If you missed the information meeting
held on March 3, 2025,
please view the
Questions?
Contact the
Recruitment and Retention Team
Phone Number: (480) 472-7210
Email: teach@mpsaz.org
Path2Teach is the Mesa Public Schools (MPS) alternative pathways program designed to develop effective PreK-12 teachers. Path2Teach offers two pathways into the teaching profession to support teachers engaged in the process of earning an Arizona teaching certificate from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).
If you are interested in teaching for the upcoming 25-26 school year, the first step is to secure a teaching position in our district in one of the certification areas:
Early Childhood Special Education
K-12 Special Education - Mild/Moderate Disabilities
K-8 Elementary Education
6-12 Secondary Education
MPS Educator Preparation Program - MPS is an approved ADE Educator Preparation Program (EPP). The program is a two year job-embedded program designed and administered by Mesa Public Schools. Participants work toward earning an Arizona teaching certificate while on the job as an MPS teacher. There are no fees for participation in this EPP. The associated costs to obtain certification are listed in the table below.
Arizona State University Master’s Degree - ASU offers degree programs with a two year program of study. Participants work toward earning a master’s degree and an Arizona Teaching Certificate while on the job as an MPS teacher. Most costs associated with this program are offset by Arizona Teachers Academy scholarships.
Path2Teach is for participants who:
Are experienced teachers seeking an additional certification in a hard-to-fill area such as Special Education
OR
Are seeking a career change and want to become a certified public school teacher
AND
Earned a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in any field
Have or can obtain an Arizona IVP fingerprint clearance card
Authorized to work in the United States
Available for in-person teaching and based in or near Mesa, Arizona
General Education Secondary program participants with a passing score on the corresponding Subject Knowledge test prior to program admittance
Mesa Public Schools Path2Teach Hiring Timeline 2025 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March | April | May | June | July | August | |
-Apply for open MPS teaching positions for the 2025-26 school year and secure a teaching position | X | X | X | X | ||
Once hired for a teaching position: -Apply for an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card through AZDPS -Contact Dana Yursi at 480-472-0463 or djyursi@mpsaz.org to enroll in Path2Teach -Choose either MPS certification-only program or ASU master's degree and certification program -Apply for an Alternative Teaching Certificate through ADE -Pass secondary subject matter test (if applicable) -Complete the MPS onboarding process through Human Resources | X | X | X | X | X | |
Path2Teach Teachers report to work for Educators New to the Profession training | July 17, 2025 | |||||
First day of school for students | July 31, 2025 | |||||
Additional training dates and information will be presented at P2T training.
