Paper Clip Only. Do NOT Staple.

ALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION This section must be completed by the Alabama
EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION SECTION college/university.
5215 GORDON PERSONS BUILDING
POST OFFICE BOX 302101 Institution Code: ___ ___ ___ - ___ ___ ___
MONTGOMERY, AL 36130-2101
Telephone: (334) 694-4557
www.alabamaachieves.org

Application for Alabama Certification Through the State-Approved Educator Preparation Program
Approach
FORM NAL
The application process for the Alabama Certification Through the State-Approved Educator Preparation Program Approach
must be completed in conjunction with the Alabama college/university.
PERSONAL DATA
Legal Name as it appears on government-issued identification.
Title (e.g., Mr.) First Middle Maiden Last Suffix

Street/Apt./P.O. Box/Route and Box City State ZIP Code

Email Address Cell Number Work Telephone

Social Security Number ALSDE ID Date of Birth (mm-dd-yyyy)

FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY

Ethnic Origin (Choose one) Gender (Choose one) Race (Choose one or more, regardless of Ethnicity)
 (01) Hispanic Latino  (F) Female  (01) White
 (02) Not Hispanic Latino  (M) Male  (02) Black or African American
 (04) American Indian or Alaska Native
 (05) Asian
 (08) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
PROFESSIONAL STATUS AND CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION
Check “yes” or “no” for each question below. “YES” responses require an attached explanation and any additional supporting
documentation (e.g. court certified copies of judgment, conviction, and sentencing).
READ CAREFULLY
 Yes  No Have you ever had any adverse action (e.g. warning, reprimand, suspension, revocation, denial,
voluntary surrender) taken against a professional certificate, license or permit issued by an agency
other than the Alabama State Department of Education?
 Yes  No Are you currently the subject of an investigation involving a violation of a profession’s laws, rules,
standards or Code of Ethics by an agency other than the Alabama State Department of
Education?
 Yes  No Are you currently the subject of an investigation involving sexual misconduct or physical harm to
a child?
 Yes  No Have you ever resigned from a position rather than face disciplinary action?
 Yes  No Have you ever been convicted of, or entered a plea of no contest to a felony or misdemeanor other
than a minor traffic violation?
 Yes  No Are you the subject of a pending investigation involving a criminal act?
RECORD OF EDUCATION
Dates Attended
Degree and Major Name of College/University Location Beginning Ending
Month/Year Month/Year

The Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama State Department of Education do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or age in their
programs, activities, or employment and provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person is responsible for handling inquiries regarding the non-
discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator, Support Services, Alabama State Department of Education, P.O. Box 302101, Montgomery, AL 36130-2101, email: [email protected].

Form NAL 07/2023 Page 1 of 3

Name: _________________________________ SSN: ________-_____-________
GENERAL INFORMATION
Application for the Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate is made by the applicant, in
conjunction with the Alabama college/university, upon completing all requirements of the State-approved educator
preparation program.

APPLICATION PACKET CHECKLIST FOR ALABAMA CERTIFICATION THROUGH THE STATE-

APPROVED EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM
Required for issuance of the Alabama Certification Through the State-Approved Educator Preparation Program Certificate.
Boxes are to be checked, as applicable.
APPLICATION FORMS
 Submission of Supplement CIT Form with supporting documentation verifying United States citizenship or lawful
presence in the United States.
 Submission of this application Form NAL.
NONREFUNDABLE APPLICATION FEE
 A $38.00 nonrefundable application fee. Neither personal checks nor cash will be accepted.
• The fee must be paid by cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Alabama State Department of Education
(ALSDE) or through the ALSDE Educator Certification Online Payment System, with a major credit card,
at www.alabamainteractive.org/education (a transaction fee will be applied).
• The cashier’s check, money order, or copy of the receipt verifying the confirmation number for the online payment must
accompany the application packet.
NOTE: The above documents (Supplement CIT, Form NAL, and fee verification) are to be forwarded by the applicant to
the Certification Officer of the school/college/division of education at the Alabama college/university where the State-
approved educator preparation program is being completed or was completed. The Certification Officer will attach a
completed Supplement NA1 Recommendation for Certification by the Alabama College/University and other documentation
(official transcripts, State Board of Education approved checklist(s), verification of experience on Supplement EXP, etc.) to
support the recommendation for certification. The complete application packet will then be forwarded by the Certification
Officer to the Educator Certification Section of the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE).
BACKGROUND CLEARANCE
 Background clearance based on a fingerprint review.
• For applicants seeking initial certification, additional certification, or certificate renewal to teach in Alabama, your
criminal history background checks must have been completed by both the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation (ASBI)
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You can check the status of your background checks and confirm whether
you meet the state's suitability requirements for teaching at https://tcert.alsde.edu/Portal.
• For Applicants who have not been cleared by both agencies through the Educator Certification Section of the Alabama
State Department of Education (ALSDE), you will need to undergo fingerprinting for a criminal history background
check. Details on how to complete the background review process can be found at
https://www.alabamaachieves.org/teacher-center/teacher-certification/. If you have any questions about our criminal
history background check process, you can contact us at (334) 694-4557 or [email protected].

• Applicants may verify receipt of their criminal history results at the ALSDE by visiting
https://tcert.alsde.edu/Portal/Public/Pages/SearchCerts.aspx. If your results are not located, or you have questions about
your status, please allow 10 business days from the date of fingerprint submission before making an inquiry.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
 Verification of professional educational work experience is required for issuance of certain advanced level (Class A,
Class AA) Professional Educator or Professional Leadership Certificate(s). The experience must be verified on
Supplement EXP. The Certification Officer of the recommending college/university can advise the applicant if
verification of experience must be submitted to the Educator Certification Section of the ALSDE.

Form NAL 07/2023 Page 2 of 3

Name: _________________________________ SSN: ________-_____-________

TEST REQUIREMENTS
For certification through the Alabama State-Approved Educator Preparation Program Approach, applicants must meet all
requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) in effect on the date the application is
received in the Educator Certification Section. The applicant should consult with the Certification Officer of the
school/college/division of education at the Alabama college/university where the State-approved educator preparation
program is being completed or was completed for information on the specific testing requirements which she/he must meet.
Information about the AECAP may also be found on the ALSDE website www.alabamaachieves.org (click Teachers &
Administrators  Teacher Center  Teacher Assessment) or by contacting the Educator Assessment Section of the
ALSDE at (334) 694-4594 or [email protected].
 ONLY current AECAP-prescribed assessments are accepted.
 Only official score reports, submitted with the applicant’s complete and correct Social Security number directly from
the testing company via electronic submission to the ALSDE, will be accepted. The applicant’s failure to provide his/her
complete and correct Social Security number to the testing company will delay the certification process.
 Education Testing Service (ETS) automatically forwards official Praxis score reports to the ALSDE if the Alabama-
prescribed test is taken in Alabama and the applicant’s complete and correct Social Security number is included. For
Alabama-prescribed tests taken outside Alabama, the code 7020 must be used to designate the ALSDE as a recipient of
official score reports.
 DO NOT SEND PAPER TEST SCORE REPORTS.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION and ATTESTATIONS

I understand the Educator Certification Section is unable to determine eligibility for Alabama certification until all required
application components have been received and reviewed. Additional information may be requested upon review of the
file. The submission of supporting documents ONLY (e.g., Supplement CIT) does not constitute making an application
for certification. Incomplete forms will delay the review of the file.
I understand that I must meet all Alabama certification requirements in effect on the date the application is received in the
Educator Certification Section. Since certification requirements are subject to change, current requirements may be viewed
at www.alabamaachieves.org.
I understand that I must thoroughly read all requirements of this approach (Form NAL).
I give my permission for the recommending Alabama college/university to forward any credential(s) required to support
this certification request.
I understand that it is my responsibility to keep all personal data on file in the Educator Certification Section current.

I understand that it is my responsibility to maintain my certificate and to stay informed of current regulations for renewal.

I certify that all information pertaining to this application form is true and correct, and failure to submit accurate information
may result in revocation or non-issuance of my certificate.

By affixing my signature to this document, I am certifying that true and correct information is being provided.

It is important that your personally identifiable information is correct on all portions of this application and
throughout this certification process. If any information provided is incorrect on this application, when testing
information is submitted, or during background clearance submission, additional information and fees may
be required to correct these issues.

Date Signature

Form NAL 07/2023 Page 3 of 3