teacherstep.com

What It Is

TeacherStep is an online course platform for teacher recertification and professional development. It is operated by South Carolina Educational Communications (SCEC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and offers courses in partnership with Converse University. The platform has a very clear focus: helping certified teachers earn graduate-level credits or professional development renewal hours through online courses.

Core Courses and Accreditation

Its courses are mainly centered on mathematics education, covering topics such as algebra, geometry, calculus, precalculus, probability and statistics, and secondary mathematics. They are also organized into areas such as instructional technology, teaching strategies, Mastering the Teaching, and project-based learning. Each graduate credit course provides 3 graduate credits, and upon completion, students can request an official transcript from Converse University. Each professional development course provides 60 renewal credits, and upon completion, students can obtain a Professional Development Certificate through Moodle. Converse University is accredited by SACSCOC, which is a key part of the platform’s credibility.

Course Format and Pricing

TeacherStep uses an online, self-paced, rolling-enrollment model. Teachers can register at any time and complete a course within 9 months from the registration date, and they may also take multiple courses at the same time. Pricing is transparent: Graduate Credit courses cost $499 per course, while Professional Development courses cost $249 per course. It is important to note that textbooks must be purchased separately, and some math courses also require a graphing calculator. The platform does not offer financial aid. Payment is accepted by credit card and school purchase order.

Pros and Cons

Its strengths lie in its high flexibility, making it suitable for working teachers to fit courses into their schedules. The courses are also developed by teachers for teachers, with clearly defined use cases. Its nonprofit background and university partnership further enhance its credibility. The main limitation is that the course catalog is almost entirely focused on mathematics education, so teachers in other subject areas have limited options. In addition, whether credits can be applied toward requirements in a specific state, school district, professional title, or transferred to another institution must be confirmed by teachers with the relevant governing body. The refund policy is also relatively strict: refunds are not available after 7 business days from registration or once the Moodle course has been started.

Who It’s For and Access from China

It is best suited for teachers in the U.S. K–12 system who need license renewal, recertification, salary advancement, or improvement in mathematics teaching skills. It may also be suitable for teachers at overseas schools that follow related certification requirements. The text does not provide information on access from mainland China, so actual availability, payment options, and Moodle access stability need to be tested independently.