Alternative Teaching Certification in Connecticut
Connecticut’s Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program lets career changers earn a teaching license without returning for a full education degree. The Connecticut Office of Higher Education administers ARC through a hybrid schedule of evening classes and in-person Saturdays. Candidates complete a supervised practicum, pass required exams, and can teach under a Temporary 90-Day Certificate while finishing coursework.
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Connecticut lets career changers become teachers without going back for a second bachelor’s degree. This alternative teacher certification path in Connecticut, known as the Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program, is run by the Connecticut Office of Higher Education and takes candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree through a hybrid course of study, then places them in a classroom on a Temporary 90-Day Certificate while they finish requirements. It’s built for adults who worked as a substitute teacher, paraprofessional, or independent school teacher and want a faster, more direct path into a public school classroom.
Use the links below to jump to ARC’s program format, education and testing requirements, background check rules, and application steps.
- How Connecticut’s ARC program works
- Education requirements for ARC candidates
- Certification exams ARC candidates must pass
- Experience requirement and waiver option
- Criminal history background check
- How to apply to the ARC program
How Connecticut’s ARC Program Works
The Connecticut Office of Higher Education (OHE) administers ARC, a nine-month, certification-only program that runs from September through May. Classes follow a hybrid format: online sessions meet Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with in-person classes held in Hartford on two to three Saturdays per month, with the exact schedule varying by year. There’s no degree or academic credit attached. Candidates instead complete coursework in teaching methodology, classroom management, and the Common Core State Standards alongside a supervised practicum before moving into a classroom of their own.
Interested in learning about the traditional approach? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Connecticut.
ARC covers certification areas including biology, business, chemistry, earth science, English language arts, mathematics, music, physics, technology education, world languages, and several career and technical education (vocational) subjects. Early childhood education isn’t part of the standard ARC track. Candidates targeting that age range instead apply through Charter Oak State College’s separate Alternate Route to Certification in Early Childhood Education program.
Tuition runs roughly $7,000 for the program, and a $3,500 military-connected tuition discount is available to candidates who qualify. Once you finish the program and are hired by a Connecticut school district, you’re eligible for a Temporary 90-Day Certificate from the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), followed by an Initial Educator Certificate once the district recommends you.
Education Requirements
- To be accepted into ARC, you need at least a bachelor’s degree and a completed major in the subject area you want to teach.
- You need a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, or a 3.0 GPA across at least 24 semester hours of graduate study if your undergraduate GPA falls short.
- You’ll also need to meet subject-specific coursework requirements tied to the certification area you’re pursuing. Full requirements by subject are detailed on the ARC program page.
Certification Exams
ARC candidates take the same licensing exams required of traditional-pathway teachers. That means passing the Praxis Core Academic Skills Test, along with the Praxis Subject Assessment for the specific grade level and subject you intend to teach. Most ARC candidates complete the edTPA as part of the program, although certification and assessment requirements vary by endorsement area and current state policy. World language candidates, for example, may test through ACTFL rather than a Praxis Subject Assessment. Confirm the current testing sequence for your specific endorsement area directly with the ARC program before you register for a test date.
Experience
ARC asks candidates to show some experience working with youth before acceptance. If you don’t have ongoing, organized experience working with young people, you can submit a waiver request as part of your online application, explaining why you’d be a strong role model for students and describing your commitment to teaching.
Criminal History Background Check
Every school employee in Connecticut, including ARC candidates placed into student teaching and clinical field experiences, must complete a criminal history record check, including fingerprinting. This process typically doesn’t start until after a Connecticut school district hires you or assigns you a field placement, or within your first 30 days of employment. Your employing district will provide the required forms and point you to the nearest fingerprinting location.
The State Police Bureau of Identification and the FBI review your fingerprints, and results go directly to the district that employs you. Connecticut law requires school employees to undergo recurring criminal history record checks at least every three years for as long as you work for a school district in the state.
How to Apply
Your ARC application needs three professional references submitted through the application process, a current resume, official transcripts, required test documentation, and any waiver requests you’re submitting. Once your application clears review, OHE may invite you to an interview before formally accepting you into the program.
For current application details and deadlines, contact the ARC office at the Connecticut Office of Higher Education, 450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 707, Hartford, CT 06103, or email [email protected]. You can also start your application through the ARC program portal. Once you complete the program and earn your Initial Educator Certificate, you’ll eventually need to look into renewing your certificate to keep it active.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Connecticut’s Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program?
ARC is a nine-month, certification-only pathway that lets adults who already hold a bachelor’s degree earn a Connecticut teaching license without completing a second degree. It combines hybrid coursework with a supervised classroom practicum.
Who administers Connecticut’s ARC program?
The Connecticut Office of Higher Education administers ARC. The Connecticut State Department of Education issues the Temporary 90-Day Certificate once you’re hired and the Initial Educator Certificate after your district recommends you.
What exams do ARC candidates need to pass?
Most candidates take the Praxis Core Academic Skills Test and complete the edTPA performance assessment tied to their student teaching practicum. The specific subject-area exam varies by endorsement. World language candidates, for instance, may test through ACTFL instead of a Praxis Subject Assessment, so confirm the current sequence for your certification area with OHE.
Can I teach while I’m still completing the ARC program?
Yes. Once you finish the ARC coursework and practicum and a Connecticut school district hires you, you can teach under a Temporary 90-Day Certificate while finishing any remaining requirements.
Does ARC cover early childhood education certification?
No. Early childhood candidates apply through Charter Oak State College’s separate Alternate Route to Certification in Early Childhood Education program instead of the standard OHE-administered ARC track.
- ARC is a nine-month, certification-only program — no degree or academic credit is awarded, and the hybrid schedule combines online evening classes with in-person Saturdays in Hartford.
- The Connecticut Office of Higher Education runs ARC — the Connecticut State Department of Education steps in afterward to issue your Temporary 90-Day Certificate and Initial Educator Certificate.
- You can teach while finishing requirements — a Temporary 90-Day Certificate lets you work in a Connecticut classroom once a district hires you, even before you complete every step.
- Most candidates take Praxis Core and edTPA — the exact subject-area exam varies by endorsement and current state policy, so confirm the sequence for your certification area with OHE.
- Background checks recur at least every three years — Connecticut law requires fingerprinting and a criminal history review for every school district employee, including ARC candidates.
Find accredited teacher certification programs in Connecticut, including options that support the ARC application process and required coursework.
