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Alabama Teacher Certification and Career Guide

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) oversees the licensure of public K-12 teachers in the state. The main steps for the traditional path to teacher certification in Alabama are:

  1. Complete a bachelor’s degree with a state-approved teacher preparation component.
  2. Complete a student teaching placement.
  3. Pass the required teacher certification exams.
  4. Apply for a teaching certificate or license.

Continue reading to learn more about the traditional certification pathway in Alabama.

Table of Contents


How to Become a Teacher in Alabama

This section outlines the steps to become a certified teacher in Alabama via the traditional pathway. If you already have a bachelor’s degree in a field outside of education but have not yet completed a teacher preparation program, explore our guide to alternative teacher certification in Alabama to learn more about your options.

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree that includes an approved teacher preparation program.

To earn certification through the traditional route, prospective teachers must earn a bachelor’s degree that includes a state-approved educator preparation program (EPP). The bachelor’s major you pursue will depend on the grade level and subject you wish to teach. For a list of approved EPPs, visit the ALSDE website.

You can compare key metrics for state-approved teacher preparation programs on our Alabama schools page. You can also read about two important accreditations to consider, institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation, on our teaching schools guide.

2. Complete a student teaching placement.

As part of your EPP, you will complete a clinical practicum or internship that provides opportunities to develop your competence in teaching. The clinical practice should be in the grade level and subject area of your desired certificate. You will work with an experienced teacher who will provide feedback on your teaching methods. In Alabama, at least one third of the program must consist of teaching field courses.

3. Pass the required Alabama teacher exams.

Alabama State SealCandidates for Alabama teacher certification must complete the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements. This includes earning a passing score on the Praxis Subject Assessments and the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) or the Praxis Principles of Teaching and Learning (PLT) exam for fields such as Gifted Education and Health Science. The Pearson Foundations of Reading test is required for certification in early childhood and elementary education. You can review the required exams on the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website.

4. Apply for Alabama teacher certification.

After all the above steps have been completed, you must complete an application for a Class B Professional Educator Certificate and submit the following:

  • Background check and fingerprinting with the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ASBI) and FBI
  • Official transcripts
  • Verification of test scores
  • Verification of state-approved EPP with recommendation
  • Non-refundable application fee

The application can be found on the ALSDE website.

Guide to Other Teaching Pathways

Alabama Teacher Certification Renewal

The Professional Educator Certificate is valid for five years. To keep it valid and active, candidates must continue their certificate by June 30 of the year of its expiration. To continue a certificate, candidates must meet one of the following requirements:

  • Have three years of full-time professional educational work experience and 50 clock hours of professional development
  • Have three years of full-time professional educational work experience and three semester hours of allowable credit
  • Have 50 clock hours of allowable professional development
  • Have six semester hours of allowable credit
  • Be National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified
  • Have 100 clock hours of professional development from specified providers

Teachers must use the Continuation Application to renew.

Adding Subjects or Grades to a Certificate

Once you receive your teaching certificate, you will only be eligible to work as a teacher in the grade levels and certification areas listed on your certificate, though occasional, temporary exceptions are made. Teachers with at least two years of full-time classroom experience can add a teaching field to a valid Alabama Professional Educator Certificate by passing the appropriate Praxis subject assessment of the AECAP through the Certification Based on Test (CBT) Additional Teaching Field Approach. The certificate issued through this approach is a Class B certificate. More information, along with available teaching fields, can be found on the ALSDE website.

Alabama Teaching License Reciprocity

Teachers who hold a bachelor’s degree and a valid professional educator certificate issued by another state in an area and grade level comparable to Alabama certification are eligible for certificate reciprocity. Applicants who do not have at least three years of full-time professional educational work experience in the area of certification being sought must have passed the Praxis subject area tests or a comparable content knowledge test. The Certificate Reciprocity Application is available on the ALSDE website. Along with the application, you will need to submit:

  • Original, valid professional educator certificate
  • Original transcripts of all degrees and credits earned
  • Background check and fingerprinting with the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ASBI) and FBI

In addition to standard classroom teaching certificates, Alabama issues certificates for administrators and school leaders. These include:

  • Professional Leadership Certificate: Requires a valid master’s degree in the related area of educational administration or supervision, three years of full-time educational work experience in a P-12 setting which includes at least one year of classroom teaching experience, and passing the related Praxis exams.
  • School Counselor Certificate: Requires the completion of a state-approved school counseling program, verification of specific educational experience, and passing the related Praxis exams.
  • Speech-Language Pathology Professional Educator Certificate: Requires a master’s degree and verification of a valid Speech-Language Pathology License issued by a state’s speech-language pathology licensing board.

Additional certifications are available for school librarians, career and technical teachers, and others. In general, candidates for advanced certificates must complete a master’s degree and an educator preparation program in their desired certification area and pass the relevant exam. In many cases, candidates must also hold a teaching certificate with two to three years of classroom teaching experience. For more information, visit the ALSDE website.

Alabama Teacher Outlook, Salary, and Jobs

Projected Job Growth

2.4%

Growth in Teaching Jobs in AL through 20322*

According to the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the state of Alabama has a student-to-teacher ratio of about 17:1.3 During the 2017-2018 school year, there were 1,474 public K-12 schools in the state, which enrolled a student population of over 742,000 with about 41,802 teachers.3

Educator job prospects through 2032 are stronger in Alabama than the expected national averages, with job growth for Alabama elementary teachers projected at 2.2% compared to 0.7% nationally; for Alabama middle school teachers, 2.4% compared to 0.8% nationally; and for Alabama secondary school teachers, 2.6% compared to 1% nationally.2 The table below provides a detailed comparison of job growth prospects and salary levels for Alabama teachers.

TypeNumber Employed in AL4Average Annual Openings in AL2AL Proj. Job Growth 2022-20322Average Annual Salary in AL425th Percentile Wages in AL575th Percentile Wages in AL5
Preschool Teachers5,9707107.7%$26,020$21,020$28,770
Preschool Teachers, Special Education———$45,560$34,540$55,250
Kindergarten Teachers—502.2%$52,490$46,080$61,390
Elementary School Teachers21,1301,7102.2%$56,260$49,250$62,820
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Special Education880601.2%$58,080$50,540$63,660
Middle School Teachers8,8707702.4%$57,550$49,360$63,140
Middle School Teachers, Special Education780——$57,580$51,080$63,140
Middle School Teachers, Career/Technical Education620300%$49,280$34,180$56,900
Secondary School Teachers18,0101,0502.6%$58,460$49,860$63,080
Secondary School Teachers, Special Education730401.8%$58,820$51,830$63,410
Secondary School Teachers, Career/Technical Education———$72,130$55,190$85,310

*The estimated job growth average is based on projections for mainstream kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Projections for other categories, such as special education and career and technical education, may be higher or lower than the average.

Teacher Shortages in Alabama

Most of the US is dealing with an educator shortage. According to the US Department of Education Teacher Shortage Area report for 2023-2024, Alabama has designated the following deficits:

According to recent research, there were 1,343 unfilled teaching positions in Alabama during the 2022-2023 school year.7 During the 2020-2021 school year, 3,254 teachers in the state were considered underqualified for their position, which includes teachers assigned to classrooms outside their certification field on a temporary or emergency basis.7

Additional Resources

Alabama Teacher Interviews

Related Articles

Teacher Quote: “If teaching and working with children is truly what you want to do, stick with it no matter what others may say or think. I cannot think of a more rewarding calling one could have – to impact the lives of young people.” -Marla Vaughn, President of the Alabama Conference of Educators

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How can you become a substitute teacher in Alabama?

Answer: To become a substitute teacher in Alabama you must have a high school diploma, pass a background check, and receive a Substitute License from the state. A Substitute License is only issued upon the request of an employing school district. Individual districts may have more stringent education requirements than the state minimum of a high school diploma.

Question: I want to teach in Alabama, but I do not have a bachelor’s degree in education – what do I do?

Answer: If you already have a bachelor’s degree that did not include teacher preparation, the next step towards teaching in Alabama is to complete an approved teacher preparation program. This may be either a stand-alone program or be pursued as part of a graduate degree. Check out the ALSDE website for further information and approved programs.

Question: How many private schools and private school teachers are there in Alabama?

Answer: According to the latest statistics available, as of the 2019-20 school year, there were 403 private schools in Alabama, with 6,362 full-time teachers and 64,810 students.8 Alabama requires teachers instructing in private schools to hold a valid certificate issued by the ALSDE. Check with private schools in your area to confirm requirements.

References:
1. Alabama State Department of Education: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. National Center for Education Statistics, State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey Data, 2017-2018: https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/stnfis.asp
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Alabama: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_al.htm
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm
6. US Department of Education, Teacher Shortage Areas: https://tsa.ed.gov/#/reports
7. Teacher Shortages in the United States, Tuan D. Nguyen et al.: https://teachershortages.com/
8. National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey, 2019-20: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/tables/TABLE15fl1920.asp