How to Renew or Reinstate a Teachers License in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Renewal of Teaching Certification
Your Level I teaching license is good for 6 service years and cannot be renewed. After you have been teaching on a Level I license for at least 3 years, finished your s district’s induction program for new teachers, and have finished 24 post-baccalaureate credits; you can be eligible for a Level II license. Credits have to include 6-semester hour credits in Inclusive Classrooms and/or Standards Aligned Systems.
Once you have your Level II license, it is considered to be permanent. However, to maintain licensure, you have to complete continuing education conditions via one of the following methods:
- 6 post-baccalaureate college credits
- 6 Pennsylvania Department of Education-sanctioned in-service credits
- 180 continuing education hours or
- A combination of the above
PA providers will send your credits to the PDOE. If you earn course credits abroad, mail the transcripts to the DOE.
Pennsylvania Teaching Certification Reinstatement
If you do not finish the continuing education conditions listed above, your license will become inactive. Suppose you are not currently working in a state school but wish to maintain your license. You can request a voluntary inactive status by submitting form PDE 338R to the Bureau of Teacher Certification and Preparation. This will enable you to work up to 90 school days per school year as a substitute teacher.
If you want to reactivate your license, you have to have finished 30 continuing education hours or one college credit during this year. After your license is activated, you have to complete the remaining continuing education conditions during the first 5-year validity period of your re-activated license.