Alaska Transition to Teaching (AKT2)

Candidate Benefits and Requirements

The Alaska Transition to Teaching (AKT2) program, funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, is a partnership between the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development and participating partner districts. AKT2’s unique design expedites the process through which candidates complete their teacher preparation and are ready to enter the classroom.

How AKT2 Benefits Candidates

  • Complete AKT2 while working with students in your own secondary classroom
  • Earn a full teaching salary after a short pre-service training and field experience
  • Receive competitive insurance and benefits
  • Work with a mentor and a professional learning community
  • Experience life in rural Alaska
  • Make a difference in the lives of students
  • Avoid college tuition costs

How AKT2 Benefits School Districts

  • Candidates will have the knowledge and desire to teach in rural Alaska
  • Candidates are certified to teach in Alaska
  • Candidates are highly qualified in a core content area under NCLB
  • Candidates have field experience and cultural knowledge
  • Candidates are paired with a statewide mentor for their first two years of teaching

AKT2 Candidate Requirements for Program Acceptance:

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in an endorsable area and have a minimum 2.5 GPA
  • Pass the Praxis I tests in reading, writing, and math
  • Pass a background check
  • Have not held a teaching certificate currently or previously
  • Pass an invitational screening and interview

AKT2 Candidate Requirements for Program Completion:

  • Pass a Praxis II test in a core content area
  • Successfully complete the spring online pre-service learning
  • Successfully complete the summer field experience and cultural workshop
  • Obtain a secondary teaching position in a partner district
  • Participate in a AKT2 professional development throughout two years of teaching
  • Work cooperatively with district assigned mentor(s) as required
  • Satisfactorily complete the requirements of the Individual Teacher Plan (ITP)
  • Teach two years in a partner district
  • Receive a recommendation from district superintendent or designee

For a more detailed program overview, view here.