Certification standards for speech communication teachers: A nationwide survey

This article examines state standards for the certification of secondary school speech communication teachers. The 50 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed to determine their general secondary certification and specific speech endorsement requirements. Despite speech communication's characterization as a “basic skill,” the survey revealed significant differences in speech teacher licensing standards among the states, including a wide variety of content, credit hour and testing criteria. The article compares state requirements with model guidelines promulgated by the Speech Communication Association and advances recommendations for improving speech teacher preparation and certification standards nationwide.