PROCESSING YOUR
APPLICATION
FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL
CERTIFICATE
Instructional I and II
CERTIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS
• This includes First Certification in
Pennsylvania and adding additional
certifications at the Instructional I
and II level
Certification Application Instructions
• The following items must accompany your application:
• $100 Money Order
– payable to the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania (no
checks or credit cards)
• Photocopy of Certification Analysis Sheet (program
plan) The plan reviewed by your adviser outlining
course work required for certification. Grad students
• PRAXIS SCORES – even if scores were reported to
Arcadia they are in label form. Submitting a copy of
Praxis helps to quickly expedite the process.
• Certification Cover Sheet
Certification Application Instructions
Certification Cover Sheet
Item #1
Type of Certificate
Check appropriate box
Intern Instructional I or
Instruction II
Certification concentration
Certification Cover Sheet
• Item #2
• Previously certified:
If you check yes – Provide photocopy of Instructional,
Emergency, or Intern Certificate
• Available for printing on PDE website
www.pde.state.pa.us
•
Certification Cover sheet
Item #3
– For reporting purposes we need to know if you
are:
• An Undergraduate student
• A Graduate Student enrolled for a
Certification Program or Certification and
masters’ degree.
• Item #4
– Practicum/student teaching - grade level,
subject(s) and school.
If you contact us in the future for information regarding
where you student taught we will be able to provide this
information easily.
Certification Cover Sheet
• Item #5
• Current Occupation
– Undergraduates: if you had a full-time job
prior to becoming a student
– Graduate students: if you are changing careers, what
was your previous profession/job
– We need this information for reports required by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education
• Item #6
– The State wants to know if your are looking for
employment as a teacher or outside of education
• General Application Form PDE 338G
– Section II Bachelor’s Degree
Subject Area and code
– Section III Health Certificate
Licensed physician ONLY - NO Nurse
Practitioner or Physician Assistant
SHS – Dr’s hours – Mon & Thurs, 2:30-4:30pm
(x2966 after noon for appointment)
– Section IV Background 1 through 7
– Section V Code of Conduct
– Section VI AFFIDAVIT
YOUR SIGNATURE AND DATE
• College Verification Form PDE 338C
SECTION I: Applicant Information
• Last Name, First Name, Middle initial
• Social Security Number
SECTION II: University Recommendation –
do not write in this section
NOTE: new Praxis score requirements based on
gpa at completion of program
Praxis Test Standard Deviation Qualifying
score for Elementary Education: C, I A 7.1 standard deviation
2.8-2.99 3.0
175
+1 SD
168
3.1-3.25
3.26-3.5
3.51-3.75
166
164
163
-0.25 SD
-0.50 SD
-0.75 SD
3.76-4.0
161
-1 SD
The chart is posted on the graduate forms
page at www.arcadia.edu/gsforms
PDE Form 338G cont
• SECTION III: filled out by
certification officer
• SECTION IV: PRAXIS LABEL
CONVERT AN INSTRUCTIONAL
I TO INSTRUCTIONAL II
This is done through the school district
where you are teaching
REQUIREMENTS:
• 3 years of teaching in PA public school
• 24 Post-baccalaureate credits:
– Undergraduate/graduate courses from an
accredited four year school (Religion, Law, and
Medicine are excluded) Community College
credits excluded
– PDE approved in-service credits
• Induction Program
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
(Act 48)
• To maintain their certification, all
school personnel are required to
participate in continuing professional
development.
Every 5 years teachers must
complete:
 6 undergraduate/graduate credits or
 180 hours of PDE approved in-service
 OR a combination of credits and hours
Adding An Instructional Area To A PA
Certificate
REQUIREMENTS:
Must hold an Instructional (type 60, 61, 62 or 80) certificate
and be adding an Instructional area.
Applies only to middle school or secondary ed content
(math, general science, chemistry, social studies, etc.)
Pass required Praxis exam and apply directly to the state
Excludes: all K-6 or K-12 Content Areas and any Instructional
subject with "no qualifying score".
RECIPROSITY
INTERSTATE AGREEMENTS
• PA has interstate agreements with 42 states
• Agreements simplify issuance of a comparable
certificate by another state
• Teacher must obtain forms from the department
of education for the state in which they seek
reciprocal certification
• Additional certification requirements may apply
RESOURCES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
– www.ed.gov
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
ALL 50 STATES (maintained by the
University of Kentucky)
• http://www.uky.edu/Education/TEP/usacert.html
GETTING A TEACHING
POSITION
• PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION (PDE)
– http://www.pde.state.pa.us/
 Standard Application
 Check Status of Certification Application
 Check Status of Professional Educator’s
Certificate
 Profiles of School Districts in Pennsylvania
PA R.E.A.P.
(Regional Education Applicant & Placement Program)
http://www.pareap.net/
 Standard Application On-Line to be reviewed by
School District Personnel who are Hiring Teachers
 Job Listings for Educators
 Other Participating REAP States
Web sites
• http://jobs.aol.com/teaching-jobs
• https://www.schoolspring.com/
• http://www.teacherjobs.com/
• TeacherLinkUSA
www.teacherlinkusa.com
• PA REAP http://www.pareap.net/
• Teacher Blogs trying to define 21st century teachers
•
So what is a 21st Century Teacher?
–
flexible,
– collaborative,
– research based,
– knows the learning styles of their students,
– teaches to different learning styles and ability levels.
All of these go into creating ethical, life-long learners — My goal for a 21st Century
Citizen.
Reference:http://www.learning-blog.org/2006/08/01/what-is-a-21st-century-teacher/