Become a Teacher in Missouri
Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
http://www.dese.mo.gov/205 Jefferson St Jefferson City, MO 65102
(573) 751-9060
Missouri highlights
Become a teacher in Missouri
Missouri Teacher Shortage areas
Earn Your Missouri Teaching Credential
To earn your Missouri teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Beginning teachers in Missouri receive an Initial Professional Certificate that is valid for 4 years. Teachers who have met the requirements for full certification (which include two years of mentoring) are issued a permanent Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC) and a Continuous Career Education Certificate (CCEC) which is valid for 99 years as long as performance evaluations are satisfactory and professional development requirements are met. Learn more here about earning your Missouri teaching credential.
Learn more about getting your teaching credential.
Return to the topPrerequisite Coursework in Missouri
All states require at least a Bachelor’s degree to teach. Additionally, Missouri has the following undergraduate requirements:
Secondary Education: Missouri has very specific course requirements depending on the desired content area, adding up to 30-40 total semester hours. For the specific required course details, visit this page.
Contact the Department of Education at (573) 751-0051 for more information, including requirements for Elementary Education.
For more information on prerequisite coursework in Missouri, please visit Teacher's Certification Map.
Return to the topRequired Tests for Missouri
Most states require tests to show competency in Basic Skills as well as in the desired Subject Area. Missouri requires the College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (CBASE) for admission to a college or University teacher education program. It also requires the Praxis II: Content Knowledge/Specialty Area Assessments in your specialty area to show competency, or the Praxis II PLT (Principles of Learning and Teaching) test that is appropriate for the level at which you plan to teach.
Read more about teacher certification tests.
Return to the topMissouri Teacher Certification Programs
Teacher Certification Programs can be taken online or on-site. They typically include an educational theory and classroom skills seminar and a fieldwork component of student teaching in the area. A list of approved teacher preparation programs in Missouri can be found here.
Return to the topAlternate Teacher Certification in Missouri
Missouri allows prospective teachers to attend an accredited teacher preparation course or an alternative certification program while simultaneously teaching under a two-year provisional certificate. Additionally, Missouri recognizes the ABCTE alternate certification program. For more alternate certification info, visit the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education pageon the topic.
For more information on alternative teacher certification please visit the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Missouri Troops to Teachers program Return to the topCertification Reciprocity in Missouri
Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in Missouri, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page . Or, for more specific questions about your situation, contact the Missouri Department of Education.
Return to the topBenefits of a Master's in Education in Missouri
It is no longer enough to just have years of experience for teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A Master’s in Teaching will give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor. After a Master’s program, you will be able to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay.
In the Springfield Public Schools, a beginning teacher holding a Master’s degree earns a little over $4,000 more than a new teacher lacking one, and the differential grows wider with each year of experience – with 20 years, it increases to over $10,000.
Learn more about the Benefits of a Master's in Education.
Return to the topMaster's in Education Financial Aid
Missouri residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.
Learn more about how to finance your Master's degree.
Return to the topMissouri Teacher Salary and Incentives
The average teacher in Missouri makes $43,675 per year, which is 125% of the state average income. Missouri does not provide any additional pay for teaching high-demand districts or school subject. More salary information can be found by using the StlToday.com educator salary lookup tool, which allows you to look up salary by district, position, and experience.
Learn more about teacher salaries.
Return to the topMissouri Teacher Benefits and Retirement
Missouri public school teachers are covered by the Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri (PSRS/PEERS). Under PSRS/PEERS, teachers are eligible for full retirement at any age with at least 30 years of teaching service, or at the age of 60 with at least 5 years of teaching service. Teachers with 25-29 years of teaching service are eligible for reduced-benefit retirement. Retirement compensation is determined by years of teaching experience and highest average salary.
Learn more about benefits for teachers.
Return to the topProfessional Development for Teachers in Missouri
Missouri uses a continuum of teacher standards toward which it gears a series of conferences and workshops. The state offers online professional development courses on its eLearning for Educators site. To find out more about Missouri Professional Development, visit their Department of Education Office of Educator Quality.
While teaching under an Initial Professional Certificate (IPC), teachers in most core areas must complete 30 professional development contact hours. After being issued the permanent career certification, teachers must complete 20 professional development contact hours annually.
Return to the topMissouri Teaching Jobs
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education partnered with SuccessLink.org to create a searchable online database for Missouri teachers. Job seekersi are able to browse teaching vacancies by region and by specialty, and submit applications for them online.
Learn more about finding a teaching job.
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