Alternative Teacher Certification in Montana
If you have a bachelor's degree, you can become a teacher in Montana even if you haven't completed all the other requirements for a regular teaching license. Keep reading to find out how.
Overview of Montana's Alternative Teacher Licensure
Montana offers several different paths to teacher licensure. If you haven't yet completed all the requirements for a traditional Class 1 or Class 2 teaching license, you can still pursue a career in teaching while continuing your education in a teacher preparation program.
<table border="1"><tr><td> Education Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree (minimum)</td></tr>
<tr><td> Certification Validity Period </td><td> Class 5 licenses are good for 3 years and are not renewable</td></tr>
<tr><td> Annual Mean Wage (2018, Montana)* </td><td> $31,160 (preschool); $52,730 (kindergarten); $52,360 (elementary); $55,880 (middle school); $50,670 (secondary)</td></tr>
<tr><td> Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026, nationwide)* </td><td> 10% (preschool); 7% (kindergarten and elementary school); 8% (middle school); 8% (high school)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
</i></p><h3 id="section---MontanaSAlternativeTeacherLicensureProgramClass5ProvisionalLicense">Montana's Alternative Teacher Licensure Program: Class 5 Provisional License</h3><p>Alternative teacher licensure programs provide a way for people who haven't yet completed all the standard requirements to get a teaching license and become teachers. In Montana, if you have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, you can get a Class 5 Provisional teaching license.
</p><p>Montana's Class 5 Provisional license allows people to teach PreK-12th grade. The license is good for 3 years and may be held once during a person's teaching career. While renewals of the Class 5 license aren't permitted, the Provisional license does provide a pathway for people to complete the steps necessary to get a Class 2 license.
</p><h3 id="section---HowToGetAClass5ProvisionalLicense">How to Get a Class 5 Provisional License</h3><p>To get a Class 5 Provisional license in Montana, you need to have a bachelor's degree, although you don't need to have completed an approved teacher preparation program.
</p><p>To apply for the license, you must complete an online application through Montana's Office of Public Instruction website and pay an $18 licensure fee.
</p><p>As part of your application, you must submit several documents (these must be submitted by mail to the Montana Office of Public Instruction before your application can be finalized):
</p><ul><li>Official transcripts proving you obtained a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
</li><li>A documented study plan from an approved teacher preparation program (it must demonstrate both that you meet requirements for admission to the program and that you can complete all the program requirements within 3 years)
</li><li>Your fingerprints for a background check
</li><li>Proof you've completed the free course, <i>An Introduction to Indian Education for All in Montana</i> (available online)
</li></ul><h3 id="section---ApprovedTeacherPreparationProgramsInMontana">Approved Teacher Preparation Programs in Montana</h3><p>Moving from the Class 5 Provisional license to a Class 2 Standard license requires completion of an approved teacher preparation program. Individuals who already have a bachelor's degree can find post-baccalaureate, non-degree teacher preparation programs as well as Master of Education programs. These curricula require between 30 and 40 credit hours of coursework to complete, depending on the award level and the teaching area in which an individual is seeking licensure.
</p><p>These programs must be accredited by one of the following agencies: National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), or the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). State-agency-approved teacher preparation programs offered by accredited colleges or universities are also acceptable. All teacher preparation programs must contain a student teaching component.
</p><p>Visit the Approved Montana Educator Preparation Programs page on the Montana Office of Public Instruction website for a list of approved programs in Montana.
</p><h3 id="section---UpgradingYourProvisionalLicenseToAStandardLicense">Upgrading Your Provisional License to a Standard License</h3><p>Once you've completed the teacher preparation program outlined in your study plan, you can apply to upgrade to a Class 2 license. To do this, you'll need to visit the Office of Public Instruction's website and fill out a Class 5 upgrade application. You must also submit documents demonstrating successful completion of the teaching program. It's important to submit all of this before your Class 5 license expires to avoid a lapse in your licensure.</p>