Missouri Teacher Certification for Out-of-State Teachers

<p>The required steps for an out-of-state teacher to certify to teach in Missouri will depend upon if the candidate has a teaching license from another state or was educated in another state, but did not pursue a teaching license in that state. After submitting documentation, most candidates with a teaching license from another state will be able to transfer their teaching license to a comparable teaching license in Missouri. Candidates who do not have a teaching license from another state will have to submit additional documentation and may have to complete additional coursework and take Missouri's certification assessments. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Education/Experience Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree in a field of education from an accredited institution <br /> Completion of an educator preparation program</td></tr> <tr><td> Exams Required </td><td> Most teaching licenses from other states will transfer. Exams may be required for candidates who do not have a teaching license from any state.</td></tr> <tr><td> License Validity Period </td><td> Initial Professional Certificate: 4 years or <br /> Career Continuous Professional Certificate: 99 years</td></tr> <tr><td> Mean Salary for Teachers in Missouri (2018) </td><td> $51,630 (Kindergarten), $49,860 (Elementary School); $55,070 (Middle School); $54,280 (High School)*</td></tr> <tr><td> Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026, nationwide) </td><td> 7% (Kindergarten and Elementary School); 8% (Middle School); 8% (High School)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---RequirementsForTeachingCertificationInMissouri">Requirements for Teaching Certification in Missouri</h3> <p>Candidates for teaching certification in Missouri must complete a state-approved educator preparation program and a bachelor's degree in the subject area in which they will teach at a regionally accredited institution. This program will include fieldwork and an internship. After completion of their program, candidates for initial licensure will have their performance during their studies and their internship evaluated through the Missouri Performance Assessment, the Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES). Candidates must also pass Missouri Content Area exams. </p> <h3 id="section---AllOutOfStateCandidates">All Out-of-State Candidates</h3> <p>The first step for all out-of-state candidates is to set up an account in Missouri's Educator Certification System and submit a Non-Missouri Graduate Application. They must pay a $100 processing fee. All candidates must submit their original transcripts from all institutions that they have attended. In order to obtain a teaching license in Missouri, candidates must have had a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale. All candidates must also complete a background check. </p> <h3 id="section---OutOfStateCandidatesWithoutATeachingLicense">Out-of-State Candidates without a Teaching License</h3> <p>Candidates who do not have a teaching license must also submit an institutional recommendation. They must first fill out the application form for this recommendation and then send it to the certification officer at the college or university where they completed their educator preparation program. The certification officer will send it back to Missouri's certification office. Candidates without a teaching license may also have to complete additional coursework or take Missouri certification assessments in order to qualify for a Missouri teaching certification. The Missouri Department of Primary and Secondary Education recommends that a candidate who has completed their education in another state should become certified in that state because the candidate will likely be able to transfer that certification to Missouri without any additional coursework or testing requirements. </p> <h3 id="section---OutOfStateCandidatesWithATeachingLicense">Out-of-State Candidates with a Teaching License</h3> <p>An out-of-state candidate with a teaching certificate from that state can be issued a comparable teaching certification in the area which most closely aligns to their certification area in Missouri. An institutional recommendation is not required for out-of-state candidates who have a professional teaching license from their state. They must send their teaching certificate with their application materials and their teaching certificate must be verified by the state in which it was issued. If they have teaching experience, they may either submit a Verification of Teaching Experience form or have the school district in which they taught send an official letter confirming their teaching experience. Depending on the level of their teaching certification from the other state, out-of-state candidates may transfer their out-of-state certification to the Initial Professional Certificate or the Career Continuous Professional Certificate.</p>