New Jersey art teachers must meet specific coursework and testing requirements.
Those who wish to teach art in New Jersey public schools must meet all of the coursework and testing requirements provided by the New Jersey Department of Education. Art teachers in New Jersey are certified to teach in all New Jersey public schools, at all levels of education. First-year teachers are awarded provisional certification that is good for two years while they complete a mentoring program to earn standard certification.
Instructions
1. Meet the coursework requirements for certification. Prospective art teachers are required to hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75. Applicants must complete at least 30 hours of college credit in art. At least 12 of those hours must be at the junior, senior, or graduate level. Courses in drawing, painting, and sculpture must be included in those 30 hours.
2. Complete a teacher preparation program. The Department of Education provides a list of approved teacher education programs in New Jersey.
3. Pass the Art: Content Knowledge exam as part of the Praxis II series. Applicants must earn a score of at least 150 to pass the exam and obtain certification. The test is offered multiple times a year through Educational Testing Service, lasts two hours, and contains 120 multiple-choice questions. There is a $50 registration fee and an $80 testing fee, payable when the applicant registers for the exam.
4. Meet the physiology/health requirement. Candidates must take a 35-question true or false exam at a county office of education or provide evidence of basic military training to meet this requirement. Evidence of coursework in biology, health, or nutrition at a four-year college can also meet the requirement.
5. Submit a completed application and required fee. A completed application includes all official college transcripts, verification of a teacher preparation program, copies of the Praxis score reports, and a notarized Oath of Allegiance form that verifies the candidate is able to work in the United States and does not have a criminal background. The required application fee is $115 and must be submitted along with the application through a money order or check made payable to the Commissioner of Education.
