Become a Teacher in Montana

To earn your Montana teaching credential you will have to complete the required amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Montana has two main types of certification for classroom teachers: the Class 2 Standard Certificate for beginning teachers with a bachelor’s degree who have completed an accredited teacher preparation program, and the Class 1 Professional Certificate, which requires three years of successful K-12 teaching experience and a master’s degree. Both certificates are renewable every five years.

Learn more about earning your teaching credential on the Office of Instruction’s Licensing page. Additional information can be found at Teach.com.

Montana offers a Class 5 alternative license which lasts for three years while a candidate completes a valid teacher preparation program and/or the requisite coursework. These are available for candidates who might meet some, but not all of the requirements for other licenses.

Those with a Class 5 License sign a Plan of Professional Intent agreeing to complete their deficient requirements within three years. Class 5 licenses cannot be renewed or reinstated and students are restricted to one Class 5 license in their lifetime. These licenses are most typically used when one has a bachelor’s degree in an endorsed area and needs to complete a teacher prep program or does not complete renewal requirements. More Information can be found from the Office of Public Instruction.

Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. Montana does not currently offer a reciprocity program.To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in Montana, visit the Teach.com’s reciprocity page or for specific questions about your situation, contact the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

To find out what other state teaching licenses can be used in Montana, check out our Teacher Certification Reciprocity page on Teach.com.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction maintains Jobs For Teachers Montana, which posts current job openings for Montana educators. This resource allows potential teachers searching for jobs in Montana to post their applications online for district employees to view. The website also provides information on Montana Teacher Certification Requirements, loans for teachers, and housing opportunities for new teachers in Montana.

Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.

In Montana, teachers earned an average of around $52,000 to $53,000 in 2019, depending on grade level taught, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Montana additionally provides loan forgiveness to teachers willing to work in high-needs schools and shortage subjects.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

Montana public school teachers are required to become members of the Montana Teachers Retirement System, which offers benefits related to retirement, disability, and life insurance. Montana teachers can retire at age 60 with 5 years of service, or at age 55 after 30 years of service. Montana covers the core insurance areas of medical, dental, and life insurance, but there are also other plans that offer more extended coverage.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.

A teacher shortage occurs when there are not enough teachers in key subject areas, which has been partly caused by years of teacher layoffs during the Great Recession, a growing student population and fewer people entering teacher preparation programs, according to the Learning Policy Institute.

The following is a partial list of teacher shortage areas in Montana for the 2020-21 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Montana residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.

Learn more about how to finance your Master’s degree on Teach.com.

Montana has its own government agency devoted to professional development. The Professional Development Center (PDC) offers a variety of courses and workshops throughout the year.

Professional development for Montana teachers is measured by the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) Units. 15 OPI Units is equivalent to 1 semester credit. To renew either a Class 1 or a Class 2 license, you must complete the equivalent of 60 OPI Units in each five-year licensing period. 

It is no longer enough to only have years of experience teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, teachers are almost solely evaluated by their results in the classroom. A master’s degree in the field of education can give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor. It may also lead to an increase in pay.

Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.