How to Become a Teacher in Washington, D.C. 2026
Every state runs its own certification process, and if you're researching how to become a teacher in Washington DC, it helps to know upfront that OSSE offers more than one route into the classroom. All of them require a bachelor's degree and a background check, but how you demonstrate content knowledge and teaching skill depends on the pathway you take. What's different here is the job market. While teaching jobs are flat or shrinking almost everywhere else in the country, D.C. is projected to add them.
Choose What You Want to Teach
Most certification programs ask you to pick a grade band or subject early. If you'd rather work with younger kids across several subjects, elementary is the usual fit. If you'd rather go deep on one subject, secondary school (middle or high) lets you teach that subject to different groups of students throughout the day. That choice shapes your coursework, your placements, and eventually your license. Start your program search at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
The Traditional Path: A Bachelor's Degree and an Educator Preparation Program
A bachelor's degree is required for D.C.'s Standard Teacher Credential no matter which pathway you take. The most common route pairs that degree with a state-approved Educator Preparation Program (EPP), but it isn't the only way in. OSSE recognizes four pathways to the Standard credential, and some rely on prior D.C. teaching experience or other qualifying credentials rather than completing a new EPP from scratch. This section covers the traditional, EPP-based route.
Some programs bundle the degree and the EPP together, so you finish both at once. Others let you earn the degree first, often in an unrelated field, and complete the EPP afterward once you've decided to make the switch.
Complete an Educator Preparation Program
Your EPP has to be approved by D.C. before its coursework counts toward licensure. Accredited programs can confirm their status on request. Find the current list on OSSE's Directory of Approved Educator Preparation Programs.
Most people complete their EPP alongside their bachelor's degree in a joint program, and some schools offer a combined teacher-prep and master's track. A program's coursework covers classroom management, lesson planning, and subject-specific methods, plus student teaching and observation hours you'll need before you can apply. Exact requirements vary by program and by pathway, so confirm the specifics with your college advisor.
Other Pathways and Preparation Providers
If you already hold a bachelor's degree and want to start teaching sooner, OSSE approves a number of traditional and alternate-route educator preparation providers beyond a standard university EPP. Two well-known examples, among the alternative routes to certification available, are Teach for America and DC Teaching Fellows.
Teach for America
Teach for America has placed candidates from a range of backgrounds, career-changers included, into classrooms for more than 25 years. Through TFA, you'll commit to at least two years teaching in a low-income community while working toward certification.
DC Teaching Fellows
DC Teaching Fellows is built for career-changers with no prior teaching license, and it moves faster than the traditional route. You'll need a bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher, no previous professional teaching license, and legal authorization to work in the U.S., along with the program's other entry requirements.
Meet OSSE's Content and Pedagogy Requirements
OSSE generally requires an approved subject-content and pedagogy assessment for a Standard Teacher Credential, most often from the Praxis Subject Assessments. But it isn't a single fixed test for every candidate. If OSSE hasn't adopted a subject exam for your content area, a qualifying degree major or an approved preparation program can satisfy the content-knowledge requirement instead. A comparable exam passed in another state may also qualify under certain pathways. Confirm the specific requirement for your subject and pathway with OSSE or your program advisor before you register for anything.
Demonstrating Basic Skills
Some D.C. pathways ask candidates to demonstrate basic academic skills in reading, writing, and math, commonly through a Praxis Core exam. This isn't required across the board: a candidate with a bachelor's degree GPA of 3.0 or higher can typically satisfy this requirement through their GPA instead of sitting a separate basic-skills test. Which option applies to you depends on your pathway, so check with your program advisor or OSSE directly.
Subject and Pedagogy Assessments
Where a subject exam applies, the Praxis Subject Assessments test the content knowledge and teaching skills specific to the grade level or subject you want to teach. You'll submit your scores, or your qualifying alternative, with your licensure application and fee. Check the current score requirements here.
Apply for Your Washington, D.C. Teacher Credential
Once you've met the degree, content/pedagogy, and background-check requirements for your pathway, you're ready to apply for a Standard Teacher Credential. Depending on your pathway, you'll typically provide:
- A completed application through the Educator Credential Information System (ECIS) portal
- A bachelor's degree
- Verification of your pathway's requirements: completion of an approved EPP, qualifying prior D.C. teaching experience, or another route OSSE accepts
- Your subject-content and pedagogy documentation, whether that's exam scores, a qualifying degree major, or an approved program
- Documentation meeting OSSE's criminal-history background requirements, commonly an FBI Identity History Summary Check
Contact Information
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Specialized Education
Educator Credentials Office
1050 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 727-6436
Email: [email protected]
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 442-5885
Fax: (202) 442-5026
Finding a Teaching Job in Washington, D.C.
Once you're certified, you can look for work in D.C.'s public, private, or charter schools. Each comes with a different deal.
Public School
Public school jobs come with the most openings district-wide, but pay and expectations vary by school. You'll typically be observed regularly in your first few years while working toward tenure.
Private School
Private schools set their own curriculum and aren't required to hire certified teachers, though most prefer to. Pay and hours vary widely, since they run on private funding and tuition.
Charter School
Charter schools are publicly funded but independently run. They have more flexibility than a traditional public school but still answer to their charter's academic requirements, and hiring tends to be competitive.
Find openings directly with District of Columbia Public Schools.
Teacher Shortage Areas in Washington, D.C. (2021-2022)
The U.S. Department of Education's most recent Teacher Shortage Area list for D.C. named these subjects and grade bands:
- Elementary Education, K-6
- Mathematics, 6-12
- Science, 6-12
- Language Arts, 6-12
- Career and Technical Education, 6-12
- ESOL, PreK-12
- Special Education, PreK-12
- Health and Physical Fitness, PreK-12
- World Languages, PreK-12
- Art and Music Education, PreK-12
Teacher Salaries and Job Outlook in Washington, D.C.
Here's the part that surprises people: nationally, most K-12 classroom teaching roles are projected to see flat or slightly declining employment through 2034. D.C. runs the other way. According to D.C.'s Department of Employment Services, elementary and middle school teaching positions in the District are each projected to grow about 12% between 2024 and 2034, and high school teaching positions by roughly 10%, well ahead of the national trend for the same roles.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, D.C. elementary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $96,580 as of May 2025. Middle school teachers earned a median of $79,900, and high school teachers earned a median of $82,750.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (May 2025) | Job Growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $81,500 | +13.0% |
| Elementary School Teachers | $96,580 | +12.3% |
| Middle School Teachers | $79,900 | +12.3% |
| High School Teachers | $82,750 | +9.6% |
Special education pays a bit more at every level. D.C. special education teachers working with kindergarten and elementary students earned a median of $97,910, and those working with secondary students earned a median of $99,670, as of May 2025.
| Grade Level | Number of Teachers (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,350 |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | 180 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,750 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,540 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 2,800 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School | 1,070 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | 520 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 440 |
Continue Your Education and Professional Development
New D.C. teachers are paired with a mentor teacher who checks in periodically with advice and support. Beyond that, OSSE requires ongoing professional development to keep your license current. DCPS has more on the mentoring and professional development programs here.
Renewing Your Credential
D.C.'s Standard Teacher Credential renews every four years, and OSSE gives you three ways to do it. Renewal Option B, Professional Development Activity-based renewal, is the one that lets graduate coursework count. It requires 120 clock hours or 8 semester credits, or a combination of the two, with at least 60 of those hours (or 4 of those credits) directly related to your credential area.
Coursework toward a master's degree isn't required for renewal, but if you're already working toward one, it's a natural fit for meeting these hours. Adding an endorsement to your license is a separate credentialing process with its own requirements, and it isn't automatically satisfied by renewal credits, so check with OSSE directly if that's your goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a certified teacher in Washington, D.C.?
It depends on your pathway. Going the traditional route with a bachelor's degree and an Educator Preparation Program usually takes about four years for the degree, plus whatever additional EPP coursework your program requires. Alternate-route providers like DC Teaching Fellows or Teach for America can move faster if you already hold a bachelor's degree, since you start teaching while finishing your remaining requirements. Other OSSE pathways may draw on prior D.C. teaching experience, which can shorten the timeline further.
Do I need a master's degree to teach in Washington, D.C.?
No. A bachelor's degree is required for the Standard Teacher Credential, but a master's isn't. Some people pursue one alongside license renewal credits, though adding an endorsement is a separate process with its own requirements.
What's the difference between Teach for America and DC Teaching Fellows?
Both let you start teaching before you've finished full certification, but they're run by different organizations with different placement processes and program lengths. TFA commits you to at least two years in a low-income community. DC Teaching Fellows is built specifically for career-changers with no prior teaching license.
Can I teach in D.C. without being certified?
You can be hired by a D.C. public school before you're certified in some cases, but you'll need to complete certification to continue teaching. Private schools have more flexibility here, though most still prefer certified teachers.
How often do I need to renew my D.C. teaching credential?
Every four years, through one of OSSE's three renewal options. Renewal Option B lets you use professional development hours, including graduate coursework, to meet the requirement - 120 clock hours or 8 semester credits, with at least 60 hours or 4 credits tied to your credential area.
Do I have to pass the Praxis Core exam to teach in D.C.?
Not necessarily. Some pathways ask candidates to demonstrate basic skills through Praxis Core, but a bachelor's degree GPA of 3.0 or higher can typically satisfy this requirement instead. Which option applies depends on the pathway you're pursuing.
- The requirement is a bachelor's degree, content/pedagogy proof, and a background check - how you satisfy content and pedagogy requirements depends on your pathway, since OSSE recognizes four routes to the Standard Teacher Credential.
- Praxis Core isn't universal - a bachelor's degree GPA of 3.0 or higher can satisfy the basic-skills requirement on some pathways instead of a separate exam.
- D.C.'s job market bucks the national trend - elementary, middle, and high school teaching roles are all projected to grow through 2034, while the same roles are shrinking nationally.
- Multiple preparation providers exist for career-changers - Teach for America and DC Teaching Fellows are two well-known examples among OSSE's approved alternate-route providers.
- Your credential renews every four years - OSSE's Option B lets professional development hours, including graduate credit, satisfy the requirement.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2026.
Requirements are only half the picture: the other half is finding a preparation program that fits how you actually need to study. The sponsored programs on this page include options for people already holding a degree in another field, and several run online or on a hybrid schedule.