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Idaho Teacher Certification

Average Teacher Salary: $43,390
Average State Salary for All Jobs: $37,310

Coursework and Preparation Programs You'll Need:

You'll need a Bachelor's Degree before you can teach in Idaho schools. Undergraduate coursework required for teacher certification depends on the grade level being taught, as follows:
Elementary – 24 hours in “the philosophical, psychological, and methodological foundations and in the professional subject matter of elementary education, which shall include at least six (6) semester credit hours, or nine (9) quarter credit hours, in developmental reading and its application to the content area.” (36 quarter credit hours may be substituted.) See this site for more information: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/teacher_certification/standard_elem_cert.htm.
Secondary – 20 hours in “the philosophical, psychological, and methodological foundations, in instructional technology, and in the professional subject matter of secondary education, which must include at least three (3) semester credit hours, or five (5) quarter hours, of reading in the content area.” (30 quarter credit hours may be substituted.) See this site for more information: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/teacher_certification/standard_sec_cert.htm
You will also need to complete an Idaho-approved teacher preparation program. A list of approved programs is available here:
http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/teacher_certification/accredited.htm
For a discussion of alternative teacher preparation programs, see this site:
Alternative Routes to Teaching

Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Course/Assessment

Teachers applying for grades K-8 will need to take the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Course/Assessment (ICLA) test. This is offered through the College of Education at Idaho universities. For more details, see the following site:
Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Course/Assessment

Tests

For teacher certification in Idaho, no basic skills test is required other than the ICLA. However, you'll need to take the following test in specific subject areas:
Praxis 2 Exams Official Site | Praxis 2 Test

Reciprocity Agreements

The State of Idaho has reciprocity agreements to accept teaching credentials from most other states.

Facts about Idaho Teacher Certification

Differential pay support is available for teachers in high needs subject areas.
After teaching in Idaho for three years, a teacher becomes eligible for tenure.

For Further Information

You can contact the Idaho Professional Standards Commission about teacher certification at this address:
Certification/Professional Standards Commission
State Department of Education
P. O. Box 83720
Boise ID 83720-0027

Or you can call the Certification Assistance Line at (208) 332-6881. Their email address is jbjensen@sde.idaho.gov .
In addition, the following official Web sites have information about the Idaho teacher certification process:

Idaho State Department of Education
Idaho Teacher Certification