Connecticut Teacher Requirements

Requirements For A Connecticut Teacher Initial Educator Certificate

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Completion of a teacher preparation program
• Thirty-six or more clock hours of special education courses
• Completion of the necessary exams in your field
• Transcripts and confirmation forms, including ED-125 and ED-126
• State background check
• All necessary fees

Requirements For a Connecticut Teacher Provisional Educator Certificate

• Ten months of experience with an Initial certificate through the teacher induction and mentoring program
• You could also conduct thirty months of experience within ten years in a school certified by the state

Requirements For a Connecticut Teacher Professional Educator Certificate

• Thirty months of education experience as a Provisional certificate holder in the state
• Additional course requirements as dictated by the state; this varies by subject

Exams Necessary

• PRAXIS I and II exams
• Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test for elementary and early education teachers
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages for those teaching a foreign language

Renewal Requirements

• At least eighteen hours of professional development courses in your field for every year of education

Three Certificate Levels

There are three certificate levels for being an educator in Connecticut:

1. Initial Educator Certificate – Valid for three years and cannot be renewed
2. Provisional Educator Certificate – Works for eight years
3. Professional Educator Certificate – Good for five years

Those who have the highest-level certificates will be eligible for more educational opportunities, including some of the highest-paying ones in the state.

The Connecticut official state website has reports on how you can get your credentials.

Earning an Initial Educator Certificate

The first step towards becoming a teacher in Connecticut is to acquire an Initial Educator Certificate. You can attain your certificate from the Connecticut State Department of Education by completing a bachelor’s degree and a teacher preparation program at an accredited institution. The Board of Education must approve of any programs you will complete.

You must also attain at least thirty-six clock hours of special education courses.

Basic skill testing and content area testing are both required. The PRAXIS I test is necessary for all applicants. The PRAXIS II exam is for the content area you will follow, although the Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test would also be necessary alongside the PRAXIS II test if you plan on teaching elementary or early childhood classes. The ACFTL exam for foreign language education is also a requirement for teachers looking to lead a world language.

Those who have not completed a state-approved educator preparation program may still qualify for certification if they have completed the proper coursework at a college and have at least twenty months of teaching experience in whatever subject one wishes to teach.

You must submit all your transcripts, copies of score reports for your exams, application fees, and a background check with the State Police Bureau of Identification. Form ED-125, a statement confirming your higher education, must be completed by the college or university you attended. You’ll also require Form ED-126, a statement of professional experience you held in the past.

Earning a Provisional Educator Certificate

You can acquire a Provisional Educator Certificate after the initial three-year certificate expires. The Provisional certificate lasts for eight years.

You must have at least ten months of experience as an Initial certificate holder while completing a teacher induction and mentoring program. In addition, you will work with an advisor who will review your teaching activities, and confirm how you can establish lesson plans, communicate with your students, and other factors.

You could also apply for a Provisional certificate if you have thirty or more months of experience within ten years in a public school system outside the state. However, you must have a valid certificate in that state. Private school teachers may also qualify if they were in schools supported by an appropriate governing body.

Earning a Professional Educator Certificate

The Professional Educator Certificate is the highest level of certification you can attain in Connecticut. The certificate lasts for five years.

You must complete at least thirty school months of teaching while holding a Provisional certificate. The teaching can occur in either a public school or a private institution approved by the state.

All applicants must also complete any course requirements necessary for the study. The coursework demands will vary by subject area, but they may entail the following:

• Studying additional courses in your subject area
• Completing an internship in your field
• Completing another test

Exams For Teachers

All applicants in Connecticut must complete the PRAXIS I Basic Competency exam. The test includes segments in reading, writing, and mathematics.

You may receive a waiver to avoid completing the PRAXIS I test if you can provide any of the following:

• Total score of 1100 or greater on the SAT
• Score of 22 on the English test and 19 on the Mathematics test on the ACT
• Math and verbal scores of at least 400 each on the Prueba de Aptitud Academica or PAA
• Score of 510 or more on the English as a Second Language Test on the PAA
• Combined score of 1000 or greater on the GRE; the quantitative reasoning score should be at least 500

There are also three separate content area assessment tests you may complete:

• PRAXIS II exam; this is necessary for all applicants
• Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test for people aiming to be early childhood or elementary teachers
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages exam if you plan on teaching a foreign language

Renewal Rules

You must complete at least eighteen hours of professional development courses for every year you are employed when renewing your certificate. The specific standards for what you will do when completing these courses will vary surrounding whatever you study and how you will complete different points.

Finally, you can apply for renewal about six months before your certificate expires. You must complete this before at least six weeks before the certificate expires. You can create an account with the Connecticut Educator Certification System to help you facilitate the process and to help you keep tabs on how the renewal process is working.