Teach For America • Connecticut has a state approved Alternate Route to Certification. Connecticut corps members are certified after 90 days of teaching by completing Teach For America’s summer training (induction, institute and orientation) and have the ability to earn the Provisional Educator Certificate, transferable to other states, by completing the state’s BEST portfolio by the end of their second year of teaching. The regional professional development program, including regional conferences, monthly content seminars and a new teacher support group, is a required element of the certification program but there are no universal credit or coursework requirements.
Connecticut corps members teaching elementary school are required to have six credits in literacy instruction by the start of the school year. We have a partnership with Buena Vista University and elementary corps members can earn these credits by completing assignment at induction and the summer institute. The full cost of these credits is $800. Connecticut corps members can also earn a master’s degree at a number of local universities within their two years of teaching. Currently corps members select the university program independently so cost and time commitments vary, and more information about a formal Teach For America partnership is forthcoming.
All Connecticut corps members are required to either pass the PRAXIS I series in reading, writing and mathematics or secure a waiver if they received a score that was an 1100 or higher on the SAT or 22 or higher on the ACT. Additionally, corps members must pass PRAXIS II subject-specific test(s) that apply to their teaching placement. These exams must be taken before induction begins in June due to licensure timelines. Overall testing costs for 2007 corps members ranged from $65 - $400.
| Costs to Begin Teaching |
|---|
| Testing: $65 - $400, depending on subject area |
| Processing: $25 for district paperwork (June), $125 for state paperwork (Jan.) |
| Up-front Certification Program Cost: Elementary Literacy Courses, $800 (June) (These costs can be included in transitional loans.) |
| Costs to Maintain Emergency Credential |
|---|
| Certification Workshops, $950 (30% due by December, balance due by May) *In very rare cases, corps members may need to complete 1-2 additional content courses. This can be done in a number of ways, costing between $160-$400. |
As part of our regional program, we work with State Regional Education Service Centers to supply specific workshops required for state certification. These workshops cost $950 paid over the course of the first year teaching.
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