| Founded | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Location | Washington DC |
| Area served | To-date: ABCTE certification is accepted by public schools in Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Oklahoma, and by charter and private schools throughout the country |
| Focus | Recruiting, Preparing and Certifying Great Teachers |
| Method | Offers an alternative teaching certification program |
| Employees | 30 |
| Website | abcte.org |
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.
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ABCTE recruits, prepares, certifies and supports dedicated professionals to improve student achievement through quality teaching.
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.
ABCTE certification is recognized in Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Oklahoma. Many charter and private schools 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.
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.[1]
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."[2] That same month, ABCTE issued its 2000th certification.[3]
ABCTE’s Teach & Inspire Scholarship Program recruits, certifies, and supports highly effective new teachers of diverse cultural and professional backgrounds in high-need schools, districts, and subject areas. Participants are awarded a scholarship to earn teacher certification through ABCTE’s program. Teach & Inspire is funded by a 4-year U.S. Department of Education Transition to Teaching grant.