Administrative, Supervisory and Superintendent Frequently Asked Questions

• Administrative I (75) Principal PK-12
• Administrative (78) Career and Technical Administrative Director 7-12
• Administrative Provisional I (72) alternative route to Principal PK-12 or Career and Technical Administrative Director 7-12.  
• Commission Qualification Letter (96) alternative letter for Superintendent
• Letter of Eligibility (90) Superintendent, IU Executive Director
• Supervisory (76) All Supervisory Areas

After you pay for and submit your application in TIMS, you will be provided with a cover sheet that indicates required documents.  Most documents can be uploaded directly into your application or be sent electronically. Documents that cannot be uploaded or sent electronically must be mailed to PDE with the cover sheet. This may include some or all of the following:

• PDE 338 A form;
• PDE 338 V form verifying education experience;
• Bachelor's degree and program transcripts; and,
• A copy of a comparable out-of-state certificate if held.

• If you took the current Pennsylvania test, have it reported to Pennsylvania.
• If you took a discontinued or replaced Pennsylvania test, it will be considered under our replaced tests policy at the time of application review. If it is not acceptable, you will be required to take the current Pennsylvania test.
• Experience, degrees, and certificates do not waive testing requirements.
• Additional information can be found on the Testing Requirements page.

​No additional coursework or experience is required if you hold a Career and Technical Administrative Director certificate and want to obtain a Principal certificate.  If you hold a Principal certificate and want to obtain a Career and Technical Administrative Director certificate, you must provide verification of three years of relevant professional experience in a Career and Technical Education school.  In either case, you must meet the Pennsylvania testing requirement. 

​Pennsylvania, along with most states and U.S. territories, has signed an Interstate Certification Agreement to recognize current and comparable out-of-state-approved programs.  Candidates from participating states must still meet other Pennsylvania requirements such as internship, GPA, and PA testing.

​Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services requires five years of certified educational specialist experience.  Instructional experience, including special education, does not meet the requirement for this certification.

​Supervisor of single subject area certificates such as special education, English, reading, etc., require five years of satisfactory certified experience in the requested subject area of certification.

Three years of satisfactory instructional or student support experience completed in a public or private PK-12 school or accredited institution of higher education. 

• Commonly accepted experience includes instructional, educational specialist, supervisory and administrative experience when in compliance with certification staffing policies and guidelines. 
• PDE does not pre-approve experience over the phone or through email.  Experience is reviewed after a complete application is submitted.

• Commonly accepted experience includes instructional, educational specialist, supervisory and administrative experience when in compliance with certification staffing policies and guidelines. 
• PDE does not pre-approve experience over the phone or through email.  Experience is reviewed after a complete application is submitted.
  

​A Commission Qualification Letter requires four years of relevant experience in business, finance or management in the fields of business, industry, or education.  Please note, you must submit a TIMS application and job description(s) to have your experience reviewed.

​The Letter of Eligibility requires six years of satisfactory educational or student support service in private or public K-12 schools or an accredited institution of higher education of which at least three years must be service in supervisory or administrative positions.

• A bachelor's degree;
• For Principals, three years of satisfactory instructional or student support experience completed in a public or private PK-12 school or accredited institution of higher education;
• For Career and Technical Administrative Directors, three years of relevant professional experience in a Career and Technical Education school; and 
• An offer of employment as a principal, assistant principal, vice principal or career and technical education director ina PA public school.

​Within the first two years of employment, complete an administration preparation program or a PDE-approved PIL Induction Program; pass the administrative test.

After you complete the conversion requirements, contact the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality at ra-edcertquestions@pa.gov or refer to the email you received when the Administrative Provisional certificate was issued.

No. Transcripts are not required for Level II Administrative certification.

​Check in PERMS (Act 48 and PERMS website) to verify that your coursework was reported by your PIL program provider.  If it is not in PERMS, you may submit a copy of your PIL Induction completion certificate with your TIMS application coversheet.

​No.  Career and Technical Administrative Director (78) is a 99-year certificate.  However, you must comply with Act 45 continuing education requirements.