Become a Teacher in Indiana
INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
South Tower, Suite 600
115 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317)-232-6610
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Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Indiana
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: 04/26/202)
A Bachelor’s degree is required in every state. Indiana has no specific credit hour requirements, but does require a minor in a content area along with the relevant major. Indiana requires a supervised field experience in the classroom with responsibility for direct student instruction in order to qualify for an Initial Practitioner certificate. Check with the Department of Education or your teacher preparation program for more information.
To earn your teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. A list of accredited teacher preparation programs in Indiana can be found on the Indiana Department of Education Educator Preparation Programs page.
Teacher candidates in Indiana must pass the Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA), which tests reading, mathematics and writing. In addition, he or she must pass Development (Pedagogy) Area Assessment(s) according to the desired grade and/or subject area.
Initial Teaching Certifications
To earn your Indiana 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 two levels of licensure: Initial Practitioner and Proficient Practitioner.
Other license types are available for teachers educated and/or licensed out-of-state, and for other unusual situations. Learn more about earning your Indiana teaching credential through the Educator Testing.
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 Indiana
All accredited teacher preparation programs in Indiana are required to offer Transition to Teaching, a program that helps professionals with the appropriate content knowledge join the teaching profession. Indiana also offers the Indianapolis Teaching Fellows program which offers training, support, and the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching for teachers of early childhood, elementary, English, English as a Second Language, math, science, Spanish and special education. For more alternative certification options, visit the Indiana Department of Education Office of Educator Effectiveness and Licensing. Veterans may also be eligible for the Indiana Troops to Teachers program.
Indiana Teacher Certification Information & Links
Transferring Your Certification
Certification Reciprocity in Indiana
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 Indiana, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page. Or, for more specific questions about your situation, contact the Indiana Department of Education.
Career Advancement
Professional Development for Indiana Teachers
Indiana offers a Professional Growth Plan, through which teachers attend conferences and workshops to gain Professional Growth Points (PGPs). Teachers must gain at least 90 PGPs, 6 credit hours of coursework, or complete the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Certification program to renew their teaching license. Beginning teachers join the Indiana Mentorship and Assessment Program (IMAP), receiving 2 years of intensive mentorship to integrate them into their school.
Benefits of a Master's Degree in Indiana
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 have the ability to achieve better results in the classroom and may have more job security and potentially 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 Indiana
Indiana Teaching Jobs
The Indiana Department of Education Job Site assists teachers in finding job opportunities. Aspiring teachers can use the new job search engine to find job openings throughout the state. Teacher shortages have made Indiana a popular state for highly qualified beginning teachers.
Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.
Indiana Teacher Salary and Incentives
According to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average teacher in Indiana makes around $53,000 per year. Teacher salaries in Indiana are up to the discretion of the school district.
Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.
Indiana Teacher Benefits and Retirement
Teachers in Indiana are vested in the retirement system after 10 years of service. Retirement benefits are handled through the Teachers Retirement Fund, a division of the Indiana Public Retirement System. Indiana offers additional benefits for teachers, including health and dental benefits according to the county or school district.
Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.
Indiana 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 in academic subject other than their area of preparation. According to a report by the US Department of Education, Indiana has the following Teacher Shortage Areas:
- Music
- Career and Technical Education
- English as a Second Language
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Special Education
- Psychologist
- World Languages
- Early Childhood
Teacher Shortage information was provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listings for 2020–2021, and was determined by examining the most recent data about unfilled teaching positions; positions filled by teachers certified by irregular, provisional, temporary, or emergency certification; and teachers teaching in subject areas other than their area of preparation.
Financial Aid in Indiana
Indiana 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