American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence
Encyclopedia
The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization
, founded in 2001 via a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, dedicated to recruiting, preparing, certifying and supporting teachers. ABCTE aims to address the need for knowledgeable and dedicated teachers in every classroom through a flexible, cost-effective and rigorous alternative teaching certification program designed for professionals interested in making a career change to teaching.
and private school
s nationwide also recognize the certification. Certification areas are elementary education
, English, mathematics, general science, biology, physics, chemistry, U.S. history, world history and special education
. Availability of certification areas and requirements vary by state.
The first state to accept ABCTE certification for its public schools was Pennsylvania, when the State Board of Education adopted it in November 2002.
In November 2003, the Idaho State Board of Education approved ABCTE as a route to a full teacher license.
The Florida State Board of Education was next, accepting the program in June 2004.
HB0110 was introduced to the Utah House Standing Committee and, although it did not pass, ABCTE was eventually accepted in November 2004 through the Utah State Board of Education instead.
With four states already on board, the New Hampshire Commissioner of Education approved ABCTE in December 2004 and Mississippi followed suit after the program was recommended by the Mississippi Professional Standards board in July 2006.
Soon thereafter, South Carolina, Missouri and Oklahoma signed on to accept ABCTE certification as an official route to obtaining a teaching certificate. South Carolina House bill 3476 was signed into law on June 13, 2007, accepting ABCTE certification. Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed Senate Bill 1066 on May 1, 2008 allowing ABCTE certificate holders to practice there. Finally, the Oklahoma House passed Senate Bill 582 with a unanimous vote of 99 to zero in April 2009 and it was soon signed into law, making Oklahoma the ninth ABCTE state.
In July 2009, ABCTE announced that the organization's initial grant had drawn to a close and that ABCTE had reached a financial position that will allow them to continue to operate without requesting an extension of these government funds.
On November 2, 2009, ABCTE launched CharterTeacher.com, a website "focused on providing resources for charter school teachers, charter school leaders and administrators, and those who aspire to teach in a charter school." That same month, ABCTE issued its 2000th certification.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, founded in 2001 via a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, dedicated to recruiting, preparing, certifying and supporting teachers. ABCTE aims to address the need for knowledgeable and dedicated teachers in every classroom through a flexible, cost-effective and rigorous alternative teaching certification program designed for professionals interested in making a career change to teaching.
Mission
ABCTE recruits, prepares, certifies and supports dedicated professionals to improve student achievement through quality teaching.How it works
A bachelor's degree is required for acceptance into the ABCTE teaching certification program and participants must pass a background check. Candidates enrolled in the program must demonstrate mastery on rigorous examinations that cover both Professional Teaching Knowledge (PTK) and subject area knowledge. Test preparation is done almost entirely online, giving candidates the flexibility to work towards earning their certification on their own time, with the average candidate taking 8 to 10 months to complete the program.Acceptance of Certifications
ABCTE certification is recognized in Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Oklahoma. Many charterCharter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
and private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s nationwide also recognize the certification. Certification areas are elementary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, English, mathematics, general science, biology, physics, chemistry, U.S. history, world history and special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
. Availability of certification areas and requirements vary by state.
History
ABCTE was founded in September 2001 via a grant by the U.S. Department of Education. Developed on the foundation that highly trained and skilled professionals should have the opportunity to pursue a career in teaching, ABCTE was created with a mission to give qualified individuals the ability to obtain teacher certification through a flexible and affordable route.The first state to accept ABCTE certification for its public schools was Pennsylvania, when the State Board of Education adopted it in November 2002.
In November 2003, the Idaho State Board of Education approved ABCTE as a route to a full teacher license.
The Florida State Board of Education was next, accepting the program in June 2004.
HB0110 was introduced to the Utah House Standing Committee and, although it did not pass, ABCTE was eventually accepted in November 2004 through the Utah State Board of Education instead.
With four states already on board, the New Hampshire Commissioner of Education approved ABCTE in December 2004 and Mississippi followed suit after the program was recommended by the Mississippi Professional Standards board in July 2006.
Soon thereafter, South Carolina, Missouri and Oklahoma signed on to accept ABCTE certification as an official route to obtaining a teaching certificate. South Carolina House bill 3476 was signed into law on June 13, 2007, accepting ABCTE certification. Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed Senate Bill 1066 on May 1, 2008 allowing ABCTE certificate holders to practice there. Finally, the Oklahoma House passed Senate Bill 582 with a unanimous vote of 99 to zero in April 2009 and it was soon signed into law, making Oklahoma the ninth ABCTE state.
In July 2009, ABCTE announced that the organization's initial grant had drawn to a close and that ABCTE had reached a financial position that will allow them to continue to operate without requesting an extension of these government funds.
On November 2, 2009, ABCTE launched CharterTeacher.com, a website "focused on providing resources for charter school teachers, charter school leaders and administrators, and those who aspire to teach in a charter school." That same month, ABCTE issued its 2000th certification.