SC Alternative Certification

1. ABCTE PACE On-Line Degree SC Alternative Certification (American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence) In June 2007, the South Carolina General Assembly passed H. 3476, cited as the "American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence Act." The Act provides that a S.C. public school district may hire individuals who use the ABCTE process to obtain a South Carolina teaching certificate.   Applicants for teacher certification in S.C. who qualify for the Passport to Teaching certificate issued by ABCTE in the fields of biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, physics, or science may apply for a one-year alternate route certificate in S.C., upon verification of an employment offer as a teacher in a S.C. public school. The alternate route certificate may be renewed annually for two additional years upon verification of successful teaching. To advance to the professional certificate (five-year certificate), the applicant must complete induction and ADEPT (teacher evaluation) requirements, and pass the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) praxis exam. College degrees earned by individuals who hold the Passport to Teaching certificate must have been from regionally accredited colleges. To obtain more information about ABCTE and the Passport to Teaching certificate, please go to their Web site at www.abcte.org. The Program for Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE) is South Carolina's alternative route for certification.  As part of the 1984 Education Improvement Act, the South Carolina General Assembly provided for a conditional certification program.  The purpose of the program is to enable degreed individuals, who otherwise do not meet certification requirements, to gain employment in the public schools in a content area included in the alternative certification program.   More information can be found at the following link:   http://www.scteachers.org/cert/pace/overview.cfm SDE recognizes on-line accredited education programs. Two programs are University of Phoenix and Grand Canyon university. Check with SDE before committing to program.

2. PACE Eligibility Requirements The following criteria must be met: • An earned bachelor's degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited college or university or an institution with a teacher education program that has been approved by the South Carolina State Board of Education for certification purposes, with a major in a certification area for which the State Board of Education has determined there exists a critical shortage of teachers. • A passing score on the content area examination(s) adopted by the State Board of Education. • Two years full-time work experience defined as two years of postsecondary work experience that includes one continuous year of full time work and no more than one year of combined part-time work experience, an earned advanced degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an earned advanced degree from a college or university with a teacher education program that has been approved by the State Board of Education for certification purposes. Employment as a full- or part-time teacher in a South Carolina public school.

3. PACE Content Areas • Agriculture-Corresponding Degree(s): Agriculture Required Exam(s): NO EXAM AVAILABLE: An initial certificate will be issued to individuals who seek certification in a subject for which no teaching area examination exists provided they meet all requirements for certification in effect on the date the Office of Educator Certification receives all required documentation for certification. Once a specific subject area examination is adopted by the State Board of Education, individuals holding certification in that area may be required to present a passing score for this exam within one year following the Board's action. Those teachers affected by such an action will be notified when a test becomes available. • Art-Corresponding Degree(s): Art; Art Studio/Design Required Exam(s): Art: Art Making (0131)and Art: Content Knowledge (0133) • Biology - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): Biology Required Exam(s): Biology and General Science (0030) • Business-Corresponding Degree(s): Business Administration; Marketing; Accounting; Management Required Exam(s): Business Education (0100) • Or • Effective September 2010, a new exam, Business Education (0101), with a passing score of 154, has been approved to replace the current exam in Business Education (0100). However, the Office of Educator Certification will continue to accept passing scores on the old exam until January 1, 2012. • Chemistry - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): Chemistry; Chemical Engineering (requires a major equivalency statement) Required Exam(s): Chemistry, Physics and General Science (0070) • Dance-Corresponding Degree(s): Dance Required Exam(s): NO EXAM AVAILABLE: An initial certificate will be issued to individuals who seek certification in a subject for which no teaching area examination exists provided they meet all requirements for certification in effect on the date the Office of Educator Certification receives all required documentation for certification. Once a specific subject area examination is adopted by the State Board of Education, individuals holding certification in that area may be required to present a passing score for this exam within one year following the Board's action. Those teachers affected by such an action will be notified when a test becomes available. • Emotionally Disabled-Corresponding Degree(s): Psychology; Sociology; Guidance and/or counselingRequired Exam(s):A total of three examinations: Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge (0353) and Special Education: Teaching Students with Behavior Disorders (0371) and Elementary Ed: Content Area Exercises (0012) or Elementary Ed: Curriculum Instruction and Assessment (0011) • English - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): English; Language Arts; Linguistics (requires a major equivalency statement) Communications (requires a major equivalency statement)Required Exam(s): English Language Literature, & Composition: Content Knowledge (0041)and English Language Literature & Composition: Essays (0042) • Family and Consumer Science (Home Economics) Corresponding Degree(s): Home Economics; Food Science (requires a major equivalency statement); Fashion (requires a major equivalency statement); Clothing (requires a major equivalency statement); Nutrition (requires a major equivalency statement Required Exam(s): Family and Consumer Sciences (0120) • Foreign LanguagesCorresponding Degree(s): French Required Exam(s):French: Content Knowledge (0173)and French: Productive Language Skills (0171) • Or • Effective September 2010, a new exam, Praxis World Languages: French (0174), with a passing score of 162, has been approved to replace the two current exams in French: Content Knowledge (0173) and French: Productive Language Skills (0171). However, the Office of Educator Certification will continue to accept passing scores on the old exams until January 1, 2012. • Corresponding Degree(s): German Required Exam(s): German: Content Knowledge (0181)and German: Productive Language Skills (0182) • Or • Effective September 2010, a new exam, Praxis World Languages: German (0183), with a passing score of 163, has been approved to replace the two current exams in German: Content Knowledge (0181) and German: Productive Language Skills (0182). However, the Office of Educator Certification will continue to accept passing scores on the old exams until January 1, 2012. • Corresponding Degree(s): Latin Required Exam(s): No exam available • Corresponding Degree(s): Spanish Required Exam(s): Spanish: Content Knowledge (0191)and Spanish: Productive Language Skills (0192) • Or • Effective September 2010, a new exam, Praxis World Languages: Spanish (0195), with a passing score of 168, has been approved to replace the two current exams in Spanish: Content Knowledge (0191) and Spanish: Productive Language Skills (0192). However, the Office of Educator Certification will continue to accept passing scores on the old exams until January 1, 2012. • Health-Corresponding Degree(s): Health Required Exam(s): Health Education (0550) • History - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): History Required Exam(s): Social Studies: Content (0081)and Social Studies: Interpretation of Materials (0083) • Industrial Technology-Corresponding Degree(s): Industrial Arts Required Exam(s): Technology Education (0050 • Library Science/Media Specialists-Corresponding Degree(s): Library and Information Science , Public Library Required Exam(s): Library Media Specialist (0310) • Mathematics - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): Mathematics, Engineering (requires a major equivalency statement), Computer Science (requires a major equivalency statement), Technology (requires a major equivalency statement)Required Exam(s): Mathematics: Content Knowledge (0061)and Mathematics: Proofs, Models and Problems, Part 1 (0063)

4. PACE Content Areas • Middle Level Language Arts-Corresponding Degree(s): As a base, applicants would need thirty semester hours in English/Language Arts related coursework with twenty-one hours at the upper division level. Fifteen hours must be traditional English courses (ENGL prefix). Requires a transcript review by the Office of Educator Certification. Required Exam(s): Middle Level Language Arts (0049)or English Language Literature, & Composition: Content Knowledge (0041)and English Language Literature & Composition: Essays (0042) • Middle Level Mathematics-Corresponding Degree(s): As a base, applicants would need thirty semester hours in math related coursework with twenty-one hours at the upper division level. Fifteen hours must be traditional mathematics courses (MATH prefix). Requires a transcript review by the Office of Educator Certification.Required Exam(s): Middle Level Mathematics (0069)orMathematics: Content Knowledge (0061) and Mathematics: Proofs, Models and Problems, Part 1 (0063) • Middle Level Science-Corresponding Degree(s): As a base, applicants would need thirty semester hours in science related coursework (biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, environmental science, life science) with twenty-one hours at the upper division level. Coursework must include at least six hours of biology, three hours of chemistry, and three hours of physics. Requires a transcript review by the Office of Educator Certification.Required Exam(s): Middle Level Science (0439) orBiology and General Science (0030) and Chemistry, Physics and General Science (0070) • Middle Level Social Studies-Corresponding Degree(s): As a base, applicants would need a combination of social studies content courses (history, government, geography, anthropology, economics, sociology, or Juris Doctorate) equal to thirty semester hours with twenty-one at the upper division level. The thirty hours cannot include more than six semester hours in either of the following areas: anthropology, economics or sociology. The thirty hours must include at least three semester hours in government and six semester hours in United States history. Requires a transcript review by the Office of Educator Certification. Required Exam(s): Middle Level Social Studies (0089)or Social Studies: Content (0081) and Social Studies: Interpretation of Materials (0083) • Music Education - Choral-Corresponding Degree(s): Music (requires transcript review)Required Exam(s): Music: Content Knowledge (0113) and Music: Concepts and Processes (0111) • Music Education - Instrumental-Corresponding Degree(s): Music (requires transcript review) Required Exam(s): Music: Content Knowledge (0113)and Music: Concepts and Processes (0111) • Music Education - Piano-Corresponding Degree(s): Music (requires transcript review) Required Exam(s): Music: Content Knowledge (0113) and Music: Concepts and Processes (0111) • Music Education - Violin-Corresponding Degree(s): Music (requires transcript review)Required Exam(s): Music: Content Knowledge (0113)and Music: Concepts and Processes (0111) • Music Education - Voice-Corresponding Degree(s): Music (requires transcript review)Required Exam(s): Music: Content Knowledge (0113)and Music: Concepts and Processes (0111) • Physical Education-Corresponding Degree(s): Physical Education Exercise Science (requires a major equivalency statement) Required Exam(s): Physical Education: Content Knowledge (0091)and Physical Education: Movement Forms-Video Evaluation (0093) • Physics - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): Physics Required Exam(s): Chemistry, Physics and General Science (0070) • Science - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): Biology majors as long as they have 6-8 additional hours in both Chemistry and Physics. Physics majors as long as they have 6-8 additional hours in both Chemistry and Biology. Chemistry majors as long as they have 6-8 additional hours in both Biology and Physics. Required Exam(s): Biology and General Science (0030); or Chemistry, Physics and General Science (0070) • Social Studies - Secondary-Corresponding Degree(s): Major in a Social Studies Content Area (History, Economics, Government, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, or Juris Doctorate) and the following: six hours of United States history six hours of European history twelve hours from economics, government, geography, and sociology (no more than six hours from one of these areas) six additional hours from either economics, geography, government, history, psychology, sociology Required Exam(s): Social Studies: Content (0081)and Social Studies: Interpretation of Materials (0083) • Theatre-Corresponding Degree(s): Theatre, Drama Required Exam(s): Theater (0640)

5. PACE Program Progression • Prior to Year one: The teacher is fully admitted to PACE, successfully completes the preservice training and is issued their first alternative route certificate.Year one: The teacher continues the required training and works with his or her evaluation team to determine graduate courses to be completed during the second and third year. Courses must be selected from the list approved by the Division of Teacher Quality on behalf of the State Board of Education. All coursework must be formally approved by the SDE. In order to receive course approval the teacher must submit the PACE Course Request form available on our website.Between Year 1 and 2:The teacher completes the in-service training and begins working on the three required graduate courses.Year two: The teacher completes the required training seminars, continues working on the three required graduate-level courses, and successfully completes the Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching (ADEPT) formal evaluation process. Year three: The teacher submits official transcripts reflecting completion of three required graduate courses to the SDE, submits a passing score on the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam, successfully completes the ADEPT formal evaluation process, and applies for professional certification. Notes • Participants cannot change or add certification areas while completing their alternative certification program. Individuals who wish to consider adding additional areas of certification upon completion of PACE may view the requirements for individual subject areas on our website. • Participants must be employed as a teacher in a South Carolina public school district in the area of their initial PACE certification for the three consecutive years they are participating in the program. • All expenses of PACE must be paid by the candidate. For information about the Critical Need loan, please contact the Student Loan Corporation at 803-798-0916.

6. ABCTE • (American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence) • In June 2007, the South Carolina General Assembly passed H. 3476, cited as the "American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence Act." The Act provides that a S.C. public school district may hire individuals who use the ABCTE process to obtain a South Carolina teaching certificate.  •  Applicants for teacher certification in S.C. who qualify for the Passport to Teaching certificate issued by ABCTE in the fields of biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, physics, or science may apply for a one-year alternate route certificate in S.C., upon verification of an employment offer as a teacher in a S.C. public school. The alternate route certificate may be renewed annually for two additional years upon verification of successful teaching. To advance to the professional certificate (five-year certificate), the applicant must complete induction and ADEPT (teacher evaluation) requirements, and pass the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) praxis exam. College degrees earned by individuals who hold the Passport to Teaching certificate must have been from regionally accredited colleges. • To obtain more information about ABCTE and the Passport to Teaching certificate, please go to their Web site at www.abcte.org.

7. ABCTE Eligibility Criteria Candidates must: • Hold a Bachelor’s degree in any subject area from an approved college or university • Pass a background check • Pass the ABCTE Professional Teaching Knowledge exam • Pass the ABCTE subject area exam (in the candidate’s chosen subject area)

8. ABCTE Progression With ABCTE, you can earn your South Carolina teaching certification in a manner that is both cost-effective and efficient. On average, candidates take 8-10 months to complete the program. ABCTE provides a variety of resources to help prepare you for exams including online workshops, practice tests, and support from our advising team. ABCTE costs $975 for initial preparation and testing. Choose your certification area: • English Language Arts (9-12) • Mathematics (9-12) • Biology (9-12) • Chemistry (9-12) • General Science (9-12) • Physics (9-12)

9. On-Line Degree Programs For education degree on-line programs, check with SC Department of Education, Office of Educator Certification for more information. Below are two approved programs: • Grand Canyon University www.gcu.edu • University of Phoenix www.phoenix.edu