Pennsylvania's teacher Experience-Based certification is a professional certificate that entitles the holder to fill a full-time professional teaching position. The teacher Experience-Based certification program is an alternate route to certification through an approved Pennsylvania program provider.
Yes. For a list of PDE approved Experience-Based programs and providers refer to Approved Certification Programs.
- Be of good moral character
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Unless applying to teach a world language, be a U.S. citizen, or legally authorized to work in the U.S.. A permanent resident immigrant visa holder is legally authorized to work in the U.S.
- Hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree
- Enroll in a Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) approved Experience-Based program; a minimum 3.0 GPA is required to enter the program
- Secure a full-time or long-term substitute position in your content area(s)
- Meet all testing requirements
- Submit an online application through the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS)
- The PDE approved Experience-Based program provider must verify program enrollment through TIMS
For more information, refer to your TIMS summary page or Certification Testing and Scores.
All required tests must be taken and passed before an Experience-Based certificate can be issued.
The testing company reports your scores electronically to PDE if you specify PDE as a score recipient when you register for your tests. If you have already taken your tests and did not request PDE as a score recipient, contact the appropriate company.
Yes. Your approved Experience-Based program provider needs your test scores, therefore, you should list them as a score recipient when registering.
No. The Experience-Based certificate is only issued for instructional subject areas. It is not applicable for professionals seeking certification as educational specialists, administrators or supervisors.
The Instructional Teacher Experience-Based certificate is valid for five years of service.
The Career and Technical Teacher Experience-Based certificate is valid for five calendar years from the date of issuance.
No. The Experience-Based certificate cannot be renewed.
Yes. An Experience-Based certificate may be revoked for the following reasons:
- If you are not continuously enrolled in a PDE approved Experience-Based program
- If you are dismissed for cause and/or convicted of a crime
Yes. You may serve as a long-term substitute.
Yes. You may serve as a day to day substitute; however, this will not count toward the required student teaching.
Yes. You must pass additional content test(s) to add areas. Some areas require a certification program.
Always refer to your TIMS application coversheet and only send the required documents listed.
NOTE: If your coversheet only lists "Other," you are not required to submit any documentation. Please do not mail in the coversheet by itself as it is not needed.
Submit clearance documents to PDE only if you answered "yes" to any of the background questions on your application. Check your TIMS coversheet for a list of required documents.
No. Transcripts are not required because you are in a PDE approved Experience-Based program.
No. There are no provisions for a temporary certificate while an application is under review. You may not begin teaching until your certificate is issued. To substitute, a public school may ask you to obtain an emergency permit by submitting a permit request through TIMS.
Access your TIMS dashboard and look to the left side of your screen under "Application(s) in Process." Your status will be in the third column. You may also check the status of your application on Search for an Educator.
No. Paper certificates are no longer printed and mailed. You must log back on to your TIMS dashboard to print an unofficial copy. Certification can only be verified through TIMS or the public link Search for an Educator.
- If you have questions regarding your Experience-Based program, testing, GPA etc. you should contact your approved Experience-Based program provider.
- If you have questions regarding a TIMS application contact the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality.