Special Report
Education

Becoming a Teacher in Connecticut

By Jeff Archer — January 13, 2000 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Although the state has also created alternative routes for teacher preparation, more than 95 percent of those who come into the profession from the state go through the following steps:

STEP 1

To get into a school of education, would-be teachers must have at least a 2.75 grade point average and pass a test covering basic mathematics and literacy skills: the computer version of the Educational Testing Service’s PRAXIS I exam. Connecticut has one of the highest cutoff scores for the test in the country. This requirement is waived for those who scored high on their college-entrance exams.

STEP 2

Some education courses are required, but every teacher-candidate must also complete an academic major and maintain a B average in that area. To get the state’s “initial” license, the candidate also must student-teach for 10 weeks and pass the PRAXIS II subject-specific exam on pedagogy in the area they plan to teach. Again, the state boasts some of the highest cutoff scores for the tests.

STEP 3

An initial license allows an educator to teach for up to three years. During that time, the novice teacher must complete the BEST program. It involves working with a mentor for one year and the completion of a portfolio. State assessors review new teachers’ portfolios and videotapes of their instruction, and grade them on a scale of 1 to 4. A 2 or above qualifies a teacher for the next level of credential--a “provisional” license. Low-scoring teachers may take a third year to redo the portfolio assessment, but failure a second time means a candidate may no longer teach in a Connecticut public school.

STEP 4

Provisional licenses are good for up to eight years. During that time, teachers must complete 30 credit hours of college coursework in education beyond what they did for their undergraduate degree (unless they already have, such as by earning a master’s). Beginning in 2003, that coursework must be at the graduate school level.

STEP 5

The additional coursework, plus three years’ teaching experience, makes educators eligible for the state’s highest level of credential: a professional license. Teachers must renew their licenses every five years by completing additional training, such as more graduate coursework, workshops, and other forms of professional development.

See Earning Their Stripes for the main story.

In March 2024, Education Week announced the end of the Quality Counts report after 25 years of serving as a comprehensive K-12 education scorecard. In response to new challenges and a shifting landscape, we are refocusing our efforts on research and analysis to better serve the K-12 community. For more information, please go here for the full context or learn more about the EdWeek Research Center.

A version of this article appeared in the January 13, 2000 edition of Education Week

Events

Ed-Tech Policy Webinar Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Building a Roadmap for AI Use in Schools
AI in education: game-changer or classroom chaos? Join our webinar & learn how to navigate this evolving tech responsibly.
Education Webinar Developing and Executing Impactful Research Campaigns to Fuel Your Ed Marketing Strategy 
Develop impactful research campaigns to fuel your marketing. Join the EdWeek Research Center for a webinar with actionable take-aways for companies who sell to K-12 districts.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Privacy & Security Webinar
Navigating Cybersecurity: Securing District Documents and Data
Learn how K-12 districts are addressing the challenges of maintaining a secure tech environment, managing documents and data, automating critical processes, and doing it all with limited resources.
Content provided by Softdocs

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: January 17, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education In Their Own Words The Stories That Stuck With Us, 2023 Edition
Our newsroom selected five stories as among the highlights of our work. Here's why.
4 min read
102523 IMSE Reading BS
Adria Malcolm for Education Week
Education Opinion The 10 Most-Read Opinions of 2023
Here are Education Week’s most-read Opinion blog posts and essays of 2023.
2 min read
Collage of lead images for various opinion stories.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
Education Letter to the Editor EdWeek's Most-Read Letters of 2023
Read the most-read Letters to the Editor of the past year.
1 min read
Illustration of a line of diverse hands holding up speech bubbles in front of a subtle textured newspaper background
iStock/Getty