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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    The Educator Discipline Act (PDF) provides for the following types of discipline:

    • Private Reprimand – a private written admonishment to the educator for his or her conduct.  
    • Public Reprimand – a public written admonishment to the educator for his or her conduct.
    • Suspension - a temporary termination of any certificate held by the educator or eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or by a contracted educational provider, either for a specified period of time or until the educator meets certain conditions. Revocation - a termination of all certificates held by the educator or of the educator's eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or by a contracted educational provider.
    • Revocation - a termination of all certificates held by the educator or of the educator's eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or by a contracted educational provider.
    • Surrender - the termination by consent of a certificate or employment eligibility. A surrender has the same effect as a revocation.

    A reprimand does not invalidate an educator’s certification or employment eligibility but may be considered in a subsequent disciplinary proceeding against an educator should future conduct warrant additional discipline. An educator whose certification or employment eligibility has been surrendered, suspended or revoked is not eligible for employment in a school entity in a position requiring certification or for which certification would be required in a traditional public school until the certification or employment eligibility is reinstated. Further, the educator is not eligible for any certificate until reinstated.  In some cases, reinstatement is prohibited by law.

    In addition to, or in place of, the above sanctions, the Commission may impose fees, fines, prescribed coursework, evaluations, treatment plans, impaired educator programs and other corrective action plans.  The Department may also request that the Commission enter a finding that the educator is guilty of sexual abuse or exploitation. If the Commission enters such finding, the educator is not eligible for reinstatement. The Commission may also determine that the educator poses a danger to the health, safety or welfare of children or others in the schools and order that any discipline be imposed immediately. In the event that immediate discipline is imposed, an appeal of the Commission's decision does not stay the discipline.

    By law, the Commission is required to make all adjudications imposing public discipline available on its website.  Notice of public discipline is also posted on the Department's website and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse.  Notice of a private reprimand or a private supplemental sanction is not communicated to the field or released to the public but does remain on the educator's certification record.