Alternative Certification

The Mobile County Public School System employs non-certified applicants in core critical need areas when there are no applicants who are certified available. The critical need areas are mathematics, science, and foreign languages. Other subjects can apply to this certification route depending on shortages at the time.  Alternative Certification is rarely used in the fields of Physical Education and Social Studies due the abundance of certified teachers in those areas.  Regular alternative certification is NOT available for Elementary Education.  A bachelor's or an Alternative Master's Degree in Elementary Education is required. (Alabama State Department of Education Policy). Go to the bottom of this page for more information. 

Applicants interested in teaching mathematics, science or a foreign language should have an academic major in the teaching field, have 32 semester hours, including 19 semester hours of upper division credits in the teaching field, or passing scores on the Praxis II subject assessment in the teaching field. The Praxis II Exam is designed for college majors.  In other words, the persons with the best chance of passing the exam will have a high concentration (25-35 semester hours) of college courses in that subject.  Ten to twenty hours of upper-level courses (i.e., 300 or 400) in the subject to teach are needed for hiring.

For those whose academic majors are related to math, such as Mechanical Engineering and some other engineering degrees the Praxis is required PRIOR to hiring.  For those whose academic majors are related to science, such as Biomedical Sciences, Botany or Chemical Engineering the Praxis is required PRIOR to hiring.

The alternative route to certification for those with a bachelor's degree would apply for a Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field. It exists as a means for primarily Science and Math majors to gain certification to teach in public schools when there is a shortage of traditional certified teachers. The Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field CANNOT be gained in advance.  The applicant must meet qualifications (GPA and passing Praxis II scores  [see Required Tests below]) in order to qualify for long-term employment. There must be a vacancy and the applicant must be recommended by a principal for a teaching position. Once recommended by a principal and approved by Human Resources, we assist the applicant in applying for the Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF)

FOR MATH: Persons interested in teaching Math should take the Mathematics: Content Knowledge Praxis II (Code 5165) EFFECTIVE September 1, 2022.  [The old test 5161 EXPIRES August 31, 2022. In order to use that test score the Certificate Application MUST be in the state office prior to September 1, 2022) The passing score for 5165 is 159 for those with a GPA of 2.50 or higher.  Persons with backgrounds in Accounting and Bookkeeping are not recommended to take this Math Praxis. In order to be successful on the math Praxis you would need to have taken college courses such as Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus I, II & II, Calculus Based Physics, Applied Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Intro to Number Theory, Complex Variables, Discrete Math Structures and others.   

 EFFECTIVE 2019-20 - as adopted by the State Board of Education on August 8, 2019.

FOR SCIENCE: Persons interested in teaching Science should take: (2023 changes in BOLD Print). 

Biology: Content Knowledge (Code 5235) if you have a Biology related degree/major (Passing Score of 150 is required for GPA's 2.50 or higher). 5235 will no longer be offered after August 30, 2023. Effective September 1, 2023, the Alabama Required Praxis for Biology will be 5236 with a passing score of 154.

Chemistry: Content Knowledge (Code 5245) if you have a Chemistry related degree/major (Passing Score of 150 is required for GPA's 2.50 or higher). 5245 will no longer be offered after August 30, 2023. Effective September 1, 2023, the Alabama Required Praxis for Chemistry will be 5246 with a passing score of 146. 

General Science: Content Knowledge (Code 5435) if you have taken Biology courses, Chemistry courses, at least one Physics course and at least one Earth/Space course. (Passing Score of 152 is required for GPA's 2.50 or higher).  5435 will no longer be offered after August 30, 2023. Effective September 1, 2023, the Alabama Required Praxis for General Science will be 5436 with a passing score of 145.

The passing of the Praxis does not guarantee an applicant a position.

FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGES: Persons interested in teaching a foreign language MUST pass the appropriate Praxis II.  To teach Spanish, Praxis II Code 5195 must be passed (168 required score for GPA's 2.50 or higher).  To teach French, Praxis II Code  5174 must be passed (162 required score for GPA's 2.50 or higher).

Only one of the above tests needs to be taken and passed.  Passing scores must be submitted prior to September 1 of the school year of employment. All expenses for the exams are borne by the applicant.

PRAXIS II: To register for the Praxis II go to www.ets.org/praxis/al The site will provide you with information on testing sites in Mobile and testing dates. Tests are given during "testing windows" and can be taken at various times. The site also provides an outline of the sub-subject matter questions as well as sample questions.  You can purchase e-Study Guides from the Praxis site.  For those who prefer a paper copy, check with local college bookstores or go to http://www.amazon.com/. The teacher's certificate that will be issued will be in the field of the subject of the Praxis taken.  Teachers cannot change subjects once in the three year Provisional Certificate approach.

If the applicant's GPA is between 2.0 and 2.49 the applicant MUST make the higher Alternate Praxis Score as listed on the Alabama State Department of Education Forms Addendum to Supplement FTZ or Addendum to Supplement CPZ (Career Tech Subjects).

The applicant seeking alternative route certification must register and pass the Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program (AECTP) which is the Praxis II subject assessment in the teaching field prior to September 1 of the school year of employment.  The Core Basic Skills is no longer required if one is pursuing the Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCT) or the Conditional Certificate in a Teaching Field (CCTF) and has a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Depending on the time of year hired and the non-availability of certified teachers in certain academic areas there are certain measures that can lead to hiring on an Emergency Certificate valid for two scholastic terms. The time spent on an Emergency Certificate does NOT count toward tenure. The appropriate test(s) should be passed before rehiring for the next school term. MOBILE COUNTY PREFERS THAT THE SUBJECT MATTER PRAXIS EXAM IS PASSED FIRST and this is BEST FOR THE EMPLOYEE.  This indicates mastery of the subject matter.  

PERSONS WHO ARE HIRED ON AN EMERGENCY CERTIFICATE DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE TEAMS CLASSIFICATION OR SUPPLEMENTAL PAY.

NEW TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH (Effective 7/12/22 ALSDE)

If an individual holds an Alternative Certificate for one (1) or two (2) years they MUST take and pass the edTPA (see below). The teacher must meet the required score.

If an individual holds an Alternative Certificate for three (3) scholastic years they may take the edTPA (see below) OR take the Praxis Principals of Learning and Teaching (PLT) performance assessment. The teacher must meet the required score.

PRINCIPALS OF LEARNING AND TEACHING (PLT) EXAM is a Praxis Exam designed to be taken at the end of a teacher's Alternative Certification work to indicate their knowledge and methods of teaching. The teacher learns the information on the PLT by taking the required designated college coursework required for the Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field. The PLT Test to take is the one appropriate to the grade span (i.e. grades 6-12) of the educator certificate. The test code for 6-12 is 5624 (a score of 157 is required. All expenses for the exam must be borne by the teacher. 

The edTPA PORTFOLIO.  The educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is designed to assess the content pedagogical knowledge and abilities of applicants seeking regular certification after the Provisional Certificates in a Teaching Field. This knowledge is gained from the required designated college coursework required for a Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) It is suggested that the edTPA be taken during employment when the teacher is at the end of the 2nd Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field. If retakes are necessary they can be done during the 3rd PCTF because the edTPA is REQUIRED PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF THE Regular Professional Certificate if the teacher chooses to go this route.  Teachers must prepare a portfolio of materials. edTPA requires aspiring teachers to demonstrate readiness to teach through lesson plans designed to support their students' strengths and needs; engage real students in ambitious learning; analyze whether their students are learning, and adjust their instruction to become more effective. Teachers submit unedited video recordings of themselves at work in a real classroom as part of a portfolio that is scored by highly trained educators. edTPA builds on decades of teacher performance assessment development and research regarding teaching skills and practices that improve student learning. The performance assessment scores MUST be received by Human Resources PRIOR to being re-hired for the school term following the 3rd Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field. All expenses for the assessment must be borne by the teacher.  See attachment at the top of the page edTPA Guidance Sheet for more details.

Persons with a bachelor's degree in psychology or sociology often make good Special Education Teachers.  Someone cannot become a Special Education teacher by just passing a Praxis Exam.  A  degree in Special Education is REQUIRED. 

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)

 ONE PATH – 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 http://www.alsde.edu/sec/ec/Pages/outofstatecertificates-all.aspx?navtext=Out of State Certificates

3.     You are NOT allowed to work as a teacher until you have the Alabama Teacher’s Certificate.

ANOTHER PATH – IN STATE College or University - see Alternative Interim Route to Special Education Certification Chart [at top of the page]

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.

1 THIRD PATH – Designated  Alabama College or University - added by ALSDE for 2022-23 School Term

        REQUIRMENTS For admission to a Temporary Certificate in Collaborative Special Education (Grades 6-12):

      1. Overall GPA of 2.50 or higher on accredited bachelor’s degree.

2.      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 to offer these courses is still being worked on by the Alabama State Department of Education as of 2/2/22. 

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 teacher certificate. Current employees may do a Transfer Application (online).

Effective with the 2018-19 School Term Emergency Teacher’s Certificate in Special Education are no longer issued by the ALSDE.

ALREADY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND INTERESTED IN TEACHING IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

 ONLY ONE PATH AVAILABLE TO TEACH ELEMENTARY OR EARLY CHILDHOOD WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

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 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.

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 teacher certificate. Current employees may do a Transfer Application (online).

See the chart at the top of the page entitled Alternative Master's Degree Route to Certification (IEC).

The State Department of Education sets and regulates the certification requirements for teachers in the State of Alabama. Please visit the State Department of Education's website www.alsde.edu. Go to Education Professionals, then Certification for complete and updated information about the certification requirements.

State Resource Personnel

ALABAMA TEACHER CERTIFICATION INFORMATION (Including Alternative Certification)
-Shavon Harris, Coordinator of Educator Certification - Contact Teacher Certification
Phone: (334) 242-9977

Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program (AECTP)
-Alethea Hampton, Coordinator of Educator Assessment - AECTP@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 242-9935

Online Application - 
Teach In Alabama is an online program which allows users to apply to every school system in Alabama with one electronic application.  

MCPSS Human Resources Teacher Certification Personnel

Krystal Smith - Personnel Administrator
kvsmith@mcpss.com  251-221-4515

Sierra Sewell - HR Clerk - Certification
ssewell2@mcpss.com