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    ​​Certification Staffing Policy Guidelines (CSPGs)

    ​CSPG 97 - Career and Technical Administrative Director 7-12

    ​Administrative Area Code 2300
    Modified: March 9, 2026

    The Career and Technical Administrative Director certification requires knowledge and competence in the management of a career and technical school program that educates students in grades 7-12.

    Grade Level Scope of Certificate

    A person holding a valid Pennsylvania (PA) certificate as a Career and Technical Administrative Director is qualified to manage school operations and provide educational leadership in an area career and technical school or career and technical center (CTC), grades 7-12.

    Certification Assignment

    An educator holding a valid Career and Technical Administrative Director's certificate is qualified to provide services required in the operation of any area career and technical school or CTC, to include:

    • Serving as a career and technical education instructional leader;
    • Supervising and evaluating certificated and non-certificated staff persons required for school operation;
    • Addressing strategic planning for fiscal operations and resource and technology management for school buildings; and
    • Addressing budget planning and resource allocation.

    Certification Clarifications

    • Career and Technical Supervision: A career and technical supervisory certificate or career and technical director certificate is required when 50 percent or more of the individual’s assignment is related to supervising career and technical education programs.

    • Chief Administrator of an Area Career and Technical School/CTC
      • The Director of Career and Technical Education of an area career and technical school/CTC is not a commissioned school officer. 
      • The board of an area career and technical/CTC shall designate the executive director of the intermediate unit or a chief school administrator of a participating school district to serve in the capacity of the chief administrator of the area career and technical school/CTC. (22 Pa. Code § 339.41(4))

    • Superintendent Letter of Eligibility: An educator with a Superintendent Letter of Eligibility may serve as a Director of Career and Technical Education without a Career and Technical Administrative Director certificate if one of the following is met:
      • Has a minimum of three (3) years of relevant professional experience, including serving as a Career and Technical Center Superintendent of record, in a career and technical school or secondary school offering at least three (3) career and technical education programs approved by the PA Department of Education;
      • Completed a post-baccalaureate program under Section 1207.1 of the School Code that is approved by the PA Department of Education and prepares the educator to direct, operate, supervise, and administer career and technical education in a school entity; or
      • Agrees to complete a Career and Technical Education Leadership program approved by the PA Department of Education that meets the Pennsylvania School Leadership Standards under Section 1217 of the School Code within three (3) years of employment as a Career and Technical Administrative Director in accordance with Section 1221 of the School Code. 

    Restrictions

    • An educator employed with the Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility who does not meet one of the criteria in Certificate Clarifications, may continue to supervise career and technical education programs as long as this supervision is less than 50 percent of their assignment.

    References

    Program Specific Guidelines for Certification

    22 PA Code: Chapter 4: §4.22, §4.23, §4.31

    Chapter 49: §49.11, §49.81, §49.163

    Chapter 339: §339.41(4), §339.41(5)

    PA Public School Code: §1202, §1212, §1221, §1604

    This revision supersedes all earlier CSPGs carrying this number and/or addressing this subject.  Previous printing dates on this subject: 1973, 3/75, 3/78, 2/82, 1/87, 7/04, 8/18.

    Summary of Changes

    ​Date of Revisions
    		​Major Changes to CSPG #97
    3/9/2026Added language per Act 47 of 2025 regarding service as a Career and Technical Administrative Director under the Superintendent Letter of Eligibility. 
    ​1/2020​Updated terminology per Act 76 from “ vocational” to “career and technical”
    ​8/2018​Corrected and clarified appropriate certification for a Vocational Director.
    ​7/2004​It was incorrectly stated that a District Superintendent/Letter of Eligibility was an appropriate certification to be assigned as a Vocational Director.
    ​1/1987

    ​CSPG #43: A certificate for Director of Vocational Education or Vocational Administrative Director, assigned as a Vocational Administrative Director or Assistant Administrative Director:

    • May perform the coordinative/supervisory functions in the total field of vocational education as part of his/her appointed administrative position.
    • The administrative certificates do not qualify the holder for an assignment as Supervisor of Comprehensive Vocational Education.
    ​3/1975

    ​CSPG #69,3(d): The Director of Vocational Education administers:

    • An Area Vocational Technical School and its Vocational Extension (Post Graduate and Adult) programs; or
    • In a comprehensive high school under the direction of a Secondary School Principal.
      • He/she directs the Vocational Education Program when such a program is not under the supervision of a person holding Supervisory certificates for the specific fields of Vocational Education.