American Board › States › Missouri
Missouri Teacher Certification
Congratulations! You are on your way to becoming a teacher in Missouri. No semesters and no campus visits — just a clear path from where you are today to a Missouri classroom of your own.
Missouri
$1,900Standard Program Cost
Online
Self-paced
Competency-based
1
Study
The required PTK and subject-area exams provided by American Board.
2
Additional Experience
Spend 60 hours (grades 6-12) or 90 hours (elementary) in a school working with children.
3
Apply
Apply to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for your initial license.
4
Teach
Begin teaching in a Missouri school and complete remaining state requirements.
Elementary (1-6)
The elementary certification program covers core subjects for our youngest learners including English language arts, history, math, and science.
Biology (9-12)
The biology certification program covers scientific investigation, cell biology and microbiology, molecular biology, and more.
Chemistry (9-12)
The chemistry certification program covers atomic structure, periodicity, and matter; reactions and reactivity, and more.
English Language Arts (5-12)
The English language arts certification program covers comprehension of texts, oral and written language skills, and more.
General Science (5-12)
The general science certification program covers scientific investigation, biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics.
Math (5-12)
The mathematics certification program covers domains including algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, and calculus.
Physics (9-12)
The physics certification program includes classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, waves and optics, and more.
Social Science (5-12)
The history certification program covers both U.S. and world history including topics such as classical civilizations and the establishment and growth of a republic.
“American Board helped me launch my teaching career! I could get my certification on my own time, while still working full time. I thought I would have to go into student loan debt to become a teacher, but American Board was easy and flexible and allowed me to land my dream job!”
Laura Gehrlein, Missouri Teacher
How to Get Your Missouri Initial Professional Certificate
Step 1
Enroll in American Board’s online teacher certification program. You must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university to be eligible to enroll.
Step 2
Prepare for and pass American Board’s required Professional Teaching Knowledge (PTK) and subject area exams.
Step 3
Spend 60 hours (6-12) or 90 hours (elementary) in a school working with children. Hours must be validated by a school administrator on the ABCTE Experience Log. These hours can be completed in one of the following ways:
- Sixty (60) contact hours as a substitute teacher in a public school or accredited nonpublic school classroom, of which at least forty-five (45) must be teaching;
- Sixty (60) contact hours as a substitute teacher in a public school or accredited nonpublic school, with at least thirty (30) consecutive hours in the same classroom;
- Sixty (60) contact hours of teaching as a paraprofessional; or
- Elementary Education applicants: Ninety (90) contact hours as a substitute teacher or paraprofessional in a public school or accredited nonpublic school classroom, of which at least thirty (30) must be teaching in an elementary classroom.
Step 4
Pass the designated Praxis assessment for your area of certification.
Step 5
Apply to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for an Initial Professional Certificate (IPC). This is valid for 4 years. You are now ready to begin applying to school districts.
How to Upgrade to a Missouri Career Continuous Professional Certificate
Step 1
Once you secure a position in a Missouri school and begin teaching, you will have 4 years to upgrade your IPC to a Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC), a renewable teaching certificate.
Step 2
You will become CCPC eligible after completing teaching experiences, mentoring, professional development, performance evaluations, and more.
How can I gain my required in-classroom teaching experience before applying for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for the Missouri Initial Professional Certificate (IPC) of License to Teach?
After completing your American Board accreditation, you must still complete in-class teaching requirements to meet Missouri’s state standards. Spend 60 hours (6-12) or 90 hours (elementary) in a school, working with children. Hours must be validated by the school principal. These hours can be completed in one of the following ways:
- Spend 60/90 hours teaching as a paraprofessional in a public school or an accredited non-public school.
- Spend 60/90 hours substitute teaching in a public-school classroom. You must be the lead instructor for at least 45 of these hours.
- Spend 60/90 hours substitute teaching in a public school or an accredited non-public school with at least 30 consecutive hours in the same classroom.
Who do I submit my American Board For Certification Of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) Experience Log to?
You will submit your Experience Log to DESE as part of your licensure application. You do not need to submit your Experience Log to American Board.
Can I apply for full time teaching jobs with my IPC? How long is it valid?
Yes! You are now ready to begin applying to school districts and are considered to have a professional teaching certificate in Missouri once you secure your IPC. Once you secure a position in a Missouri school and begin teaching, your initial certificate to teach is valid for four years, after which you will need to apply for a Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC).
What is a Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC) and is it renewable?
The Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC) is a renewable teaching certificate. You will become CCPC eligible after completing teaching experiences, mentoring, professional development, performance evaluations, and more. These requirements are subject to change, so be sure check with the state’s requirements and your school’s administration each year.
Do I have to take any additional exams outside of American Boards?
All American Board candidates applying for a Missouri teaching certificate must also pass the designated Praxis assessment for their area of certification.
Where can I find more information about Missouri teaching requirements?
For more information on state teaching requirements and how to apply for your license, visit the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education website.
Ready to get started?
Choose your state and subject, enroll online in minutes, and start studying the same day — or try the free one-week trial first to see how the program works.