The North Dakota Education Standards and Practice Board is responsible for the regulation and licensing of mathematics educators in North Dakota. If you want to become a mathematics teacher in North Dakota, there are a number of steps you must complete:
 | Complete the Required Educational Component |
 | Complete the Required Examinations |
 | Apply for an Initial License |
 | Apply for and Maintain a Regular License in North Dakota |
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction outlines the content standards for mathematics in North Dakota defined as the “expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students.” These standards are designed to address a number of significant processes and proficiencies in mathematics education.
These practices have been developed using the National Research Council strands of mathematical proficiency, which include:
- Adaptive reasoning
- Strategic competence
- Conceptual understanding
- Procedural fluency
- Productive disposition
Step 1. Complete the Required Educational Component
You may seek licensure as a mathematics teacher in North Dakota in one of two ways:
Reeducation for Initial Licensure
If you hold a non-teaching degree in a content area related to mathematics, you may seek initial licensure by completing all professional education requirements at a state-approved program authorized to recommend applicants for licensure in mathematics. You may complete this requirement at the undergraduate or graduate level. Upon completion of the program, the institution through which you satisfied your professional educational requirement will recommend you for licensure.
Traditional Licensure
The minimum education requirement for initial teacher licensure in North Dakota is a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved teacher education program. An approved program for mathematics teacher candidates includes a general studies component, a major related to mathematics, a professional pedagogy course, and a student teaching experience.
In addition to the following program requirements, you must achieve a 2.5 minimum overall GPA and complete at least 10 weeks of full-time, supervised student teaching in mathematics at the appropriate grade level.
The general studies component of an approved teacher education program includes a liberal arts-focused preparation in fine arts, the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, behavioral sciences, and symbolic systems. These programs will also include:
- A minimum of 32 semester hours of coursework in mathematics beyond the introductory level
- A minimum of 2 semester hours in multicultural education, including Native American studies, cultural diversity, strategies for creating learning environments that contribute to positive human relationships, and strategies for teaching and assessing diverse learners
You will need to complete one of the following depending on the level for which you are seeking mathematics teaching licensure:
- For secondary mathematics majors, coursework must include at least 4 semester hours in special methods of teaching at the secondary level and special methods of teaching mathematics.
- For middle level mathematics majors, coursework must include the study of middle level foundations, adolescent development, reading in mathematics at the middle level, and special methods of teaching at the middle level.
- For elementary level mathematics majors, coursework must include special methods of teaching elementary mathematics, with a minimum of 12 semester hours specific to teaching elementary school mathematics, science, social studies, reading, and language arts.
Mathematics Content Major Requirements
A major in mathematics through an approved teacher education program requires:
- Problem solving and mathematical reasoning
- The study of mathematical connections, communication, and representation
- Candidates to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of school mathematics
- The study of the core mathematics content (calculus, linear and abstract algebra, analysis, statistics, etc.)
- The study of the history and philosophy of mathematics
- The appropriate use of technology
- The study, selection, and use of concrete materials to help students build an understanding of mathematical concepts
- The study of a variety of teaching methods and strategies
- Study of formative and summative assessment strategies
Step 2. Complete the Required Examinations
All initial applicants for a North Dakota educator license must successfully complete the PRAXIS I: Pre-Professional Skills Testing (PPST) in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. You must achieve a score that meets or exceeds the state’s cut scores, which are as follows:
- Math: 170
- Reading: 173
- Writing: 173
You can qualify by meeting the individual qualifying scores above, or by meeting the qualifying scores on two of the tests and achieving a composite score of 516.
More information about the registration and examination process for the PRAXIS I can be found here.
Note: As of September 2014, the PRAXIS I examinations will be replaced by the Core Academic Skills for Educators in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. You must achieve the following, minimum scores for licensure:
- Reading: 156
- Writing: 160
- Mathematics: 150
You can qualify by meeting the individual qualifying scores above, or by meeting the qualifying scores on two of the tests and achieving a composite score of 466.
More information on the Core Academics Skills for Educators can be found here.
Mathematics PRAXIS Examination Requirements
You must also pass specific PRAXIS content examinations to become a licensed teacher in North Dakota:
- If you will teach mathematics at the elementary level, you must pass:
- If you will teach mathematics at the middle school level, you must pass:
- Middle School Mathematics (5169)
- If you will teach mathematics at the middle school level, you must pass:
- If you will teach mathematics at the high school level, you must pass:
- Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5161)
Step 3. Apply for an Initial License
All initial licenses in North Dakota are valid for a period of two years. To receive an initial application form, you must pay a fee of $30 and contact the Board at 701-328-9641.
When applying for an initial license, you must complete the Application for Initial Licensure for In-State and Out-of-State-Graduates (available through the Board) and pay a fee of $75. If you are applying as an out-of-state graduate, you must also submit a fee of $175 for transcript review.
In addition to completing the licensure application process, you must complete a fingerprint screening. If you are an applicant who graduated from a North Dakota teacher preparation program, you may obtain the fingerprinting materials from your college or university; otherwise, you must contact the Education Standards and Practice Board at 701-328-9641 to receive the fingerprinting materials.
If you are applying to teach in North Dakota and you hold a valid license from another state but have not met North Dakota standards and rules, you may apply for a two-year Out-of-State Reciprocal license. Upon achieving this license, you will be required to complete a plan of study that allows you to complete the requirements for North Dakota educator licensure. You will have a total of 4 years to complete all requirements.
Step 4. Apply for and Maintain a Regular License in North Dakota
Upon teaching for a period of 18 months (full-time), you may apply for a regular license in North Dakota, which is valid for a period of 5 years. All licensure renewals are completed through ND Teach.
Professional development is accomplished through licensure renewal in North Dakota. Educators in North Dakota are required to complete at least 4 semester hours of professional development every 5 years.