Become a Teacher in Iowa
400 E. 14th St
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-5294
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Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Iowa
Important Note: Education licensure requirements, statistics and other information are subject to change. Teach.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. (Last update: 04/22/2020)
All states require at least a Bachelor’s degree to teach. Iowa has additional prerequisite coursework, depending on subject and grade level. Find out more by visiting the IBEE Teacher Endorsements page.
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.
Iowa does not require a Basic Skills test, but requires the Praxis II: Subject Tests to prove content proficiency.
You can learn more about the Praxis exams by visiting Teach.coms' Guide to the Praxis Exams and read more about teacher certification tests on Teach.com.
Initial Teaching Certifications
To earn your Iowa teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Indiana has an Initial certification, valid for a teacher’s first 2 years, as well as Standard and Master Educator certification, both valid for 5 years. All categories are renewable. Visit the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (IBEE) website to find out more about getting your teaching credential in Iowa.
Learn more about getting your teaching credential on Teach.com.
Discover an 8-week Online Teaching Short Course from Harvard's Bok Center
Higher Education Teaching Certificate
The Higher Education Teaching Certificate online short course aims to give you the opportunity to engage deeply with and reflect on your teaching practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education (HE) field. Loosely based on the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and in association with HarvardX, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the focus areas of pedagogy, course and assessment design, professional communication, language and culture of the classroom, and reflections on teaching – entirely online, from anywhere in the world.
Alternative Certification in Iowa
Iowa offers a Teacher Intern License which allows an applicant with a Bachelor’s GPA of 2.5 or higher, at least 3 years of post-baccalaureate work experience, and the coursework prerequisites to teach high school. The program includes coursework and a one-year teaching internship, culminating in a teaching certification. Veterans may also be eligible for the Troops to Teachers program.
Iowa Teacher Certification Information & Links
Transferring Your Certification
Certification Reciprocity in Iowa
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 Iowa, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page. For more specific questions about your situation, contact the Iowa Department of Education.
To find out what other state teaching licenses can be used in Iowa, check out our Teacher Certification Reciprocity page on Teach.com.
Career Advancement
Professional Development for Iowa Teachers
The Iowa Professional Development Model analyzes past and present educational institutions to provide a plan for the future of Iowa education. The model focuses on curriculum, instruction, and assessment to provide ever-improving professional development. The state of Iowa requires that teachers continually apply new learning ideas into the classroom by learning new demonstrations, using new materials, and observing each other.
Benefits of a Master's Degree in Iowa
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 degree in the field of education 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 may be able to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay.
Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.
Higher Education Teaching Certificate
The Higher Education Teaching Certificate online short course aims to give you the opportunity to engage deeply with and reflect on your teaching practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education (HE) field. Loosely based on the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and in association with HarvardX, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the focus areas of pedagogy, course and assessment design, professional communication, language and culture of the classroom, and reflections on teaching – entirely online, from anywhere in the world.
Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in Iowa
Iowa Teaching Jobs
The state of Iowa maintains the site Teach Iowa as a recruitment site for school districts to post job listings and prospective teachers to find positions. Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.
Iowa Teacher Salary and Incentives
According to the 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the average teacher in Iowa makes around $50,000 per year, depending on grade level. Pay rates in Iowa depend on each school district and salary increases with years of experience as well as degree. Increased pay and loan forgiveness are often offered as an incentive to teach in shortage subject areas. Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.
Iowa Teacher Benefits and Retirement
The Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS) handles teacher retirement benefits. You can learn more about when you become eligible to receive retirement benefits on the IPERS website. Iowa teachers receive additional benefits such as health-care plans according to their school district.
Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.
Iowa Teacher Shortage Areas
The United States Department of Education defines a Teacher Shortage Area (TSA) as a subject matter or grade level within a state in which there is an inadequate supply of elementary or secondary teachers. The shortage may be caused by teaching positions that are unfilled or are filled by teachers who have temporary certification or teach in an academic subject other than their area of preparation. According to a report by the USDE Office of Postsecondary Education, Iowa has the following Teacher Shortage Areas for the 2020-2021 school year:
- Gifted Education
- Career and Technical Education
- English as a Second Language
- Special Education
- Science (All Science grades 5-12)
- World Languages
- Support Staff
Financial Aid in Iowa
Iowa residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship, as well as the TEACH 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 on Teach.com.
Information last updated: May 2020