Educators keep certificates valid through the renewal process of completing six credits every five years. These credits must be earned between the issue date and expiration date their current certificate. Certificate information is available online through the Teacher 411 system.
Individuals with a bachelors degree as their highest degree, need at least three credits on a university transcript. The rest of the credits can be Department of Education renewal credits or continuing education contact hours.
Individuals with an advanced degree or National Board Certification, can renew with any combination of credits on a university transcript, Department of Education renewal credits, or continuing education contact hours/continuing education units (CEUs).
When using continuing education hours, 15 contact hours equals one credit. If individuals are awarded CEUs, one CEU equals 10 contact hours. If one CEU is earned, individuals need an additional five hours to equal 15 hours or one credit.
Once educators obtain the six credits, submit the online renewal application any time after January 1 of the scheduled renewal year.
Continuing education contact hours can be offered for trainings to educators without pre-approval by the Department of Education.
The sponsoring agency is responsible for deciding how many hours to award, issuing a certificate of completion, and keeping track of the participants. When issuing continuing education contact hours, remember to count the actual hours spent "learning" which do not typically count meal time.