Early Childhood Teacher Certification in Kansas

The State of Early Childhood Education in Kansas

Kansas, a very productive agricultural state, is ranked 37^th in the country as of 2013 in Education Week’s annual rating system. It earned an overall grade of “C,” with some of its higher marks being in the Standards, Assessments, Accountability and Chance for Success categories. While the state ranks on the lower end of the spectrum in several educational categories, it ranked 16^th in the nation in 2012 for children’s well-being.

Kansas is working hard to improve education across the state by collaborating with several early-childhood organizations, including the Kansas Preschool Program. Overall, Kansas is in need of passionate educators to support growth throughout the state for its students.

Kansas’s Teaching Certificates

The Kansas State Department of Education includes extensive information about how to obtain certification/licensure. You will need to familiarize yourself with this site, as it contains many resources valuable to both aspiring teachers and current teachers.

There are a variety of different certification options available in Kansas based on the applicant’s educational background and previous teaching experience. Available licenses include

• Initial License
• Initial Out-of-State License
• Initial Out-of-Country License
• Professional License
• Accomplished License
• Transitional License

Beginning teachers who have completed a teacher preparation program should apply for one of the Initial licenses, while more experienced teachers may qualify for a Professional or Accomplished License. The Transitional License allows individuals to teach full-time while completing renewal requirements.

Applicants must submit a fingerprint card, licensure fees, assessments and other materials. The application process takes about six to eight weeks. Contact the Teacher Education and Licensure Staff, should you have any further questions about the licensure/certification process.

Teaching Job Opportunities in Kansas

There are several different avenues you can take to pursue a career in this dynamic field.

Public schools employ the vast majority of individuals seeking careers in early childhood education. Kansas Teaching Jobs is a free service that assists aspiring teachers in finding and applying for open teaching positions online throughout the state. It also provides helpful information about licensure requirements, special programs and resume tips. The website School Spring also lists job vacancies within the state.

Other employers to become familiar with are private schools, Head Start and Montessori schools. Be sure to research the child care centers in your local area, as many of these centers are in constant need of highly qualified teachers and assistant teachers. GreatSchools.org can help you find top-rated preschools and elementary schools in your community as well.

Professional Teacher Organizations in Kansas

There are many professional organizations for teachers in the state of Kansas that share similar visions.

The Kansas National Education Association has been going strong for 150 years and aims to improve the profession as well as local public schools. It provides union benefits and is affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest professional employee organization, with three million members in over 14,000 communities across the country.

The Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children (KAEYC) increases public awareness of the importance of early childhood education and provides professional development for educators. It wants all kids to have access to quality preschools and provides a variety of great benefits to its members. It has over a dozen local affiliates and is also an affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), an organization consisting of 80,000 members.

The Kansas Association of American Educators (KAAE) is a state-wide organization that strives to improve the profession. It provides career protection, support services, and other professional opportunities to its members. It is an affiliate of the Association of American Educators (AAE), the largest national non-union organization.

There are also a variety of organizations for teachers based on specific areas of interest, including the Kansas Association of Teachers of English (KATE) and the Kansas Association of Teachers of Mathematics (KATM).

Kansas Early Childhood Education Bloggers

Kansas Education: Public Policy in Kansas and Beyond covers hot topics and issues occurring in Kansas schools, as does the Tallman Education Report and the education section of KSHB. There are also some Kansas teachers who share insightful information through their personal blogs.

Mrs. Schmelzer’s 1^st Grade is written by a first grade teacher of 25 years who loves sharing her many creative classroom ideas for early childhood educators.

Kindergarten Faith is written by a faith-inspired kindergarten teacher who provides many helpful resources and activities for early learners.

KC Kindergarten Times is written by a passionate kindergarten teacher who frequently photographs her regular classroom activities.

Joyful Learning in KC is written by a kindergarten teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience who enjoys doing reading and writing workshops in her classroom.