- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
District-Sponsored-Certificates
All applicants for a district-sponsored certificate must submit the following:
The Alaska Teacher Certification office issues seven types of district-sponsored certificates:
Initial Program Enrollment
INITIAL PROGRAM ENROLLMENT TEACHER CERTIFICATE
The Initial Program Enrollment certificate is for applicants with a bachelor’s degree who are enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation program and sponsored by an Alaska school district.
To qualify for a Program Enrollment teacher certificate, an applicant must meet the following requirements:
- Official transcripts showing completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university
- Verification of current enrollment in an approved teacher preparation program as verified by the Program Enrollment for and submission of official transcripts
- Program Enrollment form (docx)
- Program must be completed within two (2) years of the issuance of the Initial certificate.
- Verification of passing scores on an approved basic competency exam
- Verification of passing scores on an approved content area exam
- Not required for Special Education enrollees, instead Special Education enrollees require 9.0 semester hours of Special Education coursework
- Resume supporting five years of experience in the subject matter that you will be teaching
- Submission of a District Assurance Form showing an offering of a certified teaching position by an Alaska public school district.
- Completion of the four Mandatory Trainings
- Applicants must provide at least one document of verification for the completed training.
- Submission of a fingerprint card
- Complete application and fees
Endorsements placed on an Initial/Program Enrollment teacher certificate will reflect the teacher preparation program described on the Proof of Program Enrollment form.
An Initial/Program Enrollment teacher certificate is not renewable.
Next step: Apply for a Professional, Master, or Initial Five-year Certificate
Emergency Teacher
EMERGENCY TEACHER TEACHER CERTIFICATE
For applicants who are unable to satisfy one or more of the following requirements of an Initial Teaching Certificate:
- Official transcripts showing completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university
- Completion of the four Mandatory Trainings
- Applicants must provide at least one document of verification for the completed trainings.
- District Request and Assurance Form
An emergency certificate is only valid during the school year that it was issued.
Next Step: Apply for the Initial 2-year or Initial Program Enrollment Teacher Certificates. A district may request an additional emergency certificate if the applicant has made progress but not completed the necessary requirements.
Limited Type B: Superintendent
LIMITED TYPE B: SUPERINTENDENT TEACHER CERTIFICATE
A Type B certificate with a superintendent endorsement requires the completion of a state-approved superintendency program from a regionally or nationally accredited university and verification of at least five (5) years of employment as a classroom teacher or administrator.
At least three of the five years must have been satisfactory employment as a teacher with a teaching certificate or comparable certificate issued by another state. At least one of the five years must have been satisfactory employment as an administrator with a Type B certificate or comparable certificate from another state.
If an applicant does not meet, these requirements they may be able to apply for the Limited Type B: Superintendent certificate. The applicant must be sponsored by an Alaska school district to gain a Limited Type B Superintendent certification. In addition, to be eligible for a Limited Type B Superintendent certificate, all applicants must submit the following:
- Official transcripts confirming a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited university;
- Resume showing at least five years of employment in an administrative position
- Two professional recommendations verifying length of experience and expertise;
- District Request and Assurance Form completed by school board president
- Completion of the four Mandatory Trainings
- Submission of a fingerprint card
- Complete application and fees
IMPORTANT NOTES
- A Limited Type B Superintendent certificate is valid only in the sponsoring school district.
- Meeting the requirements above will qualify the applicant for a one-year certificate that can be extended for a total of five years. To extend a Limited Type B Superintendent certificate beyond one year, the documents described below must arrive at the Teacher Certificate Office on or before the certificate’s expiration date.
To extend the one-year certificate for an additional year, the applicant must:
- Enroll in an approved superintendent endorsement program and submit a Proof-of-Program Enrollment form;
- Submit official transcripts showing completion of an educator evaluation course in your program
To extend a two-year certificate for an additional year, the applicant must:
- Submit an updated official transcript showing progress toward the completion of an approved superintendent endorsement program;
- Complete three semester hours of an approved Alaska Studies course; and
- Complete three semester hours of an approved Alaska Multicultural course.
To extend a three-year certificate for an additional two years, the applicant must:
- Submit a State Approved Program Verification Form verifying completion of the approved superintendent endorsement program.
- Submit official transcripts showing completion of an educator evaluation course in your program.
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Type C: Program Enrollment
TYPE C: PROGRAM ENROLLMENT TEACHER CERTIFICATE
To qualify for a Type C: Program Enrollment certificate, an applicant must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university;
- Current enrollment in an approved special services preparation program as verified by a Program Enrollment form (docx) and official transcripts (Program must be completed within three (3) years of the issuance of the Initial certificate).
- Completion of at least 9 semester hours of coursework
- Completion of the four Mandatory Trainings
- Offered a certified special services position by an Alaska public school district as verified by a District Request & Assurance Form
- Submission of a fingerprint card
- Complete application and fees
A Type C: Program Enrollment teacher certificate will be valid for one year, but may be reissued twice for a total of two (2) one-year extensions.
For the first one-year extension, the certificate holder must submit the following items to the Teacher Certification office before the expiration date of the Type C: Program Enrollment certificate:
- Updated official transcripts showing progress in the program
- Updated Program Enrollment form (docx) or State Approved Program Verification form (docx) if program has been completed
For the second one-year extension, the certificate holder must submit all of the following items to the Teacher Certification office prior to expiration of the Initial certificate:
- Updated official transcripts showing progress in the approved program
- Updated Program Enrollment form (docx) or State Approved Program Verification form (docx) if program has been completed
- Official transcripts showing completion of:
- 3 semester hours of approved Alaska studies coursework
- 3 semester hours of approved Alaska multicultural coursework
Endorsements placed on a Type C: Program Enrollment teacher certificate will reflect the teacher preparation program described on the Proof of Program Enrollment form.
Next Step: Apply for a Type C: Regular (5-year).
Emergency Administrator
EMERGENCY ADMINISTRATOR TEACHER CERTIFICATE
For applicants who are unable to satisfy one or more of the following requirements of an Initial Type B Administrative Certificate (Provisional):
- Official transcripts showing completion of highest degree attained from a regionally or nationally accredited university
- District Request and Assurance Form completed by Superintendent or Chief School Administrator
- Completion of the four Mandatory Trainings
- Applicants must provide at least one document of verification for the completed training.
- Submission of a fingerprint card
- Complete application and fees
The application must be completed and submitted with supporting documents; including the District Request and Assurance Form completed by the sponsoring Alaska School District, the four mandatory training certificates, and official transcripts.
An emergency certificate is only valid during the school year that it was issued.
Next Step: Apply for the Type B: Provisional 2-year or the Type B: Regular 5-year certificate. A district may request an additional emergency certificate if the applicant has made progress but not completed the necessary requirements.
Limited Type M: Language & Culture
LIMITED TYPE M: LANGUAGE & CULTURE TEACHER CERTIFICATE
- Documentation of four (4) years’ experience demonstrating competency in an Alaska Native language or a minimum of four (4) years’ experience involving an Alaska Native culture, as determined by the school district.
- A resume verified by the school district is sufficient.
- Two letters of recommendation verifying expertise
- District Request and Assurance Form
Limited Type M: Military Science
LIMITED TYPE M: MILITARY SCIENCE TEACHER CERTIFICATE
- Meet the criteria of the United States Department of Defense to be a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor.
- Verified by the local school district
- Documentation demonstrating competency in the military science area
- A resume verified by the school district is sufficient.
- Two letters of recommendation verifying expertise
- District Request and Assurance Form
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Limited Type M: Career-Technical
LIMITED TYPE M: CAREER-TECHNICAL TEACHER CERTIFICATE
- Documentation of four (4) or more years’ experience demonstrating full-time work experience in a trade or vocational pursuit, no more than two (2) years of which is formal training in a trade school or technical institute
- A resume verified by the school district is sufficient.
- Two letters of recommendation verifying expertise
- District Request and Assurance Form
Limited Type W: Immersion World Language
LIMITED TYPE W: IMMERSION WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHER CERTIFICATE
- Documentation of experience demonstrating:
- Fluency in the foreign language
- Content knowledge
- Instructional competency
- District Request and Assurance Form
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Limited Type I: Instructional Assistant
LIMITED TYPE I: INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT TEACHER CERTIFICATE
This certificate is designed to assist experienced instructional aides nominated by their school districts in completing the statutory requirements for full teacher certification. The certificate coordinates the efforts of the applicant, the nominating district, and an approved teacher preparation program toward the applicant’s completion of a baccalaureate degree, an approved teacher preparation program, and passage of the Praxis I examination.
If your meet the following requirements, you are eligible for a Limited Type I certificate:
- nomination by your current employing school district;
- at least three (3) years of successful employment there as an instructional aide;
- enrollment in a college or university program leading to a bachelor’s degree, the completion of an approved teacher preparation program, and passing scores on the Praxis I teacher tests; and
- a contract among you, your district, and your college or university, outlining annual milestones for you and support from the district and institution.
A Type I certificate is valid for one school year and may be renewed up to three times. The department will base its renewal determination on its review of documentation establishing the parties’ full conformance with the contract terms.
An application packet for a Type I certificate requires:
- a completed application form signed by the superintendent of the nominating district;
- a contract detailing the education plan with annual milestones signed by you, the superintendent of your school district, and your approved teacher preparation program’s certifying official;
- Proof of Program Enrollment form signed by the college or university;
- Official transcripts;
- a resume verified by the school district and demonstrating at least three (3) years as an instructional aide in the district;
- one completed FBI fingerprint cards; and
- the fees for the certificate and required fingerprint processing.
The addition of this certificate meets the board’s desire to promote the development of more "home grown" teachers. It will benefit schools and districts both with better stability in classrooms through local hire and with the new teachers' local knowledge to assist their less culturally experienced colleagues. It will benefit communities economically by allowing members to bootstrap themselves up the professional ladder and educationally by offering the most appropriate educational opportunities to children. And it will benefit individuals by allowing them the opportunity to pursue their professional goals without having to leave their communities.
Next Step: Apply for the Initial 2 or 3-year Teaching Certificate.