Become a Teacher in Alabama

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Teaching in Alabama Snapshot

$51,950

Secondary School Teacher Salary

$50,270

Elementary School Teacher Salary

$9,511

Public School Spending Per Student

All career and salary information pulled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 pupil expenditure information was provided by Governing.

ALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

5114 Gordon Persons Building
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 242-9700

University of Southern California (USC)

USC Rossier School of Education

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Master of Arts in Teaching online

The Master of Arts in Teaching online (MAT online) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares aspiring teachers for diverse and high-needs educational settings and can be completed in as few as 12 months.

  • Fieldwork placement  
  • Complete in 12-36 months  
  • GRE scores not required 

info SPONSORED

Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Alabama

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: 04/26/2020)

1

Prerequisite Coursework in Alabama

Every state requires teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree to be certified. Teaching in Alabama will require an academic major in the required field with at least 32 semester hours of credit, including 19 semester hours of upper-level credit. Contact your teacher preparation program or the Department of Education for more information about coursework requirements.

2

Alabama Teacher Certification Programs

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. The Alabama Department of Education provides a list of Educator Preparation Institution. Teacher certification programs generally require both coursework and fieldwork components. The coursework consists of essential knowledge and skills for teachers, as well as an exploration of contemporary pedagogy (the art and science of teaching). Fieldwork involves classroom observation, student teaching, and/or education internships.

3

Required Tests for Alabama

Teacher testing in Alabama is handled by the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). Three Basic Skills Assessments (Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Writing) and the Praxis II exams for subject proficiency are required. Learn more about Praxis testing requirements for Alabama.

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

To get your teaching credential in Alabama, you will need to complete the necessary college coursework, teacher preparation program, and standardized tests required by the State of Alabama. If you obtained your teaching credential from another state, you may be able to gain an Alabama teaching credential through interstate reciprocity. Learn more about earning your Alabama teaching credential through the Alabama State Department of Education. Alabama has three levels of teacher certification. A Class B certificate is issued to new teachers who have completed a bachelor’s degree and a teacher education program, a Class A certificate is available to teachers who have earned a master’s degree, and the Class AA is for teachers who have completed a sixth-year program.

Learn more about getting your teaching credential on Teach.com.

Discover an 8-week Online Teaching Short Course from Harvard’s Bok Center

Harvard University

Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning

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Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Deepen your understanding of higher-order teaching practices and broaden your skill set while creating a unique and inclusive strategy for your specific context.

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Alternative Certification in Alabama

Alabama offers an Provisional Certificate for various fields which let teachers earn a certificate over a maximum of three years while teaching full time. See the Alabama Department of Education website for more information and a list of institutions offering alternative teacher certification programs. Members of the military can learn more about the Troops to Teachers program in Alabama.

Alabama Teacher Certification Information & Links

Transferring Your Certification

Certification Reciprocity in Alabama

Interstate Reciprocity is a program where you can use a certification from another state to become certified in a new state. Read more on the certification reciprocity page to check which states are eligible for reciprocity in Alabama, or contact the Alabama Department of Education if you have more specific questions about your state or institution.

Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in Alabama

Alabama Teaching Jobs

The Alabama Department of Education runs a teaching job recruitment website called Teach in Alabama, which allows users to browse available positions and apply online. Positions can be filtered by school district or board district and tracked through an online account. Additionally, the Alabama Department of Education participates in the Troops to Teachers program, which helps veterans find work as educators in Alabama schools.

Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.

Alabama Teacher Salary and Incentives

Average teacher salaries in Alabama range from around $50,370 depending on grade level, according to 2019 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay levels increase with higher levels of education as well as with every three years of experience. Teacher incentives in Alabama are primarily handled at the district level. Some federal student loan forgiveness is offered to teachers willing to work in high-need schools.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

Alabama Teacher Benefits and Retirement

Retirement benefits for teachers in Alabama are handled by the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS). Retirement planning information as well as retirement and social security calculators can be found on the TRS website.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com

Alabama Teacher Shortage Areas

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Physical Science
  • Early Childhood

Life SkillsTeacher 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.

Career Advancement

Professional Development for Alabama Teachers

As of August 2011, professional development and evaluation in Alabama is handled by EDUCATEAlabama. EDUCATEAlabama features a set of teacher evaluations as well as online developmental resources to build upon on-site development days.

Benefits of a Master’s Degree in Alabama

A master’s degree in the field of education may give you more knowledge and skills to use in the classroom, ultimately enabling you to become the best teacher you can be. Teachers in Alabama who hold a master’s earn about $7,000 more per year than those who hold a bachelor’s, according to the Alabama DOE.

Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.

Harvard University

Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning

info

Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Deepen your understanding of higher-order teaching practices and broaden your skill set while creating a unique and inclusive strategy for your specific context.

University of Southern California (USC)

USC Rossier School of Education

info

Master of Arts in Teaching online

The Master of Arts in Teaching online (MAT online) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares aspiring teachers for diverse and high-needs educational settings and can be completed in as few as 12 months.

  • Fieldwork placement  
  • Complete in 12-36 months  
  • GRE scores not required 

infoSPONSORED

Last Updated May 2020