There are a number of paths an individual can take to become a teacher in Maryland, but each of them begin with earning a bachelor's degree at an accredited institution. It is required by all 50 states that certified teachers hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Prospective teachers taking the traditional steps to getting a teaching certification in Maryland will follow their bachelor's degree in education with participation in a state-approved teacher preparation program, after which they will complete the required state testing and apply for their certification. For individuals whose bachelor's degree is not in education, there are still several options for obtaining an alternative teaching certification, some of which may allow candidates to teach while completing certification requirements. Alternative teaching license options in Maryland include the Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC), the Conditional Certificate (COND), and certification issued after transcript analysis. Individuals seeking teaching certification through alternative pathways must also complete the same required testing as individuals following the traditional pathway.
The state of Maryland requires all candidates for teaching certification to hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and complete a Maryland-approved teacher preparation program, as well as achieve the required Praxis passing scores. Once an individual has fulfilled the requirements for initial certification, they will begin their teaching career on the first of four certification tiers available in Maryland. In Maryland's system, teachers attain higher level licensure as their educational and professional experience accumulates. Each of the following license types is valid for up to five years:
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The determining factor in whether an individual takes the traditional pathway to becoming a teacher in Maryland or an alternative one is the area in which they earn their bachelor's degree. Individuals who obtain a bachelor's degree in education follow the traditional route and take the following steps to gain a teaching certificate in Maryland:
To become a teacher in Maryland, prospective teachers are required by the State Department of Education to demonstrate proficiency in a basic skills assessment and content test(s). Typically, candidates for certification will take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam, which is graded on a 100-200 point grading scale. In some cases, SAT, ACT, or GRE scores may be accepted in its place. Candidates will then need to pass the relevant Praxis content and knowledge exam for their intended grade level and/or subject area.
The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators consists of the following three exams:
The passing scores for content exams vary by subject area. Candidates who do not achieve a passing score on their first try must wait at least 28 days to retake Praxis test.
For individuals who wish to become a teacher in Maryland but hold a non-educational bachelor's degree, there are alternative paths to obtaining a teaching certification. These opportunities allow individuals to change career paths without having to invest time and money into getting a second bachelor's degree. The alternative paths to become a teacher in Maryland include:
No matter which of the above routes prospective teachers choose to pursue, they will need to pass the same Praxis exams as are required of individuals who take the traditional path to teacher certification in Maryland. As with the traditional pathway, candidates who scored high enough on the SAT, ACT, or GRE exams may be eligible to use those scores in place of the basic skills testing requirement usually fulfilled by the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exams.
Some individuals may wish to pursue one of the following Maryland specialty teaching certifications:
For individuals who hold an out-of-state teaching license and have already completed an approved teacher preparation program in their current state, it is typically possible to obtain a Maryland teaching certificate without having to undergo a strenuous recertification process. In these cases, understanding teacher certification reciprocity is vital. It is important to know that a teaching license issued in one state will not automatically be recognized in another state, and teachers must apply for a new license to work in any state other than the one in which they are currently licensed. Teaching certification reciprocity instead provides guidelines for which qualifications are accepted from state to state and often allows teachers to teach with a temporary license while fulfilling any additional requirements of their new state.
Individuals who are applying for a Maryland teaching certificate with an active out-of-state license must create a portal account on the Maryland State Department of Education website and submit the required documentation either online or by mail. These documents are then evaluated by the Certification Branch to ensure all requirements are met and the candidate is eligible for certification. Candidates are then notified of the Branch's decision by email.
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In addition to the various education and professional criteria that candidates must meet in order to obtain a teaching certification in Maryland, the state's teaching certification requirements also mandate both state and federal background checks for all teaching certificate candidates, as well as all current teachers or staff in Maryland schools. This requirement is intended to ensure the safety of all students in K-12 schools and other childcare institutions. As such, any individual seeking teacher certification in the state of Maryland will be asked to consent to a fingerprinting and comprehensive background check process. These background checks must be repeated at least every five years (some circumstances may require more frequent background checks), and run each individual's identifying information and fingerprints through a number of criminal, sex offender, and child abuse/neglect registries both in-state and nationwide. This includes registries in the candidate's current state of residence and any previous states in which they have resided within the last five years. Candidates who are currently enrolled in teacher preparation programs should look to their program advisor/leader for the most up-to-date process information for completing their required background checks as part of the teacher certification application process.
The application process for obtaining a Maryland teacher certification requires candidates to begin by creating a portal account on the Maryland State Department of Education website to submit the required documentation. Any documents received prior to account creation will be discarded. Once a candidate has created their portal account, they must submit the following documents:
Documentation can be submitted electronically to certdocuments.msde@maryland.gov or via mail to the following address:
Maryland State Department of Education
Certification Branch
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Transcripts must be received directly from the college/university or from an official e-transcript service. Student copies in unopened mailers may be accepted. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted.
Each application incurs a $10 processing fee. Completed application packets are reviewed by the Certification Branch, and candidates will receive notification on the Branch's decision via email within 8 weeks.
The process of renewal for a Maryland teaching certificate varies depending on the individual's employment status. The renewal requests for candidates who are under employment contract in a Maryland school system, a private school that services special education students, or a State institution are processed by the employer. Candidates who are not employed at any of the previously mentioned institutions must submit the following documents in order to request renewal of their teaching certificate:
The outlook for the availability of teaching jobs in Maryland in the coming years is promising, with some sources predicting job growth of 7.5% through 2026. Broken down, this is expected to amount to 1,100 average annual openings for elementary school teachers, 620 average openings for middle school teachers, and 830 average annual openings for secondary school teachers for the years 2016-2026. As of 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the following average annual Maryland teaching salaries by grades:
While these salaries may vary based on location and teacher qualifications, Maryland's tiered teacher certification system incentivizes teachers to continue to advance their educational and professional experience, which in turn will result in a higher salary as this experience accumulates.