Alabama Gifted Education Teacher: Certification & Requirements

<table border="1"><tr><td> Education Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree with state-approved teacher preparation program</td></tr> <tr><td> Exam Requirements</td><td> Praxis Core; Praxis Gifted Education; Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching</td></tr> <tr><td> Certificate Renewal Period </td><td> Five years</td></tr> <tr><td> Requirements for Renewal </td><td> Varies; acceptable options include six credits of coursework or a combination of 3 years full-time experience and 50 hours of professional development</td></tr> <tr><td> Average Salary (2018) </td><td> $49,320 (kindergarten and elementary special education), $54,090 (middle school special education), $46,810 (high school special education)*</td></tr> <tr><td> Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td> 8% (all U.S. special education teachers)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) </i></p><h3 id="section---MeetEducationRequirements">Meet Education Requirements</h3><p>Prospective teachers in gifted education should have received at least a bachelor's degree from a college or university approved by the Alabama Department of Education. Students should plan to major in special education or a related field that includes a teacher preparation program. This type of degree program typically includes general education courses in subjects such as mathematics and humanities, plus coursework specific to teaching, such as classroom management, learning disorders, and teaching reading. The curriculum also includes fieldwork as a gifted education teacher in a local school. </p><h3 id="section---CompleteAllExamRequirements">Complete All Exam Requirements</h3><p>Gifted education certification requires three exams: Praxis Core, Praxis Gifted Education, and the Praxis Principles of Teaching and Learning. The Praxis Core exam is a set of three basic skills assessments in reading, writing, and mathematics and must be taken to fulfill admission requirements for a teacher preparation program. </p><p>Prospective gifted education teachers must also take the Praxis Gifted Education content exam and receive a minimum score of 157. This exam contains 120 multiple-choice questions that cover five main subtopics: Development and Characteristics of Gifted Students, Learning Environment for Gifted Students, Instruction of Gifted Students, Identification and Assessment of Gifted Students, and Professionalism. </p><p>Lastly, prospective teachers must choose to take either the Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (passing score is 160) or Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (passing score is 157) exam, depending on the grade level they plan to teach. Those who wish to be certified to teach at all grade levels only need to pass one test. </p><h3 id="section---SubmitApplication">Submit Application</h3><p>After the degree and exam requirements are met, prospective teachers can submit their application to the Alabama State Department of Education. As part of the application process, prospective teachers must undergo background checks from the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Applicants must also have a set of fingerprints on file. </p><h3 id="section---FulfillRenewalRequirements">Fulfill Renewal Requirements</h3><p>Once an initial certification is obtained, it is valid for five years. Teachers must meet education and/or experience requirements to renew their certifications. There are several options for doing this. For example, teachers can renew if they have at least three years of full-time teaching experience plus 50 hours of approved professional development or if they have six semester hours of approved credit. The Alabama State Department of Education maintains a list of approved providers and ways in which teachers can renew their certificates.</p>