Become a Teacher >> Browse Articles >> Certification
16 States with Great Alternative Routes to Teaching
TheApple
5. Louisiana
Louisiana has many untraditional pathways to becoming a teacher. You can choose to follow certification options that require a bachelor’s degree, or programs that accept a lesser degree, such as an associate’s or high school diploma.
If you’ve received a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, there are a few alternative options available. Louisiana’s Practitioner Teacher Program is a unique partnership that was formed in 2001 to offer a high-quality alternate certification program for new teachers. Participants will be required to complete coursework and on the job training. Another program, called Certification Only, is designed for candidates who may not elect participation in or be eligible for certification under either the Master’s Degree or Practitioner Teacher alternate certification programs.
Unique to Louisiana, prospective teachers can earn an associate’s degree as well as certification. Five community colleges in the state of Louisiana that offer the new Associate of Science in Teaching degree. This degree will provide you with an introduction and basis for a future career in teaching. If you’d like to become certified, but lack the educational credentials to do so, you can complete a paraprofessional program that allows you to work with children in schools with a high school diploma. All Louisiana teachers will be required to take a Praxis exam.
To get this teaching job, you need a bachelor’s degree. Browse online and local degree programs now.
Click here to view the state education profile and popular schools districts.
trinadrummond
8 months ago
4 comments
I have applied for the altrnative certification program in houston and got accepted. Has anyone completed this program through them?
srosengarden
8 months ago
2 comments
Anyone have information in Illinois?
IndianaLibrarian
9 months ago
2 comments
I'd like to disagree with the comment made by "hotteacher1976" (rather a questionable sign-in name for a teacher?). Not all the schools in the state of Indiana are in need of a "serious re-working." It is mainly the schools in the larger cities with a high rate of poor people and, frankly, large, poor, black communities. This includes Indianapolis (with a graduation rate of less than 20 percent and middle schools with juvenile detention workers!), South Bend, Gary, Hammond, and Michigan City (whose two high schools were unaccredited for a time). Fortunately, most of these school systems are surrounded by smaller school systems that are doing well and have high graduation rates regardless of race or economics. Also of note, the city of Indianapolis rates high on the lists of liveable U.S. cities. My husband is a middle/high school special education teacher and I'm a professional public librarian. We lived in Indy but he had to teach in the Carmel school system, for safety and sanity sake. It was bad enough for me to work in one of the urban public libraries where I dealt with the kids and their disinterested parents. Safety was a constant issue--even at the public library.
Vanes63
10 months ago
2 comments
One alternative program not mentioned here is called Project Pipeline and it helps those seeking alternative certification in certain parts of California. I will be started this program at the end of this week and as far as I can tell it's pretty nifty.
You still have to pass state exams, have a bachelors degree and do just about everything teachers for traditional routes (TB test, fingerprinting) but you don't have to go back for a 2nd bachelors.
ronfurg
10 months ago
6 comments
I take exception to the comment by pwebbmartin. A quick review of the average salaries for Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, and Mississippi will show only a small difference with Mississippi actually being above the national average. One must also take into consideration other positive factors for those states such as quality of life, cost of living, etc., which may make them far more attractive than an evaluation based solely on salary.
pwebbmartin
about 1 year ago
2 comments
This would be a GREAT article and resource if the states and school systems were matched with their salaries. Sadly, Louisana, Kentucky, Indiana, Missippissi are the lowest paying states for all employment positions.
tanderson
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Massachusetts is similar. You need a Bachelor's degree in something from somewhere and
you must pass two tests, a literacy test and a test in the field in which you intend to teach. Also,
after five years of teaching, you must get a Master's degree in something or you are OUT.
Tim Anderson
hotteacher1976
about 1 year ago
372 comments
Anyone notice that these programs are in states with school systems in need of serious re-working?
susanwachs
about 1 year ago
6 comments
Broward County, Florida also has two programs for those who want to transition into teaching. They are the STAR and Promise programs. These programs can be completed in about a year, and information about the progams can be obtained on the instructional staffing website.
rdeming
about 1 year ago
2 comments
I feel that this allows those with the capabilities to teach to do so. this is great for those that are in tune with children.