If you feel up to the unique prospects of becoming a teacher in Alaska, then you will find that the certification process poses no difficult challenges. Teaching in rural Alaska may require more breadth of knowledge as you may be required to teach outside your field of study and you may find that an effective teacher assimilates within the culture and community. Beyond these general skills, getting certification requires only the basics such as a Bachelor’s degree and passing one of the approved basic competency exams. A background check is also required.

In order to obtain the Initial Teacher Certification, you must either have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited teacher preparation university or be currently enrolled in a teacher preparation program and within two years of graduation. In addition, you must have passing scores on one of the approved competency exams. Find a current listing of the approved exams here. You must also submit a fingerprint card for a background check and any fees for the application process. This Initial Certificate is valid for three years; however, within the first two years, you must also complete the Alaska studies and Alaska multicultural requirement and submit two video performance reviews.

Teaching in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, is much like teaching in any other major city. Some high schools in Anchorage may have over 2,000 students. Teaching in other urban areas of Alaska such as Juneau and Fairbanks is similar to teaching in small town communities in the rest of the U.S., while the next largest towns such as Sitka and Ketchikan are much more community-based than are the typical rural towns of comparable size throughout the rest of the country.

After the Initial Certificate expires and you are obtaining your Professional Teacher Certification, you will need to have completed the teacher preparation course, taken six semester hours of residency credit, and have passing scores on a content area exam. The Professional Certification lasts for five years and is renewable each five years. Renewing your Professional Teacher Certification requires you to have taken six semester hours of credit, verify your employment with an Alaska public school district, and pay any applicable fees.