Your dream is to become a teacher. You know you have the skills to help students grow while creating a supportive classroom that leads to great experiences. 

However, as you’re doing some early research, it’s common to feel confused about the process to become a teacher in Minnesota. After all, there are several steps involved to obtain a permanent teaching license. You have to meet educational requirements, complete a teacher preparation program, and pass licensing exams. 

How do you ensure success at each stage? This guide will break everything down that you should know in a way that’s easy to follow and understand. Think of it as a simple step-by-step process you can refer back to as needed that’ll help you become a teacher in Minnesota and achieve your career goals. Let’s get started. 

Meet Educational Requirements

First, you will need a degree to become a teacher in Minnesota in most cases. 

Generally, a bachelor’s degree in education is the most common type of teaching degree that aspiring educators will pursue when they want to lead classrooms at the K-12 level. 

However, there are some different options. 

You could obtain an associate’s degree if you want to pursue a career as a teaching assistant or paraprofessional. 

Alternatively, obtaining a master’s degree or doctorate could be necessary for certain specializations or teaching at the college level. 

Workarounds to Get Licensed Without a Degree

In some cases, workarounds may be available to get a Minnesota teaching license without a degree. 

The Minnesota Educator Licensing and Standards Board states that teachers with 5 years of relevant work experience may qualify for an exemption from educational requirements. Approval for that exemption is most common when you want to teach classes in the visual arts, dance, theater, or music, where career experience in those fields may be considered relevant. 

Additionally, educators can obtain a temporary Tier 1 or Tier 2 teaching license in Minnesota if they’re actively working toward meeting state qualifications. This is most common when you’re moving from a different state and want to transfer a teaching license to Minnesota, or while actively completing a teacher preparation program and looking to gain career experience. 

Tier 1 and Tier 2 licenses only last 1-2 years and can only be renewed 3 times, so you will need to continue working toward gaining a permanent Tier 3 or 4 license to maintain a long-term teaching career in Minnesota. 

Complete a State-Approved Teacher Preparation Program

Most universities offering degrees in education in Minnesota will also have state-approved teacher preparation programs that go alongside the degree. Completing a state-approved preparation program is usually necessary to obtain a Tier 3 or Tier 4 teaching license in Minnesota. 

A teacher preparation program will provide additional education, mentorship, and help you gain practical hands-on experience so you’re ready for the job. They can include completing in-depth projects, classroom observation, or student teaching, all of which give you some great experiences to list on your first teaching resume.  

Pass Licensing Exams

Minnesota’s current regulations don’t require you to take licensing exams if you’ve completed an approved teacher preparation program in Minnesota. Teacher preparation programs still have strict testing requirements to pass, so they will require studying to ensure you complete the program and qualify for licensing. 

However, educators trying to transfer their license from another state or those who didn’t complete a preparation program (usually due to applicable work experience) may have to pass state licensing exams before getting certified. 

Generally, the Minnesota Board of Education will provide you with coursework to study and prepare for the licensing exams. You can complete preparation courses online, but you will need to take the actual licensing exam in person at an approved testing location. 

Getting Ready to Apply for Jobs

Once you’ve completed your education, preparation program, and licensing requirements, it’s time to prepare to apply for jobs. 

To start, you’ll want to optimize your resume and cover letter to ensure you stand out in a teaching job search. Some quick tips that can help are: 

• Keep your resume concise, limiting it to one page of relevant information about qualifications and experiences that’ll make you successful in the role you’re applying to. 

• Focus on listing achievements rather than just responsibilities in previous roles. For example, how a study program you led as a teaching assistant improved student test scores by 20%. 

• Customize your resume and cover letter based on each job you apply to. For instance, if one school uses Blackboard and another uses Canvas as their learning management system of choice, change the tool you list on your resume to match the school’s needs, as long as you have experience in both. 

• Remember that the educational experience and hands-on projects you completed can still count as achievements and things that helped you build relevant teaching skills. Don’t be afraid to highlight those on your resume as needed to fill it out with relevant details. 

Once you’re ready to apply to jobs with a top-notch resume and cover letter, it’s time to begin your job search. 

Finding Jobs That Match Your Qualifications

Searching for teaching jobs that are right for you can feel overwhelming with so many job listings that have varying requirements and positional needs. That’s why our team at Zen Educate created an option that can simplify the process for both aspiring teachers looking for opportunities and schools that want to find great candidates. 

Zen Educate makes your job search much more efficient by using a matchmaking system that presents you with job openings that align with your qualifications and career goals. It’s much less time-consuming than sifting through tons of job openings, hoping that they meet what you’re looking for. 

Want to see how Zen Educate can make a difference for you? Sign up today to see the opportunities available!