Act 48 of 1999 requires all professional educators holding Pennsylvania public school certificates to complete six collegiate credits or six PDE-approved in-service credits or 180 hours of approved continuing professional education (CPE) (or any combination of these) every 5 years to maintain an active certificate. Act 45 of 2007 requires all professional educators who are employed as certified school and system leaders to complete 180 hours of approved Act 45 continuing professional education every 5 years to maintain an active administrator certificate(s).
Educators who are not currently teaching and need additional time to fulfill ACT 48 requirements AND/OR educators with extenuating circumstances with no determinable end date should consider applying for voluntary inactive certification status. Voluntary inactive status will suspend an educator’s Act 48 requirements until a certificate is reactivated. More information can be found on the Act 48 FAQ webpage.
Extension Request Process
24 PS §1205.2(j) allows for the granting an extension of an Educator’s five-year compliance period to complete continuing professional education requirements due to extenuating circumstances. Extension requests can be submitted during the final year of an educator’s current continuing education period but must be received before the end date of their continuing education period. Extension request applications that are received outside of the compliance window will be denied. The following guidelines outline the criteria for granting an extension and the procedures for submitting an application.
Extenuating Circumstance | Description | Period of Extension | Required Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
Active-Duty Military Exception | Educator serving in any branch of the armed forces under active-duty orders during the compliance period | An extension equal to the period of Active Military Duty during the compliance period may be granted. |
|
Medical Condition (Self) | Educator who has/had medical reasons that prevented them from completing the required continuing professional education during the continuing education compliance period
| An extension of a maximum of 12 months may be granted if the medical condition prevented the completion of continuing professional education requirements. | Documentation from a licensed health care professional |
| Medical Condition (Relative) | Educator is the primary caregiver for a relative with a medical condition or physical or mental impairment.
| An extension of a maximum of 12 months may be granted if the relative’s medical condition prevented the educator from completing the continuing professional education requirements. | Documentation from a licensed health care professional |
Financial hardship | Educator had a sustained period of economic hardship due to loss of employment or livelihood which prevented the educator from completing the required continuing education credits/hours, including the ability to take part in the free courses offered through the SAS PD Center. | An extension of a maximum of 12 months may be granted for an extenuating circumstance hindering the completion of the continuing professional education requirements. | Documentation to verify and support the existence of sustained period of economic hardship and inability to complete the free courses available on the SAS PD Center |
Other | Any other extenuating circumstance not covered above | An extension of a maximum of 12 months may be granted for an extenuating circumstance preventing the completion of the continuing professional education requirements. | Documentation to verify and support the specific extenuating circumstance that prevented the completion of the required CE credits/hours including the ability to take part in the free courses available on the SAS PD Center |
Submitting an Extension Application
1. Go to Teacher Information Management System (TIMS).
2. Click on the blue area “TIMS Log In” if you need assistance with TIMS there are several resources located further down the page under TIMS Resources.
3. If you do not currently have a Keystone Login you will need to click on Register Username to create a username and password.
4. Login into TIMS using your Keystone login.
5. Click on the Applications tab and select “Update Existing Credentials” from the drop-down box.
6. Click continue on the certificate screen and select yes from the pop-up.
7. Complete the Background Questions, check the affidavit statement, and click next.
8. Check the demographic details and correct any information that is wrong. Click next to go to the next page.
9. Complete the Update Credential Details page. Make sure to select the extension reason for which you have supporting documentation and click next.
10. Review the information on the summary page to ensure it is correct, complete the code conduct checks, and then proceed to submit.
11. Supporting documents for the extension application must be emailed to RA-A48APPS@pa.gov. The documentation must include the following for the extension reason given:
a. Past active military or naval deployment
i. DD214 and other discharge papers per naval branch
ii. Copy of orders detailing times and location of deployment and discharge.
b. Educator medical issue
i. Medical condition documentation
ii. Employer documents
c. Medical issue of relative
i. Medical condition documentation
ii. Employer documents
d. Financial hardship
i. Financial documentation supporting educators’ inability to take PDE’s free courses
e. Other
i. Other Appropriate documents related to the issue listed in the extension application.
Application Information for Continuing Professional Education Under Act 45 and Act 48
Educators may appeal a notice of inactive certification. Educators wishing to appeal their certificate inactivation must submit an appeal packet to the Division of Planning and Professional Development within 30 days of the date on the notice of inactive certification. The appeal packet must contain:
- PDE 338 R-4 form.
- Copy of Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate.
- Copy of the Inactivation Certification letter.
- Appeal reason statement if it is not included on the PDE 338 R-4.
- Supporting Documentation for appeal statement.
The completed appeal packet must be either emailed to the resource account, RA-A48APPS@pa.gov or submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education at:
Attn: Division of Planning and Professional Development
Appeals and Extensions
607 South Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Any appeal packet that is received more than 30 days past the date on the inactivation certification letter will be considered untimely and denied.
Questions regarding Appeals and Extension can be sent to: RA-A48APPS@pa.gov.