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The Utah State Office of Education is focused on promoting health and physical education in order to advance healthy attitudes and behaviors in children. The State Office of Education also recognizes that the quality and productivity of each person’s life can be enhanced through comprehensive, sequential, and collaborative health and physical education programs.
If you want to become a physical education teacher in Utah, you must be prepared to complete a number of steps:
 | Complete a Bachelor’s Degree and Teacher Preparation Program |
 | Pass the Praxis II Content Examination |
 | Apply for your Utah PE Teacher Licensure |
 | Upgrade Your Utah PE Teacher License |
The goal of Utah’s core curriculum standards is to develop healthy, responsible students who have the ability to work together in groups, participate in a wide variety of activities, and think critically, all of which lead to a lifelong healthy lifestyle. It also recognizes that appropriate instructional practices help develop students’ competence and confidence in recreational activities and sports.
Utah’s core standards reflect the current national philosophy of physical education represented in national standards, which were developed by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), as well as the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).
Physical education teachers in Utah must be able to assess knowledge and motor and social skills and provide instruction in a safe, supportive environment.
Step 1. Complete a Bachelor’s Degree and Teacher Preparation Program
You may complete the educational requirements to become a Utah physical education teacher in one of two ways:
Completion of a Utah Teacher Preparation Program
All candidates for physical education teacher jobs in Utah must complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. This may be accomplished through a Utah Teacher Preparation Program, which includes the required coursework and a student teaching experience. There are currently five undergraduate programs and one graduate program that offer physical education teacher preparation programs in Utah.
Completion of an Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) Program
You can qualify for a physical education teacher license through Utah’s Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) program. To qualify for licensure, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university. Accreditation agencies recognized by the Utah State Office of Education include:
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges: Senior College Commission
- NCATE
- TEAC
The ARL program will allows you to teach on a temporary license for up to three years while you fulfill licensure requirements. During participation in the ARL program, you will complete coursework determined by an official review (must receive a C or better in all courses), take the required content knowledge tests, and take the required content and general pedagogy courses, which include:
- Administration/Philosophy/Introduction to/of Physical Education
- Methods of Teaching Secondary Physical Education
- Motor Learning
- Exercise Physiology
- First Aid and CPR Certification
- Fitness for Life
- Performance Nutrition
- Care and Prevention of Injuries
You must teach for a minimum of one year on a full-time basis or two years on a part-time basis while in the ARL program. Upon the program completion, you will be recommended for a Level I Utah Professional Educator License by the principal or by your ARL advisor.
To gain acceptance into an ARL program, you must complete an ARL Application Form and pay the $75 application and evaluation fee.
Step 2. Pass the Praxis II Content Examination
Upon completion of an approved teacher preparation program or ARL program, you must take and pass the Physical Education Content Knowledge PRAXIS exam (0091).
You must achieve a minimum score of 152 on this Praxis II content examination to qualify for licensure as a physical education teacher in Utah. The examination consists of 120 multiple-choice questions that are broken down as follows:
- Content Knowledge and Student Growth and Development
- Management, Motivation, and Communication
- Planning, Instruction, and Student Assessment
- Collaboration, Reflection, and Technology
More information on testing in Utah and registering for the Praxis II can be found here. You can also view upcoming testing dates and testing centers here.
Step 3. Apply for Your Utah PE Teacher Licensure
Once you have met all requirements for an educator’s license in Utah, you must apply for a Level I Utah Professional Educator License. You must first complete the on-line procedure to verify that your file is complete and ready for licensure.
Your PE teacher preparation program or ARL program will provide you with a Level I Licensure Application form to complete. You must also pay the Level I Licensing fee of $40.
A Physical Education Endorsement Application must also be completed and sent, along with the $25 processing fee, to:
Endorsements (Utah State Office of Education)
P.O. Box 144200
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
Step 4. Upgrade Your Utah PE Teacher License
To upgrade to a Level II license in Utah, you must complete the Entry Years Enhancement (EYE) program, a structured support program that is designed for Level I educators as they fulfill the requirements to move to a Level II professional license. The goal of the program is to encourage Level I educators to develop successful teaching skills and strategies during the first three years of employment. The Level II license is valid for 5 years.
You are encouraged to create a Professional Learning Plan and complete sufficient learning activities to reach the required number of renewal points to reach Level II. You can view acceptable renewable activities here.
You may also upgrade your Level II license after 5 years to Level III licensure, which requires the completion of a doctorate in an education-related field or the achievement of a National Board Certification.
Health and physical education professional development courses can be found here.
Phys Ed Teacher Salary in Utah
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median physical education teacher salary in Utah is $53,770 annually, while the average is $52,400. However, salary tends to fluctuate geographically, so it’s important to also examine salary locally.
Here is a look at the salary structure of physical education teachers working in the Salt Lake City School District:
Bachelor’s Degree
Step 1: $37,653
Step 2: $39,124
Step 3: $40,657
Step 4: $42,229
Step 5: $43,854
Step 6: $45,562
Step 7: $47,345
Step 8: $49,153
Step 9: $51,745
Bachelor’s Degree Plus 20 Units
Step 1: $39,461
Step 2: $40,839
Step 3: $42,305
Step 4: $43,781
Step 5: $45,335
Step 6: $46,963
Step 7: $48,638
Step 8: $50,395
Step 9: $52,227
Step 10: $54,794
Master’s Degree
Step 1: $42,134
Step 2: $43,525
Step 3: $44,999
Step 4: $46,499
Step 5: $48,073
Step 6: $49,683
Step 7: $51,360
Step 8: $53,114
Step 9: $54,923
Step 10: $56,780
Step 11: $58,720
Step 12: $61,522
The physical education teacher salaries in Utah published by the U.S. Department of Labor are below: