New Jersey Approves iteach® as New Path to Teacher Certification

State expands fast-track licensure options to address ongoing teacher shortage

DENTON, Texas, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Department of Education has approved iteach®, a nationally accredited and competency-based teacher licensure program powered by K12 Coalition, as an official pathway, opening new doors for aspiring educators across the state.

The approval allows working professionals, career changers, and paraprofessionals to earn full certification without the high costs or inflexibility of traditional university programs. iteach combines online coursework, a teaching residency and real-time mentorship to create a streamlined, flexible, and affordable path to the classroom — and is now approved for New Jersey teacher certification.

This marks iteach's first expansion into the Northeast and brings its model, proven across 17 states, to a region where school systems are actively seeking new solutions to meet demand for high-quality educators.

Founded in 2003, iteach has helped more than 30,000 individuals become certified teachers through a flexible, high-support program. iteach was the first non-university certification provider to earn accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

New Jersey has led recent efforts to modernize education, from investing in literacy and AI in classrooms, to introducing strategies to reclaim teacher time and historic funding levels. Yet the state faces a well-documented shortage of certified educators. Governor Phil Murphy's Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages highlighted steep declines in education degree completions, especially in high-demand subject areas, and called for bold action to sustain teacher quality in a 2023 report. The report noted, "Teacher shortages in New Jersey, as well as across the nation, are threatening the availability of high-quality education in public schools."

"We created this program to give talented people a more accessible path into teaching, and we've continued to invest in making it stronger," said Andrew Rozell, president of iteach. "Districts need more than new certification pathways — they need partners who raise expectations, remove hurdles and help bring great teachers into classrooms. That's what we're here to do in New Jersey."

With continuous enrollment, iteach candidates can begin teaching with full pay just weeks after enrolling — no unpaid student teaching required. Compared to most university-based certification programs, iteach is significantly more affordable, offering more than 70 percent in savings without sacrificing quality. Candidates have everything they need to succeed without the financial strain, with low upfront costs, deferred payment options, and built-in supports like test prep, professional learning tools, and AI-powered resources.

In surveys from thousands of program completers, 97 percent of candidates say they'd recommend iteach, and 89 percent plan to stay in the profession long term. Graduates report high satisfaction with the program's preparation for classroom realities — from managing student behavior to creating engaging environments.

The organization's support infrastructure scales to meet demand: last year alone, iteach responded to more than 124,000 support tickets, most within 24 hours.

School and district leaders in New Jersey say alternative pathways like iteach are essential to strengthening the educator pipeline.

"According to data from New Jersey Policy Perspective, enrollment in teacher education programs declined at 20 of the state's 22 higher education institutions over a nine-year period," said Dr. Natasha T. Pitt, Director of Talent Acquisition & Development at College Achieve Public Schools. "The future of teaching depends on how well educators can market the profession and make it more desirable again. Innovative and flexible pathway programs, such as iteach, create real opportunities for non-traditional candidates to join the ranks of credentialed, heart-working teachers."

"Programs like iteach help us build a stronger, more prepared workforce that meets the evolving needs of our schools and communities," added Lennita L. Porter-Linen, BHRM, MAEL, Director of Human Resources, Recruitment and Retention at Bridgeton Public Schools.

Interested New Jersey residents can start teaching this fall — enroll now at iteach.net/new-jersey.

About iteach
iteach is a high-quality, trusted, competency-based alternative teacher preparation and certification program that combines the convenience of online learning with a supervised teaching residency. Now part of the certified B Corp K12 Coalition, iteach was founded in 2003 to help talented people become educators while avoiding the high costs and time commitments of some traditional educator preparation programs. iteach was the first educator preparation provider outside of a college or university to receive accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and has helped over 30,000 teachers become certified. The iteach model has been so successful at preparing high-quality educators on a large scale that the program now offers state-approved certification programs in 17 states and counting. Learn more at iteach.net.

Media Contact:
Madeleine Martin
FINN Partners
madeleine.martin@finnpartners.com 

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SOURCE K12 Coalition