Indiana Teacher Requirements

Requirements For a Basic Indiana Teacher License

• Bachelor’s degree with a major in education and a minor in your content area or the other way around for elementary purposes
• Bachelor’s degree with a major in your content area and minor in education for high school education
• In addition, completion of a teacher education program
• Passing the Indiana Teacher CORE tests
• Physical emergency training
• Background check

Upgrading Your Indiana Teacher License

• Complete the Indiana Mentoring and Assessment Program; this takes two years to complete

Exams Necessary for an Indiana Teacher

• Indiana CORE Assessments, including the basic skills and content area exams
• Heimlich maneuver, CPR, and AED training
• Suicide prevention training

Renewing Your Indiana Teacher License

• 90 PGP points or six hours of college courses in the five years before you need to renew your license

Attaining Your Indiana Teacher License

You can become an Indiana teacher by completing an in-state or online teacher education program certified by the Indiana Department of Education. The department provides an in-state learning program that covers pedagogical studies and how to manage unique classroom settings. It can take about one or two semesters on average to complete such a program.

You must also hold a bachelor’s degree or greater, although the rules for what you should hold will vary surrounding the grade level you will teach. Furthermore, the Indiana Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability state that an elementary school teacher must have a bachelor’s degree in education and a minor in whatever content area one holds, or that person can have a bachelor’s degree in the content area and a minor in education.

A high school teacher will require a bachelor’s degree with a content area major and an education minor.

The state recommends you complete all your training efforts to become a teacher in Indiana within the state itself. Indiana still accepts out-of-state credentials, although the state will inform you of any classes you still need to take to meet its teacher requirements.

You must also pass the Indiana CORE Assessment test and an additional test surrounding your content area. All applicants must also complete their CPR and Heimlich maneuver training and learn how to use an AED or automated external defibrillator.

You can also apply for your license through the Licensing Verification and Information System service. You must also complete a full criminal history background check before you can receive your license and be eligible for employment in Indiana schools.

Becoming a Proficient Practitioner

You will receive your Initial Practitioner certificate when you first become eligible to teach in Indiana. The certificate is good for two years and can be renewed, but you will have an easier time finding employment in the state if you are a Proficient Practitioner.

The Proficient Practitioner license is a renewable five-year license that confirms one’s ability to handle various school situations and activities. However, you must finish the Indiana Mentoring and Assessment Program.

The IMAP is a two-year internship that entails additional studies on how to manage school settings. Your internship will entail serving under a mentor teacher.

You can participate in the IMAP program if employed at a public school within the state or an accredited private school in a subject area within your license. Your contract with that school must be for at least 120 days. You may also qualify if you have less than two years of experience as a licensed teacher in a school outside Indiana.

You must complete the developmental activities in the IMAP system and complete a full assessment based on the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium principles. These include points like:

• Understanding the developmental needs of children
• Understanding how students can differ in how they learn and what approaches they use
• Using various verbal, nonverbal, and media-based forms of communication towards students
• Planning instructional efforts surrounding goals and everyone’s knowledge of the subject matter
• How to use assessment strategies to review students
• Recognizing how to create unique learning experiences that support the needs of all students
• Fostering relationships with students, teachers, parents, and others within the academic community with a focus on improving everyone’s quality of life

You will also provide a letter of completion to the state after you are confirmed to have met all the INTASC principles. You can apply for your license as necessary.

Exams For Certification

The Indiana CORE Assessment test series is the primarily evaluation system within the state. The CORE Assessment system entails two separate parts, similar to what the Praxis series uses.

First, there is the basic skills test. The exam focuses on math, writing, and reading.

You may be exempt from the basic skills test if you have taken another standardized test and received a suitable grade. These include 1100 on the GRE, 1100 on the SAT, or 24 on the ACT. You could also skip the skills test if you have a master’s degree.

Second, you must complete a content area test. The exam focuses on various content areas surrounding general subjects, specific courses, foreign languages, and business and technology education. There are also special education tests for helping those with visual or hearing impairments.

You must also complete training in managing medical emergencies that may occur within the classroom. These include CPR and Heimlich maneuver training, plus training on how to use an automated external defibrillator or AED. A suicide prevention course may also be necessary, as it entails how to identify depression and other mental issues that may negatively influence students.

Renewal Points

You must complete ninety professional growth points or PGP hours during the five years you have your license. You may obtain these PGP hours by completing online studies on various topics surrounding classroom activities and functions. The IDE can help you in managing your renewal effort.

You may also complete six hours of college work in your field. This effort includes studies on educational points and pedagogical studies. You can contact a local in-state school to see what courses are available for your renewal needs.