Additional information regarding renewal requirements may be found on the Maryland State Department of Education Certification website at www.mdcert.org.
Renewal requirements are defined in the Code of Maryland Regulations 13A.12.01.11, which may be accessed at http://www.dsd.state.md.us.
Rev. 3.18.2020
1
Renewal Requirements: Educators Employed in Local School Systems, Non-Public Special Education Facilities, and State Institutions
If you are employed as a teacher, administrator, or specialist by a MD public school system, nonpublic special education facility, or a MD State Institution,
please contact your employer to discuss your certification needs.
Standard Professional Certificate I
(SPC I)
5-Yr.validity
Standard Professional Certificate II (SPC II)
5-Yr. validity
Advanced Professional Certificate
(APC)
5-Yr. validity
SPC I > SPC II
• Complete 6 semester hours of
acceptable credit*
• Complete 3 years of
satisfactory experience
• Complete a professional
development plan
SPC I/II > APC
• Conferred Master’s degree related to public school education (6 credits related to the
educator’s discipline)
OR
• 36 post baccalaureate credits (minimum 21 graduate level credits, of which 6 are
related to the educator’s discipline)
OR
• National Board Certification and 12 credits of graduate coursework related to the
educator’s discipline
OR
• Professional Technical Education (PTE) teachers who do not possess a bachelor’s
degree shall complete a planned program of 36 credits (a maximum of 12 CPDs for the
trade related or reading coursework may be applied)
AND
• Complete 3 years of satisfactory experience
AND
• Complete a professional development plan
A minimum of 6 credits presented must be earned within the 5 years preceding the date of
issuance.
APC Renewal
• Complete 6 semester hours of
acceptable credit*
• Complete 3 years of satisfactory
experience
• Complete a professional
development plan
FAILURE TO MEET YOUR RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOUR EMPLOYMENT STATUS.
Do you have senior status?
If you will complete or have completed at least 25 years of public or approved non-public professional school service, or if you are or will be at least 55 years of
age any time within the validity dates of this certificate, you may qualify for senior status. Acceptance of senior status is determined by your employer and
remains in effect only while you are employed by a local Maryland school system, nonpublic facility, or state institution that recognizes and accepts this
allowance. Once you terminate your employment, the senior status no longer applies and you must complete the appropriate requirements.
Reading/Literacy Requirements
Additional information regarding renewal requirements may be found on the Maryland State Department of Education Certification website at www.mdcert.org.
Renewal requirements are defined in the Code of Maryland Regulations 13A.12.01.11, which may be accessed at http://www.dsd.state.md.us.
Rev. 3.18.2020
2
Certificate holders with certification in early childhood education, elementary education, and special education Birth-3 and 1-8 are required to complete 12
semester hours in reading, which shall include:
• Processes and acquisition of reading skills
• Methods of teaching reading
• Reading assessment
• Materials for teaching reading
Certificate holders with certification in a secondary content area, special education 6- Adult, PreK-12 disciplines, and library media specialist are required to
complete 6 semester hours in reading/literacy, which shall include:
• Teaching Reading/Literacy in the Content Area Part I
• Teaching Reading/Literacy in the Content Area Part II
Please reference the reading summary issued to you upon the issuance of your initial certificate for specific requirements pertaining to your certification.
Blind and Visually Impaired Teachers
• To renew, a teacher shall submit 6 semester hours of acceptable credit, which must include at least one credit, continuing professional development
credit, or continuing education unit related to the maintenance of knowledge of Braille code, as part of or in addition to, the regular renewal
requirements for educators.
Specialists, Administrators, and Supervisors
If you have a specialist, administrator, or supervisor certificate, and do not have a (special education) ancillary credit on your certificate or do not hold a
certification in Generic Special Education, you must complete 3 semester hours of special education as part of the regular renewal requirements for educators.
School Counselors (Lauryn’s Law)
Upon renewal of a certificate issued on or after January 1, 2017 in the area of school counseling, an individual must present 6 acceptable credits*, which
shall include:
• One semester hour of coursework; or
• One CPD; or
• An equivalent number of CEUs that addresses the following:
(a) The need for intervention or referral in response to indicators of mental illness and behavioral distress, including, but not limited to depression, trauma,
violence, youth suicide, and substance abuse; and
(b) The identification of professional resources and best practices for distributing resources to parents or guardians to help students in crisis.
Additional information regarding renewal requirements may be found on the Maryland State Department of Education Certification website at www.mdcert.org.
Renewal requirements are defined in the Code of Maryland Regulations 13A.12.01.11, which may be accessed at http://www.dsd.state.md.us.
Rev. 3.18.2020
3
Renewal Requirements for Educators who are not Employed or Working in a Private School
Professional Eligibility Certificate (PEC)
5-Yr.validity
Advanced Professional Certificate (APC)
5-Yr. validity
PEC > PEC
• Complete 6 semester hours of
acceptable credit*
The PEC may be renewed indefinitely should
the educator remain unemployed/working in a
private school
• Conferred Master’s degree related to public school education (6 credits
related to the educator’s discipline)
OR
• 36 post baccalaureate credits (minimum 21 graduate level credits, of which
6 are related to the educator’s discipline)
OR
• National Board Certification and 12 credits of graduate coursework related
to the educator’s discipline
OR
• Professional Technical Education (PTE) teachers who do not possess a
bachelor’s degree shall complete a planned program of 36 credits (a
maximum of 12 CPDs for the trade related or reading coursework may be
applied)
AND
• Complete 3 years of satisfactory experience
A minimum of 6 credits presented must be earned within the 5 years preceding the
date of issuance
APC > APC
• Complete 6 semester hours of
acceptable credit*
Reading Requirements
Certificate holders with certification in early childhood education, elementary education, and special education Infant-3 and 1-8 are required to complete 12
semester hours in reading, which shall include:
• Processes and acquisition of reading skills
• Methods of teaching reading
• Reading assessment
• Materials for teaching reading
Certificate holders with certification in a secondary content area, special education 6- Adult, PreK-12 disciplines, and library media specialist are required to
complete 6 semester hours in reading, which shall include:
• Teaching Reading in the Content Area Part I
• Teaching Reading in the Content Area Part II
Additional information regarding renewal requirements may be found on the Maryland State Department of Education Certification website at www.mdcert.org.
Renewal requirements are defined in the Code of Maryland Regulations 13A.12.01.11, which may be accessed at http://www.dsd.state.md.us.
Rev. 3.18.2020
4
Please reference the reading summary issued to you upon the issuance of your initial certificate for specific requirements pertaining to your certification.
Blind and Visually Impaired Teachers
• To renew, a teacher shall submit 6 semester hours of acceptable credit, which must include at least one credit, continuing professional development
credit, or continuing education unit related to the maintenance of knowledge of Braille code, as part of or in addition to, the regular renewal
requirements for educators.
Administrators and Specialists
If you have a specialist, administrator, or supervisor certificate, and do not have a (special education) ancillary credit on your certificate or do not hold a
certification in Generic Special Education, you must complete 3 semester hours of special education as part of the regular renewal requirements for educators.
School Counselors
Upon renewal of a certificate issued on or after January 1, 2017 in the area of school counseling, an individual must present 6 acceptable credits*, which
shall include:
• One semester hour of coursework; or
• One CPD; or
• An equivalent number of CEUs that addresses the following:
(a) The need for intervention or referral in response to indicators of mental illness and behavioral distress, including, but not limited to depression, trauma,
violence, youth suicide, and substance abuse; and
(b) The identification of professional resources and best practices for distributing resources to parents or guardians to help students in crisis.
*Acceptable credit shall be approved by the local superintendent of schools if the educator is employed by the local school system or if the
educator is not employed, the credit is:
• Earned or taught at a regionally accredited Institution of Higher Education or through Maryland approved Continuing
Professional Development credits (CPDs). (These credits must be submitted on an official transcript or on a Maryland CPD form);
• Related to a school assignment;
• Earned within 5 years preceding the date on which the certificate is issued; and
• Earned in reading course work if not already completed (teaching areas and library media specialists only)