Tiers of Arizona teacher certification

Standard: These teachers have a bachelor’s degree, passed a professional and subject-knowledge exam, completed a teacher-preparation program and taught full time for at least two years. Provisional: These teachers have met all qualifications but do not have at least two years’ experience teaching. These certificates are valid for three years. Reciprocal provisional: These teachers came from another state and have met the same Arizona qualifications as someone who holds a traditional provisional certificate. Provisional foreign: These teachers came internationally and have met the same Arizona qualifications as someone who holds a traditional provisional certificate. Teaching intern: These teachers have a bachelor’s degree, may enter into a teaching contract, are concurrently enrolled in a teacher-preparation program and are actively working toward meeting the state’s standard qualifications. Emergency teaching: These teachers hold at least a bachelor’s degree and may enter into a teaching contract. The school has to attest to the state that a qualified applicant could not be found through traditional recruitment efforts such as job postings. Substitute: This certification requires a bachelor’s degree. This teacher can teach for no more than 120 consecutive days in the same school. Emergency substitute: This position requires a high-school diploma only, and the hiring school must verify that an emergency employment situation exists. An emergency substitute can teach in the same school for no more than 120 consecutive days.