As a graduate of the M.Ed. in Secondary Education Alternative Path Program, you will receive an Institutional Recommendation for Certification (IR) that will streamline your application for an Arizona Standard Professional Secondary Certificate, valid for twelve years. The secondary certificate will include a full Structured English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement.
The IR is the application you will use to apply for a secondary certificate instead of using an application from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) website. The IR provides assurance to ADE that you have met all the academic and clinical practice requirements for certification. With the IR you will not need to submit an official UArizona transcript to ADE unless you are requesting a waiver of the secondary subject knowledge exam. A benefit to the IR is that the cost for certification will be half the price others pay for certification. Also with the IR, you can obtain your secondary certificate on a walk-in basis at the Phoenix ADE office, rather than having to mail application documents to ADE and waiting several weeks to receive your certificate.
PLEASE NOTE: The Phoenix ADE office is currently closed due to Coronavirus/COVID-19 protocols and the walk-in option is not available at this time.
Process to Obtain an Institutional Recommendation for Certification (IR)
- Complete and submit an online IR Request Form you will receive in an email approximately one month prior to graduation. Once your degree has posted in UAccess, you will receive the IR through the U.S. Mail. The “Institution” side of the IR will have been completed for you.
- Complete the applicant side of the form. The IR verifies completion of your M.Ed. in Secondary Education degree. You do not have to submit a UA transcript unless you are seeking a waiver for the secondary subject knowledge exam and your bachelor's or advanced degree transcript is not already on file at ADE.
- Bring or mail the IR to the Phoenix ADE Office or bring the IR to the Tucson ADE office, along with the following:
- Photocopy of your valid State of Arizona IVP fingerprint card (ADE should have your fingerprint card on record; bring your card or photocopy as a backup)
- Photocopies of exam reports showing passing scores on required NES professional knowledge and NES and/or AEPA subject knowledge exams (ADE should have your exam scores on record; bring photocopies as a backup).
- Required fee (check or money order only—no cash or credit cards accepted). Refer to the IR for current fees.
ADE office contact information.
There are requirements for the secondary certificate that are not embedded in the M.Ed. Program. These requirements include passing the Secondary Subject Knowledge Exam in the academic subject in which you have taught for a minimum of one academic year while in the program or obtaining a waiver based on a bachelor's or advanced degree in the subject taught; passing the NES Secondary Professional Knowledge Exam; and meeting the U.S. and Arizona Constitution requirement.
Certification Requirements in Addition to M.Ed. Program Requirements
Secondary Subject Knowledge Exam
This exam is required for the Standard Professional Secondary Certificate. Most of the exams are taken through NES (National Evaluation Series), while exams for some subjects are through AEPA (Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments). There is a list on the ADE website for all subject knowledge exams accepted for Arizona certification. Do not take any exam listed in the section, “Middle Grades Teaching (5-9).” The exam must be listed in the “Secondary Teaching (6-12)” section since your certificate will enable you to teach in grades six through twelve.
If you have a bachelor’s or advanced degree in the academic subject in which you have taught while in the program, you may qualify for an exam waiver. You will need to submit an official transcript to ADE for evaluation if you wish to seek a waiver.
To view a list of degree majors that qualify for a secondary subject knowledge exam waiver in specific approved areas, go to a list on the ADE website.
NES Secondary Professional Knowledge Exam
This exam is required for the Standard Professional Secondary Certificate. The exam contains multiple choice questions and two writing prompts. Since the writing portion is graded individually, it will take approximately four weeks to receive the results. The questions are based on the InTASC Standards. You are encouraged to schedule the exam prior to graduation and with sufficient time so you will have a contract to continue teaching.
U.S. and Arizona Constitution Requirement
You can meet the Constitution requirement through coursework or by passing the AEPA U.S. and Arizona Constitution exam. More information on the AEPA exam.
For coursework, U.S. and Arizona Constitution classes are available through UArizona and many Arizona community colleges. There are some course offered online with a rolling start. This means you can register for the classes and enroll within couple of weeks from the date of registration instead of having to wait for the start of a standard semester and they can be completed on an individual time frame.
While your certificate may be issued if you have not met the requirement, you are encouraged to meet the requirement prior to graduation so your certificate will not list a deficiency and a limited time frame to meet the requirement. If you complete the coursework before you graduate your IR can show that you have met the requirement. Please have an official transcript sent to:
Alison Barrett, Teacher Education Coordinator
University of Arizona Sierra Vista
1140 N. Colombo Avenue
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
Alison Barrett is the Point of Contact for both testing and certification. Please call 520.458.8278, extension 2136 or email with any questions.