What is it?

Provisional Certificates are an alternative certification option for students who are enrolled in an approved Post-Baccalaureate or Master's level Teacher Education Program at a college or university, and for undergraduate Teacher Education Students who are within twelve hours of completing all certification requirements (including student teaching and/or completion of the Praxis II exam).  This is a two-year, non-renewable certificate. 

Students on a Provisional Certificate must complete an Application for a Missouri Teacher's Certificate - Academic Contract, which is an agreement between the student, the State of Missouri, the hiring school district and Missouri State.  Students who are on a Provisional Certificate through Missouri State are required by contract to complete all of their courses at Missouri State unless given prior permission from the Teacher Certification Office. 

Who is it for?

The Provisional Certificate is for students who have not completed their requirements for certification but have been offered a teaching position in a public school, or accredited non-public school.  The following types of students qualify for a Provisional Certificate:

• Undergraduates or Post-Bac students in any Teacher Education program who are within twelve hours of completing all coursework for certification, or who have not earned a passing score on the Praxis II exam
• Students enrolled in Missouri State's Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Programs in Secondary Education and Middle School Education programs,  regardless of the number of hours remaining to become certified
• Students enrolled in the Special Education Alternative Certification Track (SEACT), the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program, or the Visually Impaired Program (VIP) are required by Missouri State to be on a Provisional Certificate if they are teaching. 
• Currently certified teachers on a DESE analysis who are within 12 hours of completing the coursework to add that additional area of certification.

How to apply for jobs on a Provisional Certificate:
If you meet the criteria listed above, you are then eligible to be hired by a school district on a Provisional Certificate.  The first step is to indicate on your resume and cover letter that you are currently eligible for a provisional certificate.  We recommend that you include the following statement on the "Education and Certification" section of your resume":

• I am currently enrolled in an approved program for Teacher Certification in (list certification area here) at Missouri State University, and am eligible for a Provisional Certificate to Teach in that area.

The next step is to start contacting school districts to inquire about jobs.  For more information on the job search process, visit our Job search website.  If you are offered a position on a provisional certificate, you will then need to follow the steps below to actually apply for the certificate.

Applying for a Provisional Certificate:

The application process for a Provisional Certificate is described below:

• It is highly recommended that the student begin by completing a FBI background check.  To request the forms needed for a background check, go to this website:  http://www.dese.mo.gov/divteachqual/teachcert/aprequestbc.html  This process takes up to 10 weeks, so it's important to get this done at the beginning of the process!
• Print the Application for a Missouri Teacher's Certificate - Academic Contract.
• Complete Section I on the front of the application, and sign and date the back of the form in Section III.  To avoid any delays, please be sure to complete both sections. 
• Have the hiring school district complete Section II.  The area the student will be teaching must be the same as the area the student is pursuing through coursework at Missouri State.
• Send the completed form to the Teacher Certification Office at Missouri State.  We cannot accept faxed copies of the form.  You can mail it to us at the following address:  

Teacher Certification Office 
901 S. National Ave. 
Springfield, MO  65897

• Once the application has been received, the Teacher Certification Office will complete Section IV, attach official transcripts, and mail the  application to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).  It will then take approximately 8-10 weeks for your actual certificate to arrive.

How to Renew your Provisional Teaching Certificate:
A Provisional Teaching Certificate is a Non-Renewable two-year certificate.  However, under special circumstances the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will renew a Provisional Certificate to allow the student to complete the certification program.  Students enrolled in the SEACT or Severely Developmentally Disabled programs at Missouri State typically need to renew their provisional to complete this three-year program.

To renew your Provisional Teaching Certificate, you MUST have shown significant progress toward completing your certification program at Missouri State during the last two years.  Typically a student approved for an extension is no more than 9 hours from completion of their program.  If you have shown significant progress but need an additional semester or two in order to complete your program, please complete the following steps to get your Provisional Certificate renewed:

• Write a letter to the Coordinator of Teacher Certification at Missouri State University requesting that Missouri State support your request for an extension of your Provisional Certificate.  This letter needs to describe in detail the progress you have made toward completion of your program during the two years of your Provisional Certificate, AND describe your plan to complete any remaining deficiencies.
   
• Submit a letter from the Principal or Superintendent at your hiring school district indicating that the school intends to renew your teaching contract beyond the expiration date on your Provisional Certificate AND that they support your request for an extension of your Provisional Teaching Certificate.  A copy of your teaching contract for the upcoming school year will no longer be accepted by DESE in place of this letter. 

Please send this documentation to:
Teacher Certification Office 
901 S. National Ave. 
Springfield, MO  65897

Once these letters are received, your file will be reviewed and if appropriate Missouri State will send a letter to DESE along with your documentation asking for a one-year extension of your Provisional Certificate.  At that time, you will also be sent a copy of that letter that you can share with your hiring school district. 

If it is determined by Missouri State that you have not made significant progress toward the completion of your program, your request will be denied and you will be notified in writing.