I’m always excited to meet people who want to enter the teaching profession. After all, I’ve devoted my entire career to education, and it’s the best decision that I’ve ever made.
We do get a lot of questions from teachers and prospective teachers about the process of becoming a teacher – from certification to actually starting on the job search. I know it can be confusing, but I’m really thrilled to know that so many people are interested in teaching and are actively looking for resources!
If you have specific questions on teacher certification requirements for your situation, you should contact your district or state education office. As you might know, the teacher certification process is something put into place by States, and the Department is not able to influence them or waive requirements. At the federal level, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we simply require that highly qualified teachers be fully licensed or certified by the State – but this means that each State determines its own requirements for licensing and certifying teachers.
If you’re looking for more general information on how to become a teacher, the Department of Education recently launched a website, Teach.gov. It’s your one-stop-shop to all things related to becoming a teacher, explaining the certification requirements for each State, and culling together information about available jobs in your area. We’re really excited about this site, and our overall TEACH campaign – we want to encourage the best and the brightest to become teachers, and we want to make it as easy as possible to get the information you need.
I hope this information helps you as you start your journey towards becoming a teacher.
And, have a great weekend, everyone!
