Alternate Route to Teacher Certification

The Alternate Route to Teacher Certification (ARC) is an authorized teacher preparation program that was created in 1988 to attract mid-career adults into the teaching profession, particularly in subjects with a shortage of teachers. Individuals who have worked as substitutes, paraprofessionals, or independent school teachers also are encouraged to apply. ARC is conducted by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education in Hartford.

ARC offers two sessions. ARC I is a nine-week, full-time summer session which runs from June into August. ARC II is a weekend session (Friday evenings and all day Saturdays) on three out of four weekends each month from late October into mid-May. Both sessions require a student teaching experience as well.

Admission to ARC is competitive and requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree and an academic major in the subject you wish to teach, along with other application criteria. All applicants must have passed the Praxis I examinations or have received a waiver based on past tests such as the SAT or the GRE. To learn more about the Praxis or the waiver or to apply for the waiver, please visit: www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/Cert/certform/ed_192.pdf.

For more information about ARC and the application process, see these resources:

Online ARC catalog - click here
Paper copy of the ARC catalog – request at arc@ctdhe.org.
Online ARC application – click here
Answers to questions or assistance in applying – email arc@ctdhe.org or call the toll-free Education & Employment Information Center Hotline at (800)842-0229.

Key Dates for 2009-10

ARC I - 2009
January 16, 2009	Application deadline for the ARC I - 2009 Summer Program. All Praxis I PPST and ACTFL OPI exams (if applicable) must be passed by this date to be considered for the summer session.
April 14-17, 2009	ARC I Admissions Notices Mailed
April 23, 2009	Required ARC I Student Orientation (Thursday evening from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.)
May 14, 2009	Job Fair for ARC Students (Thursday evening, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.)
June 8 - August 7, 2009	ARC I Summer Session (daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
July 6 - July 31, 2009	Student Teaching Period (required of all students)

ARC II - 2009-10
May 15, 2009	Application deadline for the ARC II - 2009-10 Weekend Program. All Praxis I PPST and ACTFL OPI exams (if applicable) must be passed by this date to be considered for the weekend session.
August 19-21, 2009	ARC II Admissions Notices Mailed
September 24, 2009	Required ARC II Student Orientation (Thursday evening from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.)
October 23, 2009 - May 7, 2010	ARC II - 2009-10 Weekend Program Friday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
March 29 - April 30, 2010	Student Teaching Period (20 full-time student teaching days are required of all ARC students during this period. The exact days of student teaching are dependent on school vacations and religious holidays)

Alternate Route for Early Childhood Education

Charter Oak State College, in cooperation with Eastern Connecticut State University, Mitchell College, Fairfield University, Southern Connecticut State University, St. Joseph College, University of Connecticut, and University of Hartford, will be offering an alternate route to the Connecticut Birth through Five teaching certificate (112 endorsement). This teaching certificate qualifies professionals to work in a variety of settings such as public preschools, Birth to Three Early Intervention services, and public kindergartens. The application deadline for 2009 is October 15, 2008.

Cross Endorsement for School Library Media Specialist

The Advanced Alternative Program for School Library Media Specialists is an innovative and exciting program developed by the Connecticut State Department of Education, approved by the Department of Higher Education, and administered by ACES to attract talented, successful Connecticut teachers to a new teaching career as school library media specialists. The program consists of a school year with activities related to the role and structure of high-quality library media programs and a rigorous, five-week period of intensive, full-time instruction offered only during the summer. Although the program does not carry college course credit, completion of the advanced preparation program results in a cross-endorsement as a school library media specialist, grades Pre-K-12.

Cross Endorsement as Literacy Specialist in Reading and Language Arts

An advanced alternate program to prepare teachers to become certified as Literacy Specialists in Reading and Language Arts is now offered by Albertus Magnus College. Completers of the program would be eligible for certificate 102 – Remedial Reading/Remedial Language Arts.

Cross Endorsement in Comprehensive Special Education

An advanced alternate route program to prepare already certified teachers for a cross endorsement in comprehensive special education (K-12) is now offered by CREC (the Capitol Region Education Council). The program provides training and practical experience based on national and state competencies for special education leading to the cross certification within a year’s time.