Chester Upland Education Association

                                 Certification

It is the professional employee's responsibility to maintain his/her professional certificate.  While most school districts assist their professional employees, some do not.  If you do not obtain the required number of credits within the time period allowed, your certificate will be revoked, and you will not be permitted to continue to work without a valid certificate.

• A Pennsylvania Professional Certificate is your authorization to perform work as a professional employee in a Pennsylvania Public School.
• To move from a Level I provisional certification to a Level II permanent certification, you must successfully complete 24 post-baccalaureate credits within the first six years of employment.
• Every new professional employee is required to complete an induction program established by the school district.
• After achieving Level II permanent certification, you must complete one (or a combination) of the following during every 5-year period:

6 credits of collegiate study;

6 credits of professional education courses;

180 hours of approved professional development activities.

• Every school district has a Professional Development (Act 48) Committee which develops an approved professional development plan that specifies district-sponsored activities which qualify for credit.
• Questions regarding certification should be directed to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Certification at 717-787-3356.

Background Checks

Act 34 of 1985 amended the Child Protective Service Law to require every school district to obtain a criminal history report on all prospective employees.

Prospective employees must supply the employer with either a state police criminal record or with a statement that such a record does not exist.  you should contact any state police office for this information.  Out-of-state residents must provide similar information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Act 151 Child Protective Services Law Coverage of School Employees requires every district to obtain a clearance statement on all prospective employees.  Clearance statements may be obtained from the Department of Welfare.

Tenure

A professional employee is defined in the  Teacher Tenure Act of the School Code to include those who are certified as teachers, supervisors, supervising principals, principals, assistant principals, vice principals, vocational education directors, dental hygienists, visiting teachers, home and school visitors, school counselors, child nutrition program specialists, school librarians, and school nurses.  "Teacher" is defined as one who devotes fifty percent (50%) or more of his/her time to teaching or other direct educational activities.

A temporary professional employee is a non-tenured employee hired to perform the duties of a newly created position or of a regular professional employee whose services have been terminated by death, resignation, suspension or removal.

The key feature distinguishing a temporary employee from a professional employee is tenure.  The Teacher Tenure Law holds that a temporary professional employee hired on or after June 30, 1996 must complete three years of satisfactory service before attaining the status of a professional employee (i.e., before becoming tenured.)  Once having achieved tenured status, the individual is not required to serve as a temporary professional employee if employed by any other part of the Pennsylvania Public School System.

As a tenured professional employee, an individual is entitled to the statutory protections set forth in the School Code regarding dismissal, furlough, recall, demotions, and sabbatical leaves.

While not entitled to the same extent of protection, a temporary professional employee is entitled to certain rights; e.g., due process of law.  Protection for temporary professional employees with regard to furlough and recall may be expanded under the collective bargaining agreement.  However, absent any specific contract language, temporary professional employees are not entitled to protection from furlough.