Certificate Renewals

Certificate Renewal - To continue a certificate is to update the certificate without allowing it to lapse.

Certificate Renewal Information

Leadership, Educator, and Career & Technical

 

General Information

 

Effective the January 1, 2025, the Alabama State Department of Education will enforce certificate renewal requirements. This means individuals with certificates expiring June 30, 2025, and thereafter, will need to adhere to the continuation requirements set forth by ALSDE. The Alabama State Department of Education will no longer waive professional development hours and/or PLU requirements for certificate continuation. The Alabama State Department of Education will update the certificate renewal policy as they work to phase the continuation requirements back into the renewal process.

 

The certificate continuation requirements currently published have only been confirmed for certificates that will expire 6/30/2025. Renewal requirements for certificates expiring 2026 and thereafter will be confirmed at a later date.

 

Certificates CANNOT be renewed prior to the calendar year of expiration. A $38.00 nonrefundable fee and a current background clearance based on fingerprint review are required to be on file with the Alabama State Department of Education. All continuation requirements must be met during the expiring certificate’s 5-year valid period.

 

Certificate renewal for MCPSS employees must approved by MCPSS Human Resources. Specific steps for how to complete certification renewal will be sent to MCPSS employees January of the certificate expiration year. Do not submit payments or documents to ALSDE for renewal without instructions from MCPSS Human Resources. The Professional Educator Certificate, Leadership Certificate and Career & Technical Certificate renewal guidelines do not apply to Emergency, Alternative, Temporary, Speech Assistant/Temporary, or any other non-renewable certificate.

 

Meeting the requirements to continue a Professional Educator Certificate in an area other than administration and/or supervision or a renewable Career and Technical Certificate WILL NOT meet the requirements to continue a Professional Leadership Certificate and/or a Professional Educator Certificate in an area of administration and/or supervision.

Meeting the requirements to continue a Professional Leadership Certificate and/or Professional Educator Certificate in an area of administration and/or supervision WILL MEET requirements to continue a Professional Educator Certificate in an area other than administration and/or supervision or an expired Career and Technical Certificate. This WILL NOT apply to certificate renewal after 2025.

Individuals continuing a renewable Career and Technical Certificate in Computer Science, Cosmetology & Barbering, or Health Science will also have to meet current occupational proficiency requirement for the valid certificate content area.

 

Professional Development Hours & Professional Learning Units

We recommend you continuously monitor your total number of Professional Development hours and/or Professional Learning Units. Only the PD hours or PLUs completed within your current certificate validation period can be considered for renewal. If you do not have access to your professional learning account, please reach out to Mrs. Barbara Evans for Professional Learning technical support. She can be reached by email at bsevans@mcpss.com for assisting with accessing your Professional Learning Account if needed.

 

Certificate Search

If you need to confirm the validation period for your current certificate, access the link TCERT - Search Certificates. This will take you to the Certificate Search page where you will enter your information. Your certificate(s) and valid period will show. Any allowable clock hours of Professional Development and/or Professional Learning Units can be used for renewal if completed within your certificate valid period as applicable.

 

Contact Krystal Smith, HR Certification Administrator at kvsmith@mcpss.com,  if you have any questions.

 

ALSDE Certification Policies are subject to change.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE CONTINUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATES THAT EXPIRE JUNE 30, 2025

Educator Continuation Option 1: 50 Clock Hours of Allowable Professional Development

50 allowable clock hours must be documented in the applicant’s PowerSchool Professional Learning account. All allowable clock hours must be under the correct ALSDE ID in PowerSchool Professional Learning. AND/OR 50 allowable clock hours must be documented on Supplement VPD by an APPROVED PROVIDER.

 

Educator Continuation Option 2: Three (3) Semester Hours of Allowable Coursework Credit

Allowable credit must be completed at a regionally accredited senior institution or an institution that was accredited by the Distance Education Association Commission (DEAC). If the institution is not accredited by either of these entities, please consult with the Educator Certification Section PRIOR TO completing the coursework.

 

Educator Continuation Option 3: Initial Issuance or Renewal of NBPTS Certification

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certificate must have been initially issued or renewed during the valid period of the certificate(s). The NBPTS certificate will be verified on the NBPTS website. The Educator Certification Section will verify NBPTS certification. No additional documents must be submitted.

LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE CONTINUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATES THAT EXPIRE JUNE 30, 2025

This is for the following certificate areas: Educational Administrator, Instructional Leader, Superintendent, Principal (any grade level), Superintendent-Principal, Supervisor (general or specific subject area and/or grade level), and Career and Technical Administrator. These guidelines will NOT apply to certificate renewal after 2025.

 

Leadership Continuation: Option 1: Two (2) Professional Learning Units (PLUs) must be documented in the applicant’s PowerSchool Professional Learning account. Of the required 2 PLUs, at least 1 PLU MUST have been earned through the Alabama Council for Leadership Development (ACLD)-approved Professional Studies AND/OR By submission of an official transcript verifying coursework that has been approved for use as an ACLD-approved PLU.

 

Leadership Continuation: Option 2: Passing score(s) on the Alabama-prescribed Praxis subject-area test for Educational Leadership. The test must be taken during the certificate’s valid period. Applicants must meet all Alabama certification requirements in effect on the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section of the ALSDE. Praxis subject area test requirements are subject to change.

 

A PLU is a content-driven, long-term unit of professional study for individuals who hold certification in an area of administration/supervision.

CAREER AND TECHNICAL CONTINUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATES THAT EXPIRE JUNE 30, 2025

This certification approach is for individuals seeking to continue an Alabama Career and Technical Education Certificate (Type, Level, Specialty, and Degree Equivalent).

 

Career and Technical Continuation: Option 1: 50 allowable clock hours must be documented in the applicant’s PowerSchool Professional Learning account. Before submission, the applicant should ensure that allowable clock hours are under the correct ALSDE ID in PowerSchool Professional Learning. AND/OR 50 allowable clock hours must be documented on Supplement VPD by an APPROVED PROVIDER.

 

Career and Technical Continuation: Option 2: Career and Technical Education Teacher Certification Program (CTE TCP). Completion of CTE TCP Level 1 or CTE TCP Level 2 is documented in the applicant’s PowerSchool Professional Learning account. Before application submission, the applicant should verify the appropriate training is under the correct ALSDE ID in PowerSchool Professional Learning. The Educator Certification Section will verify clock hours in PowerSchool, no additional documents must be submitted.

 

All applications for continuation or reinstatement of Type, Level, and Specialty Area certificates will be reviewed by the Office of Career and Technical Education of the Department. Upon the review and recommendation, these certificates will be converted to the appropriate Degree Equivalent 2, 3, 4, or 5 certificates endorsed in technical education and/or in the technical education program area(s) for which the applicant has met requirements or the appropriate Degree Equivalent 2, 3, or 4 certificates endorsed in health science.