Alternative Teaching Certification in Maine
The Maine Department of Education provides alternative pathways to certification for those who wish to teach but did not attend a teacher preparation program.
Interested in learning about the traditional approach? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Maine.
Alternative Certification Requirements
Education Requirements
You must have a bachelor’s degree in any area from an accredited college/university to qualify for all of these programs.
Program-specific educational requirements:
- Master of Arts in Teaching Degree– this program is only offered at the University of Maine and allows students to earn a master’s degree in 12 months, including all courses and internships necessary for teacher certification in Maine
- ETEP Program- this program is only offered at the University of Southern Maine and is one year long. It allows students to study in a liberal arts concentration, including all courses and internships necessary for teacher certification in Maine, or to get a master’s degree and then become certified.
- Troops to Teachers- if you do not have a bachelor’s degree, you must have one year of college and six years of work experience. You will get a teaching position while completing the educational requirements of the program.
- Conditional Certification Program- This is issued when you have a bachelor’s degree and do not yet meet all educational requirements to become a teacher. The Conditional Certificate is valid for one year and may be renewed as you complete the requirements for Provisional Certification. The number and nature of the courses that must be completed during the period of conditional certification depends upon the grade level you teach and the number of relevant courses you have already taken in your bachelor’s degree program.
Examinations
Admission to all programs requires that you first pass the Praxis I basic skills exam. During your program, you will need to pass the Praxis II exam(s) pertaining to your certification area(s).
Experience
No experience is required to become enrolled in the ETEP or Conditional Certification Programs. If you are in the Troops to Teachers program, you may count six years of work experience to satisfy the bachelor’s degree requirement. Enrollment into the Master of Arts in Teaching Degree Program requires successful, documented prior experience working with children in a learning environment.
All of these programs will offer classroom experience of some sort, whether through a student teaching internship or actual classroom teaching (as in the Troops to Teachers and Conditional Certification Program).
Criminal History Background Check
As a part of the teacher certification process in Maine, you must submit to fingerprinting as part of a criminal history background check. Visit this site for information on having your fingerprints taken. You must pay the $55 fingerprinting fee. You will not receive a teaching certificate until the Maine Department of Education receives a cleared criminal history background check.
Contact Information
To obtain information on available teaching positions in Maine, check this listing for Maine school contact information.
For more information on alternative pathways to certification, contact the Maine Department of Education at 207-624-6603.
