Iowa Preschool Teacher Requirements

<p>Preschool teacher certification in Iowa requires candidates to complete a state-approved educator program from a regionally accredited institution and earn a bachelor's or higher degree in early childhood education. They must also pass three computer-based Praxis exams, which evaluate pedagogy and content knowledge. The table below summarizes the specific requirements of a preschool teacher in Iowa. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Education/Experience Required </td><td> Bachelor's or higher degree in early childhood education through state-approved educator program</td></tr> <tr><td> Exams Required </td><td> Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood (5621) or PPAT Assessment, Praxis Early Childhood Education (5025), Praxis Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (5023)</td></tr> <tr><td> License Validity Period </td><td> Initial License valid for two years and Standard License for five years; both are renewable</td></tr> <tr><td> Renewal Requirements </td><td> Six renewal credits, mandatory child and dependent adult abuse reporter training</td></tr> <tr><td> Mean Salary (May 2018)* </td><td> $27,030 (preschool teachers)</td></tr> <tr><td> Estimated Job Growth (2018-2028, nationwide)* </td><td> 7% (preschool teachers)</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i> </p> <h3 id="section---JobDescriptionOfPreschoolTeacher">Job Description of Preschool Teacher</h3> <p>The primary task of a preschool educator is to teach young children basic skills such as numbers, letters and colors, but their role is not limited to the students' educational progress. Teachers must also keep a track of their personal and social development, and inform parents if there is any problem. Further, they must ensure that all students get the best education possible, which often requires teachers to tutor some individually. Also, preschool teachers have the opportunity to instill values such as diversity and equality in their wards at a young age. </p> <h3 id="section---EducationRequirementsForIowaTeachers">Education Requirements for Iowa Teachers</h3> <p>Future preschool teachers in Iowa must earn at least a bachelor's degree in early childhood education and complete a state-approved teacher educator program. Coursework in the programs typically includes methods to assess and manage the development of children in an educational setting. There is also fieldwork that provides candidates the experience of teaching in a real classroom environment under the supervision of faculty. Many programs also offer access to labs equipped with educational technology. These comprehensive educator programs ensure that candidates are well-prepared to teach children. </p> <h3 id="section---ExamRequirementsForTeachingInIowa">Exam Requirements for Teaching in Iowa</h3> <p>Prospective candidates must pass the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood (5621) exam, which evaluates the examinee's knowledge of pedagogy necessary to teach preschool students in Iowa. The test is two hours long, comprises 70 selected-response and four constructed-response questions, and has a qualifying score of 157. Alternatively, aspiring teachers can take the PPAT Assessment. This exam requires a passing score of 32. </p> <p>Further, to prove that they possess the required content knowledge, future teachers must pass the Praxis Early Childhood Education (5025) exam, which is two hours long, includes 120 selected-response questions, and has a passing score of 152. </p> <p>Finally, candidates have to achieve a minimum score of 172 in the Praxis Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (5023) exam, which features the same time limit and number of selected-response questions as the Early Childhood Education exam, and measures the professional knowledge and skills required to teach at the preschool level in the state. </p> <h3 id="section---LicenseAndRenewalRequirements">License and Renewal Requirements</h3> <p>Successful completion of the educator preparation program leads to the Initial License which is valid for two years and can be renewed twice. After the second renewal, teachers must try to earn a Standard License, which can be achieved by teaching two years with the initial license in a state public school (or three years in a private school). The standard certification is valid for five years and is renewable for another five provided the teacher completes six renewal credits, which can be earned from a state-approved provider or an Iowa-accredited university or college. Teachers are also required to complete the Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Reporter Training.</p>