Certification

Certificates in Pennsylvania Types and Codes

Candidates for certification in Pennsylvania must identify the certificate type and subject area for which they plan to apply before entering the online application system, the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS). The various certificate types and subject areas currently offered by Pennsylvania are listed below. Additional information about each can be found in the Certification Staffing Policy​ Guidelines (CSPGs).

For educators holding a Pennsylvania certificate and applying for certification in another state or for other state departments of education, the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Stages of Licensure for each certificate type is listed at the bottom of this page. To understand the NASDTEC Stages of Licensure, refer to NASDTEC information on this site.

Instructional Certificates – Type Code 61

The Instructional certificate is issued to a person whose primary responsibility shall be direct contact with learners in teaching-learning situations.

Subject CodeSubject Areas
1200Agriculture PK-12
1405Art Education PK-12
1603Business, Computer and Information Technology PK-12
1610Business Education-Accounting 7-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
1625Business Education-Data Processing 7-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
1640Business Education-Marketing 7-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
1658Business Education-Office Technologies 7-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
1655Business Education-Secretarial 7-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
​2600​Career and Technical Instructional 7-12
8825Citizenship Education 7-12
3200Communications 7-12
​1657
​Computer Science 7-12
2361
Cooperative Education 7-12
​2255
​Dance PK-12
2840​
Early Childhood Education N-3 (discontinued 8/31/2013) - See Grades PK-4
2810Elementary Education K-6 (discontinued 8/31/2013) - See Grades PK-4 or Grades 4-8
3230English 7-12
4820Environmental Education PK-12
5600Family and Consumer Science PK-12
See table belowForeign/World Languages PK-12 (see following table for areas and subject codes)
3100 – 09Grades 4-8 (4-6, English Language Arts and Reading 7-8)
3100 – 01Grades 4-8 (4-6, Mathematics 7-8)
3100 – 05Grades 4-8 (4-6, Science 7-8)
3100 – 08Grades 4-8 (4-6, Social Studies 7-8)
2825Grades Pre-Kindergarten – 4
4810Health Education PK-12
4805Health and Physical Education PK-12
5605Home Economics K-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
6005Industrial Arts/Tech Ed K-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
6420Library Science PK-12
1666Marketing (Distributive) Education PK-12
6800Mathematics 7-12
2870Middle Level Citizenship Ed 6-9 (discontinued 8/31/2013)
2850Middle Level English 6-9 (discontinued 8/31/2013)
2860Middle Level Mathematics 6-9 (discontinued 8/31/2013)
2880Middle Level Science 6-9 (discontinued 8/31/2013)
7205Music Education PK-12
7650Reading Specialist PK-12
5215Safety/Driver Education 7-12
8405Science – Biology 7-12
8420Science – Chemistry 7-12
8440Science – Earth and Space 7-12
8450Science – General Science 7-12
8470Science – Physics 7-12
8865Social Science 7-12
8875Social Studies 7-12
9226Special Education PK-8 (discontinued 12/31/2021)
9227Special Education 7-12 (discontinued 12/31/2021)
9231
Special Education PK-12 (available 1/1/2022)
9205Special Education – Hearing Impaired PK-12
9235
Special Education – Mentally and/or Physically Handicapped K-12 (discontinued 8/31/2003)
9265Special Education – Speech and Language Impaired PK-12
9290Special Education – Visually Impaired PK-12
6075Technology Education PK-12

Foreign/World Languages (all PK-12)

Subject CodeSubject AreasSubject CodeSubject Area
4003American Sign Language4455Persian Farsi
4005Arabic4460Polish
4405Chinese4470Portuguese
4410French4473Punjabi
4420German4475Romanian
4010Greek4480Russian
4023Hindi4485Slovak
4430Italian4490Spanish
4440Japanese4486Swahili
4025Korean4487Turkish
4030Latin4493Ukrainian
4450Lithuanian4494Urdu
4453Pashto4495Vietnamese

Educational Specialist Certificates – Type Code 31

The Educational Specialist certificate is issued to a person whose primary responsibility shall be to render professional service other than classroom teaching.

Subject CodeArea/Field
1830Specialist – Dental Hygienist PK-12
1836Specialist – Elementary School Counselor (discontinued 1/1/2016)
1837Specialist – Secondary School Counselor (discontinued 1/1/2016)
1839Specialist – Elementary & Secondary School Counselor PK-12 (1st issued 9/1/2013)
1850Specialist – Home and School Visitor PK-12
1825Specialist – Instructional Technology PK-12
1890Specialist – School Nurse PK-12
1875Specialist – School Psychologist PK-12
​1851
​Specialist - School Social Worker PK-12
1883
Specialist – School Speech and Language Pathologist PK-12
9800Specialist – Social Restoration 7-12 (discontinued)

Program Specialist Certificates – Type Code 86

The Program Specialist certificate is required for an assignment for which no instructional, educational specialist, supervisor or administrative certificate exists.

Subject CodeArea/Field
4499Program Specialist – English as a Second Language PK-12

Supervisory Certificates – Type Code 76

The Supervisory certificate is issued to a person whose primary responsibility shall be to supervise educational programs and direct the activities of professional and non-professional employees in such programs.

Subject CodeArea/Field
1415Supervisor – Art PK-12
3215Supervisor – Communication (English) 7-12
2515Supervisor – Cooperative Education 7-12
2915Supervisor – Curriculum and Instruction PK-12
2827Supervisor – Early Childhood K-6
2815Supervisor – Elementary Education K-6
4897Supervisor – Environmental Education PK-12
4415Supervisor – Foreign Languages PK-12
4815Supervisor – Health and Physical Education PK-12
5915Supervisor – Industrial Arts/Technology Education PK-12
1829Supervisor – Instructional Technology Specialist PK-12
6415Supervisor – Library Science PK-12
6815Supervisor – Mathematics 7-12
7215Supervisor – Music PK-12
2930Supervisor – Pupil Personnel Services PK-12
7615Supervisor – Reading PK-12
5227Supervisor – Safety/Driver Education 7-12
1815Supervisor – School Guidance Services PK-12
1891Supervisor – School Health Services PK-12
1877Supervisor – School Psychological Services PK-12
1855Supervisor – School Social Services K-12
8415Supervisor – Science 7-12
8815Supervisor – Social Studies 7-12
9215Supervisor – Special Education PK-12

Career and Technical
Supervisory Certificate – Type Code 19

Subject Code
Area/Field
2615Supervisor – Comprehensive Career and Technical Education 7-12

Administrative Certificates Administrative I (Principal) – Type Code 75

Administrative (Career and Technical Director) – Type Code 78 Administrative Provisional I – Type Code 72

The Administrative certificate is issued to a person whose primary responsibility shall be to direct, operate, supervise and administer the organizational and general education activities at a school.

Subject CodeArea/Field
1100Elementary Principal (discontinued 8/31/2003)
1105Secondary Principal (discontinued 8/31/2003)
1115School Admin. – Principal PK-12
2300School Admin – Career and Technical Administrative Director 7-12

Letter of Eligibility – Type Code 90

The District Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility is issued to a person whose formal preparation and experience qualify the person for appointment and commissioning as:

Subject CodeArea/Field
1150
Superintendent PK-12

The Intermediate Unit Executive Director’s Letter of Eligibility is issued to a person whose formal preparation and experience qualify the person for appointment and commissioning as:

Subject CodeArea/Field
1160Intermediate Unit Executive Director PK-12

Career and Technical Instructional – Type Code 21 and Career and Technical Intern – Type Code 24

The Career and Technical Instructional or Career and Technical Intern certificate is issued to a person whose primary responsibility is career and technical instruction within occupational/technical curricula. Refer to the Career and Technical certification page for a list of career and technical areas and codes.

Endorsements – Type Code 58

An Endorsement is a credential attained through an approved program. It is a short program not to exceed 12 credits and is available in new and emerging areas where formal certification does not exist. The Program Endorsement is intended to improve a teacher’s skills in dealing with complex classroom settings. These endorsements are added to existing Level I or Level II certificates but are not required to perform service in the endorsed areas.

Subject Code
Area/Field
1180Autism Spectrum Disorders PK-12
1191Creative Movement PK-12
1189Gifted PK-12
1182Instructional Coach PK-12
1183Mathematics Coach PK-12
1184Online Instruction Program PK-12
1181Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) PK-12
1193Skills for Teacher Leaders PK-12
1192Social, Emotional and Behavioral Wellness of PK-12 Students
1190
Theatre PK-12
​1194
​School Leader Endorsement PK-12

Other Certificates:

Intern Certificate – Type Code 51 Residency Certificate – Type Code 57 Military Science (ROTC) – Type Code 12

Private Academic Certificates

In addition to public school certification, there is also private academic school certification. Either certification is appropriate for nonpublic and private academic schools in the appropriate content areas. Teachers who teach in a private academic school licensed by the Department of Education are required to be Pennsylvania certified through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, School Code Chapter 22, Section 51.34. Teachers who teach in a nonpublic school (religious school) registered by the Department of Education are not required to be Pennsylvania certified; however, the school can choose to request certification for their teachers. Additional information can be found under Private Academic Certificates.

Pennsylvania Certification Identified by the NASDTEC Stages of Licensure

Teacher – person whose primary responsibility is to instruct students or as otherwise defined by the Member Jurisdiction.

Support Personnel – person, other than a teacher or administrator, who is required to hold an educator license based upon at least a bachelor’s degree (i.e., Educational Specialists in Pa. such as School Counselor, School Nurse, etc.)

Stages of Teacher or Support Professional Licensure:

 
Stage 1 LicenseStage 2 LicenseStage 3 LicenseStage 4 License
Teacher or Support Personnel Certification or Licensen/aIntern Residency Temporary Teaching Permit (TTP)Instructional I Educational Specialist I Program SpecialistInstructional II (master’s not required, post-bacc credits accepted) Educational Specialist II

Administrator – an educator whose primary duties may include the supervision of programs or curriculum; or supervision or management of a local educational agency, a school building, a school program or a school system. This includes principal and career and technical directors, for example.

Stages of Administrator Licensure:

 
Stage 1 LicenseStage 2 LicenseStage 3 License
Administrator Certification or Licensen/aAdministrative Provisional IAdministrative I
Administrative II
Letter of Eligibility (Superintendent)