Connecticut male teacher with students

Find a High Demand Job

Teachers and instructional support staff are always in high demand. Find out what teaching jobs are available in Connecticut and where to find them.

Find Your Job

Teachers are in high demand, and the profession is expected to grow in the coming years. Find out how and where you can get in on the action, and build a sustainable, meaningful, fulfilling career while giving back to your community.

Get info on:

  • Why you should consider teaching in Connecticut
  • What subjects and specialty areas need Connecticut teachers
  • What can you expect as a Connecticut teacher
  • How to get started looking for a position—including how you can start teaching while getting certified
  • How to take the next steps toward a Connecticut teaching certification
  • Find a job in special education 

Make an Impact on Students and Schools

Male teacher with students

Connecticut schools need everyone from tutors to classroom teachers to make an impact on students and communities. All of Connecticut’s school districts are looking for people ready to dive in as teaching assistants, classroom teachers and every other position under the sun. (1)

To make the greatest impact, consider working in a field like special education. This is a specialized lane within the teaching profession and it has tremendous benefits. Becoming a certified special education teacher gives you flexibility to interact with students in all grade levels. 

Hear from a Connecticut Special Education teacher on her own experience working in the field. If you're interested in special education, check out the statewide job board to find a position. 

 

 

Find Jobs With Impact

Uplifting Students

Most of us have had a teacher who inspired us and helped us believe in ourselves. Teaching gives you the opportunity to give back to the community & support students.
Miguel Cardona

"I’m really excited about the opportunity to make sure that we’re investing in our profession, paying livable wages, and making sure we create pipelines with incentives for paraeducators and other educators to go in, to get their teaching credential to serve as special education teachers, bilingual teachers, and other shortage areas"

U.S. Education Secretary, Former Connecticut Education Commissioner

Read more about Dr. Cardona's story here.

Miguel Cardona

Where Teachers are Needed in Connecticut

If you’re interested in finding your place in the profession, consider an area where teachers are needed the most. You'll have the biggest impact and the most job opportunities by teaching in a teacher shortage area. 

Connecticut shortage areas include:

  • Bilingual Education, PreK-12
  • Mathematics, 4-12
  • Special Education
  • School Library and Media Specialist, PreK-12
  • Science, 4-12
  • Technology Education PreK-12
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), PreK-12
  • World Languages, 7-12

These shortage areas have been approved by the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) and are eligible for certain perks and financial benefits.

Why are these “shortage areas”?

Teachers will always be in demand! For some subjects, that’s even more true. But why is that? Let’s dive a little deeper into shortage areas.

If you don’t know much about some of these subjects, you’re not alone. Unless you’ve had experience with special education or bilingual services, or know someone who has, then you might not know exactly what these crucial teachers do! Learn more about what districts in the state are hiring special education teachers. 

"Education is rapidly evolving and teachers are changing the way the world learns and teaches."

Learn how Connecticut Special Education teacher Melissa Michaud-Maltese is using a flexible approach to teaching her students. 

 

Students who need additional language support or other services also need more focused teacher attention. So schools need more teachers with these skills. In terms of language teachers, the number of English language learners in the state has grown by nearly 50 percent in the last decade. So CT needs more teachers than before to serve students of different language traditions. 

I quickly realized that my experiences could be important to young Latinx learners in my classroom. I worried that young Latinx students would have trouble learning if they didn’t have role models.        

Connecticut teacher Manuel Zaldivar Barahona understands how important classroom representation is. 

                                                                            

A growing Latinx population in Connecticut  means the need for Latinx teachers is increasing, but it is taking time for the teacher population to match the need. (2) 

According to Gov. Ned Lamont, “Numerous studies have shown that students of color achieve better educational outcomes when they have teachers of color in the classroom, and as our student body becomes more diverse we should be doing everything we can to reflect that diversity among the educators who are mentoring and inspiring our next generation of young people.”

Connecticut Director of Bilingual Education, Daisy Torres was determined to help change outcome for the growing number of Latinx students.

My passion for addressing the inequities I continued to see every year led me to thinking about how I can change outcomes for students on a bigger scale.

Learn more about how Daisy Torres is doing her part to address the achievement gaps of students of color and English learners.

 

People who are interested in math & science may see industry jobs as the only way to do those careers. As a result, the demand for math and science teachers is high as school districts seek qualified educators who can help improve students' math and science ability. 

 

After learning more details about how to become a teacher, Lauren Danner began to realize that teaching was a natural fit for her.

Not only could I share what I had learned and done in the research industry, but I could also foster scientific engagement and a love of learning in my students.

Learn how Connecticut science teacher Lauren Danner shares her love of science and her journey as a scientist, empowering her students, especially girls, to see themselves in the field.

 

Teaching in Connecticut

Connecticut, along with it’s school districts, parents, and students are continuously improving educational outcomes for students. Here’s more about the salary, benefits and lifestyle of the state’s teachers.

Salaries for Connecticut Teachers

Connecticut has plenty to offer teachers. In 2020, Connecticut’s average salary for beginning teachers was $46,905, and the average salary for all teachers was around $79,742. And, most teacher salaries are on the rise. From 2019 to 2020, Connecticut’s average teacher salaries rose by 5.5 percent. (3) That’s some of the fastest-growing and average salaries in the nation!

In Connecticut, like most states, starting salaries vary by district. They also may depend on your experience. You’ll earn a higher starting salary with a master’s degree than you will with a bachelor’s.

Benefits for Shortage Area Teachers

Teachers in shortage areas often qualify for extra financial aid and other perks. Many schools also offer additional pay or signing bonuses to teachers working in these subjects. The Connecticut Teachers Mortgage Assistance Program offers lower interest rate loans to help teachers in subject shortage areas become homeowners.

Benefits for All Teachers

In Connecticut, teachers receive comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance—plus secure retirement plans and vacation time. There are a number of ways you can increase your teaching salary, including advanced degrees, leading extracurriculars and pursuing advanced certifications or meeting performance benchmarks.

Learn more on our Salary and Benefits page.

It’s not hard to see why Connecticut is an attractive state for many people. A rising job market combined with low cost-of-living and great weather make Connecticut a great choice for starting a career, building a life, and raising your family.

(6) ‘Life in Connecticut offers a dynamic blend of the active and relaxing, the natural and cultural, the historical and innovative. Here you'll also find a mix of city and country living options. It's this complementary balance that makes Connecticut such an ideal place to make a great living — while also creating a rewarding life” 

Consider these facts:

  • Living in Connecticut is more affordable than in many other states.(6)
  • From grade school to college and graduate schools, education is a priority for Connecticut residents. (6)
  • Students have access to all of Connecticut’s top universities.
  • Connecticut has always been open and welcoming to all communities, including the LGBTQ communities, as the 2nd state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. (6)

Want to learn more about living in Connecticut? Take a look at our Why Teach in Connecticut page to get all the details.

Diversifying the Teacher Workforce

Male teacher sitting down and reading with students

Connecticut is becoming a more ethnically and culturally diverse state. As a result, Connecticut needs teachers from all backgrounds and experiences who are committed to shaping the future of the city. 

Teachers of color can improve the educational experience of ALL students. They are more likely to have higher expectations of students of color, confront issues of racism, develop trusting relationships, and serve as advocates. 

Although the diversity of Connecticut’s educators is on the rise, it doesn’t yet match the diversity of the student population. In 2008, 35% of the student population were students of color. By 2021, the percentage of students of color rose to 50.1%. (4) Study shows that diversifying the classroom benefits students, regardless of race or ethnicity. However, while the majority of CT students in the U.S are students of color, only about 10% of CT educators identify as people of color.

 

Whatever your background, as a Connecticut educator, you can help create more inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms. Students with disabilities, students who are new to the country and students who live in low-income or rural areas especially need strong advocates and imaginative educators.

What To Do if You’re Interested in Teaching Connecticut

Teaching isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a challenging career that takes creativity, collaboration and problem solving. Luckily, you have plenty of opportunities to work with students of all ages as part of paid tutoring, summer internships or volunteer programs to make sure it’s right for you.

Consider opportunities to try teaching and:

  • Get classroom experience before committing yourself to the career. 
  • Practice teaching strategies, lesson planning, classroom management and more. 
  • Make connections in local schools and meet current educators.

 

Jobs that can lead to teaching

Here are a few ways to get experience and better understand the profession.

In a teaching residency or internship, you’ll work full- or part-time in a school and work toward your credential through a teacher preparation program. You’ll also take classes, have one-on-one mentors, and meet other certification requirements. Internships and residencies generally last at least one full school year. They are also usually meant to help districts staff harder-to-fill positions in subjects such as STEM and special education.

With an internship, you’ll earn tuition discounts and extra experience prior to completing a required student teaching placement at the undergraduate or graduate level. With a residency, you’ll earn a salary or hourly income and this experience meets your student teaching requirement. Residencies are generally meant for mature educators with a bachelor’s degree who may have classroom experience and just need their official teaching certification.

Some CT teacher preparation programs with residency or internship options include: CT Teacher Residency Program, Fairfield University, Relay Connecticut, Sacred Heart University, and the University of Bridgeport.

 

A paraeducator works in a classroom under an assigned teacher.  What they do varies depending on the school's needs, the grade level, and what the students need on any given day. Typical work for a paraprofessional might include:

  • Working one-on-one with students to reinforce the day's lessons and answer questions.
  • Taking attendance.
  • Grading assignments.
  • Setting up the classroom for projects and presentations.
  • Supervising kids during recess or on school trips.
  • Developing lessons.

Being a substitute allows you to work in more than one type of classroom. You can gain experience in a wide variety of subjects. Substitute teaching also provides valuable skills for the classroom, such as problem-solving, time management, and experience working with kids.

On average, substitute teachers who are CT certified are paid at a rate of $95 - $230 per day depending on the assignment length. To become a daily or short-term substitute teacher in Connecticut, you must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma (or equivalent) and experience with school-age children. You’ll work no more than 40 days in the same assignment.

To become a long-term substitute teacher in Connecticut, you must have a bachelor’s degree and 12 credits in the content/area to be taught. Long-term substitute teachers cover long term assignments such as medical and maternity leave, for 40 or more days.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you may be able to teach full-time, with salary and benefits, while working towards your certification under a Durational Shortage Area Permit, or DSAP. To be eligible for a DSAP, you must also: 1) be enrolled in any state-approved teacher preparation program, 2) want to teach in a subject area where teachers are most needed, 3) receive support from your prep program and employing school district to apply for the permit. 

Subjects where teachers are most needed include middle/high school STEM or world languages, Special Education, Bilingual Education, or Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). 

To be eligible, you’d take these three steps (in this order): 1) Apply for and enroll in a CT teacher prep program, 2) Apply for and accept a CT public school teaching job, 3) Work with your program and employer to secure a Durational Shortage Area Permit (DSAP)

 

Where to Find Jobs in Connecticut

Female teacher standing in classroom

Whether you’re a career changer or a new graduate, Connecticut school districts have a role to fit your aspirations and career goals.

  • CT REAP is the go-to resource for most schools to post teaching and other jobs. 
  • If you want to work in special education, find teaching and assistant positions at all grade levels through the Connecticut Special Education Employment System.
  • The Connecticut Education Association regularly updates its job board with new roles.
  • We’re always posting new jobs from our partners on our Events & Opportunities page.

 

Make the Decision

So you’ve decided to become a teacher, now what? No worries we’ve got you covered. In order to start your journey to become an educator in Connecticut. Here is what you need to do:

Houston area male teacher of color with students.

So you’ve decided to become a teacher. Now what? No worries! We’ve got you covered. In order to start your journey to become an educator in Connecticut, here’s  what you need to do: 

  • Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Graduate from an approved Connecticut teacher certification program.
  • Pass Connecticut certification exams.
  • Submit a state application.

Starting your teaching career may seem like a lot of steps to take, but you are in the right place. Our Become a Teacher page walks you through all the steps. From choosing a pathway, exploring programs, submitting applications, and finding financial aid. 
Get help and guidance from a CT veteran teacher by signing up for a free one-on-one coaching session.

Download our free certification guide for a complete overview of certification in Connecticut.

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References

  1. Contributor, C. (2021, September 18). State finds half of Bridgeport schools don’t have enough special education teachers; We found other districts with the same issue. The CT Mirror.
  2. Blanco, A. (2021, May 4). Connecticut schools hired 1,900 educators of color in past 5 years, but state’s teacher workforce is still 90% white. 
  3. National Education Association. “Teacher Pay and Spending: How Does Your State Rank?” April 23, 2021.
  4.  Connecticut State Department of Education https://edsight.ct.gov/SASPortal/main.do