Workforce Profile of Alternatively Certified Teachers in South Carolina for 2022–23

Alternatively certified teachers constitute a growing portion of public school educators in the US. This is a trend that is expected to continue, due to the declining enrollment in traditional teacher preparation programs across recent years. As such, this report examines the profiles of alternatively certified teachers working in South Carolina public schools (those currently enrolled in alternative certification programs and those who have completed them). The analysis delves into the demographics and placements of these teachers and explores how their employment correlates with teacher attrition rates. Altogether, it offers preliminary insights into the roles of alternatively certified educators in the teacher pipeline. In 2022–23, South Carolina employed 4,757 alternatively certified teachers, including in all 73 traditional school districts, spread relatively evenly across the state's regions. The analysis revealed that most were employed in middle or high schools, rural or suburban areas, and low- or moderate-poverty contexts.