Becoming a teacher in Missouri is a streamlined process. The easiest way to go about earning your certification is to complete your education at an accredited college or university with an approved teacher preparation program in Missouri. If you finished your degree in another state, you can still receive certification, but you may need to take additional steps to meet state requirements.

In order to receive certification, you will need to have the recommendation of a designated official for teacher education from your school sent to the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. You must also have achieved a minimum of 2.5 out of 4.0 in your major area of study. Along with these requirements, you must also have passed the appropriate content knowledge or specialty test required by the state. Finally, you must also submit a fingerprint card in order to perform a criminal background check. Upon approval, you will receive an Initial Professional Certificate that is valid for four years.

Once you have received your certification to teach, you will need to find a job in a Missouri school. Kansas City is serviced by 15 different school districts ranging from urban to suburban. St. Louis has a unique structure with the largest school district in the state (St. Louis Public Schools), an abundance of private schools (including the highest number of Catholic high schools in the nation), and a number of smaller school districts in the greater St. Louis area. Springfield touts itself as the largest fully accredited school district in Missouri, while Independence offers an education based on a cooperative effort between parents, business partners and city officials.

After having taught in Missouri for four years with your Initial Professional Certificate, you will need to upgrade your certification to a Career Continuous Professional Certificate. In order to do so, you will need to have taken 30 contact hours of professional development during those four years. Your Career Continuous Professional Certificate is valid for five years and requires that you complete 15 contact hours each year or one college credit each year.