Nebraska Teaching Certification
Nebraska teaching certification requires a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved educator preparation program, coursework in Human Relations Training and Special Education Training, and passing an accepted basic skills assessment such as the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators. The Nebraska Department of Education issues a five-year Initial Certificate to start, with Standard and Professional certificates available as teachers gain experience and advanced degrees.
Sponsored School(s)
Here’s how Nebraska teacher salaries compare, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025):
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,380 |
| Secondary School Teachers | $63,450 |
Nebraska requires teachers to hold a certificate issued by the Nebraska Department of Education before leading a classroom in an approved public or private school. The path starts with a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program. Use the options below to find the certification path that 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…
State funding decisions shape everything from classroom size to teacher pay in Nebraska, so it’s worth understanding where your tax dollars go. Comparing Nebraska’s education spending against other states’ gives you a clearer picture of where the state’s priorities stand (see State Education Spending vs. Overall State Revenue). You can also look into your Governor’s record on education policy at the Nebraska Governor’s website and vote accordingly. Staying informed and holding elected officials accountable is part of making education a priority in Nebraska.
Initial Nebraska Teaching Certification
Nebraska has historically kept more one-room schoolhouses running than almost any other state, alongside its conventional multi-room schools. Rural districts here tend to have smaller class sizes and more individual attention from teachers, allowing students to learn more independently and at their own pace. Find schools offering teaching certification programs in Nebraska using the widget above, or see current Nebraska teaching salaries and benefits to see how pay compares across grade levels.
Education Requirements
If you’re interested in becoming a certified teacher in the state of Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Education (402-471-2295) will expect that you have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program. In addition, you must complete approved courses in Human Relations Training and Special Education Training.
A certificate may be issued based on equivalency if you graduated from an out-of-state program that is deemed equivalent to a Nebraska-approved teacher education program. However, you must fulfill all additional educational requirements not included in that program as applicable.
If you completed your teacher preparation program in another country, your academic credentials must be evaluated to make sure that they are equivalent to Nebraska’s requirements. Call the Certification Department at the number listed above for more information on this process.
Certificate endorsements in the subject areas you are qualified to teach require that you complete a certain number of courses in the respective subject areas. A list of those requirements may be found here. Areas of teaching certification endorsements in Nebraska include:
- Adapted Physical Education (Pre K-12)
- Agricultural Education (Grades 6-12)
- American Sign Language (K-8, 7-12 or K-12)
- Anthropology (Grades 7-12)
- Art (K-12)
- Basic Business (Grades 6-12)
- Biology (Grades 7-12)
- Business, Marketing, and Information Technology (Grades 6-12)
- Career Education (Grades 9-12)
- Chemistry (Grades 7-12)
- Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 3)
- Early Childhood Education Unified (Birth-Grade 3)
- Earth Science (Grades 7-12)
- Economics (Grades 7-12)
- Elementary Education (K-6 or K-8 in self-contained classrooms)
- English (Grades 7-12)
- English as a Second Language (K-12)
- Family and Consumer Sciences (Grades 6-12)
- General Art (K-6)
- Geography (Grades 7-12)
- Health (Grades 7-12)
- Health & Physical Education (K-12)
- Health Occupations (Grades 7-12)
- High Ability Education (K-12)
- History (Grades 7-12)
- Horticulture Education (Grades 7-12)
- Industrial Technology Education (Grades 6-12)
- Information Technology (K-12)
- Instrumental Music (K-8, 7-12)
- Journalism and Mass Communications (Grades 7-12)
- Language Arts (Grades 7-12)
- Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
- Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-9)
- Music (K-12)
- Natural Science (Grades 7-12)
- Physical Education (K-6, 7-12)
- Physical Science (Grades 7-12)
- Physics (Grades 7-12)
- Political Science (Grades 7-12)
- Preschool Disabilities (Birth through K)
- Psychology (Grades 7-12)
- Reading and Writing (Grades 7-12)
- Reading Specialist (PK-12, K-8, 7-12)
- Religious Education (K-12)
- Skilled & Technical Science Education (Grades 9-12)
- Social Science (Grades 7-12)
- Sociology (Grades 7-12)
- Special Education – Behaviorally Disordered (PK-12, PK-6, 7-12, PK-9)
- Special Education – Early Childhood (Birth – Grade 3)
- Special Education –Deaf or Hard of Hearing Education (PK-3, K-9, 7-12, K-12 or PK-12)
- Special Education –Learning Disabilities (PK-12, PK-6, PK-9, 7-12)
- Special Education – Mild/Moderate Disabilities (K-12, K-6, K-9, 7-12)
- Special Education – Severe/Multiple Disabilities (PK-12)
- Special Education – Visual Impairment (PK-12)
- Speech (Grades 7-12)
- Speech & Theatre (Grades 7-12)
- Theatre (Grades 7-12)
- Vocal Music (K-8, 7-12)
- Vocational Special Needs (Grades 7-12)
- World Language (K-8, 7-12 or K-12)
- French
- German
- Hebrew
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Arabic
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Korean
Certification Options
As a conventional graduate of a teacher preparation program,m you will be issued an Initial Teacher Certification. Other certification options are available through the Nebraska Department of Education based on different circumstances:
- Initial- Valid for five years and good for teaching in public and private Nebraska schools
- Standard- The next level up from the Initial certificate, valid for five years
- Professional-Valid for ten years and requires a qualifying master’s degree in an approved area (such as curriculum and instruction, educational technology, or a content area) plus eligibility for or holding of a Standard certificate.
- Provisional Commitment- Issued upon request from the school superintendent if you have a bachelor’s degree but have not yet completed all Nebraska requirements for a full teaching certificate. Valid for one year.
- Dual Credit- Valid for five years and issued to teachers who teach courses that are approved for both high school credit and college credit
- Provisional- Valid for one year, issued if you have received a bachelor’s degree and completed a teacher preparation program, but have not fulfilled all requirements for full certification
- Transitional- Issued upon request of the school superintendent, if you have at least a bachelor’s degree and have completed 75 percent of the requirements for full certification. Valid for one year.
Examinations
For an overview of Nebraska examination requirements for prospective teachers, visit the Nebraska Department of Education’s Initial Certificate page.
Basic skills testing:
Nebraska teacher preparation programs generally require an accepted basic skills assessment, such as the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, before admission. Required exams and passing scores vary by preparation pathway and by reciprocity agreement, so confirm current requirements directly with the Nebraska Department of Education or your program’s certification officer.
Content area assessment testing:
Nebraska does not require content-area tests for subject-area certificate endorsements, except in one area. Those who wish to be certified to teach Elementary Education and Special Education (K-8) must pass the Praxis II Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment examination. Additionally, those seeking endorsement(s) in World Languages may take the official American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and the Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) to waive some of their educational requirements.
Experience Requirements
Because Nebraska does not require mandatory examinations for teacher certification, experience becomes even more important to the prospective teacher. During your Nebraska teacher preparation program, you will be exposed to two different kinds of experiences: practicum and field/student teaching. The practicum, which may start during the second or third year of your program, involves watching teachers at work in the classroom, learning from them, and at times teaching a lesson or two yourself.
The student teaching part of your college program is much more intensive. Length is set by your educator preparation program and state approval standards, and many programs require roughly a semester of student teaching. You will be placed in a classroom equivalent to the grade level and subject area in which you intend to teach, with the opportunity to lead the class for extended lengths of time. A mentor teacher (usually the regular classroom teacher), as well as a representative from your college program, will observe and grade your progress.
Document and Application Requirements
Are you ready to apply for Nebraska teacher certification? Consult this checklist first:
- Have you completed your bachelor’s degree?
- Have you completed a teacher education program at a state-approved institution?
- Have you completed the Human Relations course requirement?
- Have you completed the Special Education course requirement?
- Were your college credits earned within the past five years?
- Have you passed the required basic skills assessment (e.g., Praxis Core)?
If you can answer yes to all six questions above, you may apply for an Initial Teaching Certificate. The application must be completed online. Make sure you also send the following documents to the Nebraska Department of Education:
- Official college transcripts, listing all credits obtained
- Institutional verification form signed by the certification officer at your college
- Official score report from your basic skills assessment
Mail the above documents, plus the applicable application fee (or pay online via credit card), to:
Teacher CertificationNebraska Department of Education
P.O. Box 94987
Lincoln, NE 68509-4987
Criminal History Background Check
If you have never held a Nebraska teaching certificate, you must submit a record of your residences during the past five years via the Record of Residence form. If you have been a continuous resident of Nebraska for five or more years from your date of application, you are exempt from the criminal record history check. You will qualify as a resident by having an established home in Nebraska, so if you attended college outside of Nebraska during the past five years but maintained a home in the state, you are still considered a resident.
If you do not meet these requirements, you must submit two complete sets of fingerprints on two fingerprint cards provided to you by the Nebraska Department of Education. A national and state criminal history background check will be run using these fingerprints. You will not receive a teaching certificate until the checks come back cleared.
Contact Information
Contact the certification officers at approved Nebraska teacher preparation programs for more information on teacher education in Nebraska.
For further information on the teacher certification process, contact the Teacher Certification department of the Nebraska Department of Education at 402-471-2295.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Nebraska?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program. Your program must include coursework in Human Relations Training and Special Education Training, plus supervised student teaching, before you’re eligible for an Initial Teaching Certificate.
Does Nebraska require a certification exam?
Yes, most candidates take an accepted basic skills assessment, such as the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators. However,gh the specific exam and required scores depend on your preparation pathway and any reciprocity agreement. Content-area tests are only required for Elementary Education and Special Education (K-8) endorsements.
How long is a Nebraska teaching certificate valid?
An Initial Certificate lasts five years. Once you complete two consecutive years of teaching, you can advance to a Standard Certificate, which is also valid for five years. Earning a master’s degree qualifies you for a ten-year Professional Certificate.
Can I transfer my out-of-state teaching certificate to Nebraska?
Nebraska evaluates out-of-state credentials for equivalency rather than offering full reciprocity. You’ll need to fulfill any Nebraska-specific requirements your original program didn’t cover. See our Nebraska teacher reciprocity page for the full process.
What does it cost to apply for a Nebraska teaching certificate?
Nebraska charges a nonrefundable application fee, payable online by credit card, when you submit your Initial Teaching Certificate application. You’ll also cover a separate registration fee for your required basic skills assessment through ETS. Contact the Nebraska Department of Education Teacher Certification office at 402-471-2295 for current fee amounts.
- An Initial Certificate is your starting point — a bachelor’s degree from a Nebraska-approved teacher preparation program plus a passing score on an accepted basic skills assessment leads to a five-year Initial Teaching Certificate.
- Human Relations and Special Education Training are mandatory — every candidate completes approved coursework in both areas, regardless of endorsement area.
- Nebraska teacher salaries cluster in the low $60,000s — elementary and secondary teachers earn similar median salaries statewide, according to May 2025 BLS data.
- Alternative and provisional routes exist for career changers — Provisional, Transitional, and Dual Credit certificates allow candidates to start teaching before completing all requirements.
- Out-of-state teachers and renewals follow separate paths — check the reciprocity and renewal options above if you’re moving to Nebraska or renewing an existing certificate.
Select your state below to find accredited teacher certification programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.
May 2025 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.
