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Professional Development, Renewals and Alignments

  1. Professional Development
    1. The State Board rules allow the certified individual to engage in a variety professional development activities during the valid period of the certified. In general, the activities should meet two criteria:
      1. They should represent professional growth, that is, related to education or a subject area taught in Arizona public schools. Courses for personal growth, e.g. calligraphy, fitness center, real estate, or rug weaving, would not fulfill the intent of the rule. Courses to enhance bilingual or technology skills, or qualify for another certificate would.
      2. They should represent development. That is, the activity should provide training to improve teaching or administrative skills.
    2. Who documents the Professional Development Activities?
      1. If your employer is a school, school district, county school superintendent, or a college of education, you must have professional development verified at the time of renewal by your employer. At the district, the superintendent or personnel officer may sign the “Application for Renewal” form and no other documentation needs to be submitted with the application. If you are not employed at the time of renewal by one of these authorized entities, submit the documentation required with your application to the State Board of Education for approval. If Charter or Private school employs you the authorized signature must be by the designated highest governing board member.
    2. Professional Development Activities: Documentation Required:
    Academic courses related to education or a subject area taught in Arizona public schools. Official transcripts from an accredited institution. Each semester hour of courses is equivalent to 15 hours of professional development.
    District or school-sponsored in-service training specifically designed for professional development. Written verification from the sponsoring district or school stating the dates of participation and number of clock hours earned.
    Professional (education-related) conferences and workshops. Conference agenda and a statement or certificate from the sponsoring organization noting clock hours earned in training sessions. Limited to 30 clock hours.
    Business internship. Internship shall be based on an agreement between a business and a district or school with the stated objective of aligning teaching curriculum with workplace skills. Written verification by the sponsoring business and district or school stating the dates of participation and number of clock hours earned. Limited to 80 clock hours.
    Educational research. Research shall be sponsored by a research facility or an accredited institution or funded by a grant. The published report of the research or verification by the sponsoring agency and a statement of the dates of participation and the number of clock hours earned.
    Serving in a leadership role of a professional organization. Written verification by the governing body of the professional organization of the dates of service and clock hours earned. Limited to 30 clock hours per year.
    Serving on a visitation team for a school accreditation agency. Written verification form the accreditation agency of the dates of service and clock hours earned. Limited to 60 hours per year.
    Completion of the process for certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Written verification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards and a statement form the employing district or school verifying the dates and clock hours earned during the certification process.
  2. Renewal Procedures:

    3. Standard, Administrative, Guidance Counselor and School Psychologist Certificates may be renewed upon completion of 180 clock hours of professional development activities or 12 semester hours of education coursework posted on official transcripts or a combination of the two, completed during the valid period of the certificate.
    Alignments: An individual holding multiple valid certificates may renew all certificates at one time in order to align the expiration dates of each certificate. Certificates being aligned shall be renewed at the same time as the certificate that will expire first. Individuals seeking to align certificates shall meet the renewal requirements for EACH certificate being aligned. Any certificate to be aligned requires 180 clock hours of professional development activities or 12 semester hours of education coursework posted on official transcripts or a combination of the two, completed during the valid period of that certificate. Current certificates aligned pursuant to this section may be valid for less than 6 years.
    For renewal of the Standard Adult Education Certificate and Athletic Coaching Certificate, completion of 60 clock hours in a professional development program is required. The Athletic Coaching Certificate renewal also requires a valid certification in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
    All persons holding a valid Elementary, Secondary, Arts, Principal, Superintendent, Supervisor, Career and Technical Education or Special Education Arizona Certificate must show proof of 15 clock hours or 1 semester hour of Structured English Immersion (SEI) State Board approved training to meet the requirement of the Provisional SEI Endorsement and have it added to their certificate(s). Individuals who hold a Full Bilingual or Full ESL endorsement are exempt from the SEI endorsement requirement.
    Effective January 1, 2007, the Speech and Language Impaired certificate was repealed and replaced with two professional non-teaching certificates: Speech-Language Technician and Speech-Language Pathologist. Individuals who are currently certified under a Standard Speech and Language Impaired certificate must submit an official transcript posting their highest degree in Speech-Hearing Sciences, Speech-Language Pathology or Communication Disorders. Upon renewal, speech therapists at the Master’s level will be issued a Speech-Language Pathologist certificate and Speech Therapists at the Bachelor’s level will be issued a Speech-Language Technician certificate. The Provisional SEI endorsement will not be required for renewal of the Standard Speech and Language Impaired certificate.
    A certificate may be renewed within one year after it expires if the individual is not employed under the certificate. Those who hold certificates that have expired for more than one year must reapply for certification under the requirements in effect at the time of application.

  3. Renewal Requirements: Please submit the following:
    1. One of the following:
      1. A photocopy of your valid Arizona IVP fingerprint card (plastic) issued on or after January 1, 2008.
        -OR-
      2. A photocopy of your valid Arizona fingerprint clearance card (plastic) issued prior to January 1, 2008.

        3. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2008, per Arizona State Statute A.R.S. § 15-106, an applicant who applies for a teaching certificate shall submit an Identity Verified Prints (IVP) Fingerprint card. “Non-IVP” Arizona fingerprint clearance cards issued on or after January 1, 2008 will NOT be accepted.

    2. A completed “Application for Renewal” and a $20 personal check, cashiers check or money order for each certificate to be renewed, made payable to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE). Fees are not refundable. Cash will not be accepted.
    3. District verification of professional development training (District Superintendent or Personnel Director’s signature is required on page 2); OR, an official transcript(s) of academic course work completed during the valid period of the certificate to be renewed from an accredited institution. An institution sealed envelope is not required. Photocopies will not be accepted.
    4. Verification of state approved Structured English Immersion (SEI) training. Note: Individuals who hold a Full Bilingual or Full ESL endorsement are exempt from the SEI endorsement requirement.
      1. If you were initially certified before August 31, 2006, submit a certificate verifying 15 clock hours, or an official transcript verifying 1 semester hour, of approved SEI Provisional training to add the Provisional SEI endorsement.
      2. If you were initially certified on or after August 31, 2006, submit a certificate verifying 45 clock hours, or an official transcript verifying 3 semester hours, of approved SEI Provisional training to add the Provisional SEI endorsement.