​Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (BSLTQ)

Spring is upon us – and there is a lot to share with you from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality!

First off, we have a new webpage!  You can now find us at Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality.  The new webpage includes information about our divisions and a link to my BSLTQ updates. It will also include new paperwork, training dates for webinars, and other information coming out of BSLTQ as it happens.  Please be sure to save our webpage to your favorites to ensure you get the most up-to-date information from our bureau.

New Intern Certificate Assurance Forms Available

Yes, you heard me right!  Our new Intern Certificate Assurance forms are available on our new webpage, as well as at the Program Framework webpage under Intern Certficate Program Revision (PDF). Please keep in mind that EPPs must have an approved and operating traditional post-baccalaureate program (this includes master's and doctoral programs) in the content area and grade levels of the intended new intern certification program to utilize these assurance forms.  Depending on the option chosen, the new program (Options 1 and 2) requires an advising sheet of an approved post-baccalaureate program and a description of how the program provider will provide a range of high-quality supports during and following the program. If re-opening an intern program on moratorium (on the institutional level) or an active intern certification program not being used (Option 3), a program matrix will be needed in addition to the requirements of option 1 and 2.  If you have any questions, please email ra-edbsltq@pa.gov.  We will be providing training on the new intern certificate assurance forms shortly.

BSLTQ is Hiring Again!

We are currently hiring a Higher Education Associate II in the Division of Professional Education and Teacher Quality.  Duties involved with this position include researching state policies across the nation, analyzing and updating current policies, and implementing current research findings to develop, improve, and expand new and existing education programs.  Other duties include grant and report writing, data collection and data analysis, and educational partner relations. Please see Job Bulletin (governmentjobs.com) for more information.  The position is open until 3/21/2024.

Professional Ethics Competencies Updated

The Professional Ethics Competencies were recently updated to reflect the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE), 2^nd edition, which was adopted by the Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Practices Commission.  Please see Professional Ethics Program Framework Guidelines (PDF) for the updated competencies.

New PDE Newsletter

PDE has a new newsletter called PA EdVentures that highlights initiatives and happenings in the department.  If you are interested in subscribing to the newsletter, sign up at PA EdVentures Sign Up or view the most recent newsletter at PA EdVentures.

Ask Carissa

“We have a teaching of visually impaired program in special education. Do they need to fill out the Structured Literacy matrix and assurance form?  Or is that just for the Special Ed. PK-12 stand-alone certification?"

-- Dr. Michelle Sobolak, Director, Teacher and Professional Education, University of Pittsburgh

Answer:

After discussing with the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Office of Special Education, and our legal counsel, only those with PreK-12 Special Ed certificates must take the structured literacy training in EPPs and as Act 48. However, the specialized certs in Special Education should take Structured Literacy in EPPs and as Act 48. They are not required, but we suggest they do so.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov with questions. Also, all of my updates can be found conveniently at our new webpage, Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality.

Enjoy the weather this week!

​Good morning, all,

I am writing to inform you of a new state law impacting student teachers and educator preparation programs.

No later than December 13, 2024, any educator preparation program that requires a class or seminar (i.e., practicum course) as part of the student teaching experience must provide a way for student teachers to participate virtually in the class or seminar. See 24 P.S. § 1207-B(a).

Under this law, an educator preparation program may conduct the required class/seminar fully online or as a hybrid course in which students have the option of attending in person or virtually, depending on their individual needs.

Because the law was enacted on December 13, 2023, educator preparation programs must comply by December 13, 2024. However, for the benefit of all student teachers – and to encourage student teachers to consider placements in high-need schools that might not be located close to their college or university – institutions are encouraged to begin offering virtual options beginning with the fall 2024 semester.

If you have any additional questions, please forward them to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov.

Thank you and have a good day!

Carissa

​Hello everyone,  

It's been a busy time since the 2023-2024 budget and several new laws were enacted in December.  This message includes several School Code changes and other items of importance for your awareness.  I will send additional updates as they become available.   

Student Teacher Stipend  

Below are answers to many of the questions we've been receiving about the student teacher stipend being administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).   

• PHEAA has not yet released the applications that students, educator preparation programs (EPPs), or schools will need to apply.  
• PHEAA will release the application no later than mid-April along with instructions for how public and non-public schools and cooperating teachers can participate. When the information is available, it will be posted on PHEAA.org. I will also forward the information to you. 
  
• The first round of grants will be awarded to eligible individuals who are student teaching in the fall of 2024. 
• The minimum grant amount for a student teacher is $10,000. A student teacher in a school in an area of the state that attracts few student teachers or that has a high rate of open teaching positions may receive an additional $5,000, for a total grant of $15,000.  
• A cooperating teacher may receive $2,500. Details are forthcoming. 
• The program is open to any certification that includes a student teaching component. 
  
• Grant awards are not guaranteed and are contingent upon available funding. PHEAA received an initial investment of $10 million in the 2023-24 state budget. The Governor's 2024-25 budget proposal provides PHEAA with another $15 million.  

Job Posting Database  

Section 130 of the School Code charges the Department with establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible and searchable online database for public and nonpublic schools to voluntarily post employee vacancies at no cost. The Department is exploring options and will provide more information in the coming months.   

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact  

Article XII-C of the Public School Code gives the Governor the authority to join the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, a multi-state compact that allows out-of-state teachers in approved positions to be granted equivalent licenses in Pennsylvania.  Currently, 10 states participate in the Compact. In January, I attended a Compact Commission meeting in San Antonio, Texas, to learn more about the Compact, the requirements and expectations of members, and so forth. The Department is now reviewing that information to determine next steps.    

In the meantime, please remember that laws enacted in 2022 have already made it easier for out-of-state educators to work in Pennsylvania schools. These requirements can be found at Out-of-State Educators.  

CSPG Updates   

The Department has updated and posted the following CSPGs at  Staffing Guidelines:  

CSPG 8 - Continuing Professional Development – State law requires Pennsylvania certified administrators serving as Principals, Assistant or Vice Principals hired in 2021 or after to complete the 30-hour Act 13 PIL Course. Excluded are charter school Principals, Assistant or Vice Principals.   

CSPG 13 – Emergency Permits – The guidance was revised to reflect three new state laws enacted in December. 

• Section 1218.1 of the School Code renewed the Classroom Monitor permit through June 30, 2026. LEAs may request this permit in TIMS. Please remember that all Classroom Monitor permits issued before June 30, 2023, have expired. 
• Section 1215, as amended, permanently established the provisions related to locally issued permits. A temporary substitute teacher permit may be used for assignments of more than 20 consecutive days to fill a position due to the absence of professional certified personnel. 
  
• Section 1201.1, as amended, extends the temporary substitute teaching permit provisions for prospective teachers through June 30, 2026. For school years 2023-24 through 2025-26 there is no limit to the number of hours or days a prospective teacher may substitute except for someone who is student teaching. Per 22 Pa. Code § 354.25(f), a student teacher may not substitute for more than 10 days in their assigned classroom or other classrooms in the building(s) to which they have been assigned. 

CSPG 201 – School Social Worker – The guidance was updated to reference the assigned duties in CSPG 87 - School Social Worker, Educational Specialist Certificate PK-12. 

PDE Chapter 354 Focus Groups  

Our PDE 430 (Student Teaching Evaluation) Focus Group has been meeting regularly and our other Chapter 354 focus groups will be meeting shortly. A special thank you to all of those who volunteered for these focus groups. We are hoping to wrap up the groups in early April and utilize the information to inform the decision regarding whether to open Chapter 354.  

Ask Carissa  

“Is there a policy on virtual/remote observations of field experiences by college supervisors in traditional teacher preparation programs (including student teaching)? If so, where can I find it?" 

-- Dr. Charline Rowland, Associate Professor of Education, University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown  

ANSWER: The Student Teaching Guidelines state, “Up to 50% of the student teaching experience may be completed through a teaching experience in a cyber or remote learning environment." That means virtual learning is allowed to be supervised in a remote/virtual learning environment. In the virtual classroom the evaluator can observe students engaged in the virtual lesson, but the parameters are different, and the evaluation is limited. They can't see much in a virtual evaluation. Professionalism is not completely evaluated.    

The other half of the student's teaching experience (50%) must be in a brick-and-mortar environment. The evaluation of this brick-and-mortar experience must be in person in the school building. This requirement is tied to the observation instrument.   

To properly complete the PDE 430 (PDF), especially categories 2-4, and to effectively evaluate the teaching and learning taking place in the brick-and-mortar classroom, the observer/evaluator needs to be in the classroom not only observing the student teacher, but also observing the students and their engagement in the lesson and activities. Even with multiple cameras or movable cameras, it is difficult for an observer/evaluator to observe teaching and learning effectively or fairly from a distance. Evaluators need to see the work the students are doing and evaluate which students are engaged and how. The evaluator also is expected to rate professionalism, which can only be observed by being in the building and seeing first-hand how the student teacher interacts with other teachers, administrators, and possibly parents. And finally, in-person observation is the best way for an evaluator to observe school climate and understand what the student teacher is experiencing. All of this is important to the student teacher and the student teaching process.  

More information can be found at Student Teaching Guidelines and Field Experience and Student Teaching Competencies (PDF). 

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov with questions.  Also, all of my updates can be found at Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (BSLTQ).  

Have a wonderful week!  

Carissa 

Hello all,

This may be my last BSLTQ Update for the year!  We are in the holiday season as we speak (Happy Hanukkah for those who celebrate!), and it's also the end of the semester for many as well.  I hope that you all enjoy whatever respite you receive during the next few weeks (or month for some of you).  Your hard work and dedication to our state's students is greatly appreciated! 

While it may seem that like I may not have a lot to update this month (which is why I didn't update in November – except to remind everyone about the new dean's and chair's webinar), Katina and I did travel and talk to many groups outside of our colleges and universities since our last update, namely the PAIUCC (PA Intermediate Unit Curriculum Coordinators) and the PA Needs Teachers Summit (sponsored by the NCEE – The National Center on Education and the Economy and Teach Plus).  We have also met with several Intermediate Units individually , and I will be traveling to IU 16 in the Williamsport area and IU 8 Appalachia (virtually) in January.  We are getting the word out about the upcoming revised intern guidelines and will also be updating our PETQ (Professional Education and Teacher Quality) website shortly with more information about major review schedules, approved framework guideline update schedules, and more! 

Welcome to a new member of our team 

BSLTQ recently welcomed a new member to our PETQ Division, Shane Miller, our new Basic Education Associate II.  As our BEA II, Shane deals closely with our PK-12 partners on ensuring all of PK-12 staff are properly certified.  Shane has worked at PDE since 2018 in Child Accounting and prior to that in Human Services and Labor & Industry. Shane is a director of amateur theatre in Adams and York counties and served in public education for over 24 years. We are really lucky to have Shane with us! 

The PDE 430 Focus Group recently met ​ 

We recently had a meeting with many of the 15 members of our PDE 430 Focus Group.  The group consists of an equal number of private and public colleges and universities and includes those who are in the field actively working with the current PDE 430 form: field experience supervisors, faculty members, program chairs, and assistant and associate deans. This group will be convening in January and the hope is a draft will be passed to a second team of the focus group consisting of two representatives from the first group, classroom teachers, principals, superintendents, and policy members. 

We will be convening the other Chapter 354 focus groups shortly after the new year. 

A CSPG (Certified Staffing Policy Guideline) has been revised 

CSPG 66 has been edited to read the following:   

An applicant for a Career and Technical Intern certificate must present acceptable evidence of at least four years (8,000 hours) of wage-earning experience in the occupation to be taught.  An applicant for a Career and Technical Instructional I certificate must present four years (8,000 hours) of wage-earning experience in the occupation to be taught or two years (4,000 hours) wage-earing experience in the occupation to be taught and hold a bachelor's degree.  (A minimum of four years wage-earning experience in the occupation to be taught is required if following the intern route).

• Please see Staffing Guidelines to read the full CSPG.
  

Ask Carissa 

We've got two of these this update. 

1. The first was from late October/early November and was from Dr. Marcia Bolton, Millersville University.  She asked a question about the 10% rule for undergraduate admissions into an education program with a GPA between a 2.8-2.99.

Question:  “Would you tell me about the 10% option for this (admissions at 2.8-2.98)? 

Answer: You may use the 10% rule to formally admit students with a GPA between 2.8-2.99.  To do so, you will need to create requirements that these students will need to meet.  These requirements will need to be sent to Dr. Katina Moten, Division Chief of Professional Education and Teacher Quality, to be reviewed.  (Requirements could be interviews, no grades less than a B or C in education courses taken, all students who meet the 10% rule need to meet with advisors weekly or be part of a cohort that meets with an adviser, etc.).  One way to implement the 10% rule: Once you identify all students who were formally admitted during the semester by meeting all requirements, you can create a waiting list of students who have between the 2.8-2.99 GPA. You would then calculate 10% of the total applicants for admissions (EPPs use 10% of the overall number of [candidates in]/[applicants to] the college of education, not program by program) and use the results of this calculation to know the maximum number of students you can remove from the wait list you created. Hold these students to the requirements that were reviewed by Dr. Moten. If the students meet your established requirements, then you would admit the students.

​Please see the Chapter 354 and 49 guidelines below: 

354.31 Admissions 

 (7)  The preparing institution may accept up to 10% of the applicants for admission to the professional educator program who do not meet overall minimum GPA requirements in paragraph (4) or alternative admission criteria under paragraph (5). The criteria for admission of applicants specified in this paragraph shall be developed and documented by the preparing institution and must include the requirements in § 49.12 (relating to eligibility). 

§ 49.12. Eligibility.

 In accordance with sections 1109, 1202 and 1209 of the act (24 P.S. § §  11-1109, 12-1202 and 12-1209), every professional employee certified or permitted to serve in the schools of this Commonwealth shall:

   (1)  Be of good moral character.

   (2)  Be at least 18 years of age.

   (3)  Except in the case of the Resource Specialist Permit, Career and Technical Emergency Permit, Career and Technical Instructional Intern Certificate, and Career and Technical Instructional Certificate, have earned a    baccalaureate degree.

   (4)  For the purposes of certification, the Department will accept a conferred graduate degree from an accredited college or university in lieu of a baccalaureate degree. 

2. The second is from Dr. Cathy Kim, Muhlenberg College.  She asked this question of me at a recent LVAIC (Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges) meeting at Moravian University. 

Question: “When will our students be able to take a certification test for Environmental Science?" 

See the answer below from Mr. Brian Campbell, Director, Bureau of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (PDE). 

Answer: The Environmental Education Exam (formerly branded a Praxis) is being transitioned from the original vendor (ETS) directly to PDE. We plan to give this examination 3 times a year, roughly corresponding with the end of the spring, winter, and summer collegiate semesters. As we are still working through the arrangements of transitioning the test, we do not have the dates and locations solidified for 2023. As soon as those are available to us, we will forward them to BSLTQ (the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality). 

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov if you have any questions at all!  Also all of my updates from this year can be found at Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (BSLTQ). 

Again, I hope you have a restful and relaxing winter break! 

Carissa

​Good morning, all, 

This month has been busy and productive at the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality!  We're working on hiring another four evaluators and one specialist to join our team, and Katina and I kicked off our state tour at Temple University!  We thank Temple University for including us in the Teacher Education Alliance meeting and for being able to meet and discuss with their staff.  Next month we'll be traveling to East Stroudsburg University and King's College.  Katina and I are excited to make our way to all those who requested visits.  

Also, thank you to Alvernia College for inviting Amy Lena, Director of Student Support Services, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and I to its 2023 Education Dinner Tuesday evening!  Amy and I enjoyed meeting with IU Executives and local school district representatives to discuss the governor's budget, legislative updates, and current happenings in our bureaus. 

Update on Chapter 354 Focus Groups 

As we continue to explore the question of whether and when we should re-open Chapter 354, we've decided to keep the online focus group questionnaire open in case anyone may have forgotten to complete it.  The link to the questionnaire is https://forms.office.com/g/eifCBuqwXb.  We plan on convening the first focus group on the PDE 430 shortly. 

Request for additional information on Chapter 354 requirements 

We are interested in understanding the impact of lowering the qualifying grade point average on students progressing through approved undergraduate programs. Therefore, in concert with conducting focus groups on Chapter 354, we will be distributing a questionnaire to collect unofficial totals of first-time, undergraduate students who did not meet the qualifying grade point average of 3.00 at two points: 1) entry into candidacy and 2) entry into student teaching.  We are collecting this data for fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters only.  Please keep an eye out for the questionnaire in the coming days. 

Katina will also be reaching out to some of your institutions to collect updated information on the ACT 136 waiver of 2020-2021 (this was the first limited waiver of the basic skills tests that occurred from November 25, 2020, to June 30, 2021). 

Yet another CSPG (Certified Staffing Policy Guidelines) has been updated at Staffing Guidelines 

CSPG 98 – IU Executive Director has been added to the newest updates on our Staffing Guidelines website. 

Ask Carissa 

This update's question comes from Dr. Stephanie Gardner at Commonwealth University at Bloomsburg: 

Question: My colleagues and I appreciated the opportunity to hear some of the feedback from the survey results and start to consider our involvement in the focus groups moving forward. I did want to touch base about one of the questions discussed (3.0 GPA) & a comment you had made, as this is something that has been discussed in our college---the ability to allow candidates with a 2.8 GPA to gain entry/candidacy into a teacher prep program...and also to complete a program/be approved for certification. I want to ensure I heard you correctly. Is it the case that that is permissible only if the candidate passes the Basic Skills test (for entry/candidacy)? How does the current waiver factor into this (makes it not possible?)?  

Topic:  The ability to allow applicants with a 2.8 GPA to gain entry/candidacy into a teacher prep program.

Question 1: Is it the case that that is permissible only if the candidate passes the Basic Skills test (for entry/candidacy)? How does the current waiver factor into this (makes it not possible?) 

Yes, it is the case.  The candidate with a 2.8 GPA would be able to gain entry/candidacy into a teacher prep program if they have achieved a 2.8 GPA and one of the following in red below. 

According to Chapter 354.31 Admissions (5i and 5ii):

Applicants may be admitted (formal admission) to a preparing institution's educator prep program as an alternative to the 3.0 admission standard if they have achieved a 2.8 GPA and:

• Qualifying scores on the preprofessional skills test (Praxis Core or PAPA)
• A combined score of 1050 on the SAT with no score lower than 500 on either the verbal or mathematics test
• A score of no less than 23 on ACT English subtest and 20 on the Mathematics subtest 

Use of Basic Skills Testing Waiver:  Because the waiver is only an alternative to the GPA admission standard, the testing waiver that is currently in effect until 2026 does not apply to 354.31.  It only applies to applicants with a 3.0 and above.  

Bottom Line:  If the applicant has a 2.8 and meets one of the requirements of above, they can be admitted to a teacher preparation program. 

Topic: The ability to allow candidates to graduate and gain certification with a 2.8 or higher.

Question 2: Can candidates for certification graduate with lower than a 3.0? 

Yes, candidates for certification (those that have completed their bachelor's degree teacher education program) can be certified with a 2.8 or higher if the following requirements are met: 

According to Chapter 354.33 Professional Competency (6i and 6ii):

Candidates for certification with a minimum 2.8 GPA must earn a score on the appropriate subject test/professional knowledge assessment that is at least one standard error of measure above the established qualified score for that assessment. 

Bottom Line:  A candidate with a GPA as low as 2.8 can be certified if they have achieved the score that can be found on the Certification Test and Score Requirements sheet under the “Qualifying Score 2.80-2.99" column. I've attached this sheet to this email if you needed it just in case. 

With the teacher shortage, we encourage our EPPs to use these alternatives when possible.  Many do not and it could help with the shortage if these alternatives were used.  

Call for Proposals for the 2024 NASDTEC (National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification) Conference in Pittsburgh are open. 

Please see the Call for Proposal information below for more information and register your proposal at NASDTEC Annual Conference Request for Presentation Proposals Survey (surveymonkey.com). 

​As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov if you have any questions at all!  Also all of my updates from this year can be found at Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (BSLTQ).

Carissa

Hello everyone, 

It's that time of year when pumpkin spice and cinnamon scents are everywhere!  I honestly love this time of year, but at the same time it reminds me that holiday shopping is near (something I don't enjoy!) 

To start, I wanted to share something a bit personal with all of you.  I planned on having another one of these updates out sooner, as well as a list of dates and times for visits with those of you who reached out, but unfortunately, on August 5, I broke my fibula (lower leg).  Soon after I did that, I ended up contracting COVID (probably during one of my doctor's visits).  If you tried to reach me during those first three weeks, you may have gotten a message that I would get back to you shortly.  I tried my best to get back to everyone as quickly as possible, but if I missed anyone, please let me know.  I am doing much better now! 

Late August and September brought about many exciting changes here at PDE: 

We have a new PETQ (Professional Education and Teacher Quality) Chief:  Dr. Katina Moten! 

Welcome to Dr. Katina Moten, new Chief of Professional Education and Teacher Quality (PETQ) in the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (BSLTQ).  Dr. Moten comes to PDE from Penn State University Main Campus where she was an Education Strategy and Planning Manager.  She has over 20 years of experience in higher education. Dr. Moten was born, raised, and received all her education in Pennsylvania and looks forward to serving the Commonwealth in this position.  We are so excited to have Dr. Moten with us! 

In the last few weeks, we have also hired three new clerks and three new evaluators!  We are still hiring more evaluators, as well as a specialist.  In the future, I will highlight a new team member each time I send out a new update, so you get to know our amazing staff! 

Our Senior Staffing Advisor, Dr. Ben Ruby, has also left PDE for a new position.  We'll miss Ben – he updated 80% of the CSPGs (Certification and Staffing Policy Guidelines) before leaving to take a position at a local intermediate unit.  We'll be hiring a new staffing advisor shortly.  And, yes, you heard that right…. 

80% of our CSPGs are now updated on the PDE website: Staffing Guidelines 

Recently, we updated the following CSPGs: CSPG 033 – Business, Computer and Information Technology, CSPG 096 – Certification Staffing Assignment: Superintendent PK-12, CSPG 030 – Agriculture, CSPG 041, American Sign Language, and CSPG 68 – English as a Second Language Program Specialist. 

We will hopefully have a dance test by the start of the new year. 

We are working with Pearson to convene a smaller panel (3-5 educators) to review the new test and passing score information.  If you are interested in participating, please reach out to ra-edpreprograms@pa.gov. Once we have a test in place, those who would like to add on a dance certification will be able to do so. 

Last, but not least:  There is a new Special Education PK-12 test from ETS. 

Several of you reached out to ask about this in the last week.  The old Special Education PK-12 test 5354 was replaced with the new test, 5355, on September 1, 2023.  Passing test scores on 5354 prior to the date it was discontinued will be accepted indefinitely.  Those who registered for 5354 prior to the effective date of the new test and those who took the 5354 within the window and failed will be given an additional six months to complete that version of the test.  Otherwise, please have your current students complete the new test 5355. 

As always, please reach out if you have any questions to ra-edpreprograms@pa.gov.   

Carissa

Hello, 

Some of you have been getting multiple emails from me in the last week!  I hope I am not backing up your inbox too much! 

We've had a few more updates since my last email update at the end of July. 

BSLTQ Yearly Update Slide Presentation

Please see attached for the slide presentation given on Tuesday, August 8.  If you would like a copy of the recording of the presentation, please email Whitney Vazquez at whvazquez@pa.gov and she will forward that to you. 

New Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Circulars 

Please provide the attached circular, "Certification Status for Educators," to your candidates and applicants. Their professional careers are dependent upon maintaining current and accurate records of their certificates and personal information. The circular,  provided by the new Chief of the Division of Planning and Professional Development, Dr. Carrie Anderson, contains information and web links for prospective educators, new educators, educators moving from Level I to Level II certification, and educators maintaining certificates through Act 48 continuing education requirements. See the attachment above. 

Change in CSPG #87

Back in May, I informed you of the extension for the School Social Worker Certificate until August 1, 2026.  We recently made a change to allow for contracted social workers to receive credit for their service as well.  The new CSPG #87 under "special consideration" reads: 

Prior to August 1, 2026, individuals who are licensed as a LSW or LCSW in accordance with CSPG 201 or hold a PA Home and School Visitor certificate may apply for and receive a School Social Worker certificate if they satisfy the following requirements:

• Are currently licensed through the Pennsylvania Department of State as a LSW or LCSW; and
• Are currently employed or contracted by a local educational agency (LEA) in the commonwealth; and
• Have completed at least one year of satisfactory service as a School Social Worker or other titled position providing social work-related services in a commonwealth LEA within the prior two years either via direct employment with a LEA or via verified contracted service with a LEA. 

After August 1, 2026, all persons employed as a School Social Worker must either 1) hold a valid, active Pennsylvania School Social Worker Educational Specialist certificate or 2) have an emergency permit, be a LSW or LCSW and be enrolled in a PDE-approved school social worker program. To become certified after August 1, 2026, one will need to successfully complete a School Social Worker preparation program at a college/university and then submit an application for certification to PDE. 

Please read CSPG 87 - School Social Worker, Educational Specialist Certificate PK-12 (pa.gov) for more information. 

Ask Carissa: 

We were asked the following questions by Dr. Danielle Kearns-Sixsmith of DeSales University and Dr. Jim Preston of Slippery Rock University: "Is Act 91 now over, and student teachers are no longer able to substitute during student teaching (64) days?  Is Act 86 now over, and undergraduates can no longer substitute in schools?" 

The answer to those questions can be found below: 

Certain provisions in Act 91 were set to sunset on June 30, 2023.  Extensions to these provisions are currently awaiting approval through the legislature.  In the meantime, student teachers are permitted to act as paid substitutes for the 23/24 school year, but undergraduate student teachers can only do so for 10 days per placement with a maximum of 20 days.  Other students currently in an educator preparation program with over 60 credits can substitute more than that amount.  Act 86 of 2016 is not over – it has been made permanent.  The sunset provision in Act 86 was deleted by amendment on June 30, 2021, and the Substitute Teaching Permit for Prospective Teachers became permanent in Act 26 of 2021 (Act of Jun. 30, 2021,P.L. 158, No. 26 Cl. 24 - PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949 - OMNIBUS AMENDMENTS (state.pa.us).  

Note the other limitations summarized here:  CSPG 13 - Emergency Permits (pa.gov), in the section titled "Prospective Teacher Substitutes (Act 86 of 2016)", and here: Guidelines for Use of Student Teachers (per 22 PA code 354.25(f)) as Substitutes. 

We want to reiterate that the integrity of the student teaching experience must be protected. A candidate should have a supervised experience which allows them to concentrate on applying the skills and knowledge they have acquired in their respective program.  

Waiver Update for Teacher Prep to Practice and Aspiring to Educate Grants 

Grantees with executed A2E Implementation agreements and executed A2E Planning agreements should continue to submit monthly invoices for grant activities.  Grantees with executed Teacher Prep to Practice agreements should continue to submit quarterly financial reports in FAI. The state budget has been approved but payment on all these grants will be delayed until the waivers are in place.     

Grantees with executed Principal Prep to Practice federal grants will be contacted shortly by email with amendments to extend the grant period on the original agreement.  If you would like an extension, this paperwork will need to be signed and returned by email to PDE. 

Upcoming Webinar on Chapter 354 Questionnaire Results – Focus Groups

If you are interested in participating in the Chapter 354 focus groups on the PDE-430 form, 48-Credit Minimum for Candidacy, GPA Threshold of 3.0 for Candidacy, alternatives for GPAs below 3.0 for candidacy, English and Math requirements for candidacy, 12-week student teaching requirement, cooperating/mentor teacher requirement, or the monitoring and assessment of skills section, please be sure to attend the webinar on the Chapter 354 results.  We truly need your assistance in opening Chapter 354 and the webinar will give you a better idea of the results from the questionnaire, as well as which focus group(s) you might want to participate in.  We plan on holding the webinar on Friday, September 15 from 1-2:30 p.m.  We will answer any questions you may have about the focus groups at that meeting.  Click here to join the meeting, Meeting ID: 284 263 946 00, Passcode: Px8eWN.  We will forward this meeting invite again to all closer to the meeting date. 

Lastly, we received several requests for visits this fall and spring!  My administrative officer, Whitney Vasquez, will be reaching out shortly to set up possible dates for our visits. 

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov. 

Thank you and have a great day! 

Carissa

Hello everyone, 

I know that I just sent out an update a few days ago, but I have a few more updates since last Thursday. 

New Certification Clock: 

Hello everyone, 

I hope that your summer has been pleasant thus far (as pleasant as it can be while receiving record amounts of rain and smoke from Canada).  As always, there is a lot going on at PDE and at the capitol. 

Update on Certification Processing 

In June, we were excited that our Instructional I applications were being processed within 4-8 weeks.  As of this week, our in-state level I certificates are at 2-4 weeks!  Level II certificates are at 4-6 weeks, out-of-state level I certificates are at 8-10 weeks (as are all other specialty certificates), and add-on certificates are at 1-3 weeks.  Please keep in mind that the processing times are incumbent on how many applications we receive each day so these time frames may change.  We are thankful to Governor Shapiro for his commitment to licensing and certification processing and his desire to strengthen our teacher pipeline for these changes.  As I stated in last month's email, we were given funding to hire three new temporary clerks and four new evaluators this past fall and spring and that has helped greatly in speeding up our certification processing times.  We are currently in the process of hiring an administrative officer (to help with grant processing), 3 new full-time clerical employees, 3 new specialists, 2 new evaluators, a specialist supervisor, and a higher education administrator (Professional Education and Teacher Quality Chief).  Change is happening here at BSLTQ and our processing times for certification, emails, and phone calls will become even better in the coming months.   

Budget Impasse

As you know the state is currently in a budget impasse.  Without a budget, the state cannot release funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.  The impasse affects grant payments and grantees of our Prep2Practice and A2E (Aspiring to Educate) grants will be contacted about this shortly. Budget impasse FAQs for the public have been published on the Office of the Budget website.  The FAQ document contains information relevant to Commonwealth vendors, grantees, and other stakeholders during the budget impasse. 

New Professional Ethics Professional Development Courses on the SAS Website 

The new Professional Ethics Development Course can be found on the SAS website at PDE SAS (Standards Aligned System).  If you do not have a SAS login, please follow the instructions here:  Creating a SAS Account - SAS Help Desk.  You can also use these instructions to help you register for the course in the PD Center: Registering for a SAS Course.  Once you login, click on the PD Center icon, and type "Professional Ethics" in the search catalog. You can click on the "Options" button to register for each 5-hour course. 

Carissa's First State-Wide Tour: Would you like a visit from your BSLTQ Director and PETQ (Professional Education and Teacher Quality) Chief in the fall? 

I'm excited to announce that with the arrival of our new PETQ Chief near the end of August (more about that in future updates), we'd like to begin in-person visits to education preparation programs in every region of the state.  There's a lot going on in each of your programs, and we'd love to hear all about it: your successes, your challenges, and your hopes for the future.  Please reach out to my administrative officer, Whitney Vazquez, at whvazquez@pa.gov, if you'd like to set up an appointment for us to come and visit.  While we can't visit all your educator preparation programs this academic year, we'll do our best to plan as many as we can.  We plan on visiting programs each year so if we don't get out to you this year, we will in the future. 

And don't forget about our BSLTQ Yearly Update Webinar to be held on Tuesday, August 8.  We'll be discussing new changes to CSPGs, as well as the results of the Chapter 354 questionnaire that many of you completed in January of this year.  We'll be offering other webinar updates, for new certification officers and new deans and chairs, shortly.  

I look forward to seeing all of you at the update.  If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov. 

Carissa

Hello all,

I truly hope that you are all getting to enjoy your summer as far. Here at the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality a lot is changing for the better. This email will be an update of some of those changes.

New Hires in BSLTQ

Exciting news! We've hired three new clerks in the Certification Division to answer emails, phone calls, and documents sent by mail. We also have four additional evaluators (who were hired in the fall 2022) working on applications this summer. Currently, we are working to ensure that all Instructional I application reviews are completed within 4-8 weeks. All other applications are currently at 8-10 weeks.   This may change as we progress through the summer months.  We will be updating our certification page as application review timelines change.

BSLTQ Yearly Update Webinar

Save the date!  Our staff from Certification Services and Professional Education and Teacher Quality will be conducting a yearly update webinar on Thursday, August 8 from 1-2:30 p.m. This webinar will cover new changes to Certification Staffing Policy Guidelines (CSPGs), as well as pertinent information about recent changes in certification and educator preparation.  The first hour of the training will be dedicated to a presentation and the last half hour will include a question-and-answer session.  The presentation will be recorded for those who cannot attend, and questions asked during the session will be collected and answers will be distributed in a future update.  

Ask Carissa FAQ Section

Dr. Marcia Bolton, Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Millersville University, reached out to ask if we were extending Act 48 hours for graduate course mentors for programs such as school psychologists or school counselors. After speaking with the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), we were recently granted:

Approval of Act 48 Hours for LEA Mentors of Interns  

Here are the requirements for awarding Act 48 credits for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) or Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs):

• Mentors of school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, and school social workers, may earn Act 48 credit if the LEA approves the professional development hours starting the 2022-2023 school year.
• Mentors may receive up to 15 hours per intern (per semester) totaling no more than 45 hours in a compliance period.
• If LEAs do not want to approve Act 48 hours for their employees, the EPPs may do so (but both cannot do so for the same experience/time period). 

Update on A2E STEM-CS grants and Innovative Prep-to-Practice Grants

Most of the A2E and P2P grants have been executed at this time. Those that haven't been executed will be shortly.  We are working on getting an extension for the one-year grants and will be in contact with all grantees when an extension has been approved. 

Please continue to enjoy your summer!  If you have any further questions, please reach out to ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov.

Hello everyone,

I truly hope that the end of semester "busyness" is slowing down and that you are planning some time to rest and relax this coming summer.  I have a few updates to share from BSLTQ:

School Social Worker Certification Extension:

We have been receiving questions about the School Social Worker certification from school entities especially related to the August 1 deadline, and we have some news about the deadline. Individuals employed as social workers in schools, in accordance with CSPG 201, who have not yet obtained a School Social Worker Certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education now have until August 1, 2026 to earn their certification by meeting the license and experience provisions outlined in the Special Considerations section of CSPG 87 School Social Worker, Educational Specialist Certificate PK-12.

Individuals may also earn their School Social Worker certification by completing a preparation program at a college/university that offers the certification program. The new deadline is effective immediately and applies to all schools. Local education agencies do not need to apply to the Department of Education for an extension or emergency permit. School Social Worker Certification FAQ. Other questions may be directed the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality at ra-edcertstaff@pa.gov.

Act 91 Update:

The Act 91 Report of April 2023 on Classroom Monitors. (Word)

I'd like to thank Dr. Tom Conway of Cabrini University and Dr. Connie Nichols of Grove City College for their help in evaluating the data included in the report.  We appreciate the time and energy they spent helping create this report. 

If you receive any questions from school entities about whether Act 91 will be extended, please don't hesitate to reply with the following:

• Act 91 of 2021 amended the Pennsylvania School Code to provide schools with additional staffing flexibility during the pandemic and the educator workforce shortage.
• The Department of Education agrees that schools would benefit from extending provisions in Act 91.
• House Bill 27 (Struzzi) would provide an additional two years (2023-24 and 2024-25 school years) for schools to hire annuitants and prospective teachers as substitute teachers and to issue temporary certifications for substitute teachers. However, the House has not yet passed the bill, and if they do pass it, the bill still must past the Senate.
• Schools that support extending the Act 91 provisions should contact their local legislators as soon as possible, as only the General Assembly can change state law. 

Expanding the Capacity of BSLTQ:

As I mentioned in an earlier update, Certification Services has brought on four new evaluators to process Instructional I and II certifications.  Our goal with these hires is to process applications more quickly.  We also recently brought on three temporary employees to help with answering phones, emails, and mail.  We continue to work on processing times and emails and look forward to being able to serve you better this spring/summer. 

And, remember, if you missed any of the updates I have sent since January, all updates can be found archived at this link, Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (BSLTQ), which can also be found on the PDE Certification page under "Frequently Asked Questions and Help."

If you have any questions, please reach out to RA-EDPREPPROGRAMS@pa.gov.

​Hello everyone,

I hope that you are enjoying the somewhat beautiful weather we've been having and that you are hanging in there in preparation for the end of another school year! 

We understand that there are questions surrounding the implementation of new Chapter 49 competencies within educator preparation programs.  These competencies address Professional Ethics, Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education, and Structured Literacy. 

Attached are three items: 

• PDE March 2023 Assurances Form Presentation (.pdf)
  [A pdf version of the PowerPoint that we used for PAC-TE]
• Chapter 49 PDE Responses to PAC-TE (.pdf) [FAQ for preparation program providers]
  
• PDE Chapter 49 Competencies Matrix Aid 2023 (.xlsx)

[Workbook with competencies provided as an aid to developing matrices] 

We are hoping these items help you in preparing your assurance forms.  

Please reach out to us at our resource account, Higher Education Liaisons RA-EDPREPPROGRAMS@pa.gov, with any questions.  

Take care, 

Carissa

Good afternoon,

I hope this update finds you well.  It's been a little while since my last update so this one is a bit longer than past updates. 

This past week, Dr. Tanya Garcia transitioned out of her role as Deputy Secretary and Commissioner of Postsecondary and Higher Education here at PDE, and we welcomed newly appointed Dr. Kate Shaw in that role.  Dr. Shaw was at PDE for several years as Deputy Secretary and Commissioner of Postsecondary and Higher Education during the Rendell Administration.  Dr. Shaw's career has focused on creating more accessible, equitable, and effective postsecondary education systems. Most recently she served as Senior Advisor at HCM Strategists, a national policy development firm that partners with over two dozen states to strengthen their postsecondary systems, their finances, and their capacity to serve as economic and workforce development engines. For over a decade Dr. Shaw led Research for Action, a Philadelphia-based education research organization that conducts applied research in Pennsylvania and across the nation.

We also welcomed back Stephanie Stauffer in the role of Higher Education Associate II.  As many of you know Stephanie was an employee of PDE for over seven years and previously worked in this role.  We are excited to have Dr. Shaw and Stephanie Stauffer here again at PDE.  Below are other BSLTQ updates.

New position open in the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality (Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education) at PDE

I'm also excited to announce an open position working with our team at PDE in the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality!  The position is for a Higher Education Program Manager responsible for professional educational administrative and managerial work in the development, improvement, and coordination of higher education professional educator programs within the Commonwealth.  This position was previously held by Dr. Christina Baumer.  Please use the following link to apply or for more information: PDE Higher Education Program Manager - Commonwealth of PA (governmentjobs.com).

Update on A2E STEM-CS grants and Innovative Prep-to-Practice Grants

Our office continues to work on approving contracts.  Please be patient as we continue to work on emailing information to our A2E STEM-CS grant awardees and uploading information in eGrants to our Teacher and Principal Prep-to-Practice grant awardees as they are approved and move through the routing process.

Pennsylvania Higher Education Summit to be held Tuesday, May 16

Please see the attached program flyer for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Summit to be held on Tuesday, May 16 at PaTTAN Central in Harrisburg, PA.  The summit will be focusing on Structured Literacy Teacher Preparation and is sponsored by the International Dyslexia Association of Pennsylvania.  

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Carissa

Hello everyone, 

Happy Spring!  It was lovely to see so many of you at the PAC-TE Spring Conference today.  I hope that our session helped to answer some of the questions you might have about assurance forms.  It you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Jamal and Stephanie at ra-edprepprograms@pa.gov. 

I'm sending out this update to inform you about a new grant that is available for education preparation programs through our Bureau of Special Education, The Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification Grant.  There is a short turn around on this grant.  Applications must be submitted by end of day on Friday, April 7, 2023.  I've included a short description of the grant below: 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Special Education, is requesting applications from Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs) who partner with one or more Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to provide individuals who currently hold bachelor's degrees an accelerated program with the required college/university coursework, summer field experiences, mentoring and student teaching to obtain their PK-12 special education teaching certification in accordance with PA Public School Code Section 12-1207.1, Postbaccalaureate certification.

Outcomes of the Grant include:

1) The establishment or expansion of summer field experiences (e.g., extended school year, tutoring) to provide opportunities for the accelerated program participants to demonstrate and apply the core concepts learned in their respective IHE courses.

2) Increased mentoring opportunities for accelerated program participants by current, experienced special educators to build their knowledge and understanding of the social-emotional, behavioral, and learning needs of students with disabilities.

3) An increased number of special education certifications awarded.

I've attached the Request for Application and the application above. Please email Carol Good, cgood@pattanpgh.net, if you have any questions about the grant.  

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need me.  Have a wonderful evening! 

Carissa

Good evening, 

I apologize for getting this exciting news out this evening, rather than earlier today.  Attached please find information about the Dual Credit Grant offered through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Division of Instructional Quality.  Be aware that application for the grant is time sensitive. Eligible school entities interested in applying must first indicate their interest between Friday, February 17, 2023, and Friday, February 24, 2023. Be sure to read the RFA above for more information.  

And, in other news, all of the BSLTQ updates I have sent since January 19, 2023, and all future updates can be found archived at this link: Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality which can also be found on the PDE Certification page under "Frequently Asked Questions and Help." 

Please have a wonderful President's Day weekend! 

Carissa

Hello everyone, 

It's still February and I don't know about you, but I'm still waiting for snow! 

I have a few updates to share from BSLTQ: 

Update on A2E STEM-CS grants and Innovative Prep-to-Practice Grants

Grant paperwork for the Prep2Practice awardees can be found in eGrants at this time.  We are still working on emailing grant paperwork to our A2E STEM-CS awardees.  Those packets will be sent shortly. 

New "Ask Carissa" FAQ Update Section

I get many good questions from the field between updates, and I'd like to share these with you.  Please continue to send your questions and I'll include the answers to those questions in a section I'll call "Ask Carissa."  If you do not want credit for asking the question, please tell me in your email.  

These two questions about the new Act 48 Credit Approval for Mentor/Cooperating Teachers were sent from Dr.  Deanna Mack at Geneva College: 

• For the Act 48 credit, can mentors who are supervising student teachers receive a stipend and Act 48 hours? 
  • Yes, mentors can receive both a stipend and Act 48 hours.
    
• Is there a minimum number of weeks of supervision to earn the 15 Act 48 hours?
  • A mentor/cooperating teacher can receive 15 hours per inductee or student teacher regardless of the length of the student teaching experience.  In some cases, mentor teachers share a student teacher or only mentor half of a placement. Keep in mind that mentors/supervisors may receive up to 15 hours per inductee or student teacher totaling no more than 45 hours in a compliance period.  Once the 45 hours is reached in a compliance period additional credit hours cannot be awarded. 
    

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Carissa 

Carissa Pokorny-Golden, PhD | Director, Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality

Happy February! 

While this winter weather may not seem much different than last fall, we're pleased to share what's new here at PDE and the Commonwealth: a new Governor Josh Shapiro, new Acting Secretary of Education Khalid N. Mumin, Ed.D, and new Executive Deputy Secretary Angela Fitterer! Below are other BSLTQ updates. 

New Structured Literacy Professional Development Course Available to Ed Prep Program Leaders

The New Structured Literacy Professional Development Course can be found on the SAS website at PDE SAS (Standards Aligned System).  If you do not have a SAS login, please follow the instructions here: Creating a SAS Account – SAS Help Desk (zendesk.com).  You can also use these instructions to help you register for the course in the PD Center: Registering for a SAS Course.  Once you login, hover over SAS Tools, choose the PD Center, and type "Structured Literacy" in the search catalog.  You can click on the "Options" button to register for the 10-hour Introduction to Structured Literacy Course.  Courses for CR-SE and Professional Ethics are forthcoming. 

Approval for Act 48 Hours for Cooperating/Mentor Teachers

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education recently approved Act 48 credits for cooperating/mentor teachers.  

Here are the requirements for awarding Act 48 credits for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) or Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs):

• Mentors of first-year teachers and supervisors of student teachers (does not include pre-student teachers) may earn Act 48 credit if the LEA approves the professional development hours starting the 2022-2023 school year.
• Mentors/Supervisors may receive up to 15 hours per inductee or student teacher totaling no more than 45 hours in a compliance period.
• If LEAs do not want to approve Act 48 hours for their employees, the EPPs may do so (but both cannot do so for the same experience/time period). 

Update on A2E STEM-CS grants and Innovative Prep-to-Practice Grants

Our office is working hard to get all the grant paperwork out to our awardees as soon as possible.  Please be patient as we continue to work on emailing information to our A2E STEM-CS grant awardees and uploading information in eGrants to both our Teacher and Principal Prep-to-Practice grant awardees as they are approved. 

Please stay warm and safe this February!

Carissa 

Carissa Pokorny-Golden, PhD | Director, Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality

Good afternoon,

I hope everyone's winter break was a good one! I'm pleased to share additional PDE updates with you that will hopefully brighten this dark and rainy day. 

BSLTQ Grant Awards Update

Congratulations to the grantees that received Aspiring to Educate STEM-CS, Teacher Prep2Practice, and Principal Prep2Practice grants! Links to awardee pages are below for your convenience. We are in the process of making arrangements to extend these grants through December 2023 (and December 2024 for Aspiring to Educate STEM-CS Implementation grants), and as soon as we do, will send out grant approval letters. If you have any questions, please email RA-EDOPHEGRANTS@pa.gov.

• Aspiring to Educate - STEM-CS Grant Awardees
• Principal Prep2Practice Grant Awardees
• Teacher Prep2Practice Grant Awardees

New Dance Certification Program Framework Guidelines Now Available

PDE approved the new Dance Certification guidelines on January 17.  In the past, Dance was traditionally taught in PK-12 schools by teachers holding certification in career technical education, health & physical education, and communications, and those holding a creative movement endorsement. Providing Direct Path Dance Certification in Pennsylvania establishes the expectation that students should receive instruction from a certified dance educator. To satisfy PDE's definition of a certified teacher, teachers must: 1) Hold at least a bachelor's degree; 2) Hold a valid state-issued teaching certificate/license; and 3) Demonstrate subject matter competency for the content area they teach.  You can find more information on the new Dance Certification online (PDF). If you are interested in offering this certification program, please contact RA-EDPREPPROGRAMS@pa.gov for an initial program review application.

Assurance Forms for Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education, Professional Ethics, and Structured Literacy Program Framework Guidelines Now Available

The assurance forms for these three new program framework guidelines will be posted online shortly, but in the meantime they are attached for your convenience. If you have any questions or have completed forms to be turned in, please send to RA-EDPREPPROGRAMS@pa.gov. 

Chapter 354 Questionnaire Will Remain Open through Monday, January 23

Many thanks to the more than 60 of you who have submitted the questionnaire so far! If you haven't already, please consider completing it. Chapter 354 Questionnaire.  

Have a great evening,
Carissa 

Carissa Pokorny-Golden, PhD | Director, Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality