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Physical Education Teachers

Certification, Licensing, and Special Requirements

Certification or Licensing

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed by the Board of Education in the state where they will be working. Licensing is generally not required for teachers in private schools.

Teacher certification in physical education is available from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Applicants must have a bachelor's degree and three years of classroom experience in a public or private school. They must prepare a portfolio of their teaching experience and complete exercises at an NBPTS assessment center to demonstrate their knowledge of their teaching specialty. After they complete these requirements and pay an application fee, they can use the designation, national board certified teacher. Certifications are available in early and middle childhood and early adolescence through young adulthood. 

The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence also offers certification. Prospective teachers can earn the passport to teaching certification and experienced teachers can earn the master teacher certification.

The National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities offers a voluntary certification program for adapted physical education instructors through the Adapted Physical Education National Standards. Instructors who pass an exam and meet other professional requirements may use the professional designation, certified adapted physical educator.

Some schools may also require you to be CPR-certified.

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