Our corps members
Placement regions
Corps and Alumni
Chicago
Certification and Testing
While the requirements to become an Illinois or Indiana teacher are rigorous, the majority of Chicago corps members end their two-year commitment as a fully certified teacher. Corps members must pass the appropriate basic skills and content tests for the state in which they’re teaching, and special education and bilingual teachers take additional tests. Corps members must also enroll in an alternative certification program with one of our partner universities – Dominican University, National Louis University, or University of Phoenix - in order to be qualified to teach.
In Chicago and in Northwest Indiana, most corps members receive the state’s Provisional Certificate after their first year and the Initial Certificate after their second year, provided they have fulfilled all coursework, processing, and testing requirements.
At a Glance
| Costs to Begin Teaching |
|---|
| Testing: $200-350 |
| Processing: $25 |
| Up-front Certification Program Cost: $200 (for books and course materials) |
| Costs to Maintain Emergency Credential |
|---|
$2,000-3,000 plus one year's AmeriCorps education award |
