Teaching in Louisiana: A Guide for Foreign Educators
If you’re a foreign teacher with 5 or more years of teaching experience and want to work in Louisiana, here are the essential requirements:
Requirements for Foreign Teachers
If you’re a foreign teacher with 5 or more years of teaching experience and want to work in Louisiana, here are the essential requirements:
Bachelor’s Degree: You must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Teacher Preparation Program: Complete a Louisiana-approved teacher preparation program. This includes 180 hours of field experience and a full year of classroom residency.
Praxis Exams: Pass the appropriate Praxis exams related to your certification area. The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Praxis I) is no longer required1.
Teaching Experience: Active teaching experience is necessary to obtain credentials for special education.
Benefits for Louisiana Teachers
Louisiana offers several benefits to teachers:
Salary: The average public school teacher salary in Louisiana for the 2021-2022 school year was $52,6602. However, this can vary based on factors like location, education, and experience.
Healthcare: Teachers receive health insurance benefits.
Retirement: The Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) provides pension benefits. Let’s explore this further.
Pension and Retirement Options
The TRSL offers different benefit options for retiring teachers:
Maximum Option: Provides the largest monthly benefit to the retiree. No beneficiary benefit.
Option 1: Slightly reduced monthly benefit, but allows multiple beneficiaries. Beneficiaries receive the remaining balance of accumulated contributions in a lump sum.
Lifetime Benefit Options: These options provide a lifetime benefit to a single beneficiary. The benefit amount depends on reduction factors based on age.
Option 2: Reduced monthly benefit, same lifetime benefit for the beneficiary.
Option 2A: Same as Option 2, but if the beneficiary dies before the retiree, the benefit “pops up” to the Maximum Option.
Option 3: Greater reduction than Option 2, with a lifetime benefit for the beneficiary equal to half the member’s benefit.
Option 3A: Similar to Option 3, with the “pop-up” feature.
Option 4: Benefit determined by the cost designated for the beneficiary.
Special Education Licensing
For special education teachers, follow these steps:
Praxis Exams: Take the Praxis exams relevant to your certification area.
For Birth to Kindergarten (General Education), consider the Early Childhood: Content Knowledge (5022) or other related exams.
For Elementary Education (PK-3), take the Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (5018) or Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001) exams1.
Complete Required Courses: Special education courses are mandatory.
Teaching Experience: Active teaching experience is essential for obtaining credentials.
Resources
Remember, teaching in Louisiana offers a rewarding experience with competitive benefits. Explore the official links for detailed information and start your teaching journey!