The Certification Committee has an immediate opening for a collegiate member to serve through June 2023.

JEA certification is a formal, academic certification to help scholastic media teachers and advisers demonstrate professional excellence in the field.

The nine-person committee is made up of Master Journalism Educators to help guide the certification process.

Committee members serve two academic years with the option to extend, with certification chair approval.

Email Certification Chair Amy Sorrell, MJE, with any questions.

Applications due May 15.

Committee goals

• To promote professionalism in scholastic journalism.
• To offer national certification to scholastic journalism teachers and advisers.
• To designate as master teachers educators whose experience and expertise make them outstanding professionals.
• To recognize educators who possess the education or experience to teach scholastic journalism and advise student publications.
• To encourage those who are teaching scholastic journalism or advising student publications without an adequate background to increase their knowledge of journalism and to provide a model for their continuing education.
• To increase the availability of courses and workshops appropriate for the scholastic journalism teacher and adviser.
• To provide model certification requirements for scholastic journalism teachers in states that do not offer licensing in this field.
• To improve public and school district perceptions of certified scholastic journalism teachers as professionals.
• To increase diversity in scholastic journalism.

Committee member responsibilities

• Members must attend at least one convention per year. While at the convention, committee members are expected to attend the Thursday night Adviser Reception, the Friday morning General Membership meeting and the Saturday morning Certification Committee meeting. Committee members also present a session related to certification. Members are paid a stipend of $400 for each convention. Committee members will pay the convention fee unless they present sessions or judge.
• Members will score short answer and extended response test responses and report those scores to the chair in a timely manner. Scoring is done remotely and scores will be submitted via Google Drive.
• Members will work to assess the quality of test questions and provide feedback on test questions as needed. Test questions will be reviewed annually.
• Members will proctor CJE And MJE exams in their regions. Past committee members can also proctor exams.
• Members will maintain test security.
• Members will promote certification and actively participate in answering questions and providing support to applicants.
• Members will vote either in person or online for matters related to certification requirements.
• Members will serve in a specific role as assigned by the chair and based on member preference. These roles all relate to increasing the number of certificated JEA members and include outreach and test support.

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