Alternative Teaching Certification in Idaho
Idaho lets career-changers with a bachelor’s degree become certified teachers through non-traditional routes, most commonly the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE). Candidates complete online coursework, pass subject and professional-knowledge exams, then teach under an interim certificate while finishing a two-year mentorship. The Idaho State Department of Education oversees every step, from background checks to the final standard certificate.
Sponsored School(s)
A bachelor’s degree in biology, business, or history doesn’t have to be a dead end if you want to teach. Idaho built its non-traditional certification routes specifically for people who already hold a degree but never went through a college of education. The best-known path runs through the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, known as ABCTE.
The Idaho State Department of Education recognizes the Computer-Based Alternative Route to Teacher Certification (ABCTE) for candidates who have a bachelor’s degree but have not completed a teacher preparation program and wish to become a certified Idaho teacher.
Interested in learning about the traditional approach? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Idaho.
ABCTE certification is available to prospective Idaho teachers who wish to become certified in the following areas:
- Elementary Education (K-8)
- Special Education (K-12)
- Reading Endorsement (add-on only, not available as a standalone certification)
- Biology (6-12)
- English Language Arts (6-12)
- Chemistry (6-12)
- Mathematics (6-12)
- General Science (6-12)
- History (6-12)
- Physics (6-12)
Alternative Certification Requirements
Education Requirements
For admission to the ABCTE program, you must first hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Once enrolled in ABCTE, you complete your teacher preparation education entirely online. At the end of that coursework, you receive an ABCTE certificate, then take a position in the Idaho school system while you complete the experience and examination portions of the program.
Examinations
To gain entrance to the ABCTE program, you must pass the ABCTE examinations covering Professional Teaching Knowledge and your intended subject area. Candidates may also be required to meet Idaho’s current content assessment requirements for their certification area. Check the Idaho State Department of Education for the assessments currently required for your endorsement.
Experience
A mandatory mentoring period of two years is built into the ABCTE program. After completing the ABCTE education requirements and receiving your ABCTE certificate, you must obtain a position in an Idaho school system that partners with ABCTE and apply to the Idaho State Department of Education for an interim teaching certificate, valid for three years. While you work for the school district, you complete the mentoring program. Your mentor follows the Idaho State Department of Education’s Non-Traditional Candidates certification requirements when evaluating your classroom performance. At the end of the mentoring period, you can apply for the standard five-year Idaho teaching certificate through the state’s certificate renewal process.
Criminal History Background Check
ABCTE requires its own criminal background check in addition to Idaho’s required fingerprint-based background check. You begin the ABCTE check at enrollment by submitting a complete disclosure authorization form, and fingerprinting happens at this stage.
The Idaho State Department of Education requires its own background check, even after ABCTE has cleared you. Before you can receive an interim teaching certificate, contact the State Department of Education at 208-332-6888 or 208-332-6883 to request a fingerprint card. That call walks you through how your criminal history gets checked against the Statewide Sex Offender Register, the FBI, and the Idaho Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). Submit your completed fingerprint card with your interim certificate application. The State Department of Education won’t issue the certificate until your background check clears.
Contact Information
For more on the ABCTE program, visit americanboard.org/idaho or call 877-669-2228.
Other Ways to Get Certified as a Teacher in Idaho
ABCTE is the best-known non-traditional route, but it isn’t the only one. The Idaho State Department of Education’s Alternative Authorizations framework also covers Teacher to New and Content Specialist authorizations, which let a hiring school district request certification for a candidate who doesn’t yet hold the right endorsement, along with a one-year Emergency Provisional certificate for districts facing an immediate staffing gap. Each of these routes still requires the candidate to work toward a standard certificate, but the timeline, mentoring structure, and paperwork differ from the ABCTE process described above.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree outside education and want to weigh ABCTE against these district-initiated options, the Idaho State Department of Education’s Alternative Authorizations page lays out eligibility for each. If you already hold a valid teaching certificate from another state, see our Idaho teacher reciprocity guide instead, since that route usually gets you certified faster than starting an alternative program from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ABCTE the only alternative certification option in Idaho?
No. ABCTE is the option open to candidates on their own, without a school district sponsoring the application. Idaho also offers district-initiated Alternative Authorizations, including Teacher to New and Content Specialist routes, plus a one-year Emergency Provisional certificate for districts with an urgent staffing need.
What exams do I need to pass for ABCTE certification in Idaho?
ABCTE requires its own entrance exams for Professional Teaching Knowledge and your subject area. Beyond that, candidates may be required to meet Idaho’s current content assessment requirements for their certification area. Check the Idaho State Department of Education for the assessments currently required for your endorsement.
Can I teach in Idaho while I finish my alternative certification?
Yes. Once you complete ABCTE’s education requirements, you take a teaching position in a partner Idaho school system and work under an interim certificate while you finish the two-year mentoring period and required exams.
How long does it take to complete the ABCTE program?
The online coursework itself typically runs several months to a year, but the full path to a standard Idaho certificate takes longer because of the required two-year mentoring period completed while teaching.
What subjects can I get certified in through ABCTE in Idaho?
ABCTE certification in Idaho covers Elementary Education (K-8), Special Education (K-12), a Reading Endorsement (add-on only), and secondary subjects including Biology, English Language Arts, Chemistry, Mathematics, General Science, History, and Physics, all grades 6-12.
- ABCTE isn’t the only alternative path — it’s the route candidates pursue on their own, while Teacher to New, Content Specialist, and Emergency Provisional routes are initiated by a hiring school district.
- Content assessments may apply beyond ABCTE’s own exams — check the Idaho State Department of Education for the assessment requirements currently tied to your endorsement area.
- Mentoring runs two years — ABCTE candidates teach under an interim certificate while completing a two-year, state-monitored mentorship before applying for a standard five-year certificate.
- Two background checks are required — ABCTE runs its own criminal background check, separate from the fingerprint-based check the Idaho State Department of Education requires.
Find accredited teacher preparation programs and alternative certification options available to Idaho residents, including application requirements and timelines for your certification path.
