在美國殖民時期的末葉，麻州首先要求具有教師證書才能成為合格的教師。這種要求從一九三三年至一九四○年最為盛行，其後，提昇教師的資格與專業化成為美國教師教育的重要努力方向。到了一九八二年已有二十八個州要求中小學教師受過五年教師教育或具有碩士學位，才能獲得「正式證書」。 關於教師資格審定，美國採取教師合格證書制度，師校畢業生以及修畢教師教育課程的高等院校畢業生都需要經過教師資格的考試，取得合格教師證書才能擔任教師，頒發證書的機關是州教育委員會和一些經認可的高等院校。教師證書只能證明具有教學資格，並不能保障實際的教職，欲從事教學工作的人，還需由人推薦或直接向地方教育委員會申請，經過考試合格，方可受聘。 為了瞭解美國各州所規定的小學教師證書資格，筆者乃從所搜集一份由芝加哥大學出版之「一九八九~一九九○年初等及中等學校教師、諮商員，圖書館與行政人員證書資格」，將各州之小學教師證書資格部分譯述下來，以瞭解美國現階段對小學教師證書制度之規定。

　　　　　In America, during the end of the colonial period, the massachusetts government first asked teachers to get a certificate of teaching to become legal teachers. The demand was most popular from 1933 to 1940. After that, improving teacher's gualification and profession became the important direction of the teacher's education in America when it came to 1982, the were 28 states asking the elementary and high school teachers to get the master degree of to be educated for the teacher's education for five years to get the "legal certificate". When examing the teacher's gualification, the American government took the legal certificate system. The students graduated from teacher's colleges and those who took courses in teacher's education must pass the examination of teachers gualification, they can't become legal teachers until they get the legal teacher's certificate. The certificate was given by the state education committee or some admitted colleges. Those who with the teacher's certificate can only be gualified to be teachers, but the certificate can't assure them the teaching job. Those who hoped to teach must be recommended by someone or apply to the local educational committee, and they still had to pass an examination, other wise they can't be emplayed. To know the state certificate system of the elementary school teacher in America, is try to translate some part of the paper. "Regisement for certification of certification of teacher, counselors liberarians, administrators for Elementary and secondary schools, 1989-1990".