1. Consult the list of states with which Maine has an “Interstate Certification Agreement.” These are states that will grant teacher certifications based on completion of Maine’s/UMF’s certification requirements and possession of a valid Maine teaching certificate. NOTE: The states that have an Interstate Certification Agreement with Maine may also have additional requirements, such as proficiency tests (beyond Praxis I and II exams) that must be passed.

2. Consult the State Department of Education Website from which you seek a teaching certificate to learn more about any additional certification requirements or specific application procedures. NOTE: Each state’s certification website features comprehensive information intended to satisfy a very broad range of applicant needs. In other words, you probably will be required to read a great deal of information to get the details you seek.

3. State departments of education usually still require an official copy of your UMF transcript, even if the state participates in the Interstate Certification Agreement with Maine. The transcript is required for a process commonly referred to as “transcript analysis,” to ensure that you have completed specific academic requirements for teacher certification. Rarely, if ever, will certification officers conduct transcript analyses by phone, fax, or e-mail. Follow the directives on each state’s department of education website, which usually require you to complete a form and mail an official copy of your transcript for analysis.

4. Each state’s teacher certification requirements are subject to change based on laws passed by each state’s legislature. The only definitive answer on whether or not you are eligible for teacher certification in another state lies with a certification officer in each state’s department of education. And, the only way you can be assured of getting the latest, accurate information on each state’s certification requirements requires you to read the information on the website and direct your questions (by phone or e-mail) to the state certification office. You may wish that someone at UMF could give you the “simple” answers you seek; however, no one at UMF (not the Registrar, not your professors, and not anyone at the Center for Student Development) is in a position to know the details of each state’s teacher certification requirements as determined by the legislative process. Rather than rely on educated guesses, hearsay, or anecdotal information from others, you are strongly encouraged to get the answers you seek by reading information on state certification websites and directing your questions (by phone or e-mail) to state certification officers.

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