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Earn your Washington, D.C. Teacher Certification!

Learn everything you need to know about Washington, D.C. Teacher Certification.

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Washington, D.C. Teacher Certification Requirements

To become a teacher in Washington, D.C., you must complete the follow steps:

Meet Education Requirements

  • To meet initial requirements for teaching licensure in Washington D.C., you must meet the minimum education requirement of a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university.
  • There is no specific undergraduate coursework required, though most prospective teachers specialize in education and a subject area that they wish to teach.

Student Teaching Requirements

  • In the final year of your teacher preparatory program, you will begin your fieldwork and student teaching requirements for certification.
  • You most likely will be placed in a variety of classrooms to build up your exposure to diverse student populations and grade levels. However, in order to be certified, you must spend one meaningful placement in a classroom that matches the grade you plan to teach.

Pass Required Exams

  • The three tests that are required of all D.C. teachers are Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading, Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing, and Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics.
  • There are additional tests required for specialized areas of teaching.

Apply for Certification

  • When applying for D.C. teacher certification, you must use the Educator Credentialing Information System, where you can apply for a new license, renew an expired license, or add an additional endorsement to an existing license.
  • For an Initial License, the requirements for application differ based on the option you are pursuing, though all options require transcripts from any university from which you earned a degree.

Apply for Teaching Jobs

  • Once you have your teacher certification you can now start applying for jobs.
  • You can use job boards and search engines like Google to find open teacher positions in your area.

Alternative Pathways for Washington, D.C. Teacher Certification

The D.C. Teaching Fellows program helps a variety of professionals earn their credential while teaching at high-need schools in the D.C. area. Participants undergo an intensive eight-week training program before entering the classroom and are enrolled in the The New Teacher Project Academy during their first year.

The DC Troops to Teachers program is another route to alternate teacher certification in Washington D.C. The program is designed to assist retiring military personnel pursue rewarding second careers in public education.

How to Register For the Exams?

You can follow the following steps to register for your teacher certification exams:

  • Identify Your Exams: Determine the specific teacher certification exams you need to take. If you are a part of a certification program you should talk to your program advisor to determine which exams you need to take.
  • Create an Account: Visit the official testing service website and create an account.
  • Select Exam and Date: Login, choose your exam, and select a convenient test date and location.
  • Complete Registration: Follow instructions, provide necessary information, and pay exam fees online.

How To Study for Your Teacher Certification Exam(s)

To become a certified teacher you must pass your required exam(s). Luckily, we offer a wide variety of study guides to help you pass your exams and get closer to getting that teacher certificate. Our study guides offer practice questions, video lessons, quizzes and full length practice tests to ensure you are ready come test day! Our curriculum team studies all of the standards and competencies for the exams and cross-references them with the current and previous questions released by the official testing company. We then work with content and teaching experts to distill down what test-takers need to know. No matter where you are in the study guide, you can always see how the concept you are learning is aligned to the test standards.

Best Education Schools in Washington, D.C.

  • American University
  • Catholic University of America
  • Gallaudet University
  • Georgetown University
  • George Washington University
  • Howard University
  • Moreland University
  • Relay Graduate School of Education
  • Trinity Washington University
  • University of the District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. Teacher Salary Information

The average Public School Teacher salary in Washington, DC is $64,490 as of February 26, 2024, but the range typically falls between $53,848 and $78,664.

Take the Next Step Towards Your Washington, D.C. Teacher Certification!

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50,000 Teachers passed their exam last year with the help of 240!

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Washington, D.C. Teacher Certification FAQs

How long does a Washington D.C. teaching license last?

Your Washington D.C. teaching license is valid for four (4) years.

What states have reciprocity with Washington D.C, teaching license?

D.C. has reciprocity in place with 48 other states, so- most of them!

Do you need a license to teach in DC?

Yes, you must hold a valid teaching license in order to teach in DC Public Schools.

How do you become a paraprofessional in DC?

Qualifications for becoming a paraprofessional are: Associate’s Degree or 48 college credit hours or have successfully passed the ParaPro Assessment administered by ETS (with a high school diploma or equivalent).

How much does a paraprofessional get paid in DC?

How much does a Paraprofessional make in Washington, DC? As of Feb 28, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Paraprofessional in Washington is $17.11 an hour.

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