- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
District-Sponsored-Certificates
The Alaska Teacher Certification office issues seven types of district-sponsored certificates:
All applicants for a district-sponsored certificate must submit the following:
- Official transcripts
- District Request and Assurance Form
- Four mandatory training certificates
- Fingerprint card
- Application and fees
Emergency Teacher
For applicants who are unable to satisfy one or more of the following requirements of an Initial Teaching Certificate:
- completion or enrollment in an approved preparation program,
- basic competency,
- content area exam, or
- completion of a bachelor’s degree.
The application must be completed and submitted with supporting documents; including the District Request and Assurance Form completed by the sponsoring Alaska School District, the four mandatory training certificates, and official transcripts.
An emergency certificate is only valid during the school year that it was issued.
Next Step: Apply for the Initial 2-year or Initial Program Enrollment Teacher Certificates. A district may request an additional emergency certificate if the applicant has made progress but not completed the necessary requirements.
Emergency Administrator
For applicants who are unable to satisfy one or more of the following requirements of an Initial Type B Administrative Certificate (Provisional):
- completion of an approved preparation program, or
- completion of a master’s degree, or
- three-years’ of teaching or special services experience
The application must be completed and submitted with supporting documents; including the District Request and Assurance Form completed by the sponsoring Alaska School District, the four mandatory training certificates, and official transcripts.
An emergency certificate is only valid during the school year that it was issued.
Next Step: Apply for the Type B: Provisional 2-year or the Type B: Regular 5-year certificate. A district may request an additional emergency certificate if the applicant has made progress but not completed the necessary requirements.
Limited Type M: Language & Culture
For a Limited Certificate in Alaska Native language or culture, you must submit a resume demonstrating competency in an Alaska Native language or a minimum of four years’ experience involving an Alaska Native culture, as determined by the school district. Two letters of recommendation are also required.
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Limited Type M: Military Sciences
For a Limited Certificate in military science, you must meet the criteria of the United States Department of Defense to be a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor, as verified by the local school district. In addition, you must submit a resume demonstrating competency in the military science area. Two letters of recommendation are also required.
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Limited Type M: Career-Technical
For a Limited Certificate in a vocational trade or technical specialty, you must have completed four (4) or more years of full-time work experience in a trade or vocational pursuit, no more than two (2) years of which is formal training in a trade school or technical institute. Two letters of recommendation are also required.
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Limited Type W: Immersion World Language
For applicants fluent in a foreign language who will be working in a language immersion school. To apply, you must provide evidence of the following: fluency in the foreign language, content knowledge, and instructional competency.
Next Step: Certificate Renewal
Limited Type I: Instructional Assistant
This certificate is designed to assist experienced instructional aides nominated by their school districts in completing the statutory requirements for full teacher certification. The certificate coordinates the efforts of the applicant, the nominating district, and an approved teacher preparation program toward the applicant’s completion of a baccalaureate degree, an approved teacher preparation program, and passage of the Praxis I examination.
If your meet the following requirements, you are eligible for a Limited Type I certificate:
- nomination by your current employing school district;
- at least three (3) years of successful employment there as an instructional aide;
- enrollment in a college or university program leading to a bachelor’s degree, the completion of an approved teacher preparation program, and passing scores on the Praxis I teacher tests; and
- a contract among you, your district, and your college or university, outlining annual milestones for you and support from the district and institution.
A Type I certificate is valid for one school year and may be renewed up to three times. The department will base its renewal determination on its review of documentation establishing the parties’ full conformance with the contract terms.
An application packet for a Type I certificate requires:
- a completed application form signed by the superintendent of the nominating district;
- a contract detailing the education plan with annual milestones signed by you, the superintendent of your school district, and your approved teacher preparation program’s certifying official;
- Proof of Program Enrollment form signed by the college or university;
- Official transcripts;
- a resume verified by the school district and demonstrating at least three (3) years as an instructional aide in the district;
- one completed FBI fingerprint cards; and
- the fees for the certificate and required fingerprint processing.
The addition of this certificate meets the board’s desire to promote the development of more "home grown" teachers. It will benefit schools and districts both with better stability in classrooms through local hire and with the new teachers' local knowledge to assist their less culturally experienced colleagues. It will benefit communities economically by allowing members to bootstrap themselves up the professional ladder and educationally by offering the most appropriate educational opportunities to children. And it will benefit individuals by allowing them the opportunity to pursue their professional goals without having to leave their communities.
Next Step: Apply for the Initial 2 or 3-year Teaching Certificate.