check the state’s review of each program as a guide to choosing a suitable program.
2. Gain Classroom experience
Part of your teacher preparation program in Alabama is spending time in an actual classroom. This student teaching internship program allows you to put into practice the skills acquired but in a supervised environment.
Alabama state requires you to complete two types of field experiences:
- An approved student-teaching opportunity in a supervised environment.
- A semester-long full-time internship in your subject area.
The full-time internship requires you to handle teaching roles periodically and for at least five consecutive days before the end of the teaching experience. Also, if you are pursuing more than one area of specialization, you must undertake an internship in all areas.
3. Pass Tests
To receive teacher certification in Alabama, you must pass all the certification tests. These exams measure whether you have the necessary skills to teach in an actual classroom effectively.
These exams will be incorporated into your bachelor’s degree if you are enrolled in an approved Alabama teacher preparation program.
You must pass Praxis subject area tests and the Educative Performance Assessment (edTPA). The Praxis subject assessments are taken before your student teaching. The Praxis tests the general teaching skills and the subject-specific knowledge. For instance, if you want to be certified to teach math, you’ll need to pass a Praxis test in math.
On the other hand, you will take the Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) while completing the student teaching program. The test evaluates the work you create during your student teaching internship.
Depending on the subject area you wish to teach, you may also be required to pass the Foundations of Reading test.
Check through ALSDE for specific testing requirements, as they depend on your certification and endorsement areas.
4. Apply for certification
Once you have completed your degree program, your institution will recommend you for approval by the Alabama Department of Education, which is responsible for teacher certification.
The certification process will commence once you have submitted your transcripts and have completed a background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Alabama Bureau of Investigations (ABI).
You will make the application for certification online and submit your fingerprints through the Alabama Applicant Processing Services portal.
Here is a list of the required submissions for certification:
- A completed application to the Alabama State Department of Education.
- Official academic transcripts.
- State and federal background checks with application, fees, and fingerprints.
- Test scores through Praxis and the Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program.
- Recommendation of certification from your academic program.
- All required, non-refundable fees.
5. Maintain your Certification
After earning your Alabama teacher certification, you need to renew it regularly. Your standard teacher certificate in Alabama is valid for five years, after which it expires on June 30th.
The Teacher Education and Certification Office of the Alabama Department of Education must receive a renewal application no later than December 31st of the same calendar year.
To renew your certificate, you need to meet renewal requirements and submit an application. Your certificate will be renewed after the verification of any of the following options:
- Three years of full-time educational experience and 50 clock hours of acceptable professional development.
- 6 semester hours of acceptable credit.
- 50 hours of acceptable professional development and 3 semester hours of acceptable credit.
- Three years of full-time educational experience and 3 semester hours of acceptable credit.
- You earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) during the valid period of your professional educator certificate.
Check with ALSDE for any changes in the renewal requirements.
Testing Requirements for Alabama Teachers
The Alabama State Department of Education requires two tests to obtain teacher certification. The first exam, administered by the Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program, tests basic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics.
You must also take subject and grade-specific Praxis Subject Assessments in the subject area you are pursuing. For certification, the Alabama State Department of Education also requires you to take subject- and grade-level Prais II exams for the endorsement area you are seeking.
Check out your subject area’s required Praxis II exams through the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
The second test you must take is the edTPA. This performance-based, subject-specific assessment consists of versions for 28 teaching fields. It features a typical architecture focusing on three tasks: planning, Instruction, and Assessment. As part of your portfolio, you must submit unedited video recordings of yourself in a real classroom.
Additional Alabama Teacher Certification Requirements
The Alabama Education Department also requires a state and federal background check. You should have this done before you submit an application for certification to the Department.
The background check in Alabama requires fingerprints, which you can submit through Cogent (3M) for a background check by the Alabama Bureau of Investigations (ABI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
Career Outlook for Alabama Teachers
The Ballotpedia 2022 shows that there were 41,977 teachers in Alabama, serving 1,479 public schools. However, Alabama continues to experience a high demand for teachers.
Some of the subject areas of teacher shortage include mathematics, science, special education, and elementary education. To attract more teachers to the state, the Alabama State lawmakers, in 2023, agreed to increase teacher salaries from 4% to 21% depending on their experience.
In addition, all public education employees got an additional 2% raise in 2023. The Alabama State Department of Education publishes a minimum salary schedule for teachers in the state, assuring them of a minimum $50,000 salary for new teachers in the 2024 fiscal year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2016 and 2026, there will be 180 average annual job openings for elementary educators, 690 average annual jobs for middle school teachers, and 930 average annual job openings for secondary school teachers in Alabama.
Alabama Teacher Salary Averages
The entry-level salary for certified teachers in Alabama is $43,358. The salary range for public school teachers in Alabama ranges between $44,760 and $65,409.
Here are the average teacher salaries for educator categories in Alabama:
[table “27” not found /]Out-of-State Teachers
An out-of-state teacher is a teacher who is certified in another state. For most states, certification involves a process similar to that in Alabama. This consists of earning a bachelor’s degree, undertaking a student teaching program, and passing certification examinations.
If you are an out-of-state educator interested in becoming certified in Alabama, you must provide certification from your state along with official transcripts for all your coursework.
Ready to Get Certified? Let’s Go!
A rewarding teaching career allows you to leave a positive legacy as you inspire and motivate students to pursue their dreams. As an educator, you play a significant role in shaping the futures of the youth and society.
Getting started as an educator is easy, as pathways are possible regardless of your bachelor’s degree. The best thing is you can start as early as today.
As the Alabama Teachers of Tomorrow, we are committed to your journey of becoming an educator. Our goal is to help you jumpstart your career in education. Let us help you actualize your dream of making a difference in the lives of children and shaping the future of younger generations.
FAQs
Is Alabama a good state for teachers
Alabama is a good state for teachers. It is an excellent state to pursue a fulfilling career in education. It creates an opportunity for you to network with other educators in the state and gain experience that adds great relevant weight to your resume.
How do you become a substitute teacher in Alabama?
To become a substitute teacher in Alabama, you must have a high school diploma. You must also pass a background check that assures the employer of your suitability to care for children. You must also apply for a substitute license from the Alabama State Department of Education.
What is required to be a teacher in Alabama?
There are various requirements for becoming a certified educator in Alabama. One of the minimum requirements is to hold a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in education allows you to pursue the traditional route to teaching.
This route includes completing a state-approved teacher-educator preparation program, completing a student teaching program, passing the certification examinations, passing a background check, and applying for a standard certificate to teach.
If you hold a non-educational bachelor’s degree and would like to transition to education, you can pursue the alternative pathway to education. This involves enrolling in a teacher preparation program with an accredited provider such as the Alabama Teachers of Tomorrow. You must then pass the relevant certification examinations, do a background check, and apply for certification.
How do you become an elementary school teacher in Alabama?
To become an elementary school teacher in Alabama, you must complete an education program. You will need to complete 32 hours of study in a specific field. Acquiring certification to teach at the elementary level allows you to teach grades K-6.
How do you become a math teacher in Alabama?
The path to becoming a math teacher in Alabama is similar to becoming a certified Alabama teacher. You must hold a bachelor’s degree that allows you to undertake the traditional or alternative pathway to teaching.
You then have to complete an Alabama Educator Certification Program. Once you have taken and passed the necessary tests, you can apply for your initial certification as a Mathematics teacher in Alabama.
