Alternative Teacher Certification Programs in Kentucky
According to the Glasgow Daily Times, Kentucky is facing a statewide shortage of math and Spanish teachers, and some areas of the state are also experiencing shortages of elementary, English, science, and social studies teachers. The state of Kentucky hires over 3,000 teachers every year, and according to the National Center for Alternative Education, a huge percentage of them – approximately 30 percent – enter the profession through a non-traditional route.
The Kentucky Educational Professional Standards Board has instituted eight separate ways for an individual to earn an alternate teaching certificate. These options include: Exceptional Work Experience Certification, Local District Training Program Certification, College Faculty Certification, Adjunct Instructor Certification, Veterans of the Armed Forces, University-Based Alternative Route to Certification, Institute Alternative Route to Certification, and Teach for America (TFA) Alternative Route to Certification. While each of these options has different requirements, all of them require at least a bachelor’s degree and a grade point average of at least 2.5.
If you have at least 10 years of professional work experience in addition to your bachelor’s degree, you may want to consider the Exceptional Work Experience Certification. In order to be eligible for this certificate, you must have either a major in the content area for the certification you are seeking or pass the Praxis II test in that content area. Additionally, you must provide documentation of work experience and three to five recommendations from relevant employers. If you are an armed forces veteran, the Kentucky Troops to Teachers program is very popular, according to the publication Kentucky Teacher. Over 300 veterans became certified to teach in 2011 alone. Troops to Teachers is a federally funded program created to assist eligible military personnel in making the career change to education in high-need schools.
Top Online Schools for Teachers In Kentucky
For those seeking teaching degrees through alternative means in the state of Kentucky, it has gotten easier within the past decade. Combined with a rapid rise in employment in the field according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, potential students may find a network of information and opportunity for alternative teaching degrees in KY.
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky’s College of Education has been a bedrock of knowledge for those who have attended in past years. They are now beginning to offer online teaching courses for interested students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville has a variety of online degree programs available for aspiring educators. Keeping in line with recent advances within the profession, they also have a certification course for education in instructional technology.
Grand Canyon University Online
Grand Canyon University Online has a slew of programs geared to help you attain teaching accreditation. One notable feature of the school involves an emphasis on educational alliances with companies and other groups.
Walden University Online
The online course programs at Walden University display substantial offerings when it comes to education. Their school works hard to meet the standards of national teaching accreditation bodies.
