Art Teachers make a positive impact on students’ lives: in a longitudinal study of 25,000 secondary school students, those with higher involvement in the arts scored better on measures of persistence than their peers with lower arts involvement.
The Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) was established as part of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act to oversee the education profession, and is responsible for issuing and renewing certificates for all Kentucky teachers. To become an Art Teacher in Kentucky, follow these steps:
 | Complete a Bachelor Degree and Teacher Prep Program |
 | Complete an Internship Program |
 | Complete Testing |
 | Apply for a Certificate |
 | Maintain and Upgrade Your Certificate |
 | Pursue Graduate Work |
Step 1. Complete a Bachelor Degree and Teacher Prep Program
The first step to becoming a teacher in Kentucky is to complete a bachelor’s degree and approved four-year educator preparation program that includes student teaching. Five Kentucky institutions currently provide a traditional route to initial certification at the bachelor’s levels in the arts and humanities areas; a listing may be found here.
Note that before you apply for a license, the state will require a recommendation from the certification official at your school regarding the specific teacher preparation program completed, grade level, degree level, and completion date of the program. Currently, state regulations require you to have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale during your coursework, with a GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale on the last sixty hours of credit completed.
According to the National Art Education Association Standards, teacher prep classes in the visual arts should train teachers to engage students in traditional and contemporary art-making processes; survey the history of art and help foster respect for various art forms and the contexts in which they are made; and introduce students to an array of historical and contemporary artists. Classes also focus on the theories and techniques of art education, as well as more general pedagogical training.
Information on alternative routes to certification in Kentucky, for those with exceptional work or educational experience, may be found here.
Step 2. Complete an Internship Program
Assuming you are a new teacher coming from within the state with less than two years of experience, you will also need to complete the one-year Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP) before becoming certified. A face-to-face training date is required at the start of the program, and details are available here. The KTIP program includes the completion of a KTIP Teacher Performance Assessment, which includes a set of twelve teaching tasks designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate performance of the Kentucky Teacher Standards. The tasks are:
1. Component I: Classroom Teaching
- Task A-1: Teaching and Learning Context
- Task A-2: Lesson Plan
- Task B: Classroom Observation
- Task C: Lesson Analysis and Reflection
2. Component II: Professional Responsibilities
- Task D: Collaborate to Address Special Learning Needs
- Task E: Assess and Manage Professional Growth
- Task F: Leadership
3. Component III: Instructional Unit
- Task G: Designing the Instructional Unit
- Task H: The Assessment Plan
- Task I: Designing Instructional Strategies and Activities
- Task J-1: Organizing and Analyzing the Results Reflecting on the Impact of Instruction
- Task J-2: Communication and Follow-Up
Detailed information on the KTIP program may be found here.
Step 3. Complete Testing
Becoming an art teacher in Kentucky requires passing the following tests:
- Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators in Reading, Writing, and Math
- One of the Principles of Learning and Teaching tests
- Praxis II Art: Content Knowledge test
The Praxis Core tests are required for entry into Kentucky teacher prep programs. These tests measures basic skills in reading, writing, and math through multiple-choice questions and two thirty-minute essay questions. In Kentucky, passing scores are as follows:
- Reading: 156
- Writing: 162
- Math: 150
The Principles of Learning and Teaching tests measures general pedagogical knowledge through multiple-choice questions and constructed-response prompts based on case studies. These tests are administered at four grade level ranges: Early Childhood, K–6, 5–9 and 7–12. Complete the assessment for the grade range you’ll be most focused on teaching. Regardless of grade range, a passing score is 160.
The Art: Content Knowledge test (5134) is a two-hour exam that measures basic knowledge of art making and the historical and theoretical foundations of art in the Western tradition and worldwide. A passing score in Kentucky is 161.
Step 4. Apply for Your Certificate
As a beginning teacher, you can apply for a provisional internship certificate, good for a one-year term, which allows you to complete KTIP. You should apply early for the best result.
The next level of full certification to apply for is a Professional Certificate, formerly known as a provisional or standard certificate. These are issued for 5-year terms, and you must have a master’s degree within 10 years. Art teachers in Kentucky apply for a base certificate teaching primary through grade 12, with a specialization in art.
You need the following materials to apply:
- A completed TC-1 application form
- Official transcripts of all coursework
- Verification by the Superintendent or Personnel Director of full-time classroom teaching experience at the appropriate grade level (Section 2 of TC-1)
- Passing the exams listed above
- Verification of completion of teacher preparation program from the preparing college or university (Section 4 of TC-1)
- A $50 money order or certified check made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer” (you may also use EPSB “E-Pay” online service to pay fees after the completed application has been mailed).
Applicants may be found here. Mail completed application and a certified/cashier’s check or money order made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer” (or pay online) to:
Division of Certification
Education Professional Standards Board
100 Airport Road , 3rd Floor
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Step 5. Maintain and Upgrade Your Certificate
To renew your Professional Certificate, complete the following steps:
First 5-year renewal requires:
- A TC-2 application
- 15 graduate hours or half of the Continuing Education Option requirements
- Signature of the superintendent verifying three years of teaching experience or an official transcript of the courses you have completed for renewal and the recommendation from the college of education official (if applicable).
- Payment of a $50 money order or certified check made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer” (or use the EPSB “E-Pay” online payment service once the completed application has been mailed)
Second 5-year renewal requires:
- Completion of a TC-1 application
- Completion of an approved Master’s degree or an approved Fifth Year program (32 graduate hours) or completion of Continuing Education Option requirements
- The signature of the superintendent verifying your three years of teaching experience or an official transcript of the courses you have completed for renewal and the recommendation from the college of education official (if applicable).
- Payment of a $50 money order or certified check made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer” (or use the EPSB “E-Pay” online payment service once the completed application has been mailed)
Subsequent 5-year renewals require:
- Completion of a TC-2 application
- Completion of three years of classroom teaching during the last 5-year period of the certificate or six semester hours of additional graduate credit; and
- The signature of the superintendent verifying your three years of teaching experience or an OFFICIAL transcript of the courses you have completed for renewal and the recommendation from the college of education official (if applicable).
- Payment of a $50 money order or certified check made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer” (or use the EPSB “E-Pay” online payment service once the completed application has been mailed)
During the renewal process you may also apply for rank changes, which provide salary increases. Rank I is the highest level possible. Rank level requirements are as follows:
Rank III
- Bachelor’s degree leading to a provisional teaching certificate
Rank II Options
- Master’s degree to
- A thirty two semester-hour non-degree Education Planned Fifth-Year Program (graduate level); or the Kentucky Continuing Education Option
Rank I Options
- Thirty semester hours of approved graduate credit in addition to Rank II
- Sixty semester hours of approved graduate credit including a master’s degree;
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification; or the Kentucky Continuing Education Option
To apply for a rank change, send the following to this address:
Division of Certification
Education Professional Standards Board
100 Airport Road, 3rd Floor
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
- A completed TC-1 application form (.pdf)
- A $50 money order or certified check made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer” or use EPSB “E-Pay” online payment service to pay certification fees once the completed application has been mailed.
- Official college transcripts of the rank change, and
- Section IV of the TC-1 (.pdf) must be signed off by the certification officer at the institution where you completed the rank change
As in all states, the rigorous National Board Certification process is also an option. Teachers who achieve National Board Certification can apply for Rank 1 from the Education Professional Standards Board, the highest rank in Kentucky. This may allow for an increase in salary for teachers based on the local district pay scale that considers educational level and experience.
Step 6. Pursue Graduate Work
Graduate credit can lead to rank changes and salary increases, as noted above. Options for post-baccalaureate education in Kentucky include:
- Master of Arts in Teaching
- Masters in Early Childhood Education
- Ph.D. in Education Sciences
- Ed.D. in Educational Leadership
- Master of Education in Educational Leadership
- Ed.D. in Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation
- Ph.D. in Higher Education, Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation
- Master of Arts in Education, Elementary Education
- Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
- Master of Arts in Education, Gifted Education
- Master of Arts in Education, Instructional Leadership
- Master of Arts in Education, Middle Grades Education
Kentucky Art Teacher Salaries
According to the National Education Association, the average starting salary for teachers in Kentucky (as of the 2012-2013 school year) was $35,166, slightly lower than the national average of $36,141. The average teacher salary over all was $47,875.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide data on art teacher salaries as a separate unit, but tracks salaries for elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers as larger categories. The department reports the following annual mean wages and employment numbers as of May 2013:
| Occupation Title | Employment | Annual Mean Salary |
| Elementary School Teachers | 19,920 | $50,360 |
| Middle School Teachers | 8,420 | $50,790 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 12,580 | $51,960 |
However, teacher salaries can vary significantly by location. A sample of the median salaries and employment figures as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for some major cities appears below (note that not all areas track salaries for all locations):
| Occupation Title | Employment | Annual Mean Salary |
| Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 600 | $47,100 |
| Middle School Teachers | 210 | $48,260 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 370 | $49,860 |
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| Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 8,760 | $56,510 |
| Middle School Teachers | 5,350 | $59,840 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 5,260 | $57,100 |
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| Clarksville, TN-KY | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 1,200 | $55,320 |
| Middle School Teachers | 490 | $58,350 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 670 | $54,960 |
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| Elizabethtown, KY | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 460 | $50,810 |
| Middle School Teachers | 260 | $51,270 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 320 | $54,060 |
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| Evansville, IN-KY | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 1,560 | $48,520 |
| Middle School Teachers | 560 | $51,410 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 1,050 | $52,430 |
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| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 1,440 | $47,430 |
| Middle School Teachers | 530 | $48,010 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 780 | $46,950 |
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| Lexington-Fayette, KY | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 2,180 | $49,990 |
| Middle School Teachers | 1,130 | $51,360 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 1,250 | $51,140 |
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| Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 4,890 | $55,300 |
| Middle School Teachers | 2,300 | $55,540 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 3,730 | $55,980 |
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| Owensboro, KY | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 530 | $49,430 |
| Middle School Teachers | 230 | $51,480 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 310 | $53,080 |
Kentucky’s salary schedule for public schools in the 2013-2014 school year is below. These are state minimums:
| Rank | I | II | III | IV | V |
| Experience: | 35,487 | 32,239 | 28,930 | 25,509 | 23,848 |
| 0-3 Years | 38,759 | 35,487 | 32,239 | 25,509 | 23,848 |
| 4-9 Years | 42,998 | 39,701 | 36,416 | 25,509 | 23,848 |
| 10-14 Years | 44,237 | 40,953 | 37,656 | 25,509 | 23,848 |
| 15-19 Years | 44,857 | 41,572 | 38,275 | 25,509 | 23,848 |
More information on the state’s salary schedules may be found here.
Information on postsecondary art teacher salaries throughout Kentucky and nearby areas can be found in the following table provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics: