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Connecticut Teacher Certification and Career Guide

The Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) Bureau of Certification oversees the licensing process for K-12 public school teachers in Connecticut, which is outlined below. The main steps for the traditional path to teacher certification in Connecticut 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.
  5. Upgrade your license.

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

Table of Contents


How to Become a Teacher in Connecticut

This section outlines the steps to become a certified teacher in Connecticut via the traditional pathway. Connecticut uses a tiered system for teacher licensure that encourages ongoing professional development.

  • Initial Educator Certificate (3-year): For new teachers who have completed all requirements for certification.
  • Provisional Educator Certificate (8-year): For teachers who have completed at least 10 full months of teaching experience and the TEAM Mentoring program, a two-year induction program meant to develop individualized growth plans with an experienced mentor.
  • Professional Educator Certificate (10-year): For experienced teachers who have completed at least 30 months of teaching experience and a master’s degree in a subject related to their endorsement.

Those who have a bachelor’s degree but have not completed a teacher preparation program may wish to pursue alternative teacher certification in Connecticut.

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

To earn initial Connecticut teacher certification, candidates must complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and complete an educator preparation program (EPP) that is on the state’s approved schools list. The bachelor’s degree major you pursue will depend on the grade level and subject you wish to teach and you must maintain at least a “B-” for all undergraduate courses according to state regulations.

You can compare key metrics for state-approved teacher preparation programs on our Connecticut 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 program, you will also complete a student teaching placement, sometimes called an internship. Approved Connecticut EPPs must require clinical experience, field experience, or student teaching experience in a classroom during four semesters. During this time, you will have opportunities to lead a classroom while paired with an experienced teacher. To meet the requirements for state certification, the student teaching placement should be at the grade level and in the subject you wish to teach. Some programs may offer longer student teaching placements or the opportunity to pursue more than one placement.

3. Pass the required Connecticut teacher exams.

Connecticut State SealTeacher candidates must pass the Praxis Subject Test, administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS), corresponding to their grade level and subject area. Prospective early childhood, elementary, and special education teachers must also take the Connecticut Teacher Certification Examinations (CTCE): Foundations of Reading Test, and early childhood teachers must take the CTCE: Early Childhood Test, administered by Pearson. Additionally, according to Connecticut state statutes and regulations, admittance to an approved EPP requires candidates to pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills Test or achieve a certain score on the SAT, ACT, or GRE. For more information on the required examinations for all grade levels, visit the SDE website.

4. Apply for Connecticut teacher certification.

The next step is to apply for teacher certification. To apply for an Initial Educator Certificate, you must provide:

  • Official transcripts
  • Institutional recommendation from EPP
  • Test scores
  • Fingerprint based background check
  • Non-refundable application fee

Applicants can apply online via the Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS) or with a paper application. Visit the SDE website for further details on Connecticut teacher certification.

5. Upgrade your license.

Teachers with an Initial Educator Certificate can advance to a Provisional Educator Certificate when they have completed at least 10 school months of successful service in a public school and the TEAM program at their school. Teachers can advance to the Professional Educator Certificate with a statement of professional experience signed by their superintendent verifying at least 30 school months of successful experience and an official transcript documenting the completion of a master’s degree in a subject area related to their endorsement. Applications can be submitted online or by mail.
For more information on upgrading your license, review the SDE website.

Guide to Other Teaching Pathways

Connecticut Teacher Certification Renewal

Initial Certificates expire every three years, Provisional Certificates expire every eight years, and Professional Certificates expire every 10 years. Renewals can be completed through the Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS) or by paper application. To keep a Professional Certificate current, teachers must complete at least 90 contact hours of continuing education units (CEUs) each five-year period. Documentation of CEUs is not required. Teachers should allow two to three months of professing time after submitting their applications. For more information on renewing a certificate, check out the SDE website.

Adding Subjects or Grades to a Certificate

Once you receive your Initial, Provisional, or Professional Educator 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. In Connecticut, candidates who hold a valid classroom teaching certificate can add an endorsement, known as cross-endorsement, by completing specific coursework in the subject area. Applications should be submitted online. For more information, review the Endorsement page.

Connecticut Teaching License Reciprocity

Teachers with valid certificates from Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, or Washington, DC who wish to teach in Connecticut can streamline the application process through enhanced reciprocity. These teachers will need to submit:

  • A copy of your valid educator certificate
  • A statement of Professional Experience completed and signed by your superintendent
  • Official transcripts (optional)
  • Non-refundable fee

Teachers from other states must submit these additional forms:

  • Verification of Out-of-State Educator Certification Tests
  • Statement of Preparing Higher Education Institution
  • Statement of Professional Experience
  • Official transcripts

Applications for out-of-state teachers can be submitted online via the CECS or by paper.

In addition to standard classroom teaching certificates, the SDE issues credentials in a variety of support and administrative areas. These include:

  • Special Services Certificate: School Nurse-Teacher: Requires a degree from a school of professional nursing, a valid Connecticut nurse license, a bachelor’s degree from an approved institution, at least 36 semester hours of specific coursework, and a course in special education.
  • Special Services Certificate: School Social Work: Requires a master’s degree in social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and a course in special education.
  • Administrative Certificate: Reading and Language Arts Consultant: Requires applicants to hold or be eligible to hold a teacher certificate, a master’s degree from an approved school, at least 30 school months of classroom teaching experience, the completion of specific coursework, holding or eligibility to hold a remedial reading and language arts endorsement, at least 10 school months as a remedial reading and language arts teacher, and a course in special education.

Additional certifications are available for school counselors, school psychologists, department chairpersons, speech and language pathologists, and more. For more information, visit the SDE website.

Connecticut Teacher Outlook, Salary, and Jobs

Projected Job Growth

6.6%

Growth in Teaching Jobs in CT through 20322*

There were an estimated 531,288 students enrolled in Connecticut’s 1,031 public schools during the 2017-2018 school year.3 With an estimated 45,081 teachers in these public schools, Connecticut had a student-to-teacher ratio of about 12:1.3

Job prospects through 2032 are much stronger for Connecticut teachers than the expected national averages, with job growth for Connecticut elementary teachers projected at 6.5% compared to 0.7% nationally; for Connecticut middle school teachers, 6.7% compared to 0.8% nationally; and for Connecticut secondary school teachers, 13.7% compared to 1% nationally.2 The table below provides a detailed comparison of job growth prospects and salary levels for Connecticut teachers.

TypeNumber Employed in CT4Average Annual Openings in CT2CT Proj. Job Growth 2022-20322Average Annual Salary in CT425th Percentile Wages in CT575th Percentile Wages in CT5
Preschool Teachers7,7401,00020.5%$45,840$36,350$46,720
Preschool Teachers, Special Education290203.3%$74,070$55,970$88,990
Kindergarten Teachers1,3901606.3%$85,610$65,330$100,480
Elementary School Teachers16,9501,2306.5%$88,520$64,760$104,750
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Special Education2,5601805.6%$83,820$64,350$101,310
Middle School Teachers8,7506106.8%$85,770$63,960$103,440
Middle School Teachers, Special Education1,150——$84,620$65,070$100,050
Middle School Teachers, Career/Technical Education701012.5%$88,580$74,200$103,570
Secondary School Teachers14,7901,0206.7%$84,290$63,410$104,350
Secondary School Teachers, Special Education1,580——$86,790$65,130$103,170
Secondary School Teachers, Career/Technical Education1,5901004.9%$90,990$79,620$104,750

*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 Connecticut

According to the US Department of Education Teacher Shortage Area report for 2022-2023, Connecticut broadly has the following shortages:

In addition to these shortages, Connecticut had 1,221 unfilled positions during the 2021-2022 school year.7 During the 2022-2023 school year, 1,007 teachers in Connecticut were considered underqualified for their assignment, which includes teachers assigned to classrooms outside their certification field on a temporary or emergency basis.7

Additional Resources

Connecticut Teacher Interviews

  • Former President, Associated Teachers of Mathematics in Connecticut, Lorrie Quirk

Related Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do I become an elementary teacher in Connecticut?

Answer: To become certified as an elementary school teacher in Connecticut, you must complete a bachelor’s degree with an approved teacher education program and pass the required exams. If you have taught for two years with a license in another state, you may be able to waive the teacher education program requirement.

Question: How do I become a substitute teacher in Connecticut?

Answer: The state of Connecticut offers authorization for daily and long-term substitute teacher for candidates with a bachelor’s degree, which is required if you are substituting for over 60 consecutive days. It is also possible for districts to waive the bachelor’s degree requirement if they so choose.

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

Answer: According to the latest statistics available, as of the 2019-20 school year, there were 315 private schools in Connecticut, with 7,309 full-time teachers and 53,047 students.8 While the CSDE offers teacher certificates to teachers at private schools that are CSDE-approved, Connecticut law does not require private school teachers to be certified. Some private schools, however, may prefer to hire teachers with state credentials. Check with private schools in your area to confirm requirements.

References:
1. Connecticut State Department of Education: https://portal.ct.gov/sde
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, Connecticut: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ct.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