Certification & Renewal

Initial certificates are issued to beginning teachers. An initial educator certificate is issued for three years and is non-renewable. When a teacher receives an initial certificate, the state also sends a letter indicating what is required of the teacher to advance to a professional certificate.

Typically, this includes passing ADEPT formal evaluation and passing the Praxis exams required for the teacher's area of certification.

For more information on initial certificates for South Carolina, click here. This link also includes contact information for the Office of Educator Services, if teachers have additional questions about initial certification.

The National Board for Professional Teaching provides an opportunity for teachers to achieve National Board Certification.

Initial Candidates

Teachers seeking NB Certification undertake a two-part process that takes from 1 to 3 years to complete.  The process requires candidates to reflect on their classroom practices, their understanding of subject materials and their preparation techniques.  The certification process is currently undergoing revision with all new components becoming available during the 2016-17 school year. 

For more information about the National Board process, visit the National Board site and CERRA.

Renewals

There are two groups to consider for renewals:

Group 1 are those who were already in the program prior to July 1, 2010, i.e. new candidates, retakes, and NBCTs. These people are still eligible for the $7500 state supplement. They are also eligible to renew one time and continue to receive $7500. There is no financial assistance to start the process for renewal candidates.

Group 2 are those that started the program July 1, 2010 and after. They are only eligible for $5000 supplement and will not continue to receive it if they renew.

NBCTs can view the renewal calendar here to see when to begin the renewal process. Beginning in 2021, NBCTs will extend their certificate through a new process called maintenance of certification (MOC). Please click here for additional details. 

Each year the Office of Educator Effectiveness provides an update to all educators across the district regarding Professional Certificate Renewal. Please review the newsletter and feel free to reach out to your coordinator with any questions you might have.