Professional Administrative Certificate

The Professional Administrative Certificate is valid for teaching and administration in all Nebraska school systems unless someone applies for a nonpublic certificate only. Someone serving as the superintendent must hold a valid administrative certificate with a superintendent endorsement.

In order to qualify for a Professional Administrative Certificate, an applicant needs to qualify for or hold a Standard Nebraska Teaching Certificate, qualify for or hold a Standard Nebraska Administrative Certificate and have submitted evidence of two consecutive years of employment as an administrator half-time or more in an approved or accredited or otherwise legally operated  school system or educational service unit or as a faculty member in an educator preparation program of a standard institution of higher education.

A Professional Administrative Certificate expires August 31 in the tenth year following the year of issuance.

The requirements for a Professional Administrative Certificate include the following:

1. An application and fee in the TEACH system  (Please note that registration for TEACH is required before an application can be submitted.)
2. Hold a Master’s Degree
3. Qualify for or hold a Standard Nebraska Teaching Certificate
4. Qualify for or hold a Standard Nebraska Administrative Certificate
5. Fingerprints (required only if someone has lived outside of Nebraska in the past five years)
6. Official Transcript(s) showing a minimum of sixty graduate credit hours in an approved Educational Administration or Educational Leadership program or completion an Educational Specialist or Doctorate program or a state approved program for the preparation of a superintendent.
7. Institutional Verification – This form is used to show that a program was completed, and is needed only if adding an endorsement. The form is sent electronically to Nebraska colleges and universities.
8. Educator Certificate – A certificate is required only for those who have not been certified in Nebraska.
9. Employment Verification – This form is required for those who have employment experience in a school district/system outside of Nebraska. Teaching experience from Nebraska is submitted by the district or system each year through Adviser and does not need to be submitted again.
10. Basic Skills Test – In Nebraska, this requirement is met by taking the Praxis Core test before being admitted to a teacher preparation program. It can be waived with two years of teaching experience from outside of the state, along with a valid teaching certificate from that state. Other basic skills tests used by other states can also be accepted, as long as they assess reading, writing and math. For the most up-to-date list of tests accepted by Nebraska and for information on registration, visit the ETS website.
11. Content Test – Nebraska only accepts the Praxis Content test which is required for each new endorsement added to a certificate after September 1, 2015.  For the most up-to-date list of tests accepted by Nebraska and for information on how to register for a test, visit the ETS website.
12. Human Relations Training
13. Special Education Training

More information on how to send supporting documents can be found in the FAQ section of this website.