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Endorsements Information

Endorsements on Teacher, Administrative, and Special Services certificates can only be granted based on Alaska’s endorsement requirements as defined in regulations. (4 AAC 12)

Teaching Requirements

Requested teaching endorsements are evaluated using the following criteria:

The following methods can be used to add endorsements:

  1. Endorsement program completion: This method requires the completion of a state-approved teacher preparation or endorsement program and passing scores on the endorsement-related content area exam. If an endorsement is completed outside of Alaska, the applicant must be eligible to gain a comparable endorsement or certificate, including any required testing, for that state.
    This is the only method to add grade levels to your endorsement.
  2. Posted Degree, Major, or Minor: This method requires completion of at least one of the following degrees in the content or specialist area for which the endorsement is request: (a) a doctorate degree; (b) a master’s degree; or (c) a baccalaureate degree, with a major or posted minor of at least 18 semester hours in the endorsement area requested.
    This method is not available for elementary, reading, English as a foreign language, or special education endorsements.
  3. Content Area Knowledge & Teaching Experience: This method requires two years of teaching experience (three years for elementary education) in the content area and passing scores on the endorsement-related content area exam. Only where content area exam(s) have been identified may endorsements be added with this method. For elementary education, applicants must provide passing scores on the Praxis II Elementary Education: Multiple Subject Areas (5002-5005 or 7812-7815) and on a Praxis II Reading exam (5203, 5204, 5205 or 5206). 
    This method is not available for reading, English as a foreign language, or special education endorsements.

3. Career and Technical (CTE - Teaching): This method requires the following:

    • Two years of teaching experience in a Career and Technical (CTE) area,
    • Six semester hours of coursework focused on classroom management, student assessment, and CTE specific teaching strategies, and
    • Successful completion of an approved CTE content-specific industry competency exam as approved by the department.

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Check our Available Endorsements List to see the endorsements are available in Alaska

Please note: Initial Out-of-State teaching certificate will reflect the endorsements listed on the current, valid out-of-state teaching certificate submitted with the application packet. If the applicant holds more than one current, valid out-of-state certificate, the applicant must choose which certificate to submit with the Initial application. The endorsements received for an Initial teaching certificate may not be the same as received on a Professional teaching certification.

Administrative & Special Services Requirements

For most Type B, C, and F endorsements the completion of an approved endorsement program and a master’s degree is required. Additional requirement for the following endorsement areas are outlined below: Administrator/Principal, Superintendent, Special Education Administrator, School Psychologist, and Speech, Language or Hearing.

Type B Endorsement Requirements

Administrator/Principal Endorsement
In addition to the completion of an administrative state-approved program and a master’s degree, an administrative endorsement requires a minimum of three (years) years of employment as a certified teacher or special service provider.

Superintendent Endorsement
In addition to the completion of a superintendent state-approved program, a superintendent endorsement requires a minimum of five (5) years or five (5) FTE of employment as a certified teacher or school administrator in an elementary or secondary program. Of those five years, at least three years or three (3) FTE of employment must be as a certified teacher and one (1) year or one (1) FTE of employment must be as a certified administrator.

Special Education Administrator Endorsement
In addition to the completion of a special education administrative state-approved program and a master’s degree, a special education administrator endorsement on a Type B Administrative certificate requires three (3) years or three (3) FTE of employment as a certified teacher in an elementary or secondary program.

Type F Endorsement Requirements

Special Education Administrator Endorsement
In addition to the completion of a special education administrative state-approved program, a special education administrator endorsement on a Type F Administrative certificate requires three (3) years or three (3) FTE of employment as a certified school counselor, speech pathologist, or school psychologist in an elementary or secondary program.

Type C Endorsement Requirements

Speech Language or Hearing
The applicant must either

  1. Be recommended for the endorsement by an institution whose program has been accredited by the
  2. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
  3. National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), or
  4. approved by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
  5. Hold a master's or higher degree with major emphasis in speech-language pathology, audiology, or speech-language and hearing science;

-OR-

Possess certification of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

School Psychologist
The applicant must either:

  1. hold a master's or higher degree in school psychology;
  2. have completed a 1,200-hour internship in school psychology, 600 hours of which must be completed on site in preschool or kindergarten - grade 12 programs; and
  3. be recommended for endorsement by an institution whose psychology program has been approved by
  4. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE),
  5. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC),
  6. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), or
  7. The American Psychological Association (APA)

-OR-

  1. Hold a master's degree or higher in a related field and
  2. Be a nationally certified school psychologist under the National School Psychologist Certification System established by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

Adding Endorsements

Endorsements may be added only to certificates two years or greater in length. Submit the Additional Endorsement application for the certificate type.

Add/Remove Teaching Endorsement (docx) Add/Remove Administrative Endorsement (docx) Add/Remove Special Services Endorsement (docx)

The cost is $100 to add, remove, or modify each endorsement (not limited on the number).

Removing Endorsements

Endorsements may be removed from a professional teaching administrative, or special services certificate.

An endorsement may not be removed from a certificate if you are currently under contract in a position for which the endorsement is required.

A special education endorsement may not be removed from your first professional certificate. Once you have held the endorsement for the full term of a professional certificate, you may remove the special education endorsement.

To check your eligibility for removal of a special education endorsement, contact teacher certification.

Experience and Employment Requirements

Experience

To satisfy certification and endorsement requirements, all experience must have been completed in a public or accredited elementary or secondary program. Partial years of experience will be prorated toward experience requirements for certification. (4 AAC 12.410)

Per 4 AAC 04.300, a school in Alaska will be considered accredited in Alaska if the school is accredited by AdvancED Northwest after completion of the accreditation process, including the internal and the external review.

Employment

Classroom Teacher: To be assigned as a classroom teacher in Alaska, you must hold a valid teacher certificate (Initial, Professional, or Master). The Type B, Type C, and Type F certificates do not allow the holder to be a classroom teacher. (4 AAC 12.300)
Special Education Teachers:

  • To be assigned as a special education teacher in Alaska, you must hold a valid teacher certificate endorsed in Special Education.
  • To have the primary responsibility for the evaluation of, the planning of educational programs for, or the teaching of or training of staff to teach children who are visually impaired or deaf, you must be endorsed in the relevant area.
  • To teach a preschool child with a disability, you must be endorsed in early childhood special education or have completed at least six semester hours of coursework in early childhood special education. (4 AAC 12.330)

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Instructor:  In schools with an average daily membership in grades 9 -12 of 100 or more, a CTE instructor must hold a teacher, a Type B or a Type M-CTE certificate endorsed in the CTE area of instruction. (4 AAC 12.385)

Administrative Duties: You must hold a Type B certificate to be the primary authority and have the responsibility of any of the following administrative functions in an Alaska public school:

  • Selection, appointment, oversight, review, and control of employees of the district required to hold teaching, administrative, or special service providers certificates
  • Oversight of planning and development of one or more educational programs of the district (4 AAC 12.325)

Director of Special Education: If you wish to be employed solely as the administrator or director of special education and are not eligible for an Administrator (Type B) certificate with a Director of Special Education endorsement or a Type F certificate, you may possess both a Type B certificate and a teaching certificate endorsed in special education or in a related services specialty. This does not constitute an endorsement. (4 AAC 12.350)

Related Service Provider: In order to be employed to provide a related service in an Alaska public school, you must hold a teaching or a special service provider’s certificate endorsed in the field of employment. (4 AAC 12.365)  Related services include, but are not limited to, speech or language pathology, school psychology, counseling, orientation and mobility, adaptive physical education, recreation therapy, social work, and psychometry.
(4 AAC 52.790)