Education Non-Profit Approved To Provide South Carolina Middle School Teaching Certification

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 12, 2015 - The South Carolina Department of Education has authorized the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (The American Board) to provide additional teacher certification in middle level language arts, science and mathematics for middle school educators in grades  6-8, effective April 23, 2015. The new authorization expands The American Board’s service in the state of South Carolina. Prior to approval, The American Board provided South Carolina teacher certification in: Biology (9-12), Chemistry (9-12), English Language Arts (9-12), General Science (9-12), Mathematics (9-12), and Physics (9-12).

To date, The American Board has certified more than 5000 educators nationwide, including 1400 elementary education certifications. Additionally, The American Board has certified more than 950 teachers in South Carolina since 2007. The new South Carolina middle school educator certification will increase the number of high-quality teachers that South Carolina needs and reduce the teacher shortage the state currently faces.

For South Carolina certification, candidates must complete the required The American Board curriculum and assessments. Teacher candidates must also meet the following state criteria:

* Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited university

* Teach for 3 years, complete induction and formal teacher evaluation requirements, and pass the Praxis exam in Principles of Learning and Teaching.

The American Board President & CEO, Shawn McCollough says, “We are excited about the opportunity to provide middle school education certification in South Carolina. The practice aligns with our mission to provide quality educators in high-need areas throughout the United States. We look forward to expanding our service to teacher candidates and South Carolina school districts in this capacity.” Candidates that become certified in South Carolina have teaching reciprocity in the other American Board approved states. For more information on all of The American Board’s teacher certification programs, please visit http://abcte.org/

About The American Board

Founded in 2001 via a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, The American Board is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that addresses the need for knowledgeable and dedicated teachers in every classroom. Through an innovative and affordable certification program, The American Board provides a pathway to educator licensure in twelve states and a local solution for schools seeking to recruit highly qualified teachers from within the community. Career-changers that hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution are pre-qualified to start The American Board program, which provides the essential classroom management and subject-area training for teachers to be successful. For more information, visit http://abcte.org and follow The American Board on Facebook and Twitter.