The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) oversees the PK-12 teacher certification process, which is outlined below. The main steps for the traditional path to teacher certification in South Carolina are:
Continue reading to learn more about the traditional certification pathway in South Carolina.
Table of Contents
This section covers the traditional steps to teacher certification in South Carolina. South Carolina uses a tiered license structure for educators:
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree but did not complete a teacher preparation program, you may be eligible for licensure under one of the alternative teacher certification routes in South Carolina.
To meet the basic eligibility requirements for teaching certification in South Carolina, candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and complete an approved educator preparation program (EPP), which is typically included in the bachelor’s degree curriculum for traditional route educators. You can see a list of approved programs on the SCDE website.
You can compare key metrics for state-approved teacher preparation programs on our South Carolina schools page. You can also read about two important accreditations to consider, institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation, on our teaching schools guide.
As part of your EPP, you will complete a student teaching or clinical experience at the grade level and subject you wish to teach. Before you can perform the student teaching, internship, or clinical component of your EPP in a public school, you must apply for student teaching clearance from the SCDE. You will work with an experienced teacher and mentor who will give you feedback as you practice leading a classroom. Some programs may offer longer student teaching placements or the opportunity to pursue more than one placement.
The SCBE requires prospective teachers to pass a pedagogy assessment and the Praxis Subject Test related to their content area. The pedagogy assessment requirement can be fulfilled with the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT), the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT), or the edTPA from Pearson Evaluation Systems. The Praxis exams are administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). You can find the exams required for your certification area on the SCDE’s Certification Assessments page.
Once the requirements for South Carolina educator certification have been completed, candidates must apply by creating an account on the My SC Educator Portal. You will need to include:
Refer to the application procedures for more information on completing this process.
At the end of each school year, teachers whose Initial Certificate expires in June are automatically evaluated to advance to the Professional Certificate. The educator does not have to request the upgrade. Teachers with an Initial License can advance to a Professional Certificate if they:
South Carolina teachers must renew their Professional Certificate every five years. To renew a Professional Certificate, you must complete 120 renewal credits or Continuing Education Units (CEUs). You can review the options for earning renewal credit on the Renewal Credit Options page and the SCDE Renewal Credit Matrix. All required documentation and the renewal application must be submitted through your My SC Educator Portal account.
Initial Certificate holders employed by a South Carolina public school district who have not met the requirements for a Professional Certificate within the three-year validity period can extend their Initial Certificate annually at the school’s request. The teacher must also request an extension on the My SC Educator Portal.
Once you receive your teaching certificate, you will only be eligible to work as a teacher in the grade levels and certification areas listed on your certificate, though occasional, temporary exceptions are made. In South Carolina, candidates with a valid classroom teaching certificate can qualify for additional certification fields by:
Reciprocity in South Carolina is available for experienced teachers with valid out-of-state certification. To apply for out-of-state certification, you must meet all South Carolina certification requirements. Out-of-state teachers with at least 27 months of qualifying teaching experience in the last seven years will be issued a Professional Certificate. Teachers with less experience who meet all other requirements will be issued an Initial Certificate. To apply, you will need to create a My SC Educator Portal account and submit:
For additional information on reciprocity refer to the Out-of-State Educators page. You can learn more about transferring a teaching certificate or license between states on our guide to certification reciprocity.
In addition to standard classroom teaching certificates, the SCDE issues credentials in a variety of service and leadership areas. These include:
Additional certifications are available for school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, superintendents, and others. In general, candidates for these and other advanced certificates must complete a master’s degree and an educator preparation program in their desired certification area and pass the relevant exam. In many cases, candidates must also hold a teaching certificate with two to three years of classroom teaching experience. For more information, visit the Adding Service Fields webpage.
Growth in Teaching Jobs in SC through 2032 2 *
According to the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the state of South Carolina has a student-to-teacher ratio of about 15:1. 3 During the 2017-2018 school year, there were 1,255 public K-12 schools in the state, which enrolled a student population of 777,507 with about 52,467 teachers. 3
Job prospects through 2032 are much stronger in South Carolina than the expected national averages, with job growth for South Carolina elementary teachers projected at 8.5% compared to 0.7% nationally; for South Carolina middle school teachers, 8.6% compared to 0.8% nationally; and for South Carolina secondary school teachers, 8.8% compared to 1% nationally. 2
The table below provides a detailed comparison of job growth prospects and salary levels for South Carolina teachers.
| Type | Number Employed in SC 4 | Average Annual Openings in SC 2 | SC Proj. Job Growth 2022-2032 2 | Average Annual Salary in SC 4 | 25th Percentile Wages in SC 5 | 75th Percentile Wages in SC 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teachers | 3,480 | 610 | 16.6% | $37,500 | $29,060 | $38,680 |
| Preschool Teachers, Special Education | 210 | 40 | 7.7% | $59,520 | $49,090 | $68,860 |
| Kindergarten Teachers | 1,850 | 230 | 8.2% | $60,470 | $48,970 | $66,000 |
| Elementary School Teachers | 22,670 | 1,730 | 8.5% | $57,450 | $47,720 | $64,160 |
| Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Special Education | 2,550 | 150 | 7.3% | $59,590 | $49,400 | $68,090 |
| Middle School Teachers | 7,410 | 700 | 8.6% | $61,040 | $48,780 | $66,310 |
| Middle School Teachers, Special Education | 720 | — | — | $61,880 | $50,080 | $69,330 |
| Middle School Teachers, Career/Technical Education | 160 | 20 | 8% | $62,870 | $57,450 | $68,760 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 17,310 | 1,130 | 8.8% | $59,750 | $48,980 | $65,980 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Special Education | 1,650 | — | — | $61,270 | $50,240 | $67,260 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Career/Technical Education | 160 | 100 | 7.6% | $62,970 | $51,260 | $69,670 |
*The estimated job growth average is based on projections for mainstream kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Projections for other categories, such as special education and career and technical education, may be higher or lower than the average.
Most of the US is dealing with an educator shortage. According to the US Department of Education Teacher Shortage Area report for 2023-2024, South Carolina has designated the following deficits:
According to recent research, there were 1,474 unfilled teaching positions in South Carolina during the 2022-2023 school year. 7 During the 2021-2022 school year, 7,611 teachers in the state were considered underqualified for their position, which includes teachers assigned to classrooms outside their certification field on a temporary or emergency basis. 7
Question: How can you become a substitute teacher in South Carolina?
Answer: The state of South Carolina does not require certification for substitute teachers; the only requirement is that prospective substitutes have at least a high school diploma. However, individual school districts set their own requirements and may prefer to hire substitutes who are state certified.
Question: How many private schools and private school teachers are there in South Carolina?
Answer: According to the latest statistics available, as of the 2019-20 school year, there were 427 private schools in South Carolina, with 5,597 full-time teachers and 246,706 students. 8 South Carolina law does not require private school teachers to be certified, though some schools may prefer to hire teachers with state credentials. Check with private schools in your area to confirm requirements.