Alabama teaching certifications are awarded based on a formal degree program followed by testing and character investigation. A bachelor's degree in a discipline that meets the requirement for an Arts and Sciences major with a minimum of 32 semester hours in a teaching field, 19 of which must be upper division credit, is the requirement for a Class B certificate. A master's degree is required for a Class A certificate. You must also pass the Alabama Prospective Teacher Testing Program (APTTP): Basic Skills Test and be cleared by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Qualify for Alabama Teaching Certifications with an Online Education Degree
If a traditional campus setting is not suitable for you due to work or family obligations, then an online bachelor's degree in education could put you on the track for achieving your Alabama teaching certification. Make sure that you choose a teaching program in Alabama approved by the Alabama State Board of Education. If you need financial assistance to pursue your bachelor's degree in education, there are a number of need-based scholarship and grant programs available.
The average annual salary for teachers in Alabama for the 2008-2009 school year, according to the National Education Association (NEA) was $46,879, an increase of 0.6 percent over the previous year. There were 47,758 teachers employed in 1,541 primary and secondary schools in Alabama for the 2008-2009 school year.