How Do I Join?
Eligibility
TeacherNex is designed for individuals dedicated to raising student achievement in Newark. We are looking for candidates with the commitment and determination to be successful in closing the achievement gap in our city. No previous coursework in education or teaching experience is required.
Strong applicants are those who have outstanding academic and professional records and are committed to fostering academic excellence and ensuring achievement for all students, especially students who have persistently performed below grade-level.
To apply, candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements.
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university (conferred by June 2010)
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0
- U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status
- Testing requirements
- Subject area eligibility
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, awarded by June 2010, from an accredited college or university. You will need to provide official, sealed, transcripts from all colleges and universities attended at the interview event, if invited.
Graduates of foreign universities must have their transcripts evaluated by an approved agency. When requesting an evaluation, be sure that the agency specifically states that you have received the U.S. equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in your subject area AND provides a full listing of your coursework. Applications that include foreign transcripts will not be reviewed until the completed evaluation has been mailed to the TeacherNex office. Candidates with foreign transcripts must have their transcripts evaluated by one of the following credential agencies prior to applying:
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
- Educational Credential Evaluators
- International Education Research Foundation
- World Education Services
Candidates must have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Graduate courses may not be used or averaged with the undergraduate GPA. If your college did not provide a GPA, you will need to submit a letter from your school, with your transcript, explaining this and verifying that you would have earned at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
TeacherNex may make exceptions for candidates whose GPA is between a 2.5 and 3.0 and who demonstrate a strong record of achievement in previous endeavors and a record of serving children and young-adults in low-income communities. Candidates with a GPA lower than 3.0 will have the opportunity to address any issues relevant to their academic performance by including a brief statement in the TeacherNex application. All applications with a GPA lower than 3.0 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status
Applicants must present proof of legal work status in order to become employees of Newark Public Schools or any of our charter school partners. TeacherNex does not provide sponsorship for employment.
Testing requirements
The goal of TeacherNex is to find outstanding new teachers who will enter their classrooms as highly qualified new educators. Therefore, accepted candidates must meet all testing requirements according to state, district and licensure program guidelines for the subject they wish to teach before finalizing enrollment in the TeacherNex hiring pool and becoming eligible to interview with TeacherNex partner principals. TeacherNex strongly encourages all candidates to register for the appropriate Praxis II examination(s) as soon as possible. For important dates and more information about which exam to register for, be sure to review the Testing Requirements section of this website.
If invited to an interview, the TeacherNex office will assign candidates to a subject area and advise candidates on the Praxis II exam(s) that should be taken. Please note that subject area assignments are based on candidates’ reports of previous college coursework on the online application. Please see the tables below for detailed information about New Jersey Department of Education subject area eligibility and corresponding Praxis II requirements. All candidates should keep these requirements in mind when reporting coursework and stating subject area preferences on the online application.
Before final acceptance into the hiring pool, candidates must submit official transcripts so that course credits and GPA can be verified. Upon further review of official transcripts, TeacherNex may change candidates’ subject area assignments if necessary. In such cases, candidates may need to take additional Praxis II exams. Ineligibility for a specific subject does not necessarily remove a candidate from the interview and selection process.
Beyond the specific eligibility requirements for each subject area listed below, you are responsible for registering for, studying for, and passing the appropriate Praxis II subject area exam(s). In addition, you must verify sufficient knowledge of physiology, hygiene and substance abuse issues, including the effects of narcotics and alcohol through passage of the county office exam or through previous college level coursework in biology, health or nutrition or through basic military training. Candidates to teach Spanish or Bilingual/Bicultural Education must also pass oral and written language proficiency exams in Spanish and/or English. Admission to TeacherNex is contingent upon passage of these required tests, and passing scores must be on file with our office before a candidate can begin interviewing with TeacherNex partner principals. The deadline to submit passing score reports for all exams is May 31, 2010.
Subject Area Requirements
TeacherNex Alternate-Route teachers will teach math, science, special education, and bilingual/bicultural education. Eligibility requirements vary by subject area and are established by the New Jersey Department of Education. Candidates must meet subject area eligibility requirements before they are eligible to interview with TeacherNex partner schools and teach a subject area.
K-12 Mathematics Requirements
Coursework Required |
Certificate of Eligibility Required |
Praxis II Exam Required |
Undergraduate math major OR 30 credit hours in a coherent sequence of math courses, with 12 of the 30 credits in advanced (junior, senior, or graduate level) math courses* |
Mathematics: Content Knowledge (10061) |
*Only count Mathematics courses. Finance, Accounting, Economics, and Business courses do not count.
K-12 Science Requirements
Coursework Required |
Certificate of Eligibility Required |
Praxis II Exam Required |
Undergraduate science major
OR
30 credit hours in a coherent sequence of science courses, with 12 of the 30 credits in advanced (junior, senior, or graduate level) science courses |
Biology: Content Knowledge (20235) and General Science: Content Knowledge (10435) |
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Chemistry: Content Knowledge (20245) and General Science: Content Knowledge (10435) |
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Chemistry: Content Knowledge (20245) and Physics: Content Knowledge (10265) and General Science: Content Knowledge (10435) |
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Physics: Content Knowledge (10265) and General Science Content Knowledge (10435) |
*Please note that social science courses do not count..
Middle School Mathematics Requirements
Coursework Required |
Certificate of Eligibility Required |
Praxis II Exam Required |
15 hours of Mathematics |
Elementary School with Subject Matter Specialization: Mathematics in Grades 5 – 8 (1102) and |
Middle School Mathematics (20069) and Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (10014)
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*Only count Mathematics courses. Finance, Accounting, Economics, and Business courses do not count.
Middle School Science Requirements
Coursework Required |
Certificate of Eligibility Required |
Praxis II Exam Required |
15 hours of Science |
Elementary School with Subject Matter Specialization: Science in Grades 5 – 8 (1103) and |
Middle School Science (10439) and Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (10014) |
*Please note that social science courses do not count..
Special Education Requirements
Coursework Required |
Certificate of Eligibility Required |
Praxis II Exam Required |
To teach SPED, one must hold certification in any other content area. In most cases, TeacherNex teachers will need the Elementary (K-5) certification which requires a major in the liberal arts or sciences, or 60 liberal arts credits. |
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (10014) |
Bilingual/Bicultural Education Requirements
Coursework Required |
Certificate of Eligibility Required |
Praxis II Exam Required |
To teach in a bilingual/bicultural classroom, one must hold certification in a primary content area. In most cases, TeacherNex teachers will need the Elementary (K-5) certification which requires a major in the liberal arts or sciences, or 60 liberal arts credits. |
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (10014) |
*Please note that Bilingual/Bicultural Education teachers must also pass oral and written language proficiency exams in both the target language (in most cases Spanish), and English.
