Educator Certification


Career Education Teachers    

To BECOME CERTIFIED as a Career Education Teacher in Missouri:
  • You need to determine your eligibility for a Career Education temporary authorization certificate (CTAC)

    Career Education Temporary authorization route to certification: An individual with closely related occupational experience takes a prescribed list of coursework, teaches for a minimum of two years, and is mentored by the employing school district. The individual works under a one-year, renewable certificate that requires the completion of six (6) semester hours of college credit each year in order to be renewed.

    • Must be employed by a Career Technical Center or school district with an approved program for Career Technical Education
    • Must possess one of the following qualifications:
      • Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university and four thousand (4,000) hours of Department-approved, closely related occupational experience obtained within the past ten (10) years; or
      • Associate's degree from an accredited college or university and five thousand (5,000) hours of Department-approved, closely related occupational experience within the past ten (10) years; or
      • No degree and six thousand (6,000) hours of Department-approved, closely related occupational experience obtained within the past ten (10) years.

        Note: Applicants for the specific area of ROTC must submit a notarized letter from the appropriate branch of the armed services indicating that applicant is an approved Junior ROTC instructor
  • You need to apply for a Career Education temporary authorization certificate (CTAC)
  • You hold a Career Education temporary authorization certificate (CTAC) and have completed the requirements to upgrade to an initial career education certificate (ICEC)
    • Complete online Upgrade Vocational/Career Application
    • Submit original transcripts showing completion of required coursework to Educator Certification, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102. We do not accept faxed or emailed application materials.

The Educator Certification System located within DESE Web Applications provides users with access to each of the following:

Educator Certification System Help Guide

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