North Dakota Teaching Certification

North Dakota Educ. Statistics

Avg. Elem. Teacher Salary	$43,110
Avg. Sec. Teacher Salary	$41,240
Teacher Retention (?)	96%
Average Admin. Salary	$71,500
Vacation Wks/Yr	15

Getting Involved...

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 North Dakota 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).

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Learn about your Governor's views and voting record with regard to education. (see North Dakota Governor's website).

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Hold your public servants accountable. It is our duty as residents of North Dakota.

Help Make Education A Priority

Initial North Dakota Teaching Certification

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction has put in place the North Dakota Statewide System of Support (NDSSOS) designed to help schools implement policies and procedures to improve teaching and learning throughout the state. Specific areas in which the program seeks to achieve sustained and continuous improvement include leadership, curriculum and instruction, assessment, school culture and climate, and professional development. Through this program, the state is working to ensure that all students and teachers have the best possible environment in which to learn and teach. Find schools offering teaching certification programs in North Dakota.

Education Requirements

Recommended Programs for Educators:

USC Rossier Master of Arts in Teaching Online — No GRE ^*

The Master of Arts in Teaching online (MAT online) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares aspiring teachers for diverse and high-needs educational settings and can be completed in 12 months.

* GRE scores not required
Prepare for teaching credential

The North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) (701-328-9641) expects that as a candidate for teacher licensing, you complete a state-approved, bachelor’s and master's level teacher education program. You will be expected to major or minor in the area in which you intend to become licensed. The program must include a professional education sequence and a general studies sequence. You must have an overall GPA of at least 2.5 and complete a course in North Dakota Native American studies.

If you wish to be licensed at the elementary level, you must complete 34 semester hours (50 quarter hours) of professional education coursework
If you wish to be licensed at the secondary level, you must complete 26 semester hours (40 quarter hours) of professional education coursework

You may attend an out-of-state teacher education program and receive credit towards teacher licensure in North Dakota if the program meets certain standards. Teacher education standards for each area of licensure available in the state are found here. You must also meet the state’s major equivalency requirements.

Licensure Options
The type of North Dakota teaching license you acquire is dependent upon your qualifications. Types include:

Initial License – This is the most common type of license obtained by new graduates and is valid for two years.
First Five Year License (Professional License)- Once you have completed at least 18 months of teaching in North Dakota and complete the necessary renewal semester hours, you are eligible for this license. It is valid for five years.
Subsequent Five Year Licenses – After obtaining your first five-year license, if you have taught for at least 30 days in North Dakota within the past five years and complete necessary renewal semester hours, you are eligible for this license. It is valid for five years.
Thirty Years of Teaching Life License – If you have been licensed to teach in North Dakota for 30 years or more and complete the necessary renewal semester hours, you are eligible for this license. It is valid for life.

A listing of all North Dakota licensure areas and their corresponding codes may be found here.

Examinations

For a brief overview of teacher licensure testing requirements in North Dakota, visit the Praxis website.

Basic skills testing:
All new teachers in North Dakota must pass the Praxis I Basic Skills exam in Reading (with a score of 173), Writing (score of 173) and Mathematics (score of 170).

Content area assessment testing:
You must pass the Praxis II exam(s) in the content area(s) in which you wish to become licensed:

Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Middle School English
Middle School Mathematics
Middle School Science
Middle School Social Studies
Secondary Education (Grades 7-12):

Agriculture
Art
Biology
Business Education
Chemistry
Composite Science
Drama
English
Economics
Earth Science
Family and Consumer Sciences
Geography
Government/Political Science
History
Mathematics
Music
Physical Education
Physics
Social Studies
Technology Education

World Languages:

French
German
Latin
Spanish

Special Education:

Core Knowledge and Applications
Early Childhood
Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Emotional Disturbances
Gifted and Talented
Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities
Learning Disabilities

Experience Requirements

Under rules of the ESPB, all new teachers must complete two experience requirements:

The first is a practicum you’ll participate in as part of required education courses in your teacher preparation program. During your practicum, you will mostly observe classroom teachers at work, gleaning knowledge on classroom management strategies, leadership ideas, and more. You may also be allowed to lead the class yourself from time to time.

Second, you must participate in at least 10 weeks of student teaching. This must be full-time and at the grade level/subject area in which you seek licensure. This will involve taking full control of the classroom for extended periods of time, developing lesson plans, and leading the class in instruction. Some portion of your student teaching assignment will be observed and assessed.

Document and Application Requirements

If you have completed the educational requirements, fulfilled all experiential requirements, and passed the necessary exams, you are ready to file the Application for North Dakota Educator’s Professional License. Along with your completed application form:

Send a Record of Education form to all colleges where you obtained degrees
Send official transcripts from all colleges where you received credit
Send copies of your Praxis I and II test scores
Send a completed fingerprint packet (see below)
Send check, money order (payable to the Education Standards and Practices Board) or credit card form with the correct application fee

Send everything to North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board, 2718 Gateway Ave, Suite 303, Bismarck, ND 58503-0585.

Criminal History Background Check

All beginning teachers in North Dakota must be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal history background check. Your college program’s licensure officials will provide you with the fingerprinting instructions and packet. You must complete the fingerprint cards and release forms and designate the ESPB as the agency that will receive the criminal history report.

Your fingerprints must be taken by an authorized law enforcement agency such as a police department, sheriff's office, or university campus police. You are responsible for paying all fees associated with fingerprinting and the background check. Mail the fingerprint cards and release forms to the ESPB, along with your application and supporting documents. It may take as long as eight weeks to complete the background check. You will not be issued a teaching license nor be permitted to teach in any North Dakota school until the check is completed and your license has been issued.

Contact Information

If you would like further information on colleges and universities in North Dakota offering approved teacher education programs, contact the institutions directly.

For more information on the teacher licensure process in North Dakota, contact the ESPB at 701-328-9641.

**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.