Section 49.17. Continuing professional education

(a) A school entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a 3-year professional education plan as part of its strategic plan in accordance with the professional education guidelines established by the Secretary and section 1205.1 of the act (24 P. S. § 12-1205.1).

(1) A school entity shall develop a continuing professional education plan, which includes options for professional development including, but not limited to, activities such as the following:

(i) Graduate level coursework.

(ii) Obtaining a professionally related master’s degree.

(iii) Department-approved in-service courses.

(iv) Curriculum development work.

(v) Attendance at professional conferences.

(2) The continuing professional education plan must define terms used including, but not limited to, the following:

(i) Professionally related graduate level coursework.

(ii) Professionally related master’s degree.

(iii) Curriculum development work.

(iv) Professional conferences.

(3) The continuing professional education plan shall be developed as specified in section 1205.1 of the act. The plan must describe the persons who developed the plan and how the persons were selected.

(4) The continuing professional education plan submitted to the Secretary shall be approved by both the professional education committee and the board of the school entity.

(5) The Secretary will promulgate guidelines which include a process for amending approved continuing professional education plans in accordance with the requirements for initial preparation of the plans. The guidelines will also outline allowable activities for credit earned under sections 1205.1 and 1205.2 of the act (24 P. S. § § 12-1205.1 and 1205.2) after July 1, 2006.

(6) The continuing professional education plan must include a section which describes how the professional education needs of the school entity, including those of diverse learners, and its professional employees are to be met through implementation of the plan. The plan must describe how professional development activities will improve language and literacy acquisition for all students and contribute to closing achievement gaps among students.

(7) The continuing professional education plan must include a description of how the school entity will offer all professional employees opportunities to participate in continuing education focused on teaching diverse learners in inclusive settings.

(8) A school district that contracts with a community provider to operate a prekindergarten program shall address in the school district’s professional education plan how the school district will offer professional education opportunities to teachers in the community provider’s prekindergarten program.

(b) A commissioned officer who obtains a Letter of Eligibility for Superintendent shall present to the Secretary evidence of satisfactory completion of 6 credit hours of continuing professional education courses every 5 years. This subsection will be satisfied by taking collegiate studies or Department-approved in-service courses or a combination thereof.

(c) Professional personnel who fail to comply with the continuing professional education plan under subsection (a) or fail to complete the requirements of sections 1205.1 and 1205.2 of the act will have their certificates or commissions rendered inactive by the Department until the requirement is met. Professional personnel whose certificate or commission is rendered inactive shall have a right to appeal the action to the Secretary.

(d) School districts that employ professional personnel or commissioned officers with inactive certificates or commissions are subject to penalties provided for under section 2518 of the act (24 P. S. § 25-2518).

(e) Certified personnel are responsible for monitoring their own progress toward completing the requirements prescribed by sections 1205.1 and 1205.2 of the act and for notifying the Department of any changes to their home mailing address.

The provisions of this § 49.17 adopted January 25, 1985, effective June 1, 1987, 15 Pa.B. 245; amended December 25, 1987, effective December 26, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 5324; readopted May 29, 1992, effective May 30, 1992, 22 Pa. B. 2824; amended September 24, 1999, effective September 25, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 4954; amended July 14, 2006, effective July 15, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 3655; amended September 21, 2007, effective September 22, 2007, 37 Pa.B. 5150. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (320357) to (320359).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 49.17 issued under sections 202, 408.1, 1302 and 1317—1320 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § § 62, 118.1 (Repealed), 352 and 367—370 (Repealed)); amended under sections 1205.1 and 2603-B of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § § 12-1205.1 and 26-2603-B).

Cross References

This section cited in 22 Pa. Code § 4.13 (relating to strategic plans); 22 Pa. Code § 49.2 (relating to inactivity and invalidity); 22 Pa. Code § 49.103 (relating to Educational Specialist II); and 22 Pa. Code § 49.131 (relating to basic requirements for baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate programs).