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Kansas Teacher Certification and Career Guide

A teaching license is required to teach in public K-12 schools in Kansas. Kansas teacher certification is overseen by the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Teacher Licensure (TL) team. The main steps for the traditional path to teacher certification in Kansas 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 Kansas.

Table of Contents


How to Become a Teacher in Kansas

This section outlines the steps to become a certified teacher in Kansas via the traditional pathway. Kansas uses a tiered licensing system for educators.

  • Intitial Teaching License (2-year): For new teachers who meet the basic requirements for a teaching license in the state.
  • Professional License (5-year): For teachers with at least one year of experience under their endorsement area who have completed a mentoring program through their school district.

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

To earn a Kansas teaching license under the traditional route to certification, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree. The bachelor’s degree major you pursue will depend on the grade level and subject you wish to teach. They must also complete an approved educator preparation program as part of their bachelor’s degree. You can find a list of approved preparation programs on the KSDE website.

You can compare key metrics for state-approved teacher preparation programs on our Kansas 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. This is typically a full-time, semester-long placement during which 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 Kansas teacher exams.

Kansas State SealBecoming a certified teacher in Kansas requires completion of Praxis assessments, administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS), to demonstrate that candidates are fully prepared for licensure. The KSDE requires candidates to pass the Praxis Subject Assessment and the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Test for each content area they wish to teach. You can find more information on the ETS website.

4. Apply for Kansas teacher certification.

Once you have completed all the requirements described above, you are ready to submit an application for an Initial License. Required documents include:

  • Official transcripts
  • Proof of completion of an approved teacher preparation program
  • Completed state and federal background check
  • Verification of recency (at least eight credit hours or one year of accredited teaching experience completed within the last six years)
  • Passing scores for the required tests
  • Payment of non-refundable processing fees

Initial license applications should be submitted online. Visit the Kansas Licensure Application System (KLAS) website for more details on teaching certification in Kansas.

Upgrade your license.

After a year of teaching and in the endorsement on your license and completing a mentoring program through your school district, you can apply to upgrade to a Professional License. The mentoring program will be a one- or two-year program depending on the requirements of your license. Applications should be submitted through your KLAS account.

Guide to Other Teaching Pathways

Kansas Teacher Certification Renewal

To renew an Initial Teaching License, you must submit an application and the processing fee. To renew a Professional Teaching License with a bachelor’s degree, you must earn 120 hours of professional development (PD) points awarded by a Kansas local PD council under an approved individual PD plan. To renew a Professional License without a graduate degree, you must earn 160 PD points or the equivalent. You can read more about renewal on the License Application page. All required documentation and the renewal application must be submitted through your KLAS account.

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. In Kansas, candidates who hold a valid classroom teaching certificate can qualify for additional certifications by passing the appropriate subject area exams.

Kansas Teaching License Reciprocity

Teachers licensed in other states and have completed a state-approved preparation program can apply for Kansas licensure by reciprocity. To apply, you should submit:

  • Official transcripts
  • Copies of licenses
  • Contact information for your educator preparation program
  • Contact information for your experience
  • Test scores

Out-of-state teachers should apply by creating a KLAS account.

In addition to the teaching licenses, the KSDE also offers licenses to support and administrative professionals in the school system. These include:

  • School Leadership License: Requires five years of experience as a teacher, school specialist, clinician, or vocational-technical certificate, the completion of an approved graduate-level school leadership program, a graduate degree, and passing a content test.
  • Reading Specialist License: Requires a master’s degree, an approved reading specialist preparation program, and a passing score on the required exam.
  • School Counselor License: Requires an approved graduate school counselor program and the passing of the required assessment.

Other license types and endorsements are available, most of which require a master’s degree, an approved preparation program, and passing an exam. For more information, review the License Application page.

Kansas Teacher Outlook, Salary, and Jobs

Projected Job Growth

2.6%

Growth in Teaching Jobs in KS through 20322*

There were 1,319 public K-12 schools in Kansas during the 2017-2018 academic year, serving approximately 497,088 students.3 With an estimated 36,387 public school teachers, this gave Kansas a student-to-teacher ratio of about 14:1.3

Teacher job prospects through 2032 are stronger in Kansas than the expected national averages, with job growth for Kansas elementary teachers projected at 2.5% compared to 0.7% nationally; for Kansas middle school teachers, 2.8% compared to 0.8% nationally; and for Kansas secondary school teachers, 2.9% compared to 1% nationally.2 The table below provides a detailed comparison of job growth prospects and salary levels for Kansas teachers.

TypeNumber Employed in KS4Average Annual Openings in KS2KS Proj. Job Growth 2022-20322Average Annual Salary in KS425th Percentile Wages in KS575th Percentile Wages in KS5
Preschool Teachers1,5601903.4%$43,640$35,510$50,670
Preschool Teachers, Special Education280302.1%$54,490$47,530$59,600
Kindergarten Teachers1,1501002.1%$56,230$48,200$62,550
Elementary School Teachers14,8201,0502.5%$54,170$48,110$61,400
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Special Education1,490902.4%$60,020$50,300$64,290
Middle School Teachers6,3504502.8%$56,940$49,430$63,580
Middle School Teachers, Special Education580——$58,460$42,180$59,380
Middle School Teachers, Career/Technical Education80——$55,160$50,090$64,870
Secondary School Teachers11,6707402.9%$57,350$49,170$63,250
Secondary School Teachers, Special Education1,670——$65,100$51,370$73,230
Secondary School Teachers, Career/Technical Education510302%$58,610$49,770$64,060

*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 Kansas

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

In addition to these shortages, Kansas had 1,628 unfilled positions during the 2022-2023 school year.7 Furthermore, 1,918 teachers in Kansas 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

Kansas Teacher Interviews

  • Former President of the Kansas Association of Teachers of English, John Ritchie
  • Math Teacher and Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominee, Scott Keltner

Related Articles

Teacher Quote: “For those with the patience, the flexibility, and the sense of humor to make it through the first year, teaching as a career is a wonderful and rewarding experience.” -John Ritchie, President of the Kansas Association of Teachers of English

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Answer: To become an elementary teacher in Kansas you must hold a valid teaching license from the state. To get the license you need to have a bachelor’s degree and have finished an approved teacher preparation program for elementary education. You must also pass the required pedagogy and content exams as well as a criminal background check.

Question: How can I be a substitute teacher in Kansas?

Answer: To be eligible for a Standard Substitute License in Kansas, you need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and to have completed a teacher preparation program. You will also have to pass a background check to qualify. Kansas also offers an Emergency Substitute License, which requires at least 60 college credits.

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

Answer: According to the latest statistics available, as of the 2019-20 school year, there were 216 private schools in Kansas, with 3,669 full-time teachers and 41,014 students.8 Kansas teachers at accredited nonpublic schools must hold teacher certification, but teachers at non-accredited private schools do not need to hold a certificate as long as they are “competent instructors.” Check with private schools in your area to confirm requirements.

References:
1. Kansas State Department of Education: https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Teacher-Licensure-TL
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. National Center for Education Statistics, Kansas 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, Kansas: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ks.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 Kansass, 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