Missouri Alternative Certification Programs

(found programs from 19 schools)

According to the Columbia Daily Tribune, Missouri is facing teacher shortages in 21 key subject areas, including foreign language education, math, all areas of science, vocal music, speech and language, all areas of special education, and even in more specialized content areas, such as industrial technology education, family and consumer science education, and even driver education. Data compiled by the National Center for Alternative Education shows that Missouri hires approximately 3,000 new teachers every year, and of these new teachers, about seven percent of them enter the profession through alternate routes.

In order to alleviate the teacher shortage in high-need areas, Missouri has instituted several different programs to help individuals earn alternate teacher certification. While each program does have different requirements, all of the state-approved programs require candidates to already possess a bachelor's degree, submit to a background check, and pass state competency exams.

Two programs you may consider are the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) program and the Missouri Troops to Teachers program. ABCTE is a computer-based program which helps interested professionals with bachelor's degrees transition into the education field. An independent study found that 95 percent of principals felt that ABCTE training produced teachers as or more effective than those trained in traditional programs. The Missouri Troops to Teachers program, which bears the slogan "Proud to Serve Again," is a federally funded program created to assist eligible military personnel in making the career change to education in high-need schools. Stipends of up to $5,000 are available to reimburse the costs associated with teaching certification, and bonuses of $10,000 are available for those who agree to teach for at least three years in a school with a high population of lower-income students.