Alternative Route to Certification Frequently Asked Questions
How do I qualify for the alternative route to certification in South Carolina?When can I enter the alternative route to certification program?
Are all subjects included in the alternative route to certification?
Do I need to take a special test for the program?
What is the work experience requirement for PACE Participants?
What type of teaching certificate will I receive?
Do I have to have a certificate before I get a job?
What if I cannot find employment?
Where do I apply for certification?
Do my advanced degrees count toward my certification?
Does my experience in my previous career count toward experience credit?
When should I apply for the program?
How do I know I am accepted into the Alternative Route Certification Program?
When do I begin my training program?
Do I have to stay in the same district or school the entire program? What if I move out of state?
How long is the program?
What happens if I stop the program for some reason?
How much does the program cost?
How will I know the status of my materials after I apply for certification?
How do I know what school districts need teachers?
How do I apply for a teaching position?
How do I qualify for the alternative route to certification in South Carolina?
- Take the self-test to determine if you qualify.
- Compare your college degree and certification areas with the alternative certification degree requirement list.
When can I enter the alternative route to certification program?
- The official entry point for PACE is after you receive your statement of eligibility, you are employed as a teacher in a South Carolina public school district, and you successfully complete the pre-service training program.
- You have three academic years to complete all program requirements.
Are all subjects included in the alternative route to certification?
- A complete list of PACE approved subject areas is available on this web site.
Do I need to take a special test for the program?
- PACE participants are required to take the Praxis II Specialty Area examination(s) required for their area. In addition to the required specialty area exams, PACE Special Education Emotionally Disabled must pass one of the elementary education Praxis examinations. Please review the appropriate guidelines to determine the timeline for presenting a passing score on the exam.
- Once admitted, PACE participants are required to present a passing score on the Principles of Learning and Teaching Exam (PLT) appropriate to the teacher's certification grade level within their three years in the program.
What is the work experience requirement for PACE participants?
- PACE participants seeking a statement of eligibility must present validation of two years full time work experience. This is defined as two years of post secondary work experience that includes one year of continuous full time work and no more than one year of combined part time work experience. An earned masters degree from a regionally accredited college will waive the two year work requirement.
What type of teaching certificate will I receive?
- In PACE, once you have received your statement of eligibility and an all-clear FBI report, you are employed by a South Carolina public school district, and you successfully complete the preservice training, you will receive your first alternative route certificate. This certificate is renewed each year based on successful completion of portions of the training program and continuous employment in a South Carolina public school district. You have three academic years to complete all program requirements.
Do I have to have a certificate before I get a job?
- You may seek employment at anytime. It is recommended that you seek employment after you have received or qualified for the statement of eligibility.
What if I cannot find employment?
- If you have received a statement of eligibility in PACE, you will
notice it expires on June 30th. If you are not hired within the academic
year of your letter of eligibility, you must submit the request
for change/action form requesting that your file be re-evaluated
for the next academic year.
Where do I apply for certification?
- The Office of Educator Certification distributes and accepts certification applications. Applications are available at school district Personnel or Human Resources Offices, college or university education departments, or
- You may download our application form (pdf file).
- Request an application packet.
Do my advanced degrees count toward my certification?
- Yes your advanced degrees count for pay purposes, provided they are in a certification area and they were received from a regionally accredited college.
- The amount of pay varies from district to district.
- Salaries are based on the district’s salary schedule.
Does my experience in my previous career count toward experience credit?
- If you have taught in a private school, college, university, or technical school your experience may count.
- At this time there is no provision to grant experience credit for work place experience.
When should I apply for the program?
- You may apply at anytime.
- If you feel you will qualify based on the self test, it is recommended that you apply after you have earned a passing score on the required Praxis II Specialty Area examinations.
How do I know I am accepted into the Alternative Route to Certification Program?
- In PACE, participants who have submitted a complete application packet are evaluated based on academic qualifications, work requirement, and test scores. Pending an all-clear FBI report, participants who meet these qualifications receive a statement of eligibility indicating level of certification (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, bachelor’s +18, or master’s +30), area of certification, and a confirmation of employment form.
When do I begin my training program?
- PACE participants receive information regarding the next available training program once they receive the statement of eligibility and the Office of Educator Certification receives a completed confirmation of employment form from a South Carolina public school district. PACE participants must also complete three required college courses from the approved course list. It is not recommended that participants begin taking these courses until the second year of the program.
- Course requirements and procedures vary depending on a participant's cohart.
- College courses must be completed at a regionally accredited higher education institution.
Do I have to stay in the same district or school the entire program? What if I move out of state?
- PACE participants may change schools or districts at the conclusion of each contracted school year.
- If at any point in the program you are no longer employed in a South Carolina public school district, you are no longer considered a participant in the program. If you plan to leave the state before you have completed all program requirements and received your professional certificate, please contact that state's certification office to determine if the critical need certificate would be considered transferable.
- The PACE program is a three year program. Training should be completed within the first two years. Participants can complete coursework during the third year.
What happens if I stop the program for some reason?
- PACE is designed to be completed in consecutive years of employment in a South Carolina public school district. If you leave the program, you may be allowed to reapply and possibly start the program from the beginning. This possibility would be evaluated by our certification review committee based on individual circumstances.
How much does the program cost?
- All first time applicants for South Carolina Teacher Certification pay an application fee of $95.00.
- All first time applicants for South Carolina Teacher Certification pay $54.25 for the state mandated SLED/FBI Background Report. This report expires after eighteen months.
- All first time applicants for South Carolina Teacher Certification must pass the South Carolina State Board of Education approved Praxis examinations. Prior to your entry in PACE, you will need to pass the required Praxis Subject Assessment Examinations. Depending on your PACE approved subject area, you will need to pass one to two subject area examinations. These examinations cost between $80.00 - $95.00 with an annual registration fee of $50.00. According to the Educational Testing Services (ETS), the agency that administers the examinations, fees are subject to change without notice.
- The ten day pre-service institute and first four seminars cost $250.00. This cost will cover your notebook and texts during your first year of training. You will attend this institute with other career changers like yourself making the transition into the classroom for the first time. This training will give you the tools to step into the classroom for the first time. The pre-service will include a background in educational theory, classroom organization and management, teaching strategies, how students learn, how to write lesson plans and assessments, and more.
- Following your first year in the classroom, you will continue to build your pedagogical knowledge through the ten day in-service institute. You will meet again with your PACE instructors and your cohort of PACE participants to continue your journey in the classroom. You will wrap up the training with two fall seminars. The cost of the second ten day institute and final seminars is $250.00. This cost will cover your notebook and handouts during your second year of training. You will be responsible for purchasing your texts.
- You are required to pay your room and board (if necessary) and travel expenses to the institutes and seminars.
- You are required to pay for the three college courses. The cost of the coursework is dependent on the college. Each course must be completed for three semester hours of college credit. Some school districts offer course(s) at a reduced cost for their teachers.
- All South Carolina teachers with initial or critical need certificates must pass the Principals of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Praxis Examination as part of the requirements to advance to a professional certificate. The cost for the PLT is $90.00.
- Once you are accepted into the program and have received your first alternative route certificate, you may be eligible to borrow money through the South Carolina Teachers Loan Program. These loans are eligible for forgiveness based on your teaching service. To request an application you can contact the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation at 800-347-2752.
How will I know the status of my materials after I apply for certification?
- Check your certification status on-line.
- By visiting the web site you can track the progress of your file on-line.
How do I know what school districts need teachers?
- The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement maintains a teacher vacancy list for South Carolina.
- School districts also list openings on their individual web sites.
How do I apply for a teaching position?
- Most school districts use the on-line South Carolina common application at the Teacher Recruitment Center.