Become a Teacher in Wyoming
WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
(307) 777-7675
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Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Wyoming
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: 04/29/2020)
Generally, states require that certified teachers hold, at the minimum, a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, some states have undergraduate credit hour requirements for certification in specialty areas. Wyoming does not list specific course or credit hour requirements, but it does necessitate that student teaching be part of the Educator Preparation Program. Additionally, every Program will have requirements of its own. Contact your program or the Professional Teaching Standards Board for more information.
Teacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program. Typically teacher education programs consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The curricula often include instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, pedagogy (the art and science of teaching) and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. The fieldwork component can include field observations, student teaching and an internship.
The Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board necessitates testing according to license and content. Teachers applying for initial licensure with endorsements in Elementary Education or Social Studies Composite must complete the relevant Praxis II exams. The specific tests required are listed on the board’s website.
You can learn more about the Praxis exams by visiting Teach.coms' Ultimate Guide to the Praxis Exams and read more about teacher certification tests on Teach.com.
Initial Teaching Certifications
In order to earn your Wyoming teaching credential you will have to complete prerequisite coursework and standardized testing specific to the requirements of the state Professional Teaching Standards Board. If you hold a teaching credential from another state, you may be eligible for a Wyoming credential through the process of interstate reciprocity.
Learn more about earning your teaching credential in Wyoming on the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards website. Read more about getting your teaching credential in general on the Teach and Certification Map websites.
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 Wyoming
Graduates of accredited colleges or universities whose bachelor’s degree are not in education, and who have not yet earned a traditional teaching certificate, can still receive an alternative teaching certificate by satisfying certain requirements. Wyoming offers an alternative program for secondary licensure through the Northern Plains Transition to Teaching program. Visit the program’s website for more information. The Lewis and Clark Region Troops to Teachers program also offers an alternative route to licensure in Wyoming, specifically for qualified military personnel looking to transition from the armed services to service in public school classrooms.
Wyoming Teacher Certification Information & Links
Transferring Your Certification
Certification Reciprocity in Wyoming
Wyoming participates in interstate reciprocity for teachers holding out-of-state teaching licenses. This, however, assumes a policy of equal exchange, meaning that the requirements an applicant fulfilled to obtain certification must be equivalent to the requirements in Wyoming. Equivalent standards include:
- Completion of a regionally or nationally accredited teacher education program;
- Supervised student teaching;
- Passing the required test(s) for the state in which you hold a teaching license;
- Added endorsements are recognized in the same manner as described above.
For more details on reciprocity please review the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement on Reciprocity or visit the Teach.com reciprocity page.
Career Advancement
Professional Development for Wyoming Teachers
The Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) oversees both certification and professional development for Wyoming teachers. You can find information on various professional development workshops, approved university programs, and additional education resources on the PTSB website.
Benefits of a Master's Degree in Wyoming
As a teacher with a master's degree in the field of education in Wyoming, you may have more job security, as well as the possibility of better compensation. Salary can be influenced by location, years of experience, and other factors as well.
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 Wyoming
Wyoming Teaching Jobs
The Wyoming School Boards Association publishes an online list of education jobs in the state, including teaching positions, administrative positions, superintendent positions, and district-wide positions. Check back frequently as new listings are provided as needed. Wyoming also lists positions on the Teachers-Teachers website.
Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.
Wyoming Teacher Salary and Incentives
According to 2019 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average teacher salaries for Wyoming teachers range from $58,000 to $62,000 per year, depending on grade level.
Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.
Wyoming Teacher Benefits and Retirement
The Wyoming Retirement System (WRS) offers two types of retirement benefits: pensions and deferred compensation. Pension plans for teachers differ according to when the first contribution was made. To learn more about your specific circumstances, contact WRS.
Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.
Wyoming Teacher Shortage Areas
A teacher shortage area is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as “an area of specific grade, subject matter or discipline classification, or a geographic area in which … there is an inadequate supply of elementary or secondary school teachers.” The Department allows states to identify their own teacher shortage areas, but encourages them to follow a prescribed methodology based on unfilled teaching positions, teaching positions filled by instructors with irregular certifications, and positions filled by teachers certified in other subject areas. Shortage areas for the 2020-21 school year are as follows:
- Academic Intervention
- Art and Music
- Career and Technical Education
- Elementary Grades (Core Subjects)
- English as a Second Language
- Gifted and Talented
- Health
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- World Languages
- Special Education
Financial Aid in Wyoming
There are several forms of aid available to teachers pursuing their Master’s in Teaching. The TEACH Grant, for example, offers financial aid in return for teaching full time in a high-need field at a low-income school for at least four academic years. Similarly, the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program allows teachers to teach full-time at a low-income school for five years in exchange for forgiveness of up to $17,500 of student loans. The college or university where you plan to attain your master’s degree may also offer its own aid.
Learn more about how to finance your Master's degree on Teach.com.
Information last updated: May 2020