Alternative and Emergency Certification
The Tuscaloosa City Schools employs non-certified applicants in critical needs areas when there are no other certified applicants available.
Emergency Certificate
An individual cannot request an Emergency Certificate. The Emergency Certificate may ONLY be requested by an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator for an individual who has earned at least a bachelor’s degree from a senior institution that was regionally accredited at the time the degree was earned. This is a two-year certificate that can be requested for an additional two years if necessary. This certificate does not lead to Alabama professional certification.
Effective with the 2018-19 School Term, the Emergency Certificate in Special Education is NO LONGER available.
Additional information may be found here:https://www.alabamaachieves.org/2022/06/emergency/
Alternative Certificate Options
To be considered for an alternative certification, an applicant MUST have a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 on a bachelor's degree and 3.0 on a master's degree. For persons with a GPA between 2.0 and 2.49, a higher alternate passing score on the Praxis is required.
Praxis information may be found here:
https://www.ets.org/praxis/al/test-takers/plan-your-test/certification.html
Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) Approach
The provisional route of certification is a series of one-year certificates over a three-year period of time. The teacher must meet the requirements at the end of each year in order to be rehired and to file for the next certificate. Four designated college courses from an Alabama College or University must be taken in the first two years on the Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) path. Two are required the first year and two the second year. A list of Alabama Colleges and Universities is available on the Alabama State Department of Education website at Teacher Certification - Alabama Department of Education (alabamaachieves.org), then look for Provisional Certification in a Teaching Field. Course times and availability vary from college to college and also vary from year to year. A grade of "C" or higher is required. All tuition expenses must be borne by the teacher. An individual may not be employed for more than three years while holding an alternative certificate.
This approach is NOT available in the areas of Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education.
Information regarding the Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) Approach may be found here:
https://www.alabamaachieves.org/2022/08/provisional-certificate-in-a-teaching-field/
Interim Employment Certificate (IEC) Approach
The IEC approach may be completed at an Alabama college/university. Unconditional admission into an Alternative Class A Master's Program or unconditional admission into a Traditional Class A Master's program is required to begin this approach. If interested in pursuing this approach, you should contact the Alabama college/university of your choosing for additional information.
Additional information regarding the Interim Employment Certificate (IEC) may be found here:
https://ww.alabamaachieves.org/2022/08/interim-employment-certificate/
ALREADY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND INTERESTED IN TEACHING IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
ONLY ONE ALTERNATIVE PATH AVAILABLE TO TEACH ELEMENTARY OR EARLY CHILDHOOD WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE (IEC Approach).
REQUIREMENTS:
1. You must be unconditionally admitted to a regionally accredited Graduate School of Education of an Alabama college or university to work on what is known as an Alternative Master’s Degree in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education. Unconditionally admitted means that the university is accepting you as a graduate student and you have met all requirements for admission. Sometimes teachers are admitted conditionally. This means that they have certain tests or prerequisites that have to be met before they can be admitted to the graduate school. You cannot be employed as a teacher under this approach if you have been admitted conditionally.
2. If admitted unconditionally, you can be issued a series of 3, one year Interim Certificates (IEC). You must have met all testing requirements for the IEC at the time of application for the IEC. The master’s degree must be gained within three years. An official transcript is required each year to show progress on the degree. At the end of the process the degree is awarded and the college or university will apply for you to receive a regular Alabama Professional Educator Certificate. This certificate is valid for five years and can be renewed every five years by documenting a total of 50 professional development hours over the five year period.
3. The teacher IS allowed to work/teach for these three years while working on the degree. The degree MUST be finished in 3 scholastic years.
Applicants to teach must be recommended by a principal in order to be hired. Human Resources then checks to see if the applicant qualifies for some type of teaching certificate. Current employees may do a Transfer Application (online).
You may go here for additional information concerning the IEC:
https://www.alabamaachieves.org/2022/08/interim-employment-certificate/
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER?
There are THREE routes or paths that can be taken to become a Special Education Teacher when the person already has a bachelor’s degree in another subject. (Alabama State Department of Education Policy)
Pathway – Out of State College or University
REQUIREMENTS:
1. A master’s degree from a regionally accredited out of state university that leads toward teacher certification. The college or university has their own requirements to be admitted to their graduate program. You must meet their requirements.
2. Upon completion of the degree the teacher must gain teacher certification from the state where the university is located. Once receiving that state’s certificate, the teacher must apply for an Alabama Certificate by what is known as reciprocity. The forms and procedures for doing this are on the Alabama Department of Education Website https://www.alabamaachieves.org/teacher-center/teacher-certification/out-of-state-certificate/
3. You are NOT allowed to work as a teacher until you have been issued the Alabama Professional Educator Certificate with an endorsement in Special Education.
Pathway – IN STATE College or University – INTERIM EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE (IEC) APPROACH
REQUIREMENTS:
1. You must be unconditionally admitted to a regionally accredited Graduate School of Education of an Alabama college or university to work on what is known as an Alternative Master’s Degree. Unconditionally admitted means that the university is accepting you as a graduate student and you have met all requirements for admission. Sometimes teachers are admitted conditionally. This means that they have certain tests or prerequisites that have to be met before they can be admitted to the graduate school. You cannot be employed as a teacher if you have been admitted conditionally.
2. If admitted unconditionally you can be issued a series of 3 one year Interim Certificates (IEC). You must have met all testing requirements for the IEC at the time of application for the IEC. The master’s degree must be gained within three years. An official transcript is required each year to show progress on the degree. At the end of the process the degree is awarded and the college or university will apply for you to receive a regular Alabama Professional Teacher Certificate. This certificate is good for five years and can be renewed every five years by documenting a total of 50 in-service hours over the five year period.
3. The teacher IS allowed to work/teach for these three years while working on the degree. The degree MUST be finished in 3 scholastic years.
Pathway – Designated Alabama College or University – TEMPORARY SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATE (TSEC)
REQUIRMENTS For admission to a Temporary Certificate in Collaborative Special Education (Grades 6-12 ONLY):
1. Overall GPA of 2.50 or higher on accredited bachelor’s degree.
2. Documented enrollment in at least one course provided by an Alabama college or university approved to provide this approach.
An individual can be issued up to three, one-year certificates for a person making progress toward completing this approach of passing five courses from one institution over the three-year period. The Temporary Certificates are not renewable.
An individual can be issued the Class B certificate endorsed for Collaborative Special Education (grades 6-12) upon completion of the program and completion of all requirements.
- Passing the Special Education Praxis 5354
- Completion of one full year of teaching full-time special education in Grades 6-12 while holding the Temporary Special Education Certificate.
The colleges and universities offering these courses may be found here: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/TEA_AC_2022510_Approved-Coursework-Temporary-Special-Education_V1.0.pdf
ALL applicants to teach must be recommended by a principal in order to be hired. Human Resources then checks to see if the applicant qualifies for a current valid teaching certificate. Current employees must complete a Transfer Application (online).