South Carolina Teaching Certification
South Carolina’s traditional teacher certification path requires a bachelor’s degree, an approved educator preparation program, supervised student teaching, and current SCDE subject-area and pedagogy assessments. The state issues a three-year Initial Certificate first. Advancing to a five-year Professional Certificate depends on your employment setting, district induction, and the ADEPT evaluation process.
Sponsored School(s)
South Carolina’s standard classroom-teaching path starts with a three-year Initial Certificate. It can advance to a five-year Professional Certificate, though the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) also issues several other certificate types for specific routes and situations. The SCDE oversees certification for every public school teacher in the state through its Office of Educator Certification, Recruitment, and Preparation.
Choose the description that best matches your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Initial South Carolina Teaching Certification
Find schools offering teaching certification programs in South Carolina before you review the requirements below, since your program choice shapes which of these steps you’ll complete first.
Education Requirements
The South Carolina State Department of Education Office of Educator Certification, Recruitment and Preparation requires traditional-route applicants to complete an approved educator preparation program, typically earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the process.
If you completed an out-of-state teacher education program, SCDE evaluates your preparation, transcripts, and certification status against South Carolina’s current requirements rather than automatically approving your credits.
If you completed your teacher education program outside the United States, SCDE requires a credential evaluation as part of its out-of-country application process, which may include transcript analysis, an educator preparation review, and additional assessments.
Types of Teaching Certificates
South Carolina’s standard classroom-teaching progression includes these certificate types, though SCDE also issues additional certificates, including Provisional Initial, Limited Professional, Retired Educator, CTE, and Adjunct certificates, for specific routes and situations:
- Initial Certificate: valid for three school years and not renewable, issued once you complete an approved educator preparation program and meet SCDE’s exam and experience requirements
- Professional Certificate: SCDE’s standard five-year credential, issued once you meet the specific advancement requirements for your certification basis (see “Advancing to a Professional Certificate” below)
- Alternative Route Certificate: a conditional certificate for candidates in an SCDE-approved alternative route program, such as PACE. Validity and requirements vary by the specific program.m
- International Certificate: issued to eligible educators teaching through an approved exchange visitor teacher program, with validity tied to that program
- Internship Certificate: valid for one year, issued to candidates who’ve completed all bachelor’s degree requirements in a state-approved teacher education program and still need to finish a teaching internship
Check SCDE’s current certificate-type list if your situation doesn’t match the options above.
Advancing to a Professional Certificate
Your Initial Certificate doesn’t renew itself and isn’t valid past three school years. If you completed an approved educator preparation program, advancing to a Professional Certificate generally requires South Carolina public school employment, participation in your district’s induction program, and a successful ADEPT (Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching) summative evaluation at the Annual contract level. Timing depends on your employment status, contract level, and district reporting, so confirm your specific timeline with SCDE. If you didn’t complete an approved preparation program before earning your Initial Certificate, you may also need to submit a qualifying pedagogy assessment during the Initial Certificate period.
Examinations
Visit the SCDE’s Certification Assessments page for the current list of examination requirements for teacher certification in South Carolina, since test names and passing scores change over time.
Basic skills testing: Most candidates must meet a basic-skills assessment requirement or an approved exemption to be admitted to an undergraduate South Carolina educator preparation program. Confirm the current test name and passing scores on SCDE’s assessments page rather than relying on older score cutoffs.
Pedagogy assessment: Most classroom-teaching candidates use the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam to meet this requirement, though SCDE also recognizes edTPA or PPAT in specific preparation-program contexts.
Content area assessment: Certification in a specific content area requires passing the required subject-area assessment. SCDE lists for that field:
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education (Grades K-6)
- Middle School Education (Grades 5-9):
- Middle Level Language Arts
- Middle Level Science
- Middle Level Mathematics
- Middle Level Social Studies
- Secondary Education (Grades 7-12):
- Advanced Fine Arts – Music
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Economics
- English
- Geography
- Government
- Health
- History
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
- Science
- Social Studies
- Sociology
- Theatre
- All Grades (K-12):
- Advanced Fine Arts – Art
- Art
- Music
- Physical Education
- World Languages:
- English to Speakers of Other Languages
- French
- German
- Spanish
- Special Education:
- Deafness and Hearing Impairment
- Emotional Disabilities
- Learning Disabilities
- Mental Disabilities
- Multi-Categorical
- Severe Disabilities
- Visually Impaired
- Career & Technical Education:
- Business and Marketing Technology
- Family & Consumer Science
- Industrial Technology
SCDE’s assessments page also lists certification fields, such as agriculture, dance, and several world languages, that may not require a content-area exam or use alternative assessments, such as the ACTFL OPI/OPIc or WPT. You’ll still need to meet educational and experience requirements to gain certification in any of these areas, so check the current assessments table for your specific field.
Experience Requirements
Every teacher education program in South Carolina requires students to complete practical field experiences. This starts with a practicum, taken as part of your education coursework, where you’ll observe a classroom teacher and may get the chance to present a lesson or two.
Your student teaching internship follows the academic portion of your preparation program. During this stage, you’re fully immersed in classroom teaching, placed in a classroom that matches the grade level or subject area for which you’re seeking certification. You’ll lead the class, plan and deliver lessons, and apply classroom management strategies you picked up during your practicum.
Application and Document Requirements
Once you’ve completed your education, examination, and experience requirements, you’re ready to apply for South Carolina teacher certification through My SC Educator Portal, SCDE’s current online system for submitting applications, documents, and fee payments. Follow the portal’s current instructions for submitting:
- Official transcripts from each college or university you attended
- Application fee
- Electronic fingerprinting (see below)
- Official assessment score reports were sent using the correct SCDE recipient code.
- A college recommendation form or institutional recommendation, if required for your certification basis
Criminal History Background Check
You must submit your fingerprints electronically for the required criminal history background check before South Carolina will issue your teacher certification. Follow SCDE’s current fingerprinting instructions in the My SC Educator Portal to schedule your appointment and confirm the fee, as the vendor and cost may change. The State Law Enforcement Division processes your fingerprints and runs a criminal history background check. Processing time varies based on your submission and SCDE’s workload, so check your application status in the portal rather than expecting a fixed turnaround.
Contact Information
If you’d like further information on South Carolina-approved teacher education programs, search this database of state-approved college and university programs.
For more information on initial teacher certification in South Carolina, contact the South Carolina State Department of Education Office of Educator Certification, Recruitment and Preparation directly through its current contact page, since phone numbers and office names can change.
Office of Educator ServicesSouth Carolina Department of Education
8301 Parklane Road
Columbia, SC 29223
South Carolina Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
According to the BLS May 2025 state wage data, South Carolina’s median annual wages for K-12 teachers vary by grade level. South Carolina’s own job growth projections, compiled through the state’s labor market information program, show growth across every grade band through 2034, unlike the slight national decline BLS projects for several of these occupations.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $60,890 | 1,540 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $60,820 | 25,030 |
| Middle School Teachers | $60,810 | 9,750 |
| High School Teachers | $62,580 | 16,080 |
| Occupation | 2024–2034 Growth | Avg. Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | +2.7% | 220 |
| Elementary School Teachers | +2.4% | 1,640 |
| Middle School Teachers | +2.4% | 620 |
| High School Teachers | +2.8% | 1,110 |
Nationally, employment for several of these occupations is projected to decline slightly through 2034, according to BLS national projections. Still, South Carolina’s state labor market data shows growth across every K-12 teaching category tracked here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an Initial teaching certificate in South Carolina?
Complete an approved educator preparation program, finish your student teaching internship, meet SCDE’s current subject-area and pedagogy assessment requirements, and pass a criminal background check. You’ll then apply through My SC Educator Portal.
What tests do I need to pass for South Carolina teacher certification?
Most candidates need to meet a basic-skills requirement for program admission, plus SCDE-required subject-area and pedagogy assessments for certification. Test names, codes, and exemptions change over time, so confirm the current list on SCDE’s assessments page.
How do I move from an Initial Certificate to a Professional Certificate?
If you completed an approved educator preparation program, you’ll generally need South Carolina public school employment, participation in your district’s induction program, and a successful ADEPT summative evaluation at the Annual contract level. Confirm your specific requirements and timeline with SCDE.
Can I transfer my out-of-state teaching license to South Carolina?
South Carolina has pathways for out-of-state certified educators, but reciprocity isn’t automatic. SCDE reviews your out-of-state credentials, preparation, experience, and assessments against South Carolina’s certification requirements for the area.
What if I have a bachelor’s degree but not in education?
You may qualify for an SCDE-approved alternative route, such as PACE, which allows eligible candidates to begin teaching under an Alternative Route certificate while completing route-specific requirements.
- South Carolina’s standard path runs from Initial to Professional. A three-year Initial Certificate comes first, with advancement to a five-year Professional Certificate depending on your employment setting, district induction, and the ADEPT evaluation.
- Assessment requirements vary by route and field. Most candidates need a basic-skills requirement for program admission, plus current SCDE subject-area and pedagogy assessments for certification.
- Alternative routes exist for career-changers. PACE and similar SCDE-approved programs can allow candidates with a non-education bachelor’s degree to teach under an Alternative Route certificate while completing the remaining requirements.
- South Carolina’s teacher job market is growing. State labor market data projects growth across every K-12 teaching category here, unlike the slight national decline BLS projects.
- Applications are submitted through the My SC Educator Portal. It’s SCDE’s current online system for submitting materials and tracking certification status.
Find accredited teacher certification programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job growth figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2026.
