North Dakota Teacher Requirements

North Dakota Teacher Requirements

 Requirements For Becoming a North Dakota Teacher

Below you will find the steps you need to take to start your career as a North Dakota teacher:

• Bachelor’s degree with enough study hours in education; your degree also requires a major or minor in the content area you will each, plus it needs a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• Completion of a teacher education program
• Completion of a course on state Native American studies
• Passing the state’s Praxis tests
• Fingerprint file for a background check

Tests Required In North Dakota

• Praxis I basic skills test
• Praxis II content area exam

Requirements For Renewing Your North Dakota Teacher License

• Eighteen months of education if you’re on your first license
• The completion of six semester hours of college credit in five years for your standard license

Acquiring a License In North Dakota

The North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board provides support for teachers to become licensed to teach in the state. The board supports teachers who wish to conduct their services in primary and secondary schools, including those who teach Native American populations in some of the state’s rural areas.

Rules For Your College Degree

You must receive a bachelor’s degree with a major or minor in the content area you will teach. You should have a GPA of 2.5 or greater.

Your college degree should include enough study hours surrounding education and pedagogy. You can hold a major or minor in education. An elementary-level teacher must hold at least thirty-four semester hours of education studies. A secondary-level educator needs twenty-six semester hours here.

Native American Studies

You must also complete a course on North Dakota Native American studies. You can finish a course through one of various colleges or universities throughout the state. You will not require any certification from any Native American organizations. However, you would need one if you wish to become a Native American reservation teacher or teach Native American studies.

North Dakota Teacher Education Program

The state also requires prospective educators to be certified through a North Dakota teacher education program. Such a program entails studies on how to manage a classroom setting and how to understand pedagogical concepts.

Your teacher education program will include observation sessions where you study teachers as they operate classes. You will learn about how the teacher completes the work and manages many situations. The teacher may request that you lead the class on occasion.

You will require ten weeks of student teaching in North Dakota. Your student teaching session must be in the grade level and field of study you wish to teach. Your work in this program will entail reviewing lesson plans and establishing rules and standards for teaching in your area. You will also be observed while teaching to confirm you are managing the proper standards for educating students.

The program should be in North Dakota, but the state may accept an out-of-state program. The out-of-state effort must be certified by the state and considered suitable for education purposes.

Other Points For Your Application

Your application to teach in North Dakota must include your Record of Education form that includes details on the colleges where you received your degrees. You must also provide a fingerprint packet for your background check.

Your application will go to the state’s Education Standards and Practices Board in Bismarck. The board’s timing to review your application will vary, surrounding the number of applications the state is handling at a time.

Tests To Complete In North Dakota

All prospective teachers in North Dakota must complete the Praxis I and II exams. The Praxis I test is a core skills exam focusing on writing, reading, and math. Furthermore, a composite score of 466 or greater is required to teach in the state.

The Praxis II test is a subject area exam focusing on the specific course and grade level you will teach. The qualifying score for your test will vary surrounding whatever you take.

How Long Does Your License Last?

Your first license for teaching in North Dakota will last for two years. The second license will be for five years, and it can be renewed after that period ends. You must teach for at least eighteen months before you can upgrade to that license.

Requirements For a License Renewal

You can upgrade to your five-year license by teaching for at least eighteen months on your first credential. After that, you will require six semester hours of college study during the five years your license lasts. You can complete these courses through various schools around North Dakota, although online options are available for people who live in rural parts of the state.

The North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board will assist you in managing your renewal effort. You can use the website’s services to review the renewal standards and to find the courses you can complete for your recertification.

Special Points For Teaching Native Languages

North Dakota provides licensures for people who wish to teach Native American languages and culture in the state. Such courses are available in rural parts of the state, including areas on or near Native American reservations.

You must meet these requirements if you wish to teach Native American language and culture in North Dakota:

• A bachelor’s degree in your field of work is necessary. This point includes a major in the Native American study concept you will teach.
• You must complete a three-semester-hour course on classroom education from a tribal college.
• Tribal Language Board members must write and sign a letter of recommendation stating that you are suitable for a license to teach native languages.
• A fingerprint scan and background check are also necessary.

The ND Teach portal can help people register to teach Native American language and culture in the state.

Resources

https://www.nd.gov/espb/licensure – Licensure standards for the state of North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/dpi/education-programs/indian-education – Indian education requirement for North Dakota teachers

https://www.nd.gov/espb/licensure/license-information/types-licenses – Types of licenses for North Dakota teachers

www.ets.org/praxis/nd/requirements/ – Praxis testing standards for North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/espb/licensure/license-information/renewing-license – North Dakota license renewal

https://secure.apps.nd.gov/dpi/ndteach/Login.aspx – ND Teach portal