If you are a teaching professional who wants to work in the state of Arizona you will need to pass an AEPA exam (Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment) and achieve certification. This certification is designed to ensure that educators are capable of enhancing student achievement in the classroom and meet the standards of the state’s dynamic and diverse society. The certification, introduced in 1997 by the Arizona State Board of Education, requires applicants to pass a test that includes the subject to be taught as well as teaching professional knowledge. The AEPA is intended to ensure that certified teachers have the necessary skills and knowledge to teach in Arizona public schools based on Arizona Academic, Arizona Professional Teaching and Arizona Professional Administrative, standards.
The AEPA exam and certification is required for all applicants for a teaching certificate in Arizona specific to the subject being taught. Before you register for the test you’ll need to do the following: select the test that you want to take (based on the specific subject that you want to teach), choose a date that you want to take the test, decide where you want to take the test, select a registration method (by internet, US mail or telephone) and select the method by which you want to pay for the test. When you register for the AEPA you’ll also need to provide the following information: your name, address, contact telephone number, social security number, date of birth (this enables you to check your scores online), email address (if registering by internet) and optionally your gender and ethnicity.
Study guides are available for each subject area that is to be tested from the AEPA website at no cost. The onjectives of the tests are based on certification standards, curriculum material and the content of educator preparation programs in the state of Arizona. If you want to teach in Arizona you’ll need your APEA certification, it ensures that you meet the professional teaching standards required.