South Dakota Alternative Teacher Certification Process and Programs
Alternative teacher preparation programs, or non-traditional programs, are designed for those with a bachelor’s degree outside of education and typically lead to a certificate or master’s degree. South Dakota’s colleges and universities offer various pathways to licensure for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than education. If you don’t already have a bachelor’s degree, see our guide to traditional certification in South Dakota. Continue reading to explore alternative pathways to teacher certification in the state.
Table of Contents
- South Dakota Alternative Certification Requirements
- Types of Alternative Teaching Licenses
- Testing Requirements
- Licenses From Another State
- Schools With Alternative and Master’s Programs
- Fastest Alternative Certification Programs
- Additional Resources
Requirements for Alternative Certification
Candidates for alternative teacher certification in South Dakota must have at least a bachelor’s degree and an offer of employment as a classroom teacher with a South Dakota public school before entering an alternative route program. They must also pass the Praxis Subject Test for the subjects they wish to teach. Note that alternative certification in South Dakota is only available for endorsements in the secondary grades. Early Childhood and K-4 Elementary Education endorsements require a college or university teacher preparation program. These programs take two years to complete and may lead to a graduate certificate or master’s degree in teaching, education, or a teachable subject.
Types of Alternative Teaching Licenses in South Dakota
South Dakota offers three alternative routes to teacher licensure for candidates. These pathways allow flexibility based on candidates’ previous education and experience. All pathways require candidates to adhere to the South Dakota Code of Professional Ethics for Teachers, pass the state-designated pedagogy test, participate in a mentoring program, and receive the recommendation of the employing school.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Alternative Certification Pathway
Candidates in this pathway may teach grades seven through 12 in Career and Technical Education (CTE) endorsement areas while pursuing teacher certification. They must have an employment offer from a South Dakota school district and hold an associate degree or higher in a related CTE field. They must also have at least 4,000 hours of related work experience or hold national certification in the field. Candidates have three years to complete the CTE Alternative Teaching Certificate, which includes completing at least 12 credit hours of coursework.
General Education Alternative (GEA) Certification Pathway
Before applying to this program, candidates must secure an employment offer from a South Dakota school. They must also have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a major in the subject to be taught and pass an interview-style screening with a Department of Education coordinator. Participants must complete an online teacher preparation program through one of South Dakota’s program providers over a two-year period.
Teach for America (TFA) Alternative Certification Pathway
Candidates seeking teacher certification through Teach for America (TFA) must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.50. Applicants can teach under this one-year certificate and renew it up to two times while they complete the requirements for the Professional Teaching Certificate, including completing 15 credits of coursework.
Testing Requirements for South Dakota Alternative Certification
As is the case for traditional route educators, alternative route educators in South Dakota must pass the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) for their grade level and the Praxis Subject Test for their endorsement area. Teacher candidates with at least two years of full-time teaching experience may be eligible to waive the PLT, but not the subject tests.
Transferring Teaching Licenses From Another State
Experienced teachers with out-of-state teacher certification may qualify for South Dakota reciprocity if they meet the state’s requirements for initial certification and complete a three-credit course in South Dakota Indian Studies and a three-credit course in Human Relations, each of which must be on the state’s approved course list. For more detailed information on reciprocity, review our interstate reciprocity resource or the South Dakota Department of Education (DOE) website.
Schools With Alternative and Master’s Programs in South Dakota
To qualify for teacher certification, you must complete an approved teacher preparation program. Alternative route teacher licensing programs typically lead to a certificate or master’s degree. The not-for-profit, school-based alternative Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs) below have been approved by the DOE for the preparation of teachers.
| State-Approved School | Accreditation | Program Type(s) | Alt. Teacher Program Enrollment4 | Alt. Teacher Prep Prog. Completers4 | Alt. Licensing Exams Pass Rate4 | Net Price5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hills State University | CAEP | Master’s | — | — | — | $16,706 |
| Northern State University | CAEP | Master’s | — | — | — | $16,404 |
| University of Sioux Falls* | CAEP | Alternative, Master’s | — | — | — | $21,824 |
| University of South Dakota* | CAEP | Alternative, Certificate, Master’s | — | — | — | $18,480 |
- — indicates none or not applicable.
- N.Av. indicates data was not available or pass rates were omitted for confidentiality.
- *Schools with an asterisk offer programs that can include paid classroom placements, subject to qualifications and experience. Students may be responsible for securing their own placement. Contact programs for further information.
Fastest Alternative Certification Programs
The following schools have the fastest programs to qualify for teacher certification in South Dakota based on the shortest possible time to completion. Shorter alternative certification programs are often more affordable since they require fewer credit hours. Check with programs to verify program costs and funding opportunities.
- University of South Dakota (8 months)
- Black Hills State University (12 months)
Additional Resources
- South Dakota Department of Education: Guide to educator certification requirements in South Dakota.
Related Articles
- Alternative Teacher Certification Guide
- South Dakota Traditional Teacher Certification Guide
- Teacher Certification Reciprocity Guide
References:
1. South Dakota State Department of Education: https://doe.sd.gov/
2. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): https://caepnet.org/provider-search
3. Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP): https://aaqep.org/accredited-programs
4. US Department of Education 2021 Title II Report: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx
5. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/