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Complete the following steps to become a physical education teacher in Kansas:
 | Complete a Bachelor or Graduate Degree and an Approved Pathway to Licensure |
 | Take the Appropriate PRAXIS Examinations |
 | Apply for Initial Kansas PE Teacher Licensure |
 | Renew your Initial License |
Kansas’ K-12 Physical Education Standardsemphasize the importance of a comprehensive physical education program designed to develop basic movement skills, physical fitness, and sports skills that enhance mental, social, and emotional activities.
The Kansas State Department of Education developed a physical education curriculum that is based on the National Association of Physical Education and Sport (NASPE) National Standards for Physical Education. The six national standards were utilized to develop the Physical Education Standards for the Kansas State Department of Education.
Step 1. Complete a Bachelor or Graduate Degree and an Approved Pathway to Licensure
Traditional Pathway to Licensure
If you do not possess a bachelor’s degree and want to become a physical education teacher in Kansas, the most streamlined approach is through the completion of an approved preparation program in Kansas, which is a blended program that offers a bachelor’s or graduate degree and all appropriate content and coursework, including a student teaching experience. Upon completing an approved preparation program and the required testing, you will be eligible for licensure in Kansas.
There are currently 19 approved preparation programs for physical education in Kansas.
Alternative Pathway to Licensure
You may also qualify for licensure if you possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a major related to physical education. If you do not possess a major related to physical education, you may still qualify if your degree program includes the equivalent coursework in physical education.
The Restricted Teaching License Alternative Pathway was designed to address the need for districts to hire qualified, licensed teachers. This alternative pathway provides an opportunity for individuals to begin teaching immediately under a restricted license while they complete the professional education pedagogy coursework necessary to become fully licensed.
Note: The Restricted Teaching License Alternative Pathway is only available for secondary content areas.
To qualify for the Restricted Teaching License Alternative Pathway, you must, at a minimum possess:
- A bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university
- A degree or equivalent coursework in a physical education content area
- A GPA of 2.75 from the last 60 semester credit hours of completed college coursework
- A passing score for the PRAXIS II content assessment in physical education (see Step 2)
You must complete a supervised practical training student teaching experience through a collaborative program offered by the supporting institution and the hiring school district in order to complete the Restricted Teaching License Alternative Pathway program. You can find a list of universities that participate in the practical training program here.
Upon locating and applying for a PE teacher job (you can only apply for positions that accept restricted licenses), you can then apply for the restricted license. The application process is a coordinated effort, with the employing school district and your program sponsor completing different sections of the application.
Step 2. Take the Appropriate PRAXIS Examinations
Upon completing your approved pathway to licensure, you must take and pass two examinations:
- Physical Education: Content Knowledge
- Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT); one of the following:
- Early childhood
- Grades K-6
- Grades 5-9
- Grades 7-12
You can register and pay to take the above examinations through the Praxis Series website. The PLT examination is $130, and the Physical Education: Content Knowledge examination is $115. You can also view upcoming test dates and testing centers here.
Step 3. Apply for Initial Kansas PE Teacher Licensure
A checklist you can use to ensure you have met all the requirements for initial licensure can be found here.
If you completed a Kansas-approved preparation program, you can complete the application process online.
If you are an out-of-state applicant, you must download and complete an application for licensure.
Step 4. Renew your Initial License
Your initial license to teach physical education is valid for a period of 5 years. Along with your application for renewal, you must submit a fingerprint card.
Your initial renewal application must be downloaded, completed, and sent, along with a renewal fee of $45 (made payable to the Kansas State Department of Education) and proof of professional development and/or college credits to:
Teacher Licensure and Accreditation
KSDLE
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson Street, Suite 106
Topeka, KS 66612
To renew a professional license in Kansas, you must either complete at least three years of teaching experience and 120 professional development points (if you hold a graduate degree) or 160 professional development points, of which 80 points must be for college credit. Professional licenses are renewed every 5 years.
Although the Kansas State Department of Education adopted the NASPE National Standards for Physical Education, the PE national benchmarks were edited to ensure the standards were user-friendly for Kansas’ PE teachers:
- Demonstrates competency in many movement forms and proficiency in a few movement forms
- Applies movement principles and concepts to the development of motor skills
- Focuses on regular participation in physical activity
- Stresses the achievement and maintenance of health-enhancing levels of physical fitness
- Demonstrates responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings
- Values physical activity for enjoyment, challenge, health, social interaction and self-expression
The Kansas Standards committee ensures the implementation of physical education standards through all grades K-12; however, it does not endorse any particular physical education curricula.
To become a licensed physical educator in Kansas (preK-12), you must meet licensure standards, which include:
- Understanding the concepts of physical education content and applying the concepts for the development of a physically educated learner
- Understanding how students learn and develop and providing students with a number of safe and developmentally appropriate opportunities to develop their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills
- Understanding the need to foster relationships with parents, colleagues, and other professional and seeking opportunities to grow in their profession
- Using a number of nonverbal and verbal techniques to encourage collaboration and inquiry in a number of physical activity settings
- Implementing a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional techniques to develop physically educated students
Phys Ed Teacher Salary in Kansas
The Kansas Labor Information Center, which is sponsored and managed by the Kansas Department of Labor, reports that the median physical education teacher salary in Kansas is $47,730. The entry-level salary is reported to be 47% less at $25,260, but the experienced-level salary is reported to be 27.5% more at $65,830. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports physical education teachers in the top 25% and 10% statewide earning $68,730 and $86,450 respectively. These salaries are likely representative of physical education teachers with many years of experience.
In the Kansas City area, the average among physical education teachers is $51,230, which is nearly 7% more than the statewide average. The median in this area is $50,250. The top 25% and 10% of physical education salaries in the Kansas City area are $66,410 and $82,230 respectively.
Salaries of physical education teachers in Kansas published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are shown below: