How to Become a Special Education Teacher in Alabama

<h2 id="section---CareerOverview">Career Overview</h2> <p>Special education teachers instruct students with disabilities. These teachers require special training to prepare them for their careers. The chart below shows the education requirements, certification exams, job duties, and salary of special education teachers in Alabama. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Education Required</b> </td><td> Bachelor's degree and teacher preparation program</td></tr> <tr><td> <b> Certification Testing Requirements</b> </td><td>Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators,<br /> Praxis Subject Assessment Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications,<br /> and edTPA Educative Teacher Performance Assessment</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Renewal Period</b> </td><td>5 years</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Renewal Requirements</b></td><td> 3 years teaching and 50 hours professional development<br /> <b>or</b> 3 years teaching and 3 academic credits <b>or</b><br /> 3 academic credits and 50 hours professional development <b>or</b><br /> 6 academic credits <b>or</b> <br /> 100 hours professional development<br /> <b>or</b> NBPTS certification (once)</td></tr> <tr><td><b> Job Growth (2016-2026)* </b></td><td> 8% (nationwide)</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Average Salary (May 2018)*</b> </td><td>$48,800 (elementary)<br />$54,090 (middle)<br />$46,810 (secondary)</td></tr> </table><p><i>*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---Step1EarnABachelorSDegree">Step 1: Earn A Bachelor's Degree</h3> <p>Federal regulations require that all special education teachers in the country have a bachelor's degree and certification from the state where they will be teaching. It is recommended that one study education or special education in a college program that includes the required state-approved teacher preparation. This will prepare prospective special education teachers for mandatory testing prior to earning their license. It will also prepare them for their first day in the classroom with internships and field experiences. Alabama offers different levels of teaching certification. A bachelor's degree qualifies one for a Class B certification. </p> <h3 id="section---Step2StudyAtTheGraduateLevelOptional">Step 2: Study At The Graduate Level (Optional)</h3> <p>A master's degree qualifies one for a Class A teaching certification. Those who pass a graduate-level state-approved program with a minimum number of credit hours in education specialist coursework can hold a Class AA certification. Class A and Class AA certified teachers can command higher salaries than those with Class B certifications. </p> <h3 id="section---Step3PassAppropriateTests">Step 3: Pass Appropriate Tests</h3> <p>Alabama requires that special education teachers pass several standardized tests. These include the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, a basic skills assessment often required for admission into educator preparation programs. The Praxis Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications exam is required for special education teachers across grade levels and specialties. The other required test is the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), which relates to pedagogy and practice. These tests prove that one has the knowledge necessary to teach and the specialized skills necessary to teach students with disabilities. </p> <p>Additional exams are required for two grade groups. Collaborative special education teachers for grades K-6 must pass the Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects. Instructors for grades P-3 must pass the Praxis: Early Childhood Education. </p> <h3 id="section---Step4UndergoABackgroundCheck">Step 4: Undergo A Background Check</h3> <p>Everyone who works as a teacher in Alabama is required to undergo a background check and be fingerprinted. As part of this procedure, the background check will be run through both the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Even if one has completed a background check in another state, it must be completed again in Alabama. The current cost for fingerprinting is $48.15.</p>