Alabama Elementary Teacher Certification — K-6 and Early Childhood Requirements

Elementary education in Alabama has a certification wrinkle that doesn't exist for secondary fields: the state's most common alternative routes — PCTF and CCTF through ATPOs like iteach or American Board — do not cover elementary or early childhood education. If you're a career changer who wants to teach K-6 or P-3, your options narrow to two paths, and both have testing requirements that secondary candidates don't face.

Traditional Route: University Education Program

The standard path is completing an approved teacher preparation program at an Alabama university. You'll graduate with a Class B Professional Educator Certificate endorsed for either Elementary Education (K-6) or Early Childhood Education (P-3).

Requirements include:

• Bachelor's degree from an approved program with a minimum 2.50 GPA overall, 2.50 in professional studies, and 2.50 in your teaching field
• No course grade below "C" in professional studies or teaching field courses
• Praxis Subject Assessment in your certification area ($120-$170)
• edTPA portfolio assessment ($300) — scored nationally by Pearson, with a qualifying score of 37 for 15-rubric handbooks or 32 for 13-rubric handbooks
• Pearson Foundations of Reading (test 890) — $139, passing score of 233
• Criminal background clearance through Fieldprint Alabama ($46.20)
• Formal institutional recommendation submitted by your university's certification officer

Your certification officer handles the application submission. You cannot upload transcripts or score reports yourself — the ALSDE rejects candidate-submitted documents.

Alternative Route: University Alt-A with IEC

If you hold a bachelor's degree in a non-education field and want to teach elementary grades, the only alternative route available is the university-based Alternative Class A program. You enroll in a master's program at an approved Alabama university and teach full-time under an Interim Employment Certificate (IEC).

This is the sole alternative path because:

• The PCTF route excludes Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education
• The CCTF route through ATPOs (iteach, American Board, #T.E.A.C.H.) also excludes these fields
• The TSEC route is limited to special education grades 6-12

The Alt-A program results in a Class A certificate (master's level), which places you on a higher salary lane than Class B from day one. Tuition varies by institution — expect $15,000-$30,000 depending on the university — but you're earning a full teaching salary throughout.

You'll still need to pass the same tests: Praxis Subject Assessment, edTPA, and Foundations of Reading.

The Foundations of Reading Requirement

This is the test that's unique to elementary and early childhood candidates (plus K-6 collaborative special education). The Pearson Foundations of Reading exam evaluates your knowledge of reading and literacy instruction — it's mandatory regardless of whether you're on a traditional or alternative route.

Key details:

• Test code: 890 (the ALSDE transitioned from the old code 190 to the National Evaluation Series code 890 effective September 15, 2025)
• Cost: $139
• Passing score: 233
• Content: Reading and literacy instruction knowledge
• No exemptions: You cannot bypass this test through reciprocity waivers or experience-based testing exemptions

Register through the Pearson NES portal, not through ETS (which handles the Praxis exams). Score reports take 2-3 weeks for electronic delivery to the ALSDE.

GPA Below 2.50

If your undergraduate GPA falls between 2.00 and 2.49, you're not automatically disqualified — but your path changes. You'll need to earn a 5% increased score on your Praxis Subject Assessment or complete six upper-level semester hours in your teaching field. Below 2.00, you're ineligible for any Alabama certification pathway.

One important rule: Alabama does not round GPAs. A 2.49 is a 2.49, not a 2.50. This is explicitly stated in the administrative code.

District Hiring for Elementary Positions

Elementary teaching positions are posted on Alabama's official K-12 job board at careersalk12education.org. Major districts like Montgomery Public Schools use this portal exclusively for certified position postings. Birmingham City Schools recruits from local approved programs like UAB and Samford.

Districts cannot place you in a classroom without active background clearance in the state system — complete your Fieldprint fingerprinting early in the process so it doesn't hold up a job offer.

The Alabama Teacher Certification Guide includes a pathway decision worksheet that walks you through your specific options based on degree type, GPA, and target grade band, plus a testing logistics tracker to sequence your Praxis, edTPA, and Foundations of Reading registrations without missing the ALSDE's six-month testing deadline.

See more Alabama guides →