Important Information Certificates expire either December 31 or June 30.  Review your certificate and be aware of your expiration date.
	You may submit your documents to MSDE for renewal no earlier then 90 days prior to your renewal date.
	All renewal requests must be received no later then 90 days past your expiration date.  Renew requests received early or late run the risk of being returned to you.
	The $10.00 fee must be made only by a Money Order, Cashier’s Check or Certified Check.  Personal checks will be returned to you and may cause major delays.
	Carole Redline, credline@archbalt.org,  is the liaison between the Archdiocese of Baltimore and MSDE and will assist with problems after the 90 wait period  after submission of MSDE renewal packets.
	All teachers applying for re-certification can only submit credits earned during the 5 year period prior to the re-certification date.

Certification requirements are different depending on the type of certificate to be obtained or renewed

If you have a professional eligibility certificate (PEC, Professional Eligibility Certificate) or if you are a new Catholic educator include

	Official transcripts must be submitted in an unopened mailer indicating completed coursework
	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. (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 eg renewal of Certificate  or Certification in what area
	Send this packet to: Maryland State Department of Education

	Once your case has been assigned to a specialist there is a 90 day 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.

	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.

	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.

	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 contact Dr. Carole Redline credline@archbalt.org 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 and/or 25 years of teaching.      Additional criteria:              Are you teaching full time?             When do you plan on retiring?             What have you done in the last certification period to grow professionally?            What circumstances have you met that have stopped you from meeting the 6-credit requirement.
	Bottom line:... you need to state your case, why you should be exempted from taking 6 credits of coursework within the last 5 years to maintain your certification. If you have a strong case, you should  send that form directly to  Dr. Carole Redline, Director of Academic Technology, Division of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Baltimore, Baltimore Maryland 21201
	This letter MUST be reviewed by your principal and signed to indicate that to the best of his/her knowledge the information contained in the letter is accurate.
	Dr. Redline will also review your letter and forward it  to Dr. Valenti with her recommendation for acceptance.
	Follow-up will be sent to you for State Department Submission.
	You may not send the verification signed by Dr. Valenti any earlier than 3 months before your certificate is due.
	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
	Link to Printable Form Letter Please fill in the necessary information within the word processed document) and sign/date the letter (Have your principal sign and date the letter) and return to the letter to: Dr. Carole Redline, Director of Academic Technology, Division of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Baltimore, Baltimore Maryland 21201
	After you receive the approval here is the correct procedure for submitting your application for Senior Exemption to MSDE: (Requests to MSDE may be sent no sooner than 3 months prior to certificate expiration date)
	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.

	Information included on the form :
	Name of Participant
	School where you teach
	Social Security Number
	Title of Course
	Date course started/ Date course ended
	Name of Instructor
	School Phone
	Home Phone
	Cell  Phone
	Email address
	Your Address (Your form will be mailed to you at the address you request) Make all checks payable to the Archdiocese of Baltimore 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. 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 to Mrs. Mary Snow-Moore

	New Policy for teachers applying for Certification for the first time:
	In addition to meeting all the requirements outlined above, first time teachers and those new to Catholic Schools must now submit the following:

 Evaluate Your Current Credentials If you wish to add an endorsement area or become initially certified you may have your credentials evaluated.

  Send a request (on school stationary) to evaluate your credentials (on school stationary) include the following:

	Official transcripts from all colleges attended in their unopened envelopes
	Copy of any teaching  certificates you hold or have held
	Copy of any tests taken to get your certificate
	Verification of  teaching  prior to coming to MD
	Verification of experience in MD (form available from main menu bar on this web
	Cover letter telling us what subject or area or grade you seeking certification
	The teachers current email address  .
	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 If your certification has lapsed Please write a letter on school stationary 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/  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); (if MSDE already had this information they will find it in their records listed through your social security number but if you never have taken the praxis exam you will now be required to fulfill the requirements listed above)

 

For those who have never been certified in any state:
(Please note, for those who have never been 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 stationary) 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 left menu bar on this 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

For those who certified in another state:, send:

 1/  A cover letter (on school stationary) 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 certificate;

 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.

NO MONEY WITH TRANSCRIPT EVALUATIONS

	Cover letter with name, address, email address, and SS# (on school stationary) 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.
	Official copies of ALL transcripts (student copy in an unopened mailer will suffice).
	Do NOT send any money!
	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.
	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.

Masters Equivalence ( Bachelor's degree and the following credits)

	36 total credits
	21 credits must be graduate credits (level 500 or above)
	15 may be undergraduate or MSDE-approved CPD courses