Iowa Education Statistics
Avg. Elem. Teacher Salary | $44,040 |
Avg. Sec. Teacher Salary | $44,080 |
Teacher Retention (?) | 95% |
Average Admin. Salary | $84,120 |
Vacation Wks/Yr | 15 |
Learn how to become a teacher in Iowa (or administrator). Choose the description of certification you are most interested in or situation that best describes you:
Avg. Elem. Teacher Salary | $44,040 |
Avg. Sec. Teacher Salary | $44,080 |
Teacher Retention (?) | 95% |
Average Admin. Salary | $84,120 |
Vacation Wks/Yr | 15 |
Investing in our future is vitally important and strangely difficult. In order to fight oppression from the greedy and power-hungry elite, to better our ways of life with advancing technology, and to increase our country's overall views toward the concept of acceptance, we need education to be a priority. Learn how you can be a spoke in this terribly important wheel. See how Iowa measures up to the rest of the country by viewing the percentage of state revenue going toward education in each state. (see State Education Spending vs. Overall State Revenue).
The Governor of Iowa is proposing sweeping education reforms in the state, to change the way Iowa students learn and boost student achievement. Called the “education blueprint,” some of the proposed reforms include providing more alternative pathways for teacher licensure in the state, competency-based education and the incorporation of online learning into the Iowa public school curriculum. If all of them were put into practice, this proposal would mean a $25 million investment in the Iowa public school system. Find schools offering teaching certification programs in Iowa.
USC Rossier Master of Arts in Teaching Online — No GRE *
Fordham University’s online Master of Science in Teaching
Fordham University’s online Master of Science in Teaching program prepares students for NY state initial teaching licensure in grades 1 to 6. Complete in two years—bachelor’s degree required to apply.
If you want to become a licensed teacher in Iowa, under the rules of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (515-281-3245), you must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and be a graduate of a state-approved Iowa teacher preparation program. While a minimum of a bachelor’s degree is necessary for teacher licensure in Iowa, some of these programs lead to a master’s or doctoral degree. Additionally, you must complete an approved human relations course, which covers both interpersonal and intergroup relations, examining the values, beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyles of individuals in various groups; as well as an exceptional learner course focusing on the education of both students with disabilities as well as gifted/talented students.
Did you attend a teacher preparation program in a state other than Iowa? The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners will still accept your credits as long as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has accredited the program.
Graduates of teacher preparation programs outside of the United States must have their academic credits evaluated by an approved credential evaluation agency. These agencies are listed here.
Licensing Options
You must complete the educational requirements pursuant to the teaching endorsement you wish to have on your teaching license. In addition to these endorsements, there are various types of licensing options offered based upon the prerequisites you meet:
Visit the Praxis website for an overview of Iowa’s testing requirements for educators.
Basic skills testing:
Iowa does not require Basic Skills Testing for its teachers, as these tests are usually administered during your Iowa teacher preparation program.
Content area assessment testing:
The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners mandates that teachers in the following areas pass Praxis II content area tests (Middle School and Secondary Teachers do not need to pass content area tests but must instead fulfill educational requirements to receive endorsements in content areas):
As an applicant for initial teacher licensure in Iowa, you must complete a student teaching practicum/internship while enrolled in their teacher preparation program (or verify three years of teaching experience). The student teaching program is designed to help you apply what you have learned in your teacher preparation program to working with grade-level appropriate students in the classroom. This practical teaching experience will include preparation of lesson plans, leading the class and other duties as assigned by your supervising classroom teacher. You will also spend time observing teachers to learn classroom management skills.
Your classroom supervisor will assess your performance in a student teaching program. The length of your student teaching experience will vary depending upon your institution’s policies.
Once you have fulfilled all requirements for teacher licensure, you may apply through the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.
When applying for an initial teaching license in Iowa, you must submit to a criminal history background check. You must submit a fingerprint packet (which is included in the application packet) and send it in with your application and the necessary fingerprint processing fees. This will start a national criminal history background check. In addition, an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation background check will also be performed at this time, and you are responsible for all fees associated with this background check. Contact your local Sherriff’s office or police station to inquire about fingerprinting.
If you would like more information on colleges and universities in Iowa offering teacher preparation programs, contact the Deans or Chairs of the programs listed here.
For more information on teacher licensure in Iowa, contact the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners at 515-281-3245.
**Teacher Retention Sources - U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education, Statistics Schools and Staffing Survey, 1999–2000 (“Public School Teacher Questionnaire,” “Private School Teacher Questionnaire,” and “Public Charter School Teacher Questionnaire”), and 2000–01 Teacher Follow-up Survey (“Questionnaire for Current Teachers” and “Questionnaire for Former Teachers,” Table 1.01). Washington, DC.
State estimations based on analysis by Richard Ingersoll, Professor of Education and Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, from the National Center for Education Statistics Student and Staffing Survey, and therefore include a slight margin of error.