Professional Teaching Certificate

The Professional Teaching Certificate is valid for teaching in all Nebraska schools unless someone applies for a nonpublic certificate only. Someone is eligible for a Professional Teaching Certificate if they have held or qualify for a Nebraska Standard Teaching Certificate (or comparable and equivalent certificate) or taught half-time or more for two consecutive years during the validity of a regular certificate.

In addition, if someone is advancing a certificate from Initial or Standard to Professional, an official transcript must be submitted showing a qualifying Master’s degree from an approved standard institution of higher education in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Technology, Special Education, or in the applicant’s content area, earned no more than ten years prior to the date of application. Someone may also advance having earned a six year Specialist’s or Doctorate degree in an area related to the applicant’s content area completed at the Master’s degree level.

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

The requirements for a Professional Teaching Certificate include the following:

1. An application and fee in the TEACH system  (Please note that registration for TEACH is required first; then an application can be submitted.)
2. Qualify for or hold a Standard Teaching Certificate
3. Fingerprints (required only if someone has lived outside of Nebraska in the past five years)
4. Official Transcript(s) showing a qualifying advanced degree
5. 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.
6. Educator Certificate – A certificate is required only for those who have not been certified in Nebraska.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Content Test – Nebraska accepts only 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.
10. Human Relations Training
11. Special Education Training

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