Career Center - Testing and Certification

YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW that most states require public and private school teachers to test and be licensed to teach in their subject area, but it might be helpful to know early on what a particular state requires. Each state sets its own criteria, which has a tendency to change, so typically the best source for the most accurate information is within the state itself. Keep in mind that you would need to be certified for the state in which you plan to teach, though some accept other states' licenses through reciprocity agreements.

MENC is not involved with the testing or licensing procedures, and at present does not have any study guide materials to offer. In a study reported in Journal of Music Teacher Education, Spring 2005, forty-four states offer an all-level certificate for music instruction. Thirty states offer only all-level certificates. Thirty-one states consider music a single subject area, while 15 of the remaining states differentiate between vocal and instrumental music. Thirty-four states issue provisional certification for entry-level teachers. Five states currently offer lifetime certification. Forty-three states require testing in basic skills, professional knowledge, music content, or a combination of these areas. Eleven states administer their own tests, while the remainder use PRAXIS Series tests. Most states offer some level of reciprocity to out-of-state applicants, although required testing is waived only for experienced teachers in most instances. Alternate certification programs, implemented to address increasing teacher shortages, are available in 39 states. Certification fees range from zero to $175.00 for initial certification. Sixteen states require additional fees for fingerprinting and background checks. Application materials in thirty-five states are available on line. By providing access to this information, it is hoped that music educators will not be intimidated by the task of certification, but will be encouraged to take ownership of the certification process as a result of greater understanding.

Here are some resources about testing schedules, obtaining study materials, learning what your state requires, and more.

• Testing
• State Licenses
• National Certification

Testing-PRAXIX

• The Educational Testing Service - Of the states requiring tests for certification, most use "The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers." The tests are designed and monitored by the Educational Testing Service, which is also responsible for many other standardized exams, including the SAT, AP, and GRE. The ETS Web site provides extensive information about the Praxis Series, test locations, registration, etc. Music Practice tests and study guide are available.

State Licenses
In most cases, states require all teachers to obtain and maintain, a license to teach music, with some offering different types of licenses, applicable to various situations. Though many states require exams such as the Praxis Series tests, the educational requirements, specific tests, and test scores needed to obtain a license vary greatly.

• National Education Association - A listing of individual state certifications.
• The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification Knowledge Base - Offers information on certification requirements for all 50 states, District of Columbia, the Department of Defense School, 10 Canadian Provinces, and New Zealand. Membership fee required; $12 one month.
• Education Commission of the States - State Policies Regarding Arts in Education
• EdWeek - The state information pages include data on individual state's teacher-certification requirements, salary and incentive packages, and professional-development programs, as well as links for further research.

National Certification
Music educators who have been teaching for some time can pursue a certificate that recognizes their higher level of expertise and professional development. This certification does not take the place of a state granted teacher's license, but can be obtained in addition to state certification, and in some cases may earn the teacher an increase in salary.

• The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards - NBPTS has developed Music Standards, and offers certificates for National Board Certification in "Early Childhood and Middle Childhood Music" and "Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood Music". For further information about National Certification, please visit their Web site.