Secondary Teacher Preparation Policy
Content Test Requirements: Indiana requires middle school certification (grades 6-9) for all middle school teachers. All new middle school teachers are required to pass a Pearson middle school single-subject test to attain licensure; a general content knowledge test is not an option.
Academic Requirements: Indiana requires candidates to earn the middle school-setting certification with a content area. Their degree must include a major or
content area that substantially applies to a content area listed in the
state's certification regulations.
Due to Indiana's strong policies in this area, no recommendations are provided.
Indiana recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.
3A: Middle School Content Knowledge
Middle school grades are critical years of schooling. It is in these years that far too many students fall through the cracks. However, requirements for the preparation and licensure of middle school teachers can be especially problematic. States need to distinguish the knowledge and skills needed by middle school teachers from those needed by an elementary teacher. Whether teaching a single subject in a departmentalized setting or teaching multiple subjects in a self-contained setting, middle school teachers must be able to teach significantly more advanced content than elementary teachers. In order to do so, middle school teachers must be deeply knowledgeable about every subject they will be licensed to teach, and able to pass a licensing test in every core subject to demonstrate this knowledge.[1] The notion that someone should be identically prepared to teach first grade or eighth grade mathematics seems ridiculous, but states that license teachers on a K-8 generalist certificate essentially endorse this idea.