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Certification Process
Address to send
materials: Maryland State Department of Education
Certification Branch
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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Basic Tips you NEED to know:
Really important details
Do not call
MSDE directly. Read
this material on this webpage first
1. Make checks payable to Maryland State Department of
Education; send your $10 fee by certified check or money order. (Never a
personal check)
2. When sending a cover letter to MSDE always, ALWAYS use
school stationery, and also write CATHOLIC EDUCATOR in big bold letters at the
top of the request (not on the envelope.) 3.
All
documents are sent to MSDE (except for Senior Exemption
Forms.) 4.
Send the last 4 digits of your SS# with requests for help.
5. Never, ever, send scores or transcripts virtually; send them by mail.
Gather everything at one time and send it by mail as a
complete packet.
6. Always give MSDE 6
weeks to process your request. (Mark your calendar and send Carole and email if
you have not heard in that time frame. Send her the last 4
digits of your ss# so she can launch an inquiry.)
7. The Verification of Experience Form ( found in the menu
bar on the right
side of the screen below) must be filled out for each school where you
have taught. Your current principal can not verify your experience at other
schools. In other words, you might need to download multiple forms. (For
teachers with a PEC or first time Catholic Educators
Certification)
8.First,
read the materials found below. |
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Verification of Experience form
Senior Exemption Form
Fingerprint security
form Must come directly from Principal's office
MSDE/CPD Form
for courses sponsored by AOB only |
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Process for renewing
your certification
 | Certification
requirements are different depending on the type of certificate to be
obtained or renewed |
Include the following
items when submitting your paperwork; (on school stationery)
1.Your name,
2. Address
3. Telephone number
4, Social security number &
5.
Email address (You must include an email address. MSDE is now
almost totally electronic.
Email will be used to notify you.)
 | If you have a professional eligibility certificate (PEC,
Professional Eligibility Certificate) or if you are a new Catholic
educator include
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1.The verification of experience form downloadable here:
Verification of Experience
document
2. Fingerprint /security verification documentation available in your
school office
 | Official
transcripts must be submitted in an unopened mailer indicating
completed coursework and college seal. |
 | If you completed a continuing
professional development (CPD credits) submit the white copy of the
official MSDE form ( make sure all parts of the form are filled out
properly) |
 | Continuing Education Units do not
count for re-certification. |
 | Include the $10.00 fee by money order,
cashier's check or certified check made out to Maryland State
Department of Education (personal checks will be
returned and cause major
delays and other problems) Any other
documents required for the type of certification you are requesting
(such as verification of satisfactory experience). |
 | Teachers applying for certification for the first time must submit test
scores,
Verification of Experience
document and proof of
fingerprinting from school office records |
 | Note in your cover sheet that you
are working at a Catholic school and indicate which school. |
 | Be sure to state what you are
requesting e.g. renewal of Certificate or Certification in what
area |
 | Send this packet to:
Maryland State Department of Education
Nothing should be sent directly to MSDE from transcript
agencies, test score agencies, colleges, universities or electronic reports etc. but rather
all information should be sent in hard copy directly from applicant
with a cover letter |
Maryland State Department of Education
Certification Branch
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
What happens when
the packet reaches MSDE?
 | Once your case has been assigned
to a specialist there is a 6 week waiting period before you can
see your new certificate on the MSDE website |
 | You can check progress of
application or renewal by logging on to
http://www.mdcert.org
on the left
side menu select logon and follow the directions. |
 | You must establish an account on the
link listed above in order to print out your Certificate
once it has been approved. |
 | MSDE no longer manually issues or mails
certificates. |
Additional
Information: Reading Courses
 | Since 1999,
certification requires reading credits. |
 | 12 credits of reading
are required for teachers who are certified in Elementary/Middle School,
Early Childhood or Special Education infant to 3rd grade or
grades 1 to 8. |
Specifically, these are:
Processes and Acquisition of Reading Skills
Methods of Reading Instruction, Best Practices in Reading instruction (new
name)
Materials for Teaching Reading
Assessment for Reading Instruction, Using Reading Assessment data to
improve instruction
6 credits are required for all secondary certification areas, Library and
Educational Media certificate areas and Special Education grades 6 to
adult. Also all Pre-K to 12 music, art Phy. Ed or Health teachers
Specifically, these are:
Methods of Teaching reading in the Secondary
Content Area, Part I
Methods of Teaching reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part II
Check your current
certificate for ancillary credits (R =reading credits accepted) SP
(Special Education)
 | If you have not met
the reading requirement you must take the required reading courses for
the current renewal period; |
 | If you have met the
reading requirements, then any 6 credits of educational related
coursework resulting in a grade of “C” or higher will be accepted.
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Senior Exemption:
Link to
Printable Form Letter ( No exceptions, You cannot apply for
Senior Exemption after your certificate has expired.)
 | The Senior Teacher Exemption is allowed
by the following certification regulations. The Superintendent of Schools
may submit a written request to MSDE for an individual who has taught
for 25 years or is 55 years of age. The final decision to
submit a Senior Teacher Exemption must be granted on a case-by-case basis. If
you wish to pursue this option, please please send the downloaded form
(Link to
Printable Form Letter )well in
advance of the expiration of your certificate in order to allow time for
evaluation by Dr. Valenti and submission of the request to MSDE before
the expiration of your certificate. This exemption is only available to
certificate holders while they are employed. Once a teacher retires or
leaves, the senior teacher exemption is no longer available. After your
request is approved the official form (signed by Dr. Valenti)
should be submitted to the state department no soon than 3 months before the
expiration of your certificate.
The following are criteria used to determine eligibility for this
exemption and must be addressed in the request letter.
The minimum requirement is 55 years of age or 25 years of teaching. |
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Completed Printable Form Letter
and forward it to the superintendant. Make the form only one page in
length and do not print it on School stationary as this form will be
returned to you on AOB stationary with the superintendent's signature.
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You will send the form (after Dr, V signs it) along
with your $10 certified check for
State Department Submission. |
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You may not send the verification signed by
Dr. Valenti to MSDE any earlier than 3 months before your certificate is due.
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Please
include a self-addressed stamped envelope, and we will return the
official letter that you will send to MSDE along with your $10
certified check or money order
Please note, on the downloadable form, your professional developed must
be listed briefly in order to fit on the one page form.
The top margin on the form is set to accommodate the AOB official logo.
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Fill in the information on the Printable Form Letter linked above
and sign/date the letter (Have your principal sign and date the letter)
and return to the letter to:
Division of Catholic Schools,
Archdiocese of Baltimore,
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320 Cathedral Street Baltimore Maryland 21201
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After you receive the approval:
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Write a cover letter explaining that you
are applying for senior exemption Include your $10.00 check that must be
a MONEY ORDER or Certified Check payable to Maryland State Department of
Education
Do not send the approval letter signed by Dr. Valenti any sooner than 3
months before Certification is due |
Send all of this in with a return
receipt mail to: Maryland State Department of Education Certification Branch 200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Procedure for Receiving MSDE
Continuing
Professional Development Form after completing an approved continuing
professional development course offered through the Archdiocese of
Maryland.
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Download
the form and print it MSDE/CPD Form
(for AOB sponsored courses)
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Send the form to:
The Superintendent Division of Catholic Schools Archdiocese of Baltimore 320 Cathedral Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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Enclose a check for $35.00 processing fee made
payable to the Archdiocese of Baltimore
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Enclose a self-addressed envelope
(Your form will be promptly returned to you)
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Information included on the form
:
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Name of Participant
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School where you teach
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Social
Security Number
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Title of Course
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Date course started/ Date course ended
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Name of Instructor
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School Phone
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Home Phone
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Cell Phone
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Email address
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Your Address (Your form will be mailed to you at the address you
request)
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Make all checks
to receive CPD form payable to the Archdiocese of
Baltimore
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Please
note: The pink and white copies of the
verification form will be sent to you. When your re-certification is
due return the white
form to the MSDE and follow other procedures detailed on this webpage above.
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If you lose your form, you may request a duplicate
for a replacement fee of $35 .
Mail the MSDE/CPD Form and your request for
duplicate along with a check.
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Additional Policy for New Teachers
(Those New to Archdiocese and those who currently hold a PEC
Certificate)
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New Policy for teachers
applying for Certification for the first time: |
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In addition to meeting all the requirements outlined above, first time
teachers and those new to Catholic Schools must now
submit the following: |
1.The verification of
experience form downloadable here:
Verification of Experience
is for teachers
with 3 or more years of experience. Print one form for each
school where you have taught. The principal of that school
can sign it.
2. Download this form for your
principal to fill out and mail: Be sure that it is
printed on school stationary and sent directly from
the principal to MSDE. This is the only form that may not be
included in applicants completed packet. The form is
NOT the same as the verification of Experience which is used
for veritifcation of all teaching experience 3 years and
beyond. The fingerprint form verified current
employment and security.
Fingerprint Security Form and verification of current
employment.
Evaluate Your Current
Credentials
If you wish to add an endorsement area or become initially certified you
may have your credentials evaluated.
If you are certified in another state and want to add Maryland
Certification the process will also be as listed below:
Send
a request to evaluate your credentials (on school stationery)
include the following:
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Official transcripts from all colleges attended in their
unopened envelopes |
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Copy
of any teaching certificates you hold or have held ( if
you have any) |
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Copy
of any tests taken to get your certificate |
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Verification of teaching prior to coming to MD
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Verification of experience in MD (form available from
main menu bar on this web site) |
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Cover
letter telling us what subject or area or grade you
seeking certification |
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Applicant's current email address . |
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Copy
of Praxis I score, or GRE score (minimum 1000), or ACT
score (minimum 24), or SAT score (minimum 1000 prior to
April 1995; minimum 1100 after April 1995);
NO MONEY WITH TRANSCRIPT EVALUATIONS ( These praxis
tests or other evaluations mentioned act as the gate
keeper, MSDE will not evaluate your credentials without
one of the tests)
Nothing
should be sent directly to MSDE from transcript
agencies, test score agencies or electronic reports etc.
but rather all information should be sent in hard copy
directly from applicant with a cover letter |
If your certification has lapsed
Please write a letter on school stationery and include the following
information:
1.
Your email address,
copy of your lapsed certificate or social security number
2. Verification of experience form : downloadable from the left
menu bar on this site
3. If you have additional courses you have taken, include the
original transcripts.
Send all the above to MSDE in the address listed in this site.
Nothing should be sent directly to MSDE from transcript
agencies, test score agencies or electronic reports etc. but
rather all information should be sent in hard copy directly from
applicant with a cover letter
For those who have never been
certified in any state: (Please note, for those who
held teacher certified as a teacher the BEST and most
valuable idea is to contact a university that has an MAT
(Masters in Arts in Teaching) program.
1/ A
cover letter (on school stationery) with name,
address, EMAIL ADDRESS, Soc. Sec. No., and indicate
that you are employed in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The
candidate also needs to indicate which area of certification
she/he is seeking (up to two areas are allowed. Please keep
in mind that the shortest route to certification is usually
the area in which the candidate majored in college);
2/ An
OFFICIAL transcript of ALL college/university coursework
(degree transcripts MUST reflect conferral date) - a
student copy in an unopened mailer is sufficient, but we
cannot accept photocopies; AND
3/ A copy
of ONE of the following: a/ ACT score of 24 or greater, OR
b/ SAT scores (1000 before April 1995; 1100 after April
1995), OR Praxis I scores (minimum composite score of 527).
In
addition – for teachers with at least one year of teaching
experience at the grade level – an ORIGINAL, COMPLETED
Verification of Experience form. (Downloadable on this site
from the right menu bar atthe top of the page)
Most
colleges/universities require either the ACT or SAT for
admission – we are now accepting those scores instead of
Praxis I as are many other state certification agencies.
This should alleviate some of the burden of applying for
certification. However, our volume is so heavy that we
cannot do a transcript analysis until the actual scores are
received (i.e., telling us that a person is signed up to
take the Praxis I is not sufficient).
NO MONEY WITH TRANSCRIPT EVALUATIONS
Nothing should be sent directly to MSDE from
transcript agencies, test score agencies or electronic
reports etc. but rather all information should be sent in
hard copy directly from applicant with a cover letter
For those who hold teacher certification in another
state:, send:
1/ A
cover letter (on school stationery) with name,
address, EMAIL ADDRESS, Soc. Sec. No., and indicate they are
employed in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. They should also
indicate how many years of teaching experience they have;
2/ An
OFFICIAL transcript of ALL college/university coursework
(degree transcripts MUST reflect conferral date) - a
student copy in an unopened mailer is sufficient, but we
cannot accept photocopies;
3/ A
copy of the test scores used to get their out-of-state
teaching certificate; (if you have them)
4/ A
copy of their out-of-state-certificate; and
5/ An
ORIGINAL, COMPLETED Verification of Experience form for each
in-state and out-of-state grade-level teaching experience
they have had in the last seven years. that form is
downloadable from this site.
NO MONEY WITH TRANSCRIPT EVALUATIONS
Nothing should be sent directly to MSDE from
transcript agencies, test score agencies, colleges,
universities or electronic
reports etc. but rather all information should be sent in
hard copy directly from applicant with a cover letter
__________________________________________________________________
Types of
Certificates
The certification journey goes like this:
Standard Professional (SPC) I - certifies that you are
completely and
fully certified; have completed all requirements. It is valid for 5
years. To move to the next certificate, you must present at
least 6 credits (in reading if needed) taken within those 5 years and at
least 3 years of satisfactory teaching experience. Cannot move to the next
certificate "early"
Standard Professional (SPC) II -
Is valid
for 5 years. At the end of the validity period of this certificate,
you must be ready for the Advanced Professional Certificate (APC)
- that means you must EITHER obtain a master's degree (or 36 CREDITS and
21 of them MUST be graduate level;
Teachers may NOT use CEU's (contact hours) toward the APC nor for
renewal. In addition to the degree or credits, they must have at least 3
years of satisfactory experience. Teachers have 10 years total to reach this
goal; however, if they fulfill all the requirements "early"- they may
move to the APC prior to the end of the validity period of the SPC II.
Advanced Professional Certificate (APC)
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achieve this by completing the requirements listed above. It is valid
for 5 years; every 5 years the individual is required to submit 6
credits to renew the APC. These can be undergrad, grad, or MSDE
approved continuing professional development ,CPD,credits. Teachers may NOT use CEU’s (contact hours)
to renewal.
The Professional Eligibility Certificate (PEC) is issued to those individuals who have completed ALL cert
requirements and
are NOT employed. At this time, we have been issuing PEC's to the
"catholic teachers" unless they have a letter from their principal
confirming their employment-- then we will also need evidence of
fingerprints. The PEC is issued for 5 years and can be renewed
every 5 years with 6 credits (reading would be needed in the first
renewal, if it is needed at all)
Not Sure how to begin the MSDE Process when you do not have a teaching
degree
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Cover letter with name, address, email address, and SS#
(on school
stationery)
identifying that you are a teacher with the Archdiocese and would
like to be evaluated for (what type of certification) AND/OR the fastest route for
her to become certificated. |
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Official copies of ALL transcripts (student copy in an unopened
mailer will suffice). |
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Do NOT send any money!
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MSDE
will send you
an evaluation sheet showing the areas you needs to complete.
You may chose the fastest rough and later add an endorsement in
another field. |
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When you need a degree
the
best way to go is to work through one of the Maryland
approved programs – OR – applicants may be able to take the
education coursework through a local community college.
But the first step is to get an evaluation so she can see
what requirements she needs.
Nothing should be sent
directly to MSDE from transcript agencies, test score
agencies ,colleges, universities or electronic reports etc. but rather all
information should be sent in hard copy directly from
applicant with a cover letter |
Masters Equivalence ( Bachelor's degree and the following
credits)
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36 total
credits |
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21 credits must
be graduate credits (level 500 or above) |
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15 may be
undergraduate or MSDE-approved CPD courses
Nothing should be sent directly to MSDE from
transcript agencies, test score agencies, colleges,
universities or electronic
reports etc. but rather all information should be sent in
hard copy directly from applicant with a cover letter |
Please be sure to read this material
first
MSDE help Number
410-767-0412
(The best times to call are Mon and Wed from 8:30am-11:30am
or Tues and Thursday from 1pm - 4pm)
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