New Hampshire Teacher Requirements

New Hampshire Teacher Requirements

Requirements For Licensing As a New Hampshire Teacher

Here is what you need to become a New Hampshire Teacher:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Graduation from a teacher preparation program
• Completion of the Praxis tests
• Background check and other items necessary for the application process

Tests Necessary For Certification

• Praxis I
• Praxis II
• Pearson Foundations of Reading test; this is for people who will teach early childhood or elementary classes

Rules For Upgrading Your New Hampshire Teacher License

• Complete at least three years of experience to upgrade to an Experienced license
• Complete seven or more years of teaching and attain a master’s degree for your Master certificate

Renewal Rules

• 75 hours of professional development work; 30 hours are for your endorsement area, and the rest is for your professional development

Who Provides Licenses In New Hampshire?

The New Hampshire Bureau of Credentialing provides help for those who wish to become New Hampshire teachers. The bureau is part of the Division of Educator Support at the New Hampshire Department of Education.

The licensing process is necessary before the start of the traditional school year. You will start with a basic license, but you can move forward if you have further experience. Your license will last for three years regardless of the certification level you hold.

Requirements For a License

You will require a bachelor’s degree or greater to become an educator in New Hampshire. The state does not have any credit hour requirements surrounding your field of study, although you should have a degree in whatever field you wish to teach. Courses relevant to education principles may help.

You will then complete a New Hampshire teacher preparation program. The one or two-semester program involves studies surrounding pedagogy, foundational activities in the classroom, and planning a learning environment. You will complete lesson plans and teach classes in a real setting in the state. A mentor teacher will be available to review your performance and provide the necessary guidance.

The state recommends utilizing an education program within New Hampshire, but any out-of-state program may work from an accredited university. You can submit your data to the state to see if what you have qualifies. You will receive notification of what is missing in your application if you need to add anything else to finish the registration process with all the necessary content.

Tests to Complete

The state uses the Praxis series of tests. You must complete the Praxis I and II tests. Praxis I entails basic skills, while Praxis II focuses on the content area you will teach.

The state requires teachers who will specialize in early childhood, elementary, or reading and writing fields to complete the Foundations of Reading test. Furthermore, the exam from Pearson concentrates on understanding how you can educate children on reading and identify struggles or issues students have when learning to read.

Other Points For Your Application

The state does not require applicants to complete a criminal background history check to receive a license to teach. But a review is necessary before you can find a job at a school. The analysis requires a fingerprint file that the FBI and the state Department of Public Safety will use for records purposes.

The background check can be submitted alongside the letters of verification and other reports you have completed. All documents should go to the Department of Education’s Bureau of Credentialing in Concord.

You must provide an accurate application for your work. Any inaccuracies that might develop will be returned to you for you to correct.

Agreements to Ethics

You must also provide agreements to the ethics standards from the state government. You will agree to the Code of Ethics for New Hampshire Educators. The code states you will focus on providing full services to your students while supporting other educators in your school. The work includes providing proper help to students who need assistance to most, including using rational solutions for managing issues that develop.

The Code of Conduct is also necessary for your work. All educators will agree to the Code of Conduct, which states you must provide proper behavior when teaching. The work includes being truthful, avoiding illegal activities, and providing equal and fair access to all students.

Upgrading Your License

The first license you will earn as a New Hampshire teacher is the Beginning Educator Certificate. The certification is for teachers with less than three years of teaching experience. The credential works for three years.

You can upgrade your license to an Experienced Educator Certificate after three years. The license is also good for three years. The Experienced Certificate suggests you have more experience surrounding the work at hand.

The Master Teacher Certificate is the highest level of certification available in New Hampshire. In addition, the Master’s credential says you have seven or more years of teaching experience, plus you have completed graduate courses in your endorsement area. The license is also valid for three years.

The application process should be managed close to when you need to renew your license. You can get the application going as soon as six months before your current license expires. The timing for how long it would take for you to renew your credential will vary, as the state may have a substantial backlog of licenses that need to be renewed sooner.

Renewing Your License

You must complete 75 professional development hours to renew your license. One college credit is equal to fifteen development hours. Thirty of those 75 hours should be for your endorsement area, while 45 hours should focus on professional development efforts, including pedagogy studies.

The Bureau of Credentialing is responsible for managing the renewal process. You can submit proof of your development hours to the bureau a few months before your current license expires.

Resources

https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/division-of-educator-support-and-higher-education/bureau-of-credentialing – New Hampshire Bureau of Credentialing

https://www.education.nh.gov/pathways-education – Education Pathways for New Hampshire teachers

https://www.ets.org/praxis/nh – Praxis testing data for New Hampshire teachers

https://www.nh.nesinc.com/ – Foundations of Reading exam

https://www.learnersedge.com/about-courses/state-requirements/new-hampshire-teacher-license-renewal – Renewal requirements for New Hampshire teachers

https://www.education.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt326/files/inline-documents/code_ethics.pdf – New Hampshire Code of Ethics

https://www.education.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt326/files/inline-documents/code_conduct.pdf – New Hampshire Code of Conduct