Child support specialist Cherise Simmons said curiosity and family heritage prompted her to come to an information session on how to become a teacher.

“I have a long history of teachers in the family,” the Muskogee resident said. “My mom’s a teacher, my aunt is. My mom is trying to push me into it.”

Simmons and several dozen others heard about a faster way to obtain teaching certification at Thursday night meetings conducted by the American Board of Teacher Certification. The board, ABCTE for short, is a non-profit program geared to recruiting, preparing and certifying qualified people to become teachers.

The program, based in Washington D.C., presented three programs at the Martin Luther King Center on Thursday and is visiting Tulsa and Oklahoma City as well.

ABCTE Enrollment Services Representative Megan Brady said the program began with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which authorized an “alternate route to teacher certification.”

She said anyone with a bachelor’s degree can take an Online course through the program and obtain certification. She said Oklahoma is one of nine states to approve ABCTE certification for teachers.

A brochure said Oklahoma recognizes ABCTE certification in biology, chemistry, English/language arts, general science, mathematics, U.S. history and world history. Certification is for grades six through 12.

As an example, Brady said an engineer, who would make a good math teacher, could go through the program and be certified.

“If the same engineer is passionate about language arts, he could be certified in language arts.”

To obtain certification, people going through the program must pass the ABCTE Professional Teaching Knowledge exam, pass the subject area exam and undergo a background check.

Brady said the program lasts about eight to 10 months, but some have finished the program in as little as three months.

The program costs $975 for certification, except the two history courses, which are $750. Brady said applicants can go through one history program for that price and the second one for $250.

Bryan Conway of Peggs said he came to the meeting because he was curious about teaching. He said he now works as a security officer.

“I’m looking into history or math right now, but I want to get into music later,” he said. “Teaching is something I have flirted with.”

Brady said the ABCTE program has been in Oklahoma since May, so only two or three people have gone through it so far. She said that nationwide, 70 percent of people who went through the program found work teaching within six months.

On Tuesday, Gov. Brad Henry proclaimed that day as ABCTE Become a Teacher Day. According to an ABCTE media release, the governor urged “all citizens of Oklahoma to consider giving back to their community through this rewarding career.”



Learn more



• Call American Board for Certification of Teachers: (877) 669-2228.

• Go to ABCTE Web site: www.abcte.org



Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email