The information about degrees only applies to South Carolina. This guide gets updated once a year, so make sure to check the SC Department of Education for the latest information about becoming a teacher.
To become a full-time classroom teacher, you need to earn a bachelor's degree; as part of your degree do an internship in a school; pass the PRAXIS test; get fingerprinted; and apply for a certificate. Some positions, like school librarian (also known as media specialist) require you to have a master's degree. For some positions, you can get the state to pay for the degree by choosing a critical need area.
Check out TEACH South Carolina for help, including videos, step by step guides, free prep for testing, and information about financial assistance.
Also known as paraprofessionals, teacher assistants have the opportunity to work with small groups or individual students. They assist teachers with classroom management, preparing materials, and provide extra support. If you are considering teaching as a career, this is an accessible way to get into the field as the requirements are less stringent. This allows you to get valuable classroom experience and determine if teaching is the right long-term career path for you.
According to Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), all instructional paraprofessionals in Title I schools or targeted assistance programs must complete at least one of the following three requirements:
At least two years of study (60 semester hours) at an accredited institution of higher education; or
An associate's degree (or higher); or
An approved state or local academic assessment that measures the paraprofessional's knowledge of and ability to assist in instruction at the appropriate level. Paraprofessionals may meet the assessment requirement by passing the ParaPro Assessment (ETS.org). The minimum passing score on this test is 456.
"Paraprofessionals." Federal Education Programs, South Carolina Department of Education, 2023, ed.sc.gov/policy/federal-education-programs/title-i/paraprofessionals/. Accessed 4 June 2025.
What if you started in another profession? Business, nursing, restaurant, or other profession and decide you want to teach? In South Carolina, one of the most popular ways to get into teaching is to participate in the PACE program. The Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE) was established to enable degreed individuals, who otherwise do not meet certification requirements, to gain employment in the public schools in a PACE approved subject area teaching position based on their bachelor's or graduate degree concentrations and coursework. PACE requires a three-year commitment to the content area and grade level for which you are admitted.
For more information, see the SC Department of Education's' PACE website.
