certification > professional development for certificate holders

Professional Development for Professional Certificate Holders

Note: The first professional development cycle begins on July 1 following the effective date of your Professional teaching certificate.

Responsibilities

If you are employed in a public school…

You must complete 175 hours of professional development every five years. This maintains the validity of the Professional certificate and allows you to continue to teach. The first professional development period begins on July 1 following the effective date of the certificate.

If you are not employed in a public school….

You must complete professional development every five years. However, the hourly obligation of 175 hours every 5 years is reduced by 10% for every year of your professional development period during which you are not employed in a public school. Example: If you teach in a nonpublic school for 2 years out of your professional development period, you must complete a total of 140 hours of professional development in that period (.20 x 175= 35 hours; 175 minus 35 = 140 hours). NOTE:  This calculation is done automatically and is displayed on your individual professional development record.  This maintains the validity of the Professional certificate and allows you to continue to teach. The first professional development period begins on July 1 following the effective date of the certificate.

Allowable Activities

If you are employed in a public school…

Your employing district approves all professional development activities to accrue towards your continuing professional development requirement. You should seek prior approval from your school district of any professional development that you wish to apply toward your professional development obligation. A suggested planning form, Continuing Professional Development, District Planning Document (PDF) is available for use by you and your district. This document is optional and is not submitted to the Office of Teaching Initiatives.

If you are not employed in a public school….

You initiate your own professional development activities; however any professional activity you complete must be in the content or pedagogy of your certificate title in order to accrue towards your continuing professional development obligation.

Recordkeeping

If you are employed in a public school…

You must keep a record of all professional development completed during your professional development period, including that provided by your school district. Required documentation elements include:

• Program/event title
• Accrual of hours of program/activity
• Provider name
• Attendance verification
• Date and location of the program/activity

Records should be kept as current with activity completion as is possible.  Records must be kept seven years and be made available to the New York State Education Department in the event of an audit.

If you are not employed in a public school…

You must keep a record of all professional development completed during your professional development period. Required documentation elements include:

• Program/event title
• Provider name
• Date and location of the professional development event
• Hours completed, attendance verification
• Content or pedagogical area of the professional development

Records should be kept as current with activity completion as is possible. The Continuing Professional Development, Individual Record (PDF), is designed to assist you in recording your professional development hours. Use of this document is optional and not submitted to the Office of Teaching Initiatives.   Records must be kept seven years and be made available to the New York State Education Department in the event of an audit.

Reporting

If you are employed in a public school…

If you are employed by a school district, the district reports professional development hours on your behalf. It is recommended that this information be reported annually.

If you are not employed in a public school…

If you are not employed by a public school district or BOCES during any portion of your professional development period, you must report completed professional development hours directly to the Office of Teaching Initiatives annually.

Related information

For suggested guidelines to districts related to provision of continuing professional development for Professional certificate holders, go to 175 Hour Professional Development Requirement.

For frequently asked questions related to the continuing professional development requirement for Professional certificate holders, go to FAQs-Professional Development .