Puerto Rico's Secretary of Education issues three types of teaching certificates based on the number of requirements a candidate has completed. The three types of certificates are Provisional Teacher's Certificate, Teacher's Certificate, and Teachers' Life Certificate.
The Provisional Certificate is intended for candidates who wish to teach while continuing to work toward completing the remaining requirements. Candidates who have already met all the educational and experience requirements are eligible for the Teacher's Certificate. Those holding Teacher's Certificates and having sufficient teaching experience in accredited schools can obtain a Life Certificate.
There are also alternate paths toward becoming a teacher in Puerto Rico requiring either advanced education or alternate means of gaining classroom experience. All aspirants must also take a Puerto Rican teaching exam called the Pruebas para la Certificación de Maestros (PCMAS), and that score is considered during the recruitment process.
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The requirements for a teacher's certificate include:
Approved teaching preparation programs for those seeking to teach at the elementary level will result in the candidate's receipt of a bachelor of arts degree with a major in elementary school teaching. This program can be taken at the University of Puerto Rico or any other accredited college or university. For those seeking certification to teach at the secondary level, approved programs will result in a bachelor of science degree with a major in Education or its equivalent. Either type of program will ensure that the candidate has the knowledge, skills, and competencies appropriate to their subject matter.
In addition, the candidate will be required to complete clinical experiences that are well-planned, integrated throughout the program and continuously evaluated to earn the degree. These clinical experiences will guide student-teachers to gradually assume responsibility for teaching groups of students at the appropriate level. The teacher candidate will gain experience with culturally diverse student populations of different ages within the limits of the education category appropriate to the candidate's program. All clinical experiences take place under the supervision of qualified faculty.
All candidates for teacher certification in Puerto Rico must take the PCMAS (Puerto Rico's Teacher Certification Test).
A Provisional Teacher Certificate is intended to allow aspirants who hold bachelor's degrees in programs that did not include teacher preparation to teach while also making progress toward meeting the criteria for becoming new teachers in Puerto Rico. These certificates are issued for a maximum of three years, during which the candidate must qualify for a full teaching certificate. Provisional teachers can meet those requirements by:
This certificate is only issued when no appropriate fully certified teacher is available to fill school vacancies.
The Teacher Certificate is issued to candidates who have fully completed required teacher training, including classroom experience and academic training appropriate to the subject matter to be taught. This certificate permits the teacher to work in any accredited Puerto Rican school, public or private. Academic requirements for this certificate include a bachelor's degree in education and appropriate coursework for the subject matter being certified. The amount and type of experience required also varies according to the subject matter being certified.
Teachers' Life Certificates are granted to fully certified teachers who have served in Puerto Rican public schools or accredited private schools for a minimum of 50 months. At least 30 months of that time must have been spent teaching in the category for which the life certificate is sought. In addition, any time spent teaching under a provisional certificate cannot be used to satisfy the 50-month requirement.
The PCMAS teaching exam is required for all three types of certificates. In addition, the exam score and grade-point average from the aspirant's academic training are used during the selection and hiring process.
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Create AccountThe General Education Council of Puerto Rico has established guidelines called the Standards and Procedures for Assessing Performance of Teacher Preparation Programs in Puerto Rico; these are designed for vetting teacher preparation programs in the country. This process looks at the school's economic feasibility, policies, and curriculum. Many are also accredited by The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) or the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Some notable programs for teacher prep in Puerto Rico include:
All applicants for any of the three types of teacher certifications must take the Pruebas para la Certificacion de Maestros (PCMAS). This test evaluates the knowledge and skills essential to being an efficient teacher. These areas of knowledge and skill will have been covered as part of the teaching training programs accredited in the colleges and universities of Puerto Rico. The PCMAS consists of three sections: Fundamental Knowledge, Professional Competencies and Analysis of Pedagogical Situations.
Specific areas covered by the first two sections of the test include:
Fundamental Knowledge
Professional Competencies
The PCMAS was developed in 2017. Passing scores on the PCMAS have varied over recent years but average between 89 and 92. These scores are then combined with other data, such as the candidate's grade point average, to assist in hiring selection.
For teachers holding valid teaching certificates in a U.S. state, acquiring a teaching certificate through Puerto Rico teacher certification reciprocity is also possible. Puerto Rico has an interstate contract for teacher certification with most states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. This agreement is through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). Puerto Rico is part of the southern region. The agreement calls upon the receiving jurisdiction to allow individuals to teach provided they hold a valid certification from the sending state. Despite this reciprocity agreement, receiving states may ask that additional requirements be met.
Although English and Spanish are both official languages in Puerto Rico, Spanish is the primary spoken language. Consequently, there are many opportunities for English-language teachers. Public school classes are mostly taught in Spanish, but with an increasing interest in bilingualism, there are growing opportunities for individuals who can teach English as a Foreign language (TEFL teachers) or who can teach other subjects in English. There are also many private international and language schools, particularly in San Juan and Ponce, with a high demand for TEFL teachers. Universities also have opportunities for international teachers.
The job market for teachers in Puerto Rico is competitive, but teachers from native English-speaking countries are often preferred. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree and already certified teachers may produce a valid teaching license from a state or country that enjoys reciprocity with Puerto Rico. TEFL certification is also needed. A TEFL certification is a professional credential, internationally accepted, certifying the holder's qualifications to teach non-native English-speaking students. Aspiring educators can obtain such certification from accredited TEFL teaching institutions, usually requiring 100 hours of coursework and as many as 20 hours of practice teaching experience.
In addition to education and student teaching requirements, candidates must meet the following qualifications to secure a teaching certificate:
Required academic preparation depends on the type of job sought. For example, vocational teachers must meet requirements set out by the Commonwealth Vocational Education Plan. Music teachers can demonstrate completed studies at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, and art teachers can complete academic work from the School of Plastic Arts Institute of Puerto Rican Culture in lieu of a standard teacher preparation program. In addition, teachers of the blind or visually impaired must show adequate skill in the use of Braille.
The steps to applying for a teaching certificate in Puerto Rico are:
Any U.S. citizen or resident authorized to work in the United States and who meets the requirements for a teacher job opening is welcome to apply. When applying, candidates can choose to be listed in a continuous registry of eligible candidates provided that they hold the appropriate Teacher Certificate. The eligible candidates will be assigned a score according to their academic preparation, grade-point average, years of experience, place of residence and veteran's preference, and PCMAS scores. That score will determine the order of hiring as job vacancies develop.
The Provisional Teacher Certificate allows individuals who hold a bachelor's degree but have not completed a teacher preparation program to teach while fulfilling the missing requirements. The teacher does not serve as a teacher-of-record in the classroom while working under a provisional certificate. These candidates can complete the requirements for a teaching certificate by:
The provisional certificates are only valid for three years and will only be issued when school vacancies cannot be filled by persons holding teaching certificates.
Individuals holding valid teaching certificates from other states, the District of Columbia or Guam may be able to obtain a Puerto Rican teaching certificate through reciprocity. Although Puerto Rico is part of reciprocity agreements, the candidate may need to fulfill additional requirements as directed by the Puerto Rico Department of Education.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Puerto Rico has over 23,000 teachers working in elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms. These teachers are spread across 849 public schools, and they are responsible for teaching over 263,000 students country-wide. According to data from the NCES, the student-to-teacher ratio in Puerto Rico was around 12:1 for the 2020-2021 school year.
The average salaries for teachers in Puerto Rico are as follows:
| Elementary School Teacher | $34,320 |
| Middle School Teacher | $32,640 |
| High School Teacher | $30,200 |
Nadim Tabsch is an adjunct English professor with over 15 years of experience. He has deep expertise in Literacy and Social Sciences and has been an educator at the elementary, middle school, high school, and collegiate level. Nadim graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education from Barry University and a Master's degree in Literacy from the University of New England.
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Many are. For example, the Teacher Preparation Program of the University of Puerto Rico is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The Teacher Education Program of Inter American University of Puerto Rico at Ponce is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Since English is one of Puerto Rico's official languages, teachers of English and teachers who can instruct other subjects in English are needed. Applicants from English-speaking countries are often preferred.
As of July 2022, teachers in Puerto Rico make a base salary of $2,750, thanks to a monthly pay raise of $1,000.
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