My ultimate goal is to teach in international schools, and I was ready to pursue certification in my home state of Pennsylvania. However, there seems to be an issue with doing so, insofar as keeping a valid teaching certification is concerned.
The Instructional l certificate is good for 6 years, and is non-renewable. It must be converted to an instructional 2 certificate after a minimum of 3 years of in-state-only teaching. My problem is that teaching jobs are difficult to come by outside of the ghetto, and that even if I did procure a position, I wouldn't want to stay here for 3 years just to make sure I get my Instructional 2 certificate.
Are all states like this, or are Pennsylvania license requirements uniquely difficult? I would want the option to each here should I decide to not teach abroad anymore, but the commitment up front (5 years minimum, assuming I landed a job right away 1+1+3. More realistically, it would take longer). Should I look to get licensed in another state, to get on the road faster? Do you have any better options to suggest? What do you think?
Thanks
Teaching License/Ceertification Conundrum -Input Appreciated
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hydrogonian
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buffalofan
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Would love to hear about any solutions to this issue. I am also certified in a state where it is impossbile to renew initial certification if teaching outside of the state. In my state you can apply for a (one time only) 3 year extension, but once that is up you are out of luck.
I actually called up my state's teacher credentialing office. I explained the situation and they basically said I was screwed, couldn't help me, and told me to get certified elsewhere. They mentioned Nevada as a possibility, but when I checked it out online it looked like a pretty convoluted process to transfer an existing license into a Nevada license.
Is there ANY state in the US which is friendly towards international educators? It seems to me that the state govs have given no thought whatsoever to the fact that many people get certified in order to be able to teach abroad.
I actually called up my state's teacher credentialing office. I explained the situation and they basically said I was screwed, couldn't help me, and told me to get certified elsewhere. They mentioned Nevada as a possibility, but when I checked it out online it looked like a pretty convoluted process to transfer an existing license into a Nevada license.
Is there ANY state in the US which is friendly towards international educators? It seems to me that the state govs have given no thought whatsoever to the fact that many people get certified in order to be able to teach abroad.
I am in California- and you have to do a BTSA program to get the clear credential... the preliminary credential is only good for 5 years, so most do the clear in the first 2 years of teaching- as BTSA is a 2 year program....though I've heard some districts will let you do it in a year.
I've heard that Mass gives a preliminary credential that is good for 5 years if you teach in the state- if you never teach in the state, it would be good forever, I'd assume.... this is just heresay, so I'd check it out to be sure...
But I think most states have a 2 tiered credential system- one is temporary and the other is the regular long-term one.
I've heard that Mass gives a preliminary credential that is good for 5 years if you teach in the state- if you never teach in the state, it would be good forever, I'd assume.... this is just heresay, so I'd check it out to be sure...
But I think most states have a 2 tiered credential system- one is temporary and the other is the regular long-term one.
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wrldtrvlr123
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- Location: Japan
Renewable Certificate
Hi. Try Florida. It's been a few years, but I originally recieved my 3 year temporary certificate and taught in the state only two years before moving overseas. I was able to convert my temporary into a 5 year professional from Egpyt.
I rcan now renew my 5 year just by meeting the professional development requirements (6 college credit hours). Also, you can take subject area tests to add on many certifications.
I rcan now renew my 5 year just by meeting the professional development requirements (6 college credit hours). Also, you can take subject area tests to add on many certifications.
You might also want to look into VA. George Mason Univ. has a program called FAST Train and it's specifically for teachers who want to teach overseas but you get a VA license so you can teach in the states too. You have to do PD to renew every 5 years.
If you're out of state you get in state tuition for Fast Train and you can do it during the year part time or in the summer for intensive courses.
Good luck!
If you're out of state you get in state tuition for Fast Train and you can do it during the year part time or in the summer for intensive courses.
Good luck!
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IS-Educator
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:29 am
You can certainly pursue certification in states other than Pennsylvania as others have suggested. The George Mason University/ FAST-TRAIN program is well known in the international school field. However, since you said that international teaching was a goal but that you would like to have the possibility to come back to Pennsylvania, it might be more convenient to get your certification in your home state. I've moved out of state to pursuing teaching and academic credentials, and it can be a bit overwhelming to be away from your friends and family as you are also starting a degree program. Importantly, if you go to a public university program as an in-state resident, it might be more affordable than going elsewhere.
I looked at the Pennsylvania state certification, and it says that the Level I teaching certificate is valid for six years of service as an educator in Pennsylvania. It clarifies that these are "years of service" and not "calendar years." In other words, if you got your certificate in 2010, it would not lapse in 2016--unless you had been teaching all six of those years and in the state of Pennsylvania. As long as you're not teaching in Pennsylvania, your Level I certificate will remain valid.
Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has added another provision to its teaching laws called "Act 48." According to the Pennsylvania state website, all certificate holders must comply with Act 48 by pursuing continuing professional development. This consists of getting 6 semester hours of credit every five years. Confusingly, this process, which determines whether a certificate is "active" or "inactive," is measured in "calendar years" whereas "years of service" are used to determine whether a certificate is "valid" or "invalid."
If you go abroad right away, that means, once you fill out a form to request "voluntary inactive" status, you will have a "valid but inactive" Level I certificate from Pennsylvania. When you decide to come back, you need to get at least 1 semester credit to re-activate it and then they restart the clock and give you slightly less than five calendar years to get the remaining 5 semester credits.
I moved around the States before going abroad, and I have three valid certificates: from Illinois, New York and Massachusetts. I've found that you need patience more than anything else to get a teaching certificate from another state, once you are already certified. I've also had the privilege of taking, and paying for, teacher certification tests in three different states. Laws for each state are slightly different, however. I know that Illinois, for example, exempts teachers from having to meet re-certification or continuing education requirements if they teach in a private school or if they teach out of state. Their Illinois teaching certificate is still valid, however.
I took the time to give you a long explanation because I think this is a very important decision for you. You should, of course, verify what I have said by calling or writing to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. You should also speak with someone at whatever Pennsylvania teacher college you were in interested in attending. Every teacher college has a certification officer or advisor who is in charge of submitting transcripts to the State Board to get their graduates certified.
Finally, even though you didn't ask, I might suggest that you may want to consider spending at least your first year of teaching (if not your second) in more familiar surroundings. I moved immediately after getting certified, and I missed having a mentor or close friends to support me during this critical period of my career.
Whatever you choose, good luck and best wishes.
I looked at the Pennsylvania state certification, and it says that the Level I teaching certificate is valid for six years of service as an educator in Pennsylvania. It clarifies that these are "years of service" and not "calendar years." In other words, if you got your certificate in 2010, it would not lapse in 2016--unless you had been teaching all six of those years and in the state of Pennsylvania. As long as you're not teaching in Pennsylvania, your Level I certificate will remain valid.
Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has added another provision to its teaching laws called "Act 48." According to the Pennsylvania state website, all certificate holders must comply with Act 48 by pursuing continuing professional development. This consists of getting 6 semester hours of credit every five years. Confusingly, this process, which determines whether a certificate is "active" or "inactive," is measured in "calendar years" whereas "years of service" are used to determine whether a certificate is "valid" or "invalid."
If you go abroad right away, that means, once you fill out a form to request "voluntary inactive" status, you will have a "valid but inactive" Level I certificate from Pennsylvania. When you decide to come back, you need to get at least 1 semester credit to re-activate it and then they restart the clock and give you slightly less than five calendar years to get the remaining 5 semester credits.
I moved around the States before going abroad, and I have three valid certificates: from Illinois, New York and Massachusetts. I've found that you need patience more than anything else to get a teaching certificate from another state, once you are already certified. I've also had the privilege of taking, and paying for, teacher certification tests in three different states. Laws for each state are slightly different, however. I know that Illinois, for example, exempts teachers from having to meet re-certification or continuing education requirements if they teach in a private school or if they teach out of state. Their Illinois teaching certificate is still valid, however.
I took the time to give you a long explanation because I think this is a very important decision for you. You should, of course, verify what I have said by calling or writing to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. You should also speak with someone at whatever Pennsylvania teacher college you were in interested in attending. Every teacher college has a certification officer or advisor who is in charge of submitting transcripts to the State Board to get their graduates certified.
Finally, even though you didn't ask, I might suggest that you may want to consider spending at least your first year of teaching (if not your second) in more familiar surroundings. I moved immediately after getting certified, and I missed having a mentor or close friends to support me during this critical period of my career.
Whatever you choose, good luck and best wishes.
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
I am currently researching Missouri requirements and it does look promising. Apparently Missouri does not require it's own state-specific Praxis tests for those transferring a current certification from another state. In addition, it looks like you can obtain the 2nd tier Missouri certification by taking a few university classes within a 4 year time period. This certification is called 'career continuous' and is valid for 99 years as long as you can continue to show a small amount of yearly PD, which can include college credit. I am still in the process of checking out the details (ultimately I think I will end up calling the Missouri Dep of Ed), but this might be an option for those of us certified in states which have no options for international educators. If anybody has researched any other states, I'd love to hear about it.
Try Colorado. I got my certificate there 7 years ago. A provisional license is good for three years and can be renewed indefinitely for $60 every three years if you never teach in-state. I got my license there and have been abroad since I left my licensing program. I've renewed twice through the mail, no problem.
[quote="koda"]I am in California- and you have to do a BTSA program to get the clear credential... the preliminary credential is only good for 5 years, so most do the clear in the first 2 years of teaching- as BTSA is a 2 year program....though I've heard some districts will let you do it in a year.
[/quote]
I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.
[/quote]
I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.
Here's ed code about BTSA:
In 1998, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing sponsored and the Governor signed legislation that restructured teacher credentialing in California (SB 2042, Alpert/Mazzoni, Ch. 548, Statutes of 1998). The highlights of this reform included a new requirement that teachers complete a two-year induction program of support and formative assessment during their first two years of teaching as a requirement for earning a clear teaching credential. SB 2042 makes participation in an induction program mandatory.
A little more:
In 2004, SB 2210 (Chap. 343, Stats. of 2004) established Induction as the required route to earn the professional clear credential, if a program is available. If an Induction Program is not available, as verified by the employer, then the individual may complete an approved SB 2042
Fifth Year of Study program.[/u]
In 1998, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing sponsored and the Governor signed legislation that restructured teacher credentialing in California (SB 2042, Alpert/Mazzoni, Ch. 548, Statutes of 1998). The highlights of this reform included a new requirement that teachers complete a two-year induction program of support and formative assessment during their first two years of teaching as a requirement for earning a clear teaching credential. SB 2042 makes participation in an induction program mandatory.
A little more:
In 2004, SB 2210 (Chap. 343, Stats. of 2004) established Induction as the required route to earn the professional clear credential, if a program is available. If an Induction Program is not available, as verified by the employer, then the individual may complete an approved SB 2042
Fifth Year of Study program.[/u]
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
[quote="durianfan"][quote="koda"]I am in California- and you have to do a BTSA program to get the clear credential... the preliminary credential is only good for 5 years, so most do the clear in the first 2 years of teaching- as BTSA is a 2 year program....though I've heard some districts will let you do it in a year.
[/quote]
I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.[/quote]
Rules changed for people who got their preliminary after 2004. Basically, it is impossible to get a clear credential now if you are teaching outside of CA. If you have no access to BTSA, the state considers that to be your problem, not theirs. If you call up Sacramento and ask them what to do, they will tell you to get certified elsewhere.
[/quote]
I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.[/quote]
Rules changed for people who got their preliminary after 2004. Basically, it is impossible to get a clear credential now if you are teaching outside of CA. If you have no access to BTSA, the state considers that to be your problem, not theirs. If you call up Sacramento and ask them what to do, they will tell you to get certified elsewhere.
[quote="durianfan"][quote="koda"]I am in California- and you have to do a BTSA program to get the clear credential... the preliminary credential is only good for 5 years, so most do the clear in the first 2 years of teaching- as BTSA is a 2 year program....though I've heard some districts will let you do it in a year.
[/quote]
I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.[/quote]
Yes, they changed the rules a few years ago- you just made it before the change. Sadly I came right after :-( .. but I'm clearing my credential now and then heading overseas this summer and now I just have to pay the renewal fee... it seems very few states are doing the clear credential without some sort of gimmick these days.
[/quote]
I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.[/quote]
Yes, they changed the rules a few years ago- you just made it before the change. Sadly I came right after :-( .. but I'm clearing my credential now and then heading overseas this summer and now I just have to pay the renewal fee... it seems very few states are doing the clear credential without some sort of gimmick these days.