Kansas Teacher Certification

How to Become a Teacher in Kansas

Teacher certification in Kansas is regulated by the Teacher Education and Licensure (TEAL) team. There are a number of types of licenses for Kansas educators. The standard licenses consist of Conditional, Professional, and Accomplished certifications. The Conditional license is the initial certification for new teachers and is valid for two years. After that time, educators apply for a Professional license which is valid for five years and has professional development requirements for renewal. Kansas teachers may also earn an Accomplished License by attaining National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. An Accomplished license is valid for ten years.

Spotlight School

DeVry University

Popular Programs:

• Master's-Education
• Graduate Certificate-Management of Education Corporation/Corporate Training Divisions
• Graduate Certificate-Education Leadership
• Graduate Certificate-Curriculum Leadership

In addition to the three types of standard licenses, educators may also possess the following in Kansas: a nonrenewable license valid for one year, an Exchange license or Provisional license valid for two years, a Restricted license through an alternative licensure program, a Technical Certificate, or a Substitute license.

Regardless of the type of license, Kansas uses the following levels to specify which students may be taught using that license: early childhood (birth-kindergarten, birth-grade 3, or prekindergarten-grade 3), early childhood through late childhood (kindergarten-grade 6), late childhood through early adolescence (grades 5-8), early adolescence through late adolescence and adulthood (grades 6-12), and early childhood through late adolescence and adulthood (prekindergarten-grade 12). All licenses must also include one or more endorsements.

Kansas Teacher Education Requirements

Those who are preparing for Kansas teacher certification must complete a teacher education program at an accredited institution. The bachelor’s degrees required at these institutions vary, but all teachers in Kansas are required to have at least one endorsement on their licenses.

Profiles of Well Known Schools

Wichita State University: Wichita State University’s College of Education serves both undergrads and graduate students in attaining their educational goals. The school has several departments including Counseling, Educational and School Psychology, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Human Performance Studies, and Sport Management. The school is located in the largest urban center in the entire state, which means students have access to plenty of hands-on experiences that will assist them in learning about their major and future career. The Wichita State faculty believe in combining curriculum and theory with real-world didactic experiences that go far beyond surface learning. The School offers majors in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Counseling Psychology, Special Education and much more. Students at the graduate level should contact the specific department to inquire about graduate admissions policies and requirements.

Kansas Teacher Testing Requirements

Becoming a teacher in Kansas requires completion of Praxis assessments to demonstrate that the candidates are fully prepared for licensure. The Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) is typically required for those beginning a teacher education program. In order for new teachers to acquire an initial license, they must pass Praxis II content assessments for all endorsement fields as well as a pedagogy assessment called Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT). When educators upgrade from an initial license to a professional one, they must complete the Kansas Performance Assessment, which is a teacher work sample.

Some individuals may be exempt from the testing requirements in Kansas. Those who have already completed comparable assessments in another state and who are licensed in that state may be exempt. Educators who are Nationally Board Certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards are also not required to complete the assessments.

Kansas Teacher Salary and Jobs

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2011.

Kansas Teacher Interview

Interview with John Ritchie, President of the Kansas Association of Teachers of English

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Kansas

Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools

University of Phoenix

Popular Programs:

• M.A. in Education/Elementary Teacher Education
• M.A. in Education/Secondary Teacher Education
• M.A. in Education/Early Childhood Ed.
• Doctor of Education/Educational Leadership
• And more...

Brandman University Online

Popular Programs:

• MA in Education (Leadership in Early Childhood Education)
• BA in Early Childhood Education
• MA in Educational Leadership and Administration (Tier 1)
• MA in Education with Instructional Technology Emphasis
• And more...

Western Governors University

Popular Programs:

• M.A. Teaching (K-8)
• Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Program (K-8)
• B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies (K-8)
• M.A. Teaching - Mathematics (5-9 or 5-12)
• And more...

Concordia University Online

Popular Programs:

• B.S. in Early Childhood Education (Birth - 5 Years)
• M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction: Curriculum & Instruction: Early Childhood Education
• Special Education (Early Childhood/Elementary)
• Educational Administration: (EDD)
• And more...

Grand Canyon University

Popular Programs:

• M.A. in Teaching - Professional Learning Communities (Does not lead to initial teacher licensure)
• M.Ed. in Elementary Education (Leads to initial teacher licensure)
• M.Ed. in Elementary Education (Does not lead to initial teacher licensure)
• M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading - Elementary Education (Does not lead to initial teacher licensure)
• And more...

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Kansas

Baker University
618 Eighth Street
Baldwin City, KS 66006-0065
(800) 873-4282
www.bakeru.edu/admissions

Benedictine College
1020 N 2nd St
Atchison, KS 66002-1499
(913) 367-5340
www.benedictine.edu/benedictine.aspx?pgID=867

Bethany College-Lindsborg
335 e swensson st
Lindsborg, KS 67456-1897
(785) 227-3311
www.bethanylb.edu

Butler Community College
901 S Haverhill Rd
El Dorado, KS 67042-3280
(316) 321-2222
www.butlercc.edu/admissions/index.cfm

Cloud County Community College
2221 Campus Dr
Concordia, KS 66901-1002
(785) 243-1435
www.cloud.edu

Emporia State University
1200 Commercial
Emporia, KS 66801-5087
(620) 341-1200
www.emporia.edu/admiss/

Fort Hays State University
600 Park St
Hays, KS 67601-4099
(785) 628-4000

Student Review: “I attended Fort Hays State University for three years as an online student. The flexibility, cost, accreditation, and course selections were the main reason why I chose them over anyone else. Just like any school I had some teachers who were great with helping me and others that seemed to be almost too busy to lend a hand. Overall my experience was a good one. Even though I went back to school to get my degree in a field that I have already spent 8+ years in, the education still proved of value. I feel that I still learned a lot! When I go back to receive my masters I will definitely be putting Fort Hays on my list of possible choices.” -Durrell D., student at Fort Hays State University

Fort Scott Community College
2108 S Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701
(620) 223-2700
fortscott.edu/admissions/enroll.asp

Friends University
2100 W. University Ave.
Wichita, KS 67213
(316) 295-5000

Highland Community College-Highland
606 W Main
Highland, KS 66035-4165
(785) 442-6000

Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
(913) 469-8500

Kansas State University
Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6250
consider.k-state.edu/admissions/

Labette Community College
200 S 14th
Parsons, KS 67357-4201
(620) 421-6700
www.labette.edu/stusvcs/admission.htm

MidAmerica Nazarene University
2030 E College Way
Olathe, KS 66062-1899
(913) 782-3750
www.mnu.edu/admissions/

Pittsburg State University
1701 S Broadway
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7000
www.pittstate.edu/admit

Student Review: “I loved being a math education major at Pittsburg State University. I met some amazing people and had great teachers. The math classes were challenging but not impossible. My education classes were helpful and fun. I think both departments adequately prepared me for teaching. One thing I really liked was a one hour credit that math education majors take their last semester. In this ‘class’ we were required to spend 30 hours at the school we would be student teaching at the next semester. Words can’t express how much this helped my student teaching experience. A lot of the other departments at Pittsburg State University didn’t have this class for their secondary education majors but I think they should. The only downside about Pittsburg State University is that the education department isn’t very prestigious. It’s a great university but I wonder how I’d be different if I was in a better education department.” -Jean C., student at Pittsburg State University

Seward County Community College and Area Technical School
1801 N. Kansas Ave.
Liberal, KS 67901
(620) 624-1951
www.sccc.edu/students/future/admissions/index.html

Southwestern College-Winfield
100 College St
Winfield, KS 67156-6224
(620) 229-6000
www.sckans.edu/admissions/

Sterling College-Sterling
125 W. Cooper
Sterling, KS 67579
(620) 278-2173
www.sterling.edu/future-students/thinking-about-sterling/admissions-requirements

Tabor College
400 S Jefferson
Hillsboro, KS 67063-1799
(620) 947-3121

University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
(785) 864-2700
www.admissions.ku.edu/

Student Review: “I was a part of the University of Kansas’ teaching program for two years, and when I first began taking classes, I found them to be incredibly easy, but lacking a lot of substance in the sense that we talked about a lot of situations, experiences and issues a teacher would face, but never learned how exactly to handle them. I felt these classes coddled the students and didn’t challenge their beliefs or convictions as humans wanting to teach other humans. As I moved through the School of Education, my classes began to vary. I still had a lot of methodology classes that I thought babied the students and weren’t very challenging or interesting, but educational philosophy classes were also offered that were incredibly engaging and challenged how the students thought. I found the experience with the class in the School of Education to be very hit or miss, but when it came to the faculty and staff, I felt the opposite. Those working in and for the School of Education at the University of Kansas are knowledgeable about their building and job, as well as overly helpful and accommodating to students. Eventually, I switched degrees when I determined that I did not want to complete a degree with the School of Education in order to teach.” -Casey B., student at University of Kansas

Washburn University
1700 SW College Avenue
Topeka, KS 66621-0001
(785) 670-1010

Wichita State University
1845 Fairmount
Wichita, KS 67260-0124
(316) 978-3456
www.wichita.edu/thisis/admissions/

Page edited by Charles Sipe.