Becoming Certified to Teach

Certification Requirements

Las Vegas corps members receive a three-year, non-renewable temporary certificate. In order to qualify for the temporary certificate, all corps members are required to:

• Pass both the Praxis I and Praxis II exams that are required for their placement 
• Provide copies of their degree-conferred transcript from an accredited college or university
• Pay fee to the Nevada Department of Education

If you are already licensed to teach in another state, check out the Nevada Department of Education website for more information on reciprocity. It is possible to be fully-licensed in Nevada.

Testing Requirements

All corps members are required to pass the Praxis I and Praxis II exams in order to be fully-licensed teachers. Most corps members pass these tests in the spring before their arrival in Las Vegas to teach, which is highly recommended. Some pass it over the summer, but late-pass dates could delay licensing, eligibility for Americorps, and salary benefits. 

Certification Program

After obtaining the temporary license, corps members apply and enroll in a graduate-level teacher certification program at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). UNLV partners with us to provide in-state tuition costs for our teachers to earn their teacher certification.

While tuition and costs estimates change yearly, $6,000-$11,000 over two years depending on your program and pathway. The teacher certification program is a requirement for almost all corps members to teach in Nevada (a few exceptions exist for teachers who already have an education degree). UNLV works to group corps members together for evening classes throughout the year.

Most corps members take out loans from UNLV Financial Aid to pay for these classes and use their AmeriCorps grant to pay off a substantial portion at the end of each school year. 

Master's Degree Option

While it is optional, almost all corps members choose to complete a few additional classes beyond the teacher certification to earn their Masters from UNLV. The full program costs to complete the Masters is approximately $14,000 with student teaching credits. It is possible for corps members to successfully earn a Masters at the end of their two-year commitment.

Teach For America Training 

Prior to your first year, all corps members will participate in a summer training program. During this hands-on program, you will attend sessions on topics such as the foundations of teaching, as well as teach classes alongside fellow corps members. Learn more about corps member summer training.