Teachers — Missouri K-12 Education Reference

Table of Contents

1. Certification & Licensure
2. Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES)
3. Professional Development
4. Missouri Learning Standards
5. Substitute Teachers
6. Teacher Rights & Employment
7. National Board Certification
8. Career & Technical Education (CTE) Certification

1. Certification & Licensure

Certificate Types

Certification Assessments

• MoGEA (Missouri General Education Assessment): basic skills in reading, writing, math, science, social studies — OR qualifying ACT/SAT/GRE scores as alternative
• Content area exams: Missouri Content Assessments (MoCA) or Praxis — specific to teaching field
• Performance assessment: edTPA or Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MoPTA) — required for program completers

Certification Areas (Common)

Elementary Education (1-6), Middle School (5-9) by content, Secondary (9-12) by content, K-12 areas (Art, Music, PE, Special Education, Library Media, School Counseling, etc.)

Adding Endorsements

Teachers can add content area endorsements by completing required coursework (typically 24+ semester hours in the content area) and passing the relevant content assessment. DESE's Certification section processes applications.

Out-of-State Reciprocity

Missouri has reciprocity agreements with many states. Out-of-state teachers typically need:

• Valid teaching certificate from another state
• Transcripts meeting Missouri requirements
• Passing content assessment scores (or DESE-approved equivalents)
• Background check
• Application through DESE's Educator Certification System (ECS)

Background Checks

• Required for all certificate holders: FBI fingerprint-based and Missouri Highway Patrol checks
• RSMo 168.133 requires school districts to conduct background checks on all employees and volunteers with unsupervised access to children

2. Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES)

Overview

MEES is Missouri's teacher evaluation framework, aligned to the 8 Missouri Teaching Standards and 36 Quality Indicators. Districts may use MEES directly or adopt a locally-developed system that meets DESE's minimum requirements.

8 Missouri Teaching Standards

1. Content Knowledge (indicators 1.1-1.5)
2. Student Learning Growth and Development (indicators 2.1-2.6)
3. Curriculum Implementation (indicators 3.1-3.3)
4. Critical Thinking (indicators 4.1-4.2)
5. Positive Classroom Environment (indicators 5.1-5.4)
6. Effective Communication (indicators 6.1-6.3)
7. Student Assessment (indicators 7.1-7.4)
8. Professionalism (indicators 8.1-8.5)

Scoring Rubric

Evaluation Process

1. Pre-observation conference — teacher and evaluator discuss lesson plan, context, goals
2. Formal observation — evaluator observes full lesson (or portion) using standards-based rubric
3. Post-observation conference — review evidence, discuss scores, identify growth areas
4. Summative evaluation — end-of-year summary of all observation data, professional growth, student data
5. Growth plan — if needed, collaboratively developed plan for targeted improvement

Evaluation Frequency

• Non-tenured teachers (years 1-5): formal evaluation annually (minimum 2 observations per year recommended)
• Tenured teachers: evaluation every 3 years minimum; annual if on a growth plan
• Districts may set more frequent schedules by policy

Teacher Career Continuum

• Developing — early career, building foundational skills
• Proficient — meeting standard expectations consistently
• Accomplished — demonstrates leadership in practice
• Expert — models excellence and mentors others

3. Professional Development

Certificate Renewal Requirements

• CCPC renewal: professional development aligned to teaching assignment; DESE requires ongoing PD but specific hour requirements are set by district/RPDC
• Recommended: 30 hours annually (many districts require this as a minimum)
• PD must be documented and may include: workshops, conferences, graduate coursework, peer observation, curriculum writing, online learning

Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs)

Missouri has a network of RPDCs that provide free and low-cost professional development:

• Heart of Missouri RPDC
• Central Missouri RPDC
• Northwest Missouri RPDC
• Southwest Missouri RPDC
• Southeast Missouri RPDC
• Northeast Missouri RPDC
• Kansas City Metro RPDC
• St. Louis Metro RPDC
• Ozarks RPDC

PD Topics Commonly Required or Recommended

• Trauma-informed practices
• Cultural competency / culturally responsive teaching
• Reading science (Science of Reading) — particularly for elementary teachers
• De-escalation and positive behavior supports
• Technology integration
• Differentiated instruction
• Assessment literacy
• Mandated reporter training (RSMo 210.115)
• Suicide prevention awareness (RSMo 170.048) -- see Crisis & Emergency
• Dyslexia awareness (RSMo 167.950)

4. Missouri Learning Standards

Missouri adopted state-specific learning standards (not Common Core, though aligned in rigor):

Subject Areas with Standards

Standards Code Format

Varies by subject. Examples:

• ELA: {grade}.{strand}.{standard}.{indicator} — e.g., 5.R.1.A = Grade 5, Reading, Standard 1, Indicator A
• Math: {grade}.{domain}.{cluster}.{standard} — e.g., 6.EE.A.1
• Science: {grade-band}.{core-idea}.{performance-expectation}

Priority Standards

Many districts identify "priority" or "power" standards — the most essential standards for guaranteed curriculum. These vary by district but typically represent ~30-40% of total standards with the highest leverage for student learning.

5. Substitute Teachers

Requirements

• Standard substitute certificate: 60+ college credit hours + background check
• Substitute with teaching certificate: valid Missouri teaching certificate
• Long-term substitute (60+ consecutive days in same assignment): must hold a valid teaching certificate in the relevant content area

Substitute Pay

Set by individual districts. Missouri does not mandate a minimum substitute teacher wage. Ranges widely:

• Daily rate typically $80-$150/day (varies significantly by district and region)
• Long-term substitutes may receive higher rates or partial benefits

Substitute Limitations

• Standard substitutes may not serve more than a specified number of consecutive days without becoming a "long-term substitute" (district policy, typically 60 days)
• Substitutes are mandated reporters (RSMo 210.115)
• Substitutes must follow district policies on discipline, safety, and emergency procedures

6. Teacher Rights & Employment

Tenure (Career Teacher Status)

• Probationary period: 5 consecutive years of employment in the same district (RSMo 168.104)
• After completing probation with satisfactory evaluations, teacher achieves "permanent" status (tenure)
• Tenured teachers may only be terminated for cause (incompetency, insubordination, immorality, etc.) with due process (RSMo 168.114)
• Non-tenured teachers may be non-renewed without cause at the end of their contract year (with proper notice by April 15)

Teacher Rights

• Right to organize and bargain collectively (RSMo 105.500-105.530) — but Missouri is a non-mandatory collective bargaining state; districts are not required to negotiate
• Right to due process before termination (for tenured teachers)
• Right to review their personnel file
• Right to file grievances per district policy
• Academic freedom within the scope of approved curriculum
• Protection under the Missouri Teacher Tenure Act (RSMo 168.102-168.130)

Contract Requirements

• Teacher contracts must be in writing
• Contracts specify salary, assignment, duration
• Districts must notify non-tenured teachers of non-renewal by April 15 (RSMo 168.126)
• Tenured teachers must receive written charges and a hearing before termination

7. National Board Certification

Missouri Incentives

• Missouri provides a salary supplement for National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT)
• RSMo 168.345 authorizes up to $2,000/year additional compensation (subject to appropriation)
• Some districts provide additional local incentives
• NBCT is recognized as evidence of advanced professional practice under MEES Standard 8

8. Career & Technical Education (CTE) Certification

CTE Teacher Pathways

Missouri allows industry professionals to enter CTE teaching through alternative pathways:

1. CTE Certificate of License to Teach (CLT): industry experience + 2,000 hours work experience in the field + enrollment in approved teacher education coursework
2. CTE Career Education Certificate: bachelor's degree + industry experience + education coursework
3. Temporary Authorization Certificate (TAC): issued while completing requirements

CTE Content Areas

Missouri organizes CTE into 16 career clusters: Agriculture, Architecture & Construction, Arts/AV/Communications, Business Management, Education & Training, Finance, Government & Public Administration, Health Science, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Law/Public Safety, Manufacturing, Marketing, STEM, Transportation

Area Career Centers

Missouri operates Area Career Centers (ACCs) that provide CTE programs to students from multiple sending districts. ACCs are critical infrastructure for CTE delivery in rural and suburban areas.

Related Resources

• Missouri Learning Standards (detailed) -- full standards reference by subject area
• Assessments -- MAP, EOC, and assessment accommodations
• Discipline & Behavior -- PBIS, restorative practices, and classroom behavior support
• English Learners -- supporting ELL students in the classroom
• IEP Compliance Checklist -- for teachers serving on IEP teams