Alternative Teaching Certification in Iowa
Iowa’s alternative teaching certification lets bachelor’s degree holders without an education degree earn a Teacher Intern License and start teaching grades 7-12 while completing licensure requirements. Candidates need a 2.5 GPA, subject-matter coursework, and three years of work experience. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners oversees the program and approves each teacher preparation route.
Sponsored School(s)
The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners provides a method for those who have a bachelor’s degree and a desire to teach in grades 7-12 but no actual teaching experience to fulfill the requirements for a standard teaching license. This is available while you are in the process of completing educational and experience requirements necessary for teacher licensure. This alternative route is referred to as non-traditional licensure, or a Teacher Intern License.
Interested in learning about the traditional approach? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Iowa.
Already hold a teaching license from another state? Iowa’s teacher reciprocity agreements may get you licensed faster than starting the Teacher Intern process from scratch.
Alternative Certification Requirements
Education Requirements
You must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university with at least a 2.5 overall GPA to qualify for a Teacher Intern License. You must also meet the subject matter coursework requirements for at least one endorsement and complete the first year of required coursework in an approved teacher intern program. Once that first year is complete, you may apply for the Teacher Intern license, which is issued for one academic year and cannot be renewed or extended. During that year, you serve as the teacher of record in your endorsement area while finishing your remaining coursework and any testing your program requires.
Iowa’s teacher intern coursework is offered through three state-approved programs: Drake University, Morningside University, and RAPIL. Program length varies by provider, so confirm current coursework timelines directly with the program you’re considering.
Examinations
Iowa has changed its testing requirements in recent years, and some state-approved preparation programs no longer require a separate professional skills test for candidates who complete the program. Whether you’ll sit for a Basic Skills exam or other assessment depends on your specific teacher intern program, so confirm current testing requirements with your program advisor before you apply.
Experience
To qualify for entrance into the Teacher Intern program, you must have at least three years of work experience after receiving your bachelor’s degree.
As part of your Teacher Intern program, you must complete 50 hours of contact with students through a field experience. Once this and your educational requirements have been completed, you may apply for the Teacher Intern license, which will allow you to teach at the high school level for one year while completing the requirements for full teacher licensure.
Criminal History Background Check
All teacher interns must first undergo a criminal history background check before a Teacher Intern license will be issued. This check will be conducted through the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation. You are responsible for acquiring the fingerprints necessary to process the background check, as well as the fees associated with these checks. Your local Sheriff’s office or police station should be able to assist with fingerprinting.
Contact Information
For more information on Iowa colleges and universities offering the Teacher Intern program, contact them directly: Drake University, Morningside University, or RAPIL.
For questions on Teacher Intern licensure, contact the Iowa Department of Education’s Educator Licensure Office at 515-281-5294.
Iowa’s 2024 Alternative Certification Program Update
Iowa expanded its alternative certification options in 2024 under HF255, which lets outside alternative teacher certification programs apply directly to the Iowa Department of Education for approval, instead of routing every candidate through a college-based Teacher Intern License. To qualify, a program must have operated in at least five states for at least ten years and include pedagogy training with an examination covering instructional delivery, classroom management, assessment, and professional learning, according to the Iowa Department of Education. This gives career-changers a second alternative route alongside the Teacher Intern License described above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Iowa’s Teacher Intern License?
It’s Iowa’s original alternative certification route, letting bachelor’s degree holders without an education degree teach grades 7-12 for one year while finishing coursework and mentoring requirements toward a full license. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners administers it.
Who qualifies for alternative teaching certification in Iowa?
You need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school with at least a 2.5 GPA, three years of work experience since graduating, and completed subject-matter coursework for at least one endorsement area.
Does Iowa’s Teacher Intern License require a certification exam?
It depends on your program. Iowa has changed its testing requirements over time, and some approved programs no longer require a separate skills test for candidates who complete the coursework. Check with your specific teacher intern program to confirm current testing requirements.
What is the 2024 update to Iowa’s alternative certification rules?
HF255 created a path for established outside alternative teacher certification programs, ones operating in at least five states for ten or more years, to get approved directly by the Iowa Department of Education, giving candidates an option beyond the Teacher Intern License.
Do I need teaching experience to start the Teacher Intern program?
No. The program is designed for candidates with a bachelor’s degree but no classroom teaching experience. You’ll gain that experience during your intern year while completing your remaining coursework.
- A bachelor’s degree and 2.5 GPA open the door — Iowa’s Teacher Intern License doesn’t require an education degree, just a regionally accredited bachelor’s degree and completed endorsement coursework.
- Three years of work experience come first — candidates must have this before entering the Teacher Intern program, along with 50 hours of field experience with students.
- The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners runs the process — from approving preparation programs to issuing the license and requiring a criminal history background check.
- A second pathway opened in 2024 — HF255 lets established outside alternative certification programs apply for state approval, alongside the existing Teacher Intern License.
Find accredited Iowa teacher certification programs, including alternative and traditional pathway options, application requirements, and licensing timelines.
