Initial Teaching Certificates may not be renewed after their three-year duration. During those three years, you must meet the qualifications to obtain a Professional or Master Certificate, as follows:
- Professional Teacher Certificate requirements:
- Possess an Initial Teacher Certificate
- Possess two years of teaching experience
- Complete all educational requirements for an Initial Teacher Certificate (including degree, teacher preparation program, Alaska Studies, Multicultural Studies)
- Complete recency credits (six semester hours of credit within the past five years, with three hours at the graduate level)
- Pass the Praxis I and II exams
- Be currently employed in an Alaska public school district
- Have a completed fingerprint/criminal background check on file
- Submit a completed Professional Teacher Certification application form, proof of the above via supporting documents, and application fees to Department of Education & Early Development, Teacher Education and Certification, 801 West 10th Street, Suite 200, PO Box 110500, Juneau, AK 99811-0500
- The Professional Teacher Certificate is valid for five years. Renewal requires:
- Completed recency credits (as stated above)
- Current employment in an Alaska public school district
- Completed/updated fingerprint/criminal background check (usually done by the school district that employs you)
- Completed Renewal Application and fees
- Send all of the above documents to the Alaska EDD at the above address
- Master Teacher Certificate requirements:
- Hold a current Initial Certificate or Professional Certificate
- Meet all of the requirements for a Professional Certificate
- Hold current National Board Certification issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)
- This requires three years of experience, a bachelor’s degree, passing the National Board Assessment and paying application fees to NBPTS. For more information, call NBPTS at 1-800-22TEACH.
- Submit completed Master Teacher Application, fees and supporting documents to EDD at the above address
- The Master Teacher Certificate is valid for ten years. Renewal requires:
- Renewed National Board Certification
- Recency credits
- Verification of employment in Alaska public school
- Completed renewal application and fees
- Send the above documents to the Alaska EDD at the above address