My wife is Canadian and is looking for a program to complete her teacher's certification through while living abroad. We have checked into Teach Ready and the College of New Jersey global program, but the problem with American certification programs is that if you do not have an American social security number, you can only be awarded a certificate of qualification. Will this certificate be sufficient for an international school teacher? Or does anyone know of any other programs that she could become certified through?
Thanks in advance for any info anyone has to offer!
Getting certified while living abroad
Reply
A certificate of qualification is not a teaching certificate/license, it would not be acceptable for certification at an IS.
teacher certification license is dictated by the state licensing board for educators, not the school/program. I know a number of overseas students that have majored and studied education and gotten their state teaching certificate without a social security number. I would advice you to contact the various state authorities, I know you dont need a social security number to apply for certification in California, and Texas.
teacher certification license is dictated by the state licensing board for educators, not the school/program. I know a number of overseas students that have majored and studied education and gotten their state teaching certificate without a social security number. I would advice you to contact the various state authorities, I know you dont need a social security number to apply for certification in California, and Texas.
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There are so many, just about every university seems to have one, of the ones that i know that work with international teachers, albeit on a case by case basis:
Cal State Teach (http://www.calstateteach.net/) is a very flexible program, they have the seminar portion online and even an iPad app for it. They specifically have a path for private school (which is what ISs are) that will have a mentor (typically your principal) do your evaluations. The strongest advantage is that California (among many other states) use the Praxis exam, and you can take these at various sites world wide. Another benefit is that many schools (specifically in Asia) are WASC accredited when referring to American programs, and California pretty much drives the WASC standards.
Texas Teachers (http://www.texasteachers.org/) is also pretty flexible, the seminars are all online, and they have a clinical teaching option thats a semester (12 weeks) long if your wife isnt employed, which can get you certified very fast. They have worked with teachers in international schools before. The only issue is you have to return to the states (much like Florida) to take the assessment tests (neither Florida nor Texas use the Praxis).
If your still interested in Florida's Teach Ready program what you may not realize is that a non-citizen (Canadian) can apply for a social security number for non work purposes if she have a valid reason for needing one (and meeting a state tracking/ID requirement is a valid reason).
See publication Page 2, "What if i need a number for other reasons"
http://ssa.gov/pubs/10096.pdf
Request a hard copy CG-10 application form from the Florida SBOE (edcert@fldoe.org), and include a copy of the cover letter citing Florida Statute §1012.56, requiring a Social security number as being the ONLY acceptable form of tracking and identifier accepted. The Social Security administration will take about 2 weeks to process and verify the application, and then mail you a social security card. You can then pursue the Florida Teach ready program if you wish, as for ITs they have an established record of working with teachers in an international setting.
Cal State Teach (http://www.calstateteach.net/) is a very flexible program, they have the seminar portion online and even an iPad app for it. They specifically have a path for private school (which is what ISs are) that will have a mentor (typically your principal) do your evaluations. The strongest advantage is that California (among many other states) use the Praxis exam, and you can take these at various sites world wide. Another benefit is that many schools (specifically in Asia) are WASC accredited when referring to American programs, and California pretty much drives the WASC standards.
Texas Teachers (http://www.texasteachers.org/) is also pretty flexible, the seminars are all online, and they have a clinical teaching option thats a semester (12 weeks) long if your wife isnt employed, which can get you certified very fast. They have worked with teachers in international schools before. The only issue is you have to return to the states (much like Florida) to take the assessment tests (neither Florida nor Texas use the Praxis).
If your still interested in Florida's Teach Ready program what you may not realize is that a non-citizen (Canadian) can apply for a social security number for non work purposes if she have a valid reason for needing one (and meeting a state tracking/ID requirement is a valid reason).
See publication Page 2, "What if i need a number for other reasons"
http://ssa.gov/pubs/10096.pdf
Request a hard copy CG-10 application form from the Florida SBOE (edcert@fldoe.org), and include a copy of the cover letter citing Florida Statute §1012.56, requiring a Social security number as being the ONLY acceptable form of tracking and identifier accepted. The Social Security administration will take about 2 weeks to process and verify the application, and then mail you a social security card. You can then pursue the Florida Teach ready program if you wish, as for ITs they have an established record of working with teachers in an international setting.
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BookshelfAmy
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:21 pm
Something to keep in mind: Texas requires 150 hours of professional developement every five years to renew your cert. They're very flexible as to what counts as PD, and you keep track of the hours yourself. Right now, you don't actually have to submit your tracking sheet for renewal; they only ask for it if you get audited. I know they're in the process of changing some things about Texas certification... I don't know if that's one of them.
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
[quote="Rutabaga"] Also, it is not possible to get a Clear Credential in California if one is not living in the state. Getting a preliminary teaching credential in California is essentially a dead end.[/quote]
Correct, with one exception - National Board Certification. But it's much easier to just transfer the california prelim to a state with less ridiculous requirements.
Correct, with one exception - National Board Certification. But it's much easier to just transfer the california prelim to a state with less ridiculous requirements.
Correction
California stopped using the Praxis, time sure flies. Sorry about that one, my mistake.
It's completely and utterly incorrect and untrue that you have to live in the state to get a clear credential. I got a clear credential and didnt live in the state. There is no residency requirement to get a clear credential. The route 2 certification is a lot easier to meet for a teacher with 2 or more years experience then a NBTS. You can review the requirements here
http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl874.pdf
It's completely and utterly incorrect and untrue that you have to live in the state to get a clear credential. I got a clear credential and didnt live in the state. There is no residency requirement to get a clear credential. The route 2 certification is a lot easier to meet for a teacher with 2 or more years experience then a NBTS. You can review the requirements here
http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl874.pdf
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
^
The above is true, assuming you are transferring a credential from somewhere else or were prepared out of state.
What I and I think Rutabaga were referring to is if you were prepared in CA and issued a CA prelim. In this case you are indeed required to teach in CA in order to turn the prelim into a clear - unless you get a National Board cert.
What gets interesting here is if the following would be possible: get prepared and get your prelim in CA, transfer that prelim to a state that is more International Teacher friendly (WA or CO, for example), get your 2 - 3 years experience in international schools, and then transfer your credential back to CA for a clear. Anyone tried this?
The above is true, assuming you are transferring a credential from somewhere else or were prepared out of state.
What I and I think Rutabaga were referring to is if you were prepared in CA and issued a CA prelim. In this case you are indeed required to teach in CA in order to turn the prelim into a clear - unless you get a National Board cert.
What gets interesting here is if the following would be possible: get prepared and get your prelim in CA, transfer that prelim to a state that is more International Teacher friendly (WA or CO, for example), get your 2 - 3 years experience in international schools, and then transfer your credential back to CA for a clear. Anyone tried this?
Discussion
Oh very possible, I know a number of teachers that went from California, to Texas, got there standard certification, then went back to California and got there clear credential. Though they didn't teach overseas.
Why go through the California preliminary program in the first place? Compared to the high entry requirements and lengthy time investment other states have programs that you can finish with far less time and work. California is a great state to "park" your certificate once you can get a clear credential but before that its process is a pain.
A couple of teachers I know are working through the cal state teach program at international schools though. The program provides the Clear Credential with the GE Clear credential requirement through CSU Fullerton. The ones I know though haven't actually gotten to a point though of applying for the clear credential yet.
Its technically possible to get a preliminary, teach overseas for 3 years and then apply for the NBTC then turn around and use that to apply for a clear credential, But it would be a VERY close process. Your preliminary certificate is good for 5 years, you need 3 years experience before your eligible to apply to the NBTC program, and that's an 18 month assessment process. Assuming you got hired or could begin service experience as soon as you received the preliminary, you'd only have 6 months left to apply for the clear, and that all assumes you pass the first time, and if you didn't, your preliminary may well expire without having completed the California requirements for the clear. Which would leave you uncertified.
It would be a lot easier to transfer your preliminary California certificate to another state, teach for 2 years and then apply back to California for the clear credential.
Why go through the California preliminary program in the first place? Compared to the high entry requirements and lengthy time investment other states have programs that you can finish with far less time and work. California is a great state to "park" your certificate once you can get a clear credential but before that its process is a pain.
A couple of teachers I know are working through the cal state teach program at international schools though. The program provides the Clear Credential with the GE Clear credential requirement through CSU Fullerton. The ones I know though haven't actually gotten to a point though of applying for the clear credential yet.
Its technically possible to get a preliminary, teach overseas for 3 years and then apply for the NBTC then turn around and use that to apply for a clear credential, But it would be a VERY close process. Your preliminary certificate is good for 5 years, you need 3 years experience before your eligible to apply to the NBTC program, and that's an 18 month assessment process. Assuming you got hired or could begin service experience as soon as you received the preliminary, you'd only have 6 months left to apply for the clear, and that all assumes you pass the first time, and if you didn't, your preliminary may well expire without having completed the California requirements for the clear. Which would leave you uncertified.
It would be a lot easier to transfer your preliminary California certificate to another state, teach for 2 years and then apply back to California for the clear credential.
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
You can get a 3 year extension on the prelim if you are in a situation where you can't clear it. I know of a few teachers who have done this. It buys some extra time.
Transferring and then re-transferring back to CA for a clear would seem to work in theory. My only question is if CA would count international school experience towards the 2 year requirement? As mentioned, CA can be a pain with these types of requirements.
Transferring and then re-transferring back to CA for a clear would seem to work in theory. My only question is if CA would count international school experience towards the 2 year requirement? As mentioned, CA can be a pain with these types of requirements.
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BookshelfAmy
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:21 pm
I did my post-bacc cert in Texas last year. The rules have changed a lot in the last four years. Just so we're all on the same page, here's some information from the Texas Administrative code.
The school where you do your "field-based experience, internship, student teaching, clinical teaching, and/or practicum" must be approved by the Texas Education Agency. They say:
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-All Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, wherever located, and all schools accredited by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) are approved by the TEA.
-An educator preparation program may file an application with the SBEC for approval, subject to periodic review, of a public or private school located outside the United States, as a site for student teaching or clinical teaching required by this chapter. The application shall be in a form developed by the TEA staff and shall include, at a minimum:
(i) the accreditation(s) held by the school;
(ii) a crosswalk comparison of the alignment of the instructional standards of the school with those of the applicable TEKS and SBEC certification standards;
(iii) the certification, credentials, and training of the field supervisor(s) who will supervise candidates in the school; and
(iv) the measures that will be taken by the educator preparation program to ensure that the candidate's experience will be equivalent to that of a candidate in a Texas public school accredited by the TEA.
with the addition of a description of the on-site program personnel and program support that will be provided and a description of the school's recognition by the U.S. State Department Office of Overseas Schools.
Supervision of each candidate shall be conducted with the structured guidance and regular ongoing support of an experienced educator who has been trained as a field supervisor.
(from Title 19 §228.35)
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To explain that last bit, you're required to have a campus mentor (a more experience teacher who works with you on site) and a field supervisor (usually a former teacher employed by the educator prep program) who both have to observe you three times during your student teaching/internship.
There's apparently a list of all the schools approved by TEA to host field experiences, but I can't find it. All I can find are public and private schools in Texas.
There is a list of all the approved EPPs in Texas. I'd post the link, but it's kind of finicky; just search for "SBEC approved programs". You'd probably want to focus on the Alternative/Accelerated Programs.
So... in summary... it seems like a pain to get your field experience approved outside the US. If you're willing to come to Texas for 12 weeks for a clinical internship, that'd be the easier route.
The school where you do your "field-based experience, internship, student teaching, clinical teaching, and/or practicum" must be approved by the Texas Education Agency. They say:
---------------------------
-All Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, wherever located, and all schools accredited by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) are approved by the TEA.
-An educator preparation program may file an application with the SBEC for approval, subject to periodic review, of a public or private school located outside the United States, as a site for student teaching or clinical teaching required by this chapter. The application shall be in a form developed by the TEA staff and shall include, at a minimum:
(i) the accreditation(s) held by the school;
(ii) a crosswalk comparison of the alignment of the instructional standards of the school with those of the applicable TEKS and SBEC certification standards;
(iii) the certification, credentials, and training of the field supervisor(s) who will supervise candidates in the school; and
(iv) the measures that will be taken by the educator preparation program to ensure that the candidate's experience will be equivalent to that of a candidate in a Texas public school accredited by the TEA.
with the addition of a description of the on-site program personnel and program support that will be provided and a description of the school's recognition by the U.S. State Department Office of Overseas Schools.
Supervision of each candidate shall be conducted with the structured guidance and regular ongoing support of an experienced educator who has been trained as a field supervisor.
(from Title 19 §228.35)
------------------------------
To explain that last bit, you're required to have a campus mentor (a more experience teacher who works with you on site) and a field supervisor (usually a former teacher employed by the educator prep program) who both have to observe you three times during your student teaching/internship.
There's apparently a list of all the schools approved by TEA to host field experiences, but I can't find it. All I can find are public and private schools in Texas.
There is a list of all the approved EPPs in Texas. I'd post the link, but it's kind of finicky; just search for "SBEC approved programs". You'd probably want to focus on the Alternative/Accelerated Programs.
So... in summary... it seems like a pain to get your field experience approved outside the US. If you're willing to come to Texas for 12 weeks for a clinical internship, that'd be the easier route.