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. 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.

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 teacher certification in Kansas 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.

Kansas Teacher Testing Requirements

In addition to requiring teacher candidates to complete an educator training program, Kansas also 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.

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Kansas

The school programs below are for individuals who want to be a teacher in Kansas, but do not currently have a bachelor’s degree. If this is your case, we recommend you:

1) Request information from one or more of these specific school programs
2) Contact an advisor toll-free at 855-578-3224 if you have questions

If you are an existing teacher looking to further your education, visit the Master’s page. If you already have a college degree but outside of education, you should request information from programs on Kansas’s Alternative Certification page. If you are a teacher moving from another state to Kansas, call toll-free at 855-578-3224 or visit the Kansas Department of Education.

Liberty University
Popular Degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Education
• BS in Special EDGE Student
• BS in Special Stud-Undergraduate

University of Phoenix
Popular Degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Education/Elementary Teacher Education
• Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies

UMassOnline
Popular Degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts - Early Care and Education
• Bachelor of Arts in Children's Learning and Development

Grand Canyon University
Popular Degrees:

• B.S. in Early Childhood
• B.S. in Elementary Education: Early Childhood
• BS in Elementary Education with an Emphasis in English (With IR and Cert.)
• BS in Elementary Education with an Emphasis in Math (With IR and Cert.)
• BS in Elementary Education with an Emphasis in Science (With IR and Cert.)
• B.S. in Elementary/Special Education (Dual Major)
• B.S. in Elementary/Special Education (Dual Major)
• B.S. in Secondary Education: English
• B.S. in Secondary Education: Math
• B.S. in Secondary Education: Social Studies

Ashford University
Popular Degrees:

• BA Adult Development
• BA Applied Linguistics
• BA Cognitive Studies
• BA/Early Childhood Education Administration/Infant and Toddler Care Specialization
• BA/Early Childhood Education/Infant and Toddler Care Specialization
• BA/Education Studies
• BA Instructional Design
• BA Organizational Management-Early Childhood Education
• BA Organizational Management-Elementary Education
• BA Social Science - Early Childhood Education

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Kansas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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