California Alternative Certification Programs

(found programs from 64 schools)

According to the California Teachers Association, the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning predicts that about 10,000 additional teachers will be needed in California over the next decade. The state is experiencing teacher shortages in both core and extra-curricular subjects, including math, computer science, foreign languages, the life and physical sciences, special education, agriculture, and business education. Data compiled by the National Center for Alternative Education shows that California hires approximately 20,000 new teachers every year, and of these new teachers, as many as 40 percent of them - over 8,000 per year - enter the profession through non-traditional routes.

California has several alternative certification options. While each program has different requirements, each state-approved program requires that candidates already possess a bachelor's degree, as well as earn passing scores on the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET), meet basic skills requirements, and complete a computer education and U.S. Constitution course.

Two programs you may consider are the California Teacher Corps program or the Peace Corps Teaching Experience. The California Teacher Corps program is designed for individuals who have already established themselves professionally. This is a highly selective program that provides rigorous training both before entering the classroom and during the first year of teaching. The Peace Corps Teaching Experience is designed for individuals who have served in the Peace Corps and who spent at least 18 months teaching resident students of a foreign country. In order to qualify, 50 percent or more of regular duties must have consisted of classroom teaching. Qualifying individuals may fill out the appropriate forms to waive traditional teacher preparation and receive a preliminary teaching credential.