Throughout our onboarding process, corps members learn about our landscape in Greater News Orleans; the contours of diversity, race, class, power, and privilege; the corps member experience and expectations; and specifics about the hiring and certification processes. By preparing to teach in, live in, and love Greater New Orleans, you will also begin to plug into our thriving regional culture.
Becoming Certified to Teach
The total estimated up-front credentialing costs range from $200 to $250, which includes all tests and licensing fees needed.
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?
While enrolled in a certification program during the first year teaching, corps members will get a temporary Practitioner’s License. Upon completion of the first year and chosen certification program, corps members will achieve their Standard Level 1 Louisiana Certification.
Certification Programs
The certification programs that we offer are described below.
Louisiana Resource Center for Educators (LRCE)
LRCE aims to ensure that teachers have the knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to drive toward creating a classroom community that is best for all students and leads to educational equity.
The New Teacher Project (TNTP)
TNTP Academy-Louisiana provides flexible, high quality, Louisiana Standards-aligned professional development that improves teacher practice and increases student achievement. This program has an optional master’s program for the second year.
Certification Requirements
In order to complete the program successfully, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Pass required exams
- Submit all required paperwork and documentation in a timely manner
- Successfully complete the summer training institute and related commitments
- Attend and participate in observation debrief discussions, mentor meetings, professional development opportunities, and a series of three-hour content seminars
- Complete a teacher portfolio at the end of the first year of teaching
- Pass the Louisiana Teacher Assistance and Assessment Program (LaTAAP)
- Fulfill the two-year teaching assignment
Teach For America Training
The summer before you begin teaching, Teach For America hosts a six-week pre-service training program in New Orleans. This program enables corps members to teach summer classes for students in a local school while being trained by veteran educators. This important experience helps ground new corps members in our community and connect with our students, while also providing a valuable service to our school partners.