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1) What are the requirements to be a teacher?

All teachers must hold a South Carolina Educators Certificate. 

2) Am I eligible to be certified to teach in South Carolina?

For new certification, you must complete an educational program through an accredited college, hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and pass the appropriate content area examinations. If you have not completed an educational program, you may apply to teach through the PACE program (Program for Alternative Certification) or complete the ABCTE exams.   If you are already certified to teach in another state, you must submit your out-of-state certificate with your certification application and then apply to the South Carolina Department of Education for reciprocity.

3) What is the PACE program?

The PACE program is the South Carolina Program of Alternative Certification for Educators.  The eligibility criteria that must be met is: a) an earned bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university, b) passing score on the content area examination(s), c) two years full-time work experience defined as two years of postsecondary work that includes one continuous year of full-time work and no more than one year of combined part-time work experience, d) an earned advanced degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an earned advanced degree from a college or university with a teacher education program that has been approved by the State Board of Education for certification purposes, and finally e) employment as a full – or part-time teacher in a South Carolina public school.  See PACE handout or www.ed.sc.gov for more information regarding PACE. 

4) What is the first step of the certification process?

You may seek guidance on applying for state certification at www.ed.sc.gov.

8) How long does the certification process take?

The required information that must be submitted before the application can be reviewed can take some time, i.e. application fee, transcripts, fingerprints, score reports, verification of teaching experience, etc.  Once it reaches the state department, the processing time could take up to 12 weeks, depending on what time of year you send it in.

9) Whom do I call for more information?

You may contact the Personnel Department at 981-1024 for general information.  For questions regarding your certification status, call the Office of Teacher Education and Certification at 1-877-885-5280 Mon-Fri, 1:00-4:30pm.