Living & Expenses 2011
Salary
Salary
$38,500
$38,500
Cost of Living
Housing Costs (single)
$1,000–$1,500
$1,000–$1,500
Housing Costs (shared)
$600–$900
$600–$900
Health Insurance
$80
$80
Utilities
$80–$100
$80–$100
Daycare
Monthly Transit Pass
N/A
N/A
Car Required
Yes
Yes
Car Insurance
$190 / month
$190 / month
Start-Up
Costs
Testing Costs
$330
$330
Up Front Certification Costs
How Do You Pay Start-Up Costs
Out of Pocket
Out of Pocket
Ongoing Costs Through the Two-Year Commitment
Ongoing Certification Costs
$0
$0
Use Americorps award for testing/certification
No
No
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?
Through Teach For America
Through Teach For America
Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of the two years?
Yes
Yes
Is a master's degree required?
No
No
Partner Universities
University of Miami
University of Miami
Teacher Certification Information
In order to be eligible to teach in Florida, corps members are required to pass a Subject Area Test and a General Knowledge Test prior to the start of the school year. Upon successful completion and passing of both exams, our teachers can obtain a temporary certificate that is valid for three years. While it is not required for corps members to receive standard professional certification, those who wish to be certified are required to take the Professional Knowledge Test and complete a certification program. Miami-Dade corps members have the option to participate in the Alternative Professional Preparation Program (AP3), which is a free certification program offered through the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. Corps members also have access to masters’ degree programs at Florida International University for school leadership certification or the University of Miami for a master’s in Education and Social Change, which was specifically created with our corps members in mind.
Notes and Clarifications
- Beginning teacher salary: If you have a master's degree in education, are placed in a bilingual classroom, or in a math/science classroom you may receive additional compensation.
- Avg. health insurance: In some placement districts, health insurance premiums are pre-tax deductions.
- Total tax rate: Federal + state + city. Only applies to starting salaries.
- Up-front certification: Expenses that must be paid before your first day of teaching.
- Paying start-up costs: Can you pay for testing and up-front certification costs with transitional grants and loans or do you have to pay out-of-pocket?
- Ongoing certification: Total certification costs over two-year teaching commitment.
- AmeriCorps award for certification: Can you use your AmeriCorps award to pay testing/certification costs?
- Master's in two years: Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years?
- Master's required: Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment?
- Extra master's degree costs: Additional total cost to obtain a master's degree (on top of ongoing certification costs); does not include AmeriCorps award.
- Partner university(ies): These universities partner with Teach For America for ongoing certification requirements, and in some cases, the fulfillment of a master's degree in education.
Teach For America was named one of Fortune magazine's top 100 employers to work for.
Teach For America was named one of America's top 100 Ideal Employers in Universum's 2011 American Student Survey.