FCS Teacher Certification

Thank you for your interest in teaching Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS)! Many of us are 2nd career teachers and arrive at this career path via other avenues.

In the state of New Hampshire, FCS education is considered a critical shortage area. As a result, we have a process called alternative certification (alt 4), which means that an individual with at least a bachelor's degree in a field within the FCS realm can become certified to teach FCS through meeting designated competencies. These competencies can be met in a number of ways - coursework, workshops, webinars, professional reading, on-the-job training, etc.

The first step in becoming certified via "alt 4" is to obtain a Statement of Eligibility from the NH Department of Education. After you receive your Statement of Eligibility, you can then apply for a teaching position. Most districts will consider a strong alt 4 candidate for employment. The district will then work with the individual to determine how to meet competencies for certification and complete and submit the appropriate documents to the state. The state will then review and approve the plan or request revisions to the plan.

Please see the document below for further information and please reach out if you have any questions. There are many FCS teachers who have gone through this process and are happy to help!