The Value of Your Teacher Certification Program

Two frequently asked questions we receive at iteach are:

• How much does the program cost?
• How long does it take to complete?

We realize money and time are two valuable resources, and our program is designed to meet those needs. We have the lowest upfront cost of any program in the state, and candidates are eligible to be hired within a few weeks of beginning training.

However, we also encourage prospective teachers to consider the value they are getting for their investment of money and time. The reality is that the state of Texas has the same minimum training requirements for alternatively certified teachers, so your investment of time will be roughly equivalent no matter which route you choose.

Similarly, iteach’s program cost is among the lowest in the state, but there are other programs whose price is comparable to ours.

So when faced with similar teacher certification programs, how do you know which one is best?

We encourage prospective teachers to comparison shop ALL aspects of a certification, and ask instead:

• What do I get for my money with your program?
• What is the return on my invested time?

iteach believes we offer the best value for aspiring teachers, balancing program quality with accessibility and affordability. Here are some characteristics that set iteach apart from other preparation programs:

Curriculum

• You can begin taking our courses at any time, with no waiting to join a cohort.
•  iteach is not only state accredited; we have voluntarily submitted our course curriculum for review and have received national accreditation through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). NCATE accreditation signals that iteach meets high national standards for program rigor and comprehensiveness. In other words, NCATE accreditation ensures that in exchange for the time you spend working on your certification coursework, you will actually gain practical knowledge that experienced teachers believe is valuable for your new career.
• NCATE accreditation also gives you a more flexible certification because it increases the reciprocity of your certificate to transfer to other states if you ever need to move.
• When you complete the iteach program, you also earn 6-9 hours of graduate credit towards a master’s degree at Grand Canyon University. With in-state tuition at a state university, it would cost $2,500-$3,500 to earn the same number of graduate credit hours.

In the next post, we will consider two additional factors to consider when determining the value you get for your investment in a certification program.