Teach Cleveland

Career Changers

Don’t have an Education degree? Don’t have a Bachelor’s Degree but have agriculture, healthcare, business, family and consumer sciences, marketing, or trade and industry experience? There is a path for you to become a teacher! CMSD has relationships with the organizations and programs listed below. However, we are always receptive to other programs.

Check out some of the alternative pathways offered by the Ohio Department of Education here:

Alternative Licenses  

If you are interested in obtaining your education license but have not completed or don't plan to complete a traditional education program, the very first thing you should do is review the alternative license requirements on the Ohio Department of Educaiton website:

The Alternative Resident Educator license is an accelerated pathway to classroom teaching. This pathway allows students, schools and communities to benefit from the candidates' content-related knowledge, life experience and successful career experience.  Ohio students can benefit from the rich knowledge base and successful career and life experiences of content experts in a variety of teaching fields.  As Ohio focuses on assuring a high-quality teacher in every classroom, it is important that a wide range of professionals are invited to bring their talents and expertise into our schools.

Alternative Licenses on ODE

On the Ohio Department of Education website, you can find a step-by-step list of instructions on how to begin your journey! Those steps are also listed here:

• Step 1 - Request an Alternative Resident Educator License Evaluation
• Step 2 - Complete Content Area Exam Requirements
• Step 3 - Request the Confirmation Registration Letter
• Step 4 - Enroll in an Approved Alternative Licensure Institute
• Step 5 - Request the Statement of Eligibility
• Step 6 - Apply Online for the Alternative Resident Educator License
• Step 7 - Advance to the Professional License

Learn about the DREAM program through Cleveland State University!

DREAM is a master’s program degree that results in:

• Two initial licensures (Primary Pk-5 and  Early Childhood Intervention Specialist)
• A TESOL endorsement
• A Master’s Degree

How long is the program?

• DREAM takes two years and has a total of 66 credits
• Two fall semesters, two spring semesters, and two summer sessions

Qualifications for the program include a recommendation from the CMSD Multilingual Multicultural Office.

If you are interested in learning more, visit the website using the link above. Applicants approved for the tuition waiver must receive a recommendation from the CMSD multi-lingual/multi-cultural office.

Teach for America

Have a Bachelors degree in another field but want to teach?

Check out the Teach for America program!

The Teach for America (TFA) program allows those who are eligible to work in the US and have a completed Bachelors degree in any area with at least a 2.5 GPA the opportunity to participate in the program.

Participants will attend comprehensive summits and professional development to prepare you for teaching in a classroom environment. During your first year as a TFA corps member, you’ll learn how to deliver rigorous lesson plans, create inclusive learning environments, and exercise self-awareness as you develop relationships with students, families, and fellow educators in unique communities.

You will commit to teaching full-time for 2 years in a district such as CMSD, and you will earn an initial temporary teaching license to qualify for jobs in the area while you complete your full license program.

Master of Urban Secondary Teaching (MUST) Residency Program

Cleveland State University offers a Masters program for those with a post-secondary degree in Math, Science, Social Studies, English, or Foreign Language. The program focuses on Urban Education.

The Master of Urban Secondary Teaching Residency Program (MUST) is a 14-month accelerated, selective, field-based graduate teacher education program that prepares secondary teachers who are committed to teaching in urban schools. In response to the critical shortage of secondary teachers, MUST exemplifies the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education's commitment to educational professionalism and urban school renewal. In particular, MUST prepares urban educators in the areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English and Foreign Language. The program's goal is to graduate reflective, responsive teachers who are prepared to promote students' learning while consciously addressing the effects of race, class, and gender on student achievement.

The MUST program recruits interns who demonstrate a commitment to urban schooling and community renewal. Admission requirements include: at least a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, science, English, history or a related field; above average grades in that field; and competency or potential in communication, leadership, collaboration, and problem - solving. Interns are admitted as cohorts who take classes together for the duration of the program.

Learn More About the MUST Program here!