Short answer
How do Jefferson County teachers move to a higher column on the salary schedule?
By earning a higher degree. The teacher schedule has Bachelor's, Master's, Ed. Specialist/AA Certificate and Doctoral columns, with no plus-credit columns. "Certificated employees will be paid on the highest degree recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education," and pay "becomes effective on the date the state recognizes the degree."
Source: Jefferson County Schools 2026-2027 salary schedule. Checked .
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How is the Jefferson County teacher salary schedule organized?
The 2026-2027 salary schedule was approved by the board on June 25, 2026 and took effect July 1, 2026. (The file name still says 2025-2026; the document inside is the 2026-2027 schedule.) Nine-month employees work 187 days, nine-month TEAMS teachers 189, ten-month employees 202 and twelve-month employees 240.
The nine-month teacher table has four columns:
- Bachelor's (Rank II, Type II and III)
- Master's (Rank I, Type I)
- Ed. Specialist Degree/AA Certificate
- Doctoral
Steps run from 1 to 36 and up, for zero to 35 or more years of experience; the schedule notes that "five STEPS indicate four years of experience." It also says "experience credit will only be awarded in the scholastic year (July 1-June 30) in which it is received." Our guide to reading a salary schedule explains how degree columns and steps fit together.
Which units count toward a Jefferson County column change?
A degree the state recognizes. The schedule says certificated employees "will be paid on the highest degree recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education." With no plus-credit columns, graduate-level credit earned outside a degree does not move a Jefferson County teacher to a new column.
The state sets the baseline. The ALSDE 2027 teacher salary schedule says "the advanced degree must be earned from a regionally accredited institution." Our article on master's degrees versus loose credits covers what that means for planning coursework.
Who approves a Jefferson County higher degree?
The state recognizes the degree, and the district pays on that recognition. The schedule makes employees responsible for submitting verification of a degree or certification to their principal or director, or to Human Resources.
Jefferson County does not publish a pre-approval form for coursework. Its HR documents and forms page does offer an Experience Verification Request Form, which HR uses to verify experience for graduate admissions and certificate renewals. Our article on pre-approval forms explains how districts that do require them handle the step.
When does a Jefferson County column change take effect?
There is no fixed filing date. Pay "becomes effective on the date the state recognizes the degree," according to the 2026-2027 schedule. The state schedule describes the same timing from its side: an employee is entitled to pay for an advanced degree "in the monthly pay period that begins after the State Superintendent recognizes the advanced degree" (ALSDE).
Since the raise waits on the state, send transcripts as soon as the degree posts. Our transcript deadlines article has tips for avoiding delays.
Do the same units count toward Alabama certificate renewal?
Renewal is where individual courses can count. Under Ala. Admin. Code 290-3-2-.41, Alabama's 2026 continuation rule, three semester hours of allowable credit from a regionally accredited senior institution can meet the content-specific part of renewal; course content for the educator-ethics requirement "must receive prior approval by the Educator Certification Section." Class A and AA certificates accept graduate-level courses only, with a grade of B or above. Hours and credit must be earned during the current certificate's valid period.
Jefferson County does not post a separate renewal procedure, so ask Human Resources how it routes renewals before you file. The Alabama renewal section has the full rule, and the Alabama state guide compares Jefferson County with Mobile County.
Where can Jefferson County teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, Jefferson County included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: license renewal, an added endorsement or a degree program. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from Jefferson County's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Jefferson County pays by completed degree, certificate level or rating rather than by units, so courses short of a degree do not change a Jefferson County salary on their own (see units that count). Where graduate-level units still help is license renewal, explained in the renewal section, and any other purpose Jefferson County or Alabama names in writing.
Before you enroll: Alabama's renewal rule, Ala. Admin. Code 290-3-2-.41, lets three semester hours of "allowable credit" from a "regionally accredited senior institution" stand in for content clock hours only when the course is in a state-approved educator preparation program for the teaching field, an academic content course in the field, or doctoral-level work, and it says "for Category 2 Certificates, only approved allowable credit from an Alabama college or university will be accepted." University of the Pacific is in California, so early childhood, elementary and special education certificate holders cannot use its units for that option. Others should ask Jefferson County Human Resources about a specific course before they enroll.
| Question | What Jefferson County says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | Jefferson County: A higher degree recognized by ALSDE; no plus-credit columns | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | Jefferson County: None set; pay follows state recognition | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | Jefferson County: None posted; the state recognizes the finished degree | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
For renewal, or for a future move to a district that pays for units, many providers issue graduate-level units through accredited universities. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- CE Credits Online: self-paced, 180 days, units through Valley City State, Augustana, Adams State or Cal Poly Humboldt; from $449 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Connected Classroom Courses: self-paced, letter grade, units through CSU Pueblo; $389 + university fee for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Teachers: self-paced, 6 months, units through Valley City State, Adams State, UMass Global or CSU Pueblo; from $349 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Dominican CA Online: self-paced, units through Dominican University of California; $477 for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean Jefferson County has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Jefferson County salary questions teachers ask
Does Jefferson County pay more for credits beyond a degree?
Not on the salary schedule. The 2026-2027 teacher table has Bachelor's, Master's, Ed. Specialist/AA and Doctoral columns, and teachers are paid on the highest degree the state recognizes.
When does the raise for a master's degree start?
On the date the Alabama State Department of Education recognizes the degree, according to the district schedule.
Who sends proof of my degree?
You do. The schedule makes employees responsible for submitting verification of a degree or certification to their principal or director, or to Human Resources.
How many days is a Jefferson County teacher contract?
187 days for nine-month employees and 189 for nine-month TEAMS teachers, with 202- and 240-day schedules for ten- and twelve-month positions.
Where can Jefferson County teachers take graduate-level courses for license renewal?
Jefferson County does not raise pay for units short of a degree, so check the renewal rules on this page and confirm with human resources or the state agency before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, CE Credits Online, Connected Classroom Courses, Credits for Teachers and Dominican CA Online. They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- 2026-2027 salary schedule, Jefferson County Schools. Checked
- Human Resources, Jefferson County Schools. Checked
- HR documents and forms, Jefferson County Schools. Checked
- 2027 teacher salary schedule, Alabama State Department of Education. Checked
- Ala. Admin. Code 290-3-2-.41, continuation of certificates, Alabama Legislature. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error