The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, often referred to as the American Board, was launched with a $5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2001. The non-partisan, non-profit organization's mission is to certify subject experts, experienced professionals, career changers, and military veterans as teachers and was endorsed by U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige.Shawn Arévalo McCollough serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer.
The online, alternative teaching certification program is approved in Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Utah, and was launched in Arizona as the Arizona Center for Teacher Preparation in 2013. Former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer endorsed the program, which addresses the shortage of math and science teachers in the state.
The American Board is dedicated to preparing, certifying, and supporting individuals who want to improve their communities by becoming a teacher. The training and certification program is designed to inspire career changers to become a teacher and give them a rigorous and efficient process to achieve their goals.
The program is entirely online and self-paced. Candidates have 12 months to complete the program, though the average amount of time it takes most candidates is between 7 and 10 months. A bachelor's degree is required for acceptance into the American Board teaching certification program, and participants must pass a background check. Candidates enrolled in the program study for and take two certification exams- one that covers Professional Teaching Knowledge (PTK) and one that covers subject area knowledge. The program is online, giving candidates the flexibility to work towards earning their certification on their own time.