Connecticut School Librarian Certification Guide - 2024
AKA: School Library Media Specialist
- Guide Introduction
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Library Staff Licensing Pathways
Licensor: CT Dept. of Education
What's Here? - Table of Contents
Certification of a Connecticut School Librarian is essential. It is a process that ensures individuals who get into this career have the relevant expertise and knowledge that can make them competent and very reliable in pursuing their careers as school librarians. Certification also controls the number of individuals who may apply for a job in this field. It helps in minimizing the number of new private libraries and enhances the growth of school librarians by restricting competition from private librarians. Precisely, certification safeguards school librarians and ensures they get to enjoy benefits awarded to other workers such as having a well-paying steady job.
Initial Librarian Certification Process
Certification: School Library Media Specialist
Education Requirements
To become a school librarian in Connecticut, one has to have earned various academic achievements: specifically a Masters in Library and Information Science. Applicants should have a minimum of 30 credits as graduates in library science or educational technology to be eligible to qualify for certification. 9 of these credits must be specific to school-based coursework such as: teaching students, staff, and faculty to utilize media and various technologies.
Experience Requirements
There is a minimum amount of experience required to be a school librarian in Connecticut. This is considered vital to ensure that the applicants chosen to act in the capacity of school librarians have the necessary skills in this field (Connecticut, 2021). Applicants must have experience in a school-based career such as teaching students, school staff, media utilizing faculty (be able to apply instructional techniques, supervision, and administration using the school library media technology).
Testing Requirements
School librarian applicants in Connecticut are required to undergo specific testing requirements. Because the applicants fall in the category of the intermediate administrator or supervisor; they must complete test code 6412 by ETS Testing Company for the Connecticut Administrator. A passing score is 146. Individuals who score below this pass mark are considered ineligible to occupy school librarian positions.
Background Checks
Through the certification application, you will give the state of Connecticut consent to run a criminal history background check. There are no additional fees associated with this process and it is non-negotiable.
Application Process
An applicant can choose to use either a paper-based application or an online application method. According to the official department of education website of the Connecticut, for the online application option, applicants carry out the application process here.
For those using the paper application option, download the application here and submit the credentials after filling them to teacher.etranscript@ct.gov.
First-time applicants are required to submit an application fee of $50 non-refundable.
Alternative Librarian Certification Process
Education Requirements
According to Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES), you can alternatively become certified as a school librarian using the Alternate Route to Certification for Library Media Specialist (ARCLMS). This method was approved by the Connecticut State Education Board to ensure that there is an advanced education system for to help school districts who are in immediate need of school librarians. Applicants earn cross-endorsement #062 – School Library Media Specialist Certification – upon completing a one-year ARCLMS study program. Additionally, applicants are required to have a Professional Educator teaching Certificate or CT provision that is valid. These programs can be accessed through the ACES platform.
Experience Requirements
Being enrolled for this alternate librarian certification process requires one to have experience associating with students. The career of a school librarian entails using complex technology working with minors. Therefore, to be eligible for this program, applicants should be employees of a school district or a Connecticut PreK-12 school during the period of study (ACES, 2021). Generally, the applicants are required to have school teaching experience to be eligible for this position.
Testing Requirements
Applicants wishing to pursue school librarian certification using Alternate Route to Certification for Library Media Specialist also undergo the test Praxis II, Library Media Specialist (#5311), to provide program data on participant knowledge. There is no minimum score to pass.
Applicants are also asked to undergo an interview to determine if they are eligible for this program. This testing criterion focuses on whether the applicant understands what the career entails or not.
Background Checks
Through the certification application, you will give the state of Connecticut consent to run a criminal history background check. There are no additional fees associated with this process and it is non-negotiable.
Application Process
The application process fully occurs online. Applicants are required to first carry out an account application on Survey Monkey before registering and applying for this program. Notably, applicants are required to fill all the sections requested during the application process through this link. Applicants must attach copies of their CT teaching certificate, updated resume, and a reference letter from your administrator to support the applicant’s participation in this alternate way of becoming a school librarian.
The applicants provide an application fee of $75.00 which is non-refundable.
Certification Renewal Procedure
School Library Media Specialist CT Certification
A School Library Media Specialist CT Certification should be renewed after three years. Although it can still be renewed within five years after the expiry date as long as the holder meets the required coursework and maintains the current test requirements. The school librarian under this category should also be conversant with education technology as required by the regulations guiding the certification.
The renewal is done through an online application submitted with a $200 money order or bank check containing the professional experience through this link.
Alternate Route to Certification for Library Media Specialist
On the other hand, Alternate Route to Certification for Library Media Specialist is a provisional certification that is active for eight years. It is not renewable except under select circumstances, instead, Applicants are required to acquire additional coursework during this period to enable them to advance to the level of a professional certified librarian. Librarians under this category are required to pay $250 together with a non-refundable $50 non-refundable application fee when applying for an upgrade online through the Connecticut Department of Education website.
Certification Reciprocity Process
According to Connecticut certification (2021), Connecticut is also part of an interstate reciprocity agreement. This state allows librarians from other states to apply for school librarian certification within the State as well as Applicants from Connecticut to seek certification outside the state. Individuals from states that are in the interstate reciprocity agreement are also required to be eligible under the CT guidelines to gain the necessary certification for school librarian positions.
For School Library Media Specialist CT Certification, applicants are required to complete a state-planned preparation program, acquire a three-year certificate, and meet testing and coursework requirements to be eligible to work as a school librarian. On the other hand, applicants from other states seeking a career using Alternate Route to Certification for Library Media specialists are required to complete a state-planned preparation program. Additionally, they should have “thirty months of successful out-of-state service under a valid certificate from that state; meet testing requirements and an eight-year certificate to allow them to engage in school librarian career freely in the State of Connecticut”.
If the out-of-state applicant has passed the test requirements in a State that is also part of an interstate reciprocity agreement; the testing body that carries the same testing task in Connecticut verifies and submits the results to the Connecticut State Department of Education to determine if the results are equivalent to those that are relevant in Connecticut.
Those out-of-State applicants who do not meet the Connecticut testing requirements but meet all other requirements are given interim certificates and pay a fee that is not refundable. These certificates have deferrals that indicate the tests that are required for three years for those Applicants with a teaching experience that is less than two years. Applicants with an interim certificate are required to complete all the highlighted tests before the certificate expires. Interim certificates are issued to applicants immediately after they meet the requirements.
References:
ACES. (2021). Alternate Route to Certification for Library Media Specialists. Retrieved June 13, 2021, from https://www.aces.org/services/alternate-routes-to-certification/arclms
Connecticut. (2021). Special subject cross-endorsements. Retrieved June 13, 2021, from https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Certification/Special-Subject-Cross-Endorsements#062
Connecticut Certification. (2021). Out-of-state certified teachers–regulations. Retrieved June 13, 2021, from https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Certification/Out-of-State-Certified-Teachers/Regulations#exemptions