Teachers are the most primal members of society with the ability to impact society by creating good foundations. However, some states like Arizona face teacher shortages, especially in public schools. This calls for more individuals to step up and take up alternative options to become teachers and fill this gap.
With a degree in another subject, you can apply for a course or pass required exams and start a new career without going into debt or dropping your previous job instantly. If you’re looking to become a teacher using alternative options, here’s what you can do.
Complete a Background Check
A safety check is part of this alternative Arizona teaching certificate. The state must verify you have exemplary conduct. If you have a criminal record, you must show improvement in your character to pass this test.
To ensure teachers stay in check, the state runs this background regularly. Each background check is valid for six years, so you have to go through the same test every half a dozen years.
Enroll In a State Teacher Certification Program
Signing up for a teacher certification program is the most common path most people take. Candidates can venture into agriculture, marketing, business, and family and consumer science niches for career and technical certificates.
Candidates with bachelor’s degrees require to clock at least 240 work hours to be eligible for this program. On the other hand, diploma holders need at least 6,000 work hours to join the eligibility criteria.
They need to fill out an eligibility form that verifies they have the requirements to begin the program. Once cleared, candidates can begin the three-year package leading to teacher certification awarding.
Pass AEPA and NES Exams
The Arizona Proficiency Education Assessment and the National Education Series are major tests that ascertain you have grasped the concepts necessary for alternative certification. These exams are set for industry professionals intending to join the teaching career.
Several subject areas are available, so candidates pick the area they are interested in for testing. These are state exams, so you have to sign up on the Arizona Department of Education or an affiliate website that offers these services.
Enroll As a Teacher in Residence
Another alternative is to sign up as a resident teacher in Arizona, then complete your program as you work. A candidate must complete a teacher certification approved by the department of education. Before enrolling for this option, you must sign up for a teacher certification program in a school within Arizona.
Acing a college course or a recommended AEPA or NES exam or other exams in Arizona or national constitutions is mandatory. Otherwise, you risk having the certificate suspended until you pass the recommended tests.
Transfer from another State
Teachers from other states can transfer their licenses to Arizona if the certificate is active. The first step is to apply for the Arizona reciprocal provisional teaching certificate. Only teachers that meet the required standards receive the reciprocal provisional teaching certificate, valid for three years.
During this tenure, candidates undergo a rigorous testing program to ascertain their proficiency as teachers. After this, teachers can apply for a standard teacher’s certificate in Arizona.
Round-Up
Several options are available for acquiring an alternative teacher certificate in Arizona. For school-based programs, candidates must ensure they enroll in Arizona State Board of Education-backed schools and programs for the certificate to be valid.
The state provides the necessary tools candidates can use to prepare for the exams when taking tests. Nevertheless, they must ensure they ace their certification qualifications to avoid suspension of their certificates.
