Alabama State Board of Education Voted to Lower Teacher Certification Requirements

In July 2022, the Alabama Board of Education voted to lower teacher certification requirements. 

Before the change, those wanting to become teachers in Alabama must pass the Praxis teacher test in their subject area, have a 2.5 or above GPA in their subject area, and pass the edTPA assessment, a test focused on teaching skills.

The Alabama State Board of Education voted to add the below additional options for those who don’t meet those requirements.

1.) Teachers who score below passing on the Praxis, or subject exam, must have a higher GPA in their subject area or 100 hours of high-quality professional development. 

2.) Teachers scoring within one standard error measure of the cut score on the Praxis exam of the cute score may obtain their certificate if they have at least a 2.75 GPA in their subject area and pass the edTPA teaching skills test. 

3.) Teachers scoring within one standard error measure of the passing score on the Praxis exam, pass the edTPA and have graduated from an Alabama college or university but do not have at least 2.75 may be given a temporary certificate for up to three years while they work toward either a passing score on the Praxis or complete 100 hours of professional learning. 

If a school district has “extraordinary critical need,” the district superintendent can request a waiver to hire teachers who have scored below the required Praxis score in their content area. In such circumstances, those teachers must pass the edTPA and would be required to have at least a 2.5 in their subject area.

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These changes are intended to help address Alabama’s teacher shortage, US News