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How to become a teacher in Mississippi
Steps drawn from the state's data
- Earn a bachelor's degree. At least one initial credential requires one.
- Complete a teacher preparation program. Mississippi has 17 Title II providers.
- Complete clinical experience such as student teaching.
- Pass the tests the state requires (Title II reports that tests are required, not which ones).
- Apply to Mississippi Department of Education for an initial credential, such as Reciprocity License (Standard); Special Subject Five Year Educator Licenses (Class A); Special Subject Five Year Educator Licenses (Class AA or higher); Traditional Teacher Education Route Licenses (Early Childhood and Elementary).
- Career changers can use one of 4 alternative routes instead of a traditional program.
Teacher preparation providers in Mississippi
| Provider | Program types | Enrollment | Completers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABCTE - Mississippi (Title 2 Only) | Alternative, not IHE-based | 8 | 3 |
| Alcorn State University | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 27 | 13 |
| Belhaven College | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 297 | 125 |
| Blue Mountain College | Traditional | 237 | 60 |
| Delta State University | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 371 | 105 |
| Jackson State University | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 411 | 156 |
| Mississippi College | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 141 | 45 |
| Mississippi State University MS | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 1,047 | 384 |
| Mississippi University for Women | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 89 | 42 |
| Mississippi Valley State University | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 65 | 36 |
| Rust College | Traditional | 9 | 1 |
| Teach for America-Mississippi | Alternative, not IHE-based | 29 | 6 |
| Teach Mississippi Institute | Alternative, IHE-based | 267 | 214 |
| Tougaloo College | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 15 | 0 |
| University of Mississippi | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 455 | 240 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 754 | 292 |
| William Carey University | Traditional; Alternative, IHE-based | 833 | 259 |
About teacher preparation in Mississippi
The State of Mississippi has 14 IHE approved Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs). Eight providers are public institutions and six are private colleges or universities. Mississippi offers both traditional and alternate routes to teacher certification.
The Office of Teaching and Leading's Division of Educator Preparation supports three IHE options for obtaining an alternate license, the Master of Arts in Teaching Program, and the Teach Mississippi Institute. Additionally, the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) approved two non-IHE providers, Teach for America (TFA) and the American Board Certification for Teacher Excellence (ABCTE).
Mississippi is a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) partner state. Mississippi State Board of Education policy requires all providers to be nationally accredited by the accreditor with whom the state partners.
The state relies on multiple measures of EPP performance to determine the day one of readiness of teachers. The EPP Process and Performance Guidelines require documentation for meeting state and national standards over a seven-year cycle of review. The state conducts an in-depth programmatic review at the mid-point of the EPP’s seven-year review cycle. Programs must document that course content is aligned with state and national standards as approved by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development, and that these standards are incorporated into all elementary, secondary, and special area programs. The mid-cycle review is based upon three primary standards: 1. Candidate Quality and Pedagogical Knowledge, 2. Clinical Practice and Partnerships, and 3. Candidate Quality and Selectivity. Standards two and three are addressed holistically for the EPP while content and pedagogical knowledge are assessed at the program level. Completer test scores are analyzed by number of attempts with expected proficiency annually to be an 80% pass rate for candidates.
In addition to the mid-cycle reviews, the state requires EPPs to report on annual performance measures as required in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-29. The annual performance review is conducted through an electronic review of student performance and demographic data; clinical experience documentation and satisfaction surveys; faculty development; and statewide common assessment data analysis. To ensure program quality, licensure pass rates are monitored with the expectation of performance at 80%.
Prior to completion of a teacher education program, candidates must successfully complete a minimum of a 12 weeks (60 full days) of student teaching experience. Additionally, to meet certification requirements, candidates who will teach grades 4-6 must possess two or more areas of concentration. Those candidates preparing to teach in grades 7-12 and other special subject area programs must major in an academic field other than education or in a combination of disciplines.