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There are different types of educators in Iowa. Each with different work and preparation requirements.
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A teacher is a professional educator who uses a thorough understanding of:
- content,
- teaching,
- scholastic and development patterns
A teacher also understands:
- individual differences that guide learning and
- creates a supportive and safe learning environment.
A teacher:
- prepares and delivers lessons,
- provides feedback,
- manages classroom materials,
- navigates coursework,
- collaborates with other professionals and
- talks with parents.
Teacher Requirements
- Bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited institution.
- Complete all:
- teacher preparation program requirements:
- coursework and
- clinical experiences.
- teacher preparation program requirements:
- Follows one of two pathways to become a teacher:
- traditional or
- alternative licensure.
Traditional Pathway
Iowa has 29 colleges and universities with traditional educator preparation programs. Most programs have options for face-to-face and online courses.
On this path you will:
- attend classes,
- content knowledge and
- teaching methods,
- be [art pf a supervised clinical experience in PK-12 schools, and
- student teach for 14 weeks.
Alternative License Pathway
There are three alternative license programs through an internship pathway.
Alternative programs may be an option for adults with an existing bachelor's degree (or higher) in a non-education field. This allows you to:
- be a classroom teacher of record,
- be paid as a full-time teacher, and
- have significant support from the program faculty and high school.
Teacher interns complete a minimum of 28 semester hours of coursework in foundational skills for educators and complete at least 50 hours of field experience.
Teacher Preparation Programs
Traditional Teacher Programs
| Institution | Program Levels |
|---|---|
| Briar Cliff University, Sioux City | Elementary, Secondary |
| Buena Vista University, Storm Lake | Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership, School Counseling, Paraeducator |
| Central College, Pella | Elementary, Secondary |
| Clarke University, Dubuque | Elementary, Secondary |
| Coe College, Cedar Rapids | Elementary, Secondary |
| Cornell College, Mount Vernon | Elementary, Secondary |
| Dordt University, Sioux City | Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership, Paraeducator |
| Drake University, Des Moines | Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership, School Counseling |
| Emmaus University, Dubuque | Elementary, Secondary |
| Faith Baptist Bible College, Ankeny | Elementary, Secondary |
| Graceland University, Lamoni | Elementary, Secondary |
| Grand View University, Des Moines | Elementary, Secondary, School Social Work, Paraeducator |
| Grinnell College, Grinnell | Secondary |
| Iowa State University, Ames | Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership |
| Loras College, Dubuque | Elementary, Secondary, School Counseling |
| Luther College, Decorah | Elementary, Secondary |
| Morningside College, Sioux City | Elementary, Secondary |
| Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids | Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership |
| Northwestern College, Orange City | Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership, School Counseling |
| Saint Ambrose University, Davenport | Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, Speech Pathology, School Social Work |
| Simpson College, Indianola | Elementary, Secondary |
| University of Dubuque, Dubuque | Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary |
| University of Iowa, Iowa City | Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership, School Counseling, School Psychology, School Social Work, Speech Pathologist, School Audiologist, Paraeducator |
| University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls | Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, Educational Leadership, School Counseling, School Psychology, School Social Work, Speech Pathology |
| Upper Iowa University, Fayette | Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, School Counseling |
| Viterbo University, West Des Moines | Educational Leadership |
| Waldorf University, Forest City | Elementary, Secondary |
| Wartburg College, Waverly | Elementary, Secondary |
| William Penn University, Oskaloosa | Elementary, Secondary |
Alternate License Programs
| Institution | Program Levels |
|---|---|
| Drake University, Des Moines | Approved Endorsements |
| Morningside College, Sioux City | Approved Endorsements |
| Regents Alternative Pathway to Iowa Licensure (RAPIL), Three Regent Universities Consortium | Approved Endorsements |
Administrator Preparation
There are two types of certified administrators:
- principals
- superintendents
Principals shape a school's success.
They:
- support learning,
- build leaders,
- improves teaching,
- manage people and
- track data and processes.
Superintendents are the top mangers of the school district.
They decide about:
- facilities
- messaging
- programs
- spending
- staffing and
- follow the direction of the school board.
Administrator Requirements
- Master's degree for principal
- Specialist for superintendent
- Three years' experience as a classroom teacher
Administrator Preparation Programs
| Institution | Program Levels |
|---|---|
| Buena Vista University, Storm Lake | Principal |
| Dordt University, Sioux Center | Principal |
| Drake University, Des Moines | Principal, Superintendent |
| Iowa State University, Ames | Principal, Superintendent |
| Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids | Principal |
| Northwestern College, Orange City | Principal |
| University of Iowa, Iowa City | Principal, Superintendent |
| University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls | Principal, Superintendent |
| Viterbo University, West Des Moines | Principal |
Paraeducator
A paraeducator works under the supervision of a teacher. They have the responsibility to design and provide education and related programs. Other titles for an educational aide include:
- paraprofessional,
- educational aide,
- associate aide or
- instructional aide.
Paraeducator Certification Programs
Approved Paraeducator Preparation Programs and Certifying Official
Paraeducator Requirements
Paraeducators can choose to pursue a formal certification, to do so they need:
- A high school diploma or GED.
- A 90-hour preparation program, including clinical experiences.
- A certification in specific concentration area(s). This requires 45 hours of preparation in each concentration area.
Other Education Professionals
Other professional educators include:
- counselors,
- speech-language pathologists,
- social workers,
- psychologists and others.
These professionals may work in schools or in Area Educational Association settings.
There are two ways to be licensed for these positions. Both are provided by the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE)
- A Statement of Professional Recognition from the BOEE. This is based on licensure through the Iowa Department of Public Health.
- A Professional Service License from the BOEE. This follows completion of a program through an Iowa Institution of Higher Education.
Other Professional Program Requirements
- Bachelor's degree.
- Master's degree for some programs.
- Complete all program requirements.
- Coursework and clinical experiences.
Other Professional Program Preparation Programs
| Institution | Program Levels |
|---|---|
| Buena Vista University, Storm Lake | Professional School Counselor |
| Drake University, Des Moines | Professional School Counselor |
| Grand View University, Des Moines | Professional School Counselor, School Social Worker |
| Loras College, Dubuque | Professional School Counselor |
| Northwestern College, Orange City | Professional School Counselor |
| Saint Ambrose University, Davenport | Speech-Language Pathologist, School Social Worker |
| Upper Iowa University, Fayette | Professional School Counselor |
| University of Iowa, Iowa City | Audiologist, Librarian, Professional School Counselor, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, Speech-Language Pathologist |
| University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls | Librarian, Professional School Counselor, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, Speech-Language Pathologist |
Teacher & Educational Aide Registered Apprenticeship Program
A pilot program for public school districts partnering with:
- a community college
- a four-year college or university
This partnership provides:
- High School and Adult-to-Educational Aide Registered Apprenticeship
- This program helps high school students and working adults.
- You can begin working as an educational aide while earning credit toward an associate degree.
- Educational Aide-to-Teacher Registered Apprenticeship
- You can work while earning credit toward a bachelor's degree and teaching license.
Program Details
Visit the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Program webpage for more detailed information about the pilot program.
Contacts
- For Registered Apprenticeship - Iowa Workforce Development - Ashleigh Vize at ashleigh.vize@iwd.iowa.gov
- For Educator and Educational Aide Preparation - Amy Mayer at amy.mayer@iowa.gov
- For Licensure and Certification - Joanne Tubbs at joanne.tubbs@iowa.gov
Note: Include one of these subject lines of the email: Funding, Program Registration, Technical Assistance or Reporting.
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