TMI

Alternate Route Program Types

Selecting a Program: Overview of the Alternate Route
From the Mississippi Department of Education website.

• Teach Mississippi Institute (TMI) – This is the category that contains the TMI Online program.
• Master of Arts in Teaching Alternate Route (MAT) – Twelve programs, each overseen by its offering university.
• American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) – One program, though it requires additional third-party interaction with a MAT program or other.

Completing an Alternate Route program is a required step for an individual who holds a bachelor's degree (non-education) and would like to transition into teaching but lacks the certification or license. Currently there are three methods to obtaining certification through the Alternate Route. The Alternate Route Teacher programs are listed above.

These are the steps you need to take for alternate route certification:

1. Decide what subject and age level you want to teach. This decision will help you choose which alternate route program will work for you.
2. All programs require testing:
   • Praxis Subject Assessment in the area you want to teach
   • 3.0 GPA -or- 21+ ACT equivalent -or- achieve the nationally recommended passing score on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (hereafter Praxis Core) examination
3. You need to choose an alternate route program. Many candidates choose a program based on these criteria:
   • geographical location of the program
   • subject areas offered
   • cost and time commitment
   • internship requirements
   • grade level
   • your personal academic skills and professional background
4. Once you have successfully completed your testing you must enroll in an alternate route program and complete the training and coursework required. You will then be ready to apply for your initial alternate license by submitting to the Office of Educator Licensure a completed licensure application, an official transcript showing a bachelor’s degree (non-education), your original Praxis scores, and proof of alternate route enrollment.
5. The internship is your first full year of teaching at a Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) accredited school (in TMI, that is concurrent with your enrollment in TMI 2). Mentoring will be provided during the internship. You will be paid based on your bachelor's degree status as a third-year teacher. The license held during the internship is provisional (good only in Mississippi and is non-renewable).
6. Upon completion of the internship, you are ready to apply for your five-year standard teaching license.
   
   Note: The alternate route for Elementary Education is available only through a MAT program (full degree completion required to secure the K-6; partial completion can lead to the 4-6 endorsement). To upgrade the 7-12 SPED endorsement to K-12 SPED, you must pass the MS Foundations of Reading exam.