Alternative Teaching Certification in New Hampshire
New Hampshire offers four alternative routes to teacher certification for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree but didn’t complete a traditional educator preparation program. Alternatives 3A and 3B rely on portfolio review, an interview, or national board certification. Alternative 4 targets critical shortage areas, and Alternative 5 lets you train on the job under a local school district’s supervision. All routes still require passing New Hampshire’s certification exams.
Sponsored School(s)
The New Hampshire Department of Education recognizes that not every qualified teacher comes through a college education program. Alternative 1 and Alternative 2 still involve completing an approved educator preparation program, in-state or out-of-state, and function more like the traditional route. If you already hold an out-of-state license, see our guide to New Hampshire teacher reciprocity instead. Alternatives 3A, 3B, 4, and 5 are built for candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree in something other than education and need a different way to demonstrate they’re ready for the classroom.
Interested in learning about the traditional approach? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in New Hampshire.
Alternative Certification Requirements
Education Requirements
Every alternative route candidate needs at least a bachelor’s degree, but which route fits depends on your background and where you plan to teach.
Alternative 3A: You need a bachelor’s degree and at least three months of full-time teaching experience in a private school that doesn’t require state certification. You submit a letter of intent to the Bureau of Credentialing, then build a portfolio demonstrating competency against the required certification standards and complete an interview with a board of examiners.
Alternative 3B: You need a bachelor’s degree and national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). You submit official transcripts for your college coursework along with a copy of your current NBPTS certification.
Alternative 4: You need a bachelor’s degree in the subject you want to teach, and you must pursue certification in one of New Hampshire’s statewide critical shortage areas, which the state updates each school year. This route requires minimal additional content coursework in that shortage area.
Alternative 5: If you want to teach secondary education, you need a bachelor’s degree with a 30-credit major in your subject area and a 2.5 overall GPA. For early childhood or elementary education, you need coursework in mathematics, social studies, English, and science, plus the same 2.5 GPA. Candidates who don’t meet the GPA minimum may still qualify if they graduated more than five years ago and can show relevant occupational experience.
| Route | Who It’s For | Core Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative 3A | Private-school teachers without state certification | Portfolio review and interview with board of examiners |
| Alternative 3B | Candidates with NBPTS national certification | Transcripts plus current NBPTS certification |
| Alternative 4 | Candidates targeting critical shortage areas | Minimal content coursework in the shortage area |
| Alternative 5 | Candidates hired directly by a district willing to train them | 30-credit major or required coursework, 2.5 GPA |
Examinations
Regardless of route, you’ll need to clear New Hampshire’s testing requirements before you can teach independently. The state requires a Basic Academic Skills Assessment, most commonly the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam covering reading, writing, and mathematics. Candidates can also satisfy this requirement by scoring above the 50th percentile on the ACT, SAT, or GRE instead of taking Praxis Core.
You’ll also need to pass a Praxis Subject Assessment matched to your endorsement area, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). If you’re pursuing early childhood, elementary K-6 or K-8, or a reading and writing endorsement, add Pearson’s Foundations of Reading test to that list. Alternative 3A candidates additionally sit for a half-day oral examination with the Board of Examiners as part of the portfolio review process.
Experience
Alternative 3A: At least three consecutive months of full-time employment teaching in the area where you want to become certified.
Alternative 4: A current work resume. If you’re seeking certification in certain Career and Technical Education specialties, additional documented work experience in that area can help offset the lack of a bachelor’s degree.
Alternative 5: No prior teaching experience is required to enroll, but because this is a site-based program, you need to already be employed by a local school district willing to train and supervise you while you complete the requirements.
Criminal History Background Check
Every certified teacher in New Hampshire, regardless of which route they took, must clear a criminal history background check before a school district can hire them. The New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of State Police and the FBI run your fingerprints through state and federal databases. As of January 2023, first-time applicants must also pass a DCYF Central Registry check as part of the same clearance process. Your school district will walk you through the fingerprinting and registry steps once you’re hired.
Where to Get Help
For questions about any of the four alternative routes, contact the New Hampshire Department of Education’s Bureau of Credentialing through its Credentialing Knowledge Base and Help Desk, or call (603) 271-2409. The Bureau’s office is located at 25 Hall Street, 3rd Floor, Concord, NH 03301-3852.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is alternative teaching certification in New Hampshire?
It’s a set of four routes, Alternative 3A, 3B, 4, and 5, that let people who already hold a bachelor’s degree become certified teachers without completing a traditional educator preparation program. Each route has its own combination of coursework, experience, and review requirements.
What’s the difference between Alternative 3A and Alternative 3B?
Alternative 3A requires three months of full-time private-school teaching experience, a portfolio, and an interview with a board of examiners. Alternative 3B is for candidates who already hold national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and submit that certification along with their transcripts.
Do I still need to pass the Praxis for alternative certification in New Hampshire?
Yes. Every alternative route requires passing New Hampshire’s Basic Academic Skills Assessment, typically the Praxis Core exam, along with a Praxis Subject Assessment for your endorsement area. Early childhood, elementary, and reading and writing candidates also take the Foundations of Reading test.
Can I teach while I complete an alternative certification route in New Hampshire?
Alternative 5 is built around this model. You work under a local school district that agrees to train and supervise you while you finish the required coursework. Alternative 3A candidates typically bring existing private-school teaching experience into the application rather than starting it during the process.
Is there a GPA requirement for New Hampshire’s alternative routes?
Only Alternative 5 has a formal GPA requirement, a 2.5 overall minimum. Candidates who fall short can still qualify if they graduated more than five years ago and can show relevant work experience. Alternative 3A, 3B, and 4 don’t set a minimum GPA as an entry standard.
- Four alternative routes, not one — Alternative 3A, 3B, 4, and 5 each serve a different kind of candidate, from private-school teachers to district-sponsored trainees.
- Praxis terminology has changed — New Hampshire now references the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators and Praxis Subject Assessments, plus Foundations of Reading for certain endorsements.
- Background checks now include a DCYF Central Registry check — added for first-time applicants starting in January 2023, alongside the existing state and FBI fingerprint check.
- The Bureau of Credentialing handles every route — its Knowledge Base and Help Desk are the current channel for route-specific questions.
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