Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET)

Teaching Institute

The instructional component of ACET includes 10 to 12 weeks of intensive coursework, with classes meeting most Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings and some Saturdays. The Teaching Institute utilizes blended instruction, including face to face and distance learning, and includes performance based activities, development, planning, and delivery of instruction.

It is composed of eight modules, based on the InTASC standards, which include human development, learning theories, secondary methods, secondary assessments, diversity, students with exceptions, and collaboration and communication.  Students will also enroll in READ 238, Methods of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area (Part 1), if not previously completed. 

A sample draft schedule for each of the cohort models may be found here:

• Fall / Winter Cohort At a Glance Schedule (PDF, )
• Spring / Summer Cohort At a Glance Schedule (PDF, )

A five to eight week unpaid internship is offered following successful completion of the Teaching
Institute, with candidates assigned to MCPS at either the middle or high school level. During the first week candidates observe in their placement classrooms. For the next few weeks they teach with frequent observation and feedback from Montgomery College School of Education faculty with experience in supervising student teachers.

After successful completion of the internship, candidates will interview for paid positions in MCPS. Once candidates are placed, intensive mentoring and supervision along with a regular cohort seminar provide strong support for each teacher candidate.

Residents must also successfully complete the appropriate Praxis Pedagogy exam and Part II of the Methods of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content (READ 239) at MC or equivalent professional development course in MCPS. At the end of a satisfactory resident year, candidates will be awarded the MSDE Standard Professional Certificate I.

1. Take Required Tests or Provide Test Scores: You must provide evidence of passing BOTH the Basic Skills Test (any one of the options listed there) AND the specified Content Knowledge Test for your teaching area in order to be considered for entry into the ACET program. For more information on the current status of Praxis testing, see the ETS Coronavirus Update page. 
   
   
   • Basic Skills Requirement: Present qualifying scores at or above the minimum on ONE of the following. Copies of SAT/ACT/GRE/Praxis I/Core reports are acceptable for basic skills test evidence. 

     • SAT taken after January 1, 2019, math and critical reading total score of 1180 OR

     • SAT taken BETWEEN April 1995 and December 2018, math and verbal/critical reading total score of 1100 OR]

     • SAT taken before April 1995, math and verbal total score of 1000 OR

     • ACT composite score of 24 OR
     • GRE taken before September 1, 2011, composite score of 1000 OR
     • GRE taken after September 1, 2011, composite score of 297 OR
     • Praxis I (Pre-Professional Skills Test) taken before September 1, 2014, composite score of 527 OR
     • Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Test, with the following individual component scores:
       Reading: 156
       Writing: 162
       Mathematics: 150
   • Content Knowledge Test: 
     • For all certification Areas EXCEPT World Languages: Successfully complete the Praxis Subject Assessment in your subject area.  These computer-delivered tests are available during specific time windows on a monthly basis. See ETS websitenew window for more details. Be sure to indicate that scores should be sent to Montgomery College, recipient code 5422. See the chart below for specific test numbers and names:
       

       To be certified in:	Take this Praxis subject assessment:	Test Code	Qualifying Score
       Middle School Mathematics	Middle School Mathematics (On-screen calculator provided)	5169	165
       Middle School Science	Middle School Science	5440	150
       Chemistry	Chemistry: Content Knowledge	5245	153
       Computer Science	Computer Science: Content Knowledge	5652	149
       English	English Language Arts:  Content and Analysis	5039	168
       Mathematics	Mathematics: Content Knowledge (On-screen graphing calculator provided)	5161	160
       Physics	Physics: Content Knowledge	5265	143
       Technology Education	Technology Education	5051	159

     • For World Languages certification: Successfully complete the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI or OPIc) and the Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) in your desired language, given through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Intermediate high scores or higher on each test are required for qualification. For more information and to schedule testing, go to the LTI website. 

2. Contact program assistant Fern Duncan at fern.duncan@montgomerycollege.edu for a list of classroom videos to view in lieu of classroom visits which are currently prohibited. Reflections on these videos are a required component of the application.
   
   
3. Submit the following electronically to the ACET program as described below:
     - Completed Application Evaluation Registration Form (PDF, ) with payment information (unless you have applied previously)
     - Completed ACET Application Form (PDF, ) , including responses to essay questions provided
     - Updated resume including employment history and educational background, emphasizing any experience in teaching or work enhancing your ability to teach adolescents.
   [Note that PDF forms must be downloaded and saved first before being completed electronically, saved and then submitted.]
   
   
4. Submit Transcripts: Have official college transcripts sent to the address below (NOT to the MC Admissions Office). Transcripts should include coursework, credit hours, overall GPA, and date of completion of degree. Note: Coursework completed outside the U.S. must first be officially evaluated by one of the MSDE approved agencies (PDF, ) . 
   
   
5. Submit Professional References: Have two references from former or current employers  emailed directly to the Montgomery College School of Education. They must use the ACET Professional Reference Form (PDF, ) . 

All items should be submitted electronically to ACET@montgomerycollege.edu 
OR to 
Debra Poese, Director of Teacher Education Partnerships, debra.poese@montgomerycollege.edu

We recommend that you keep a copy of all documents for your records. After consideration by the Selection Committee, qualified candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview. 

See the chart below for a breakdown of the costs and when each portion is due. Tuition and fees listed here are as of July 1, 2019, and are subject to change pending annual budget approvals. Books and supplies are additional. 

STEM professionals may qualify for the Noyce Scholar program to cover the full cost of ACET.

The Montgomery College Noyce: Excellent Teachers for STEM (MC NEXT STEM) program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professionals to become secondary mathematics and science teachers. The program supports STEM professionals who commit to teaching STEM fields in high-need middle schools and high schools upon completion of the ACET program. 

If you meet the following requirements, you may qualify to receive a $16,000 stipend through our National Science Foundation grant:

• Have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a STEM field
• Can document three or more years full-or part-time work in a non-teaching STEM career
• Commit to teach full-time as a STEM teacher in a high-needs middle or high school (MCPS
  or other) for at least two years within four years of completing the ACET program