Professional Development Requirements by State for Education

Professional development is a must for teachers and other educational professionals across the US in order to get their license renewed and qualify for salary raise and career advancement. In addition, it provides instructors with a convenient opportunity sponsored by their school to expand their knowledge, enhance their skills, and better serve their students and institution.

Having said that, teacher professional development (PD) requirements are determined by state educational authorities, which means that they differ from one state to another.

SimplyPD is an online marketplace that easily and conveniently connects teachers and educational leaders from all school districts to provide and receive professional development training from peers. No matter what topics you’re looking for, you’re guaranteed to find the right match at SimplyPD.

Following is a detailed breakdown of the educator professional development requirements by state:

Alabama Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 50 clock hours of allowable professional development or 3 semester hours of allowable credit or initial issuance
• Additional requirements: Background clearance based on a fingerprint review
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Alabama State Department of Education

Alabama teachers need to take 50 clock hours of allowable PD or 3 semester hours of allowable coursework to be able to renew their Alabama Professional Educator Certificate. Hours need to be submitted in the PowerSchool Professional Learning platform. To qualify, activities need to comply with the Alabama Standards for Professional Development and be consistent with the educator’s needs.

Alaska Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 renewal credits + mandatory training
• Additional requirements: 5 years
• State teaching certificate renewal period: Fingerprint card or employment verification
• Local responsible authority: Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

Alaska has one of the most complicated and demanding systems for teacher certification issuance and renewal, with more than a dozen different types of teacher and educator certificates depending on your level and experience. In general, teacher licenses need to be renewed every 5 years, and this requires the completion of 6 renewal credits related to the educator’s employment and endorsement areas.

The following qualify as 1 renewal credit:

• 1 semester hour of credit earned from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university
• 1.5 quarter hours of credit earned from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university
• 1 continuing education unit, with a minimum of 15 contact hours, from an approved provider
• 15 hours of non-academic credit (after pre-approval)

In addition, Alaska educators must have completed the following mandatory training over the last 5 years:

• Sexual abuse awareness and prevention
• Alcohol or drug-related disabilities
• Dating violence awareness and prevention
• Suicide awareness and prevention

Arizona Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 90, 120, or 180 clock hours - 15 clock hours for each year of the certificate term
• Additional requirements: Valid IVP fingerprint clearance card
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 6 years, 8 years, or 12 years
• Local responsible authority: Arizona Department of Education

In Arizona, teachers need to complete 15 clock hours, equivalent to 1 semester hour of college coursework, for each year of their teaching certificate term, which can be 6, 8, or 12 years. PD activities have to relate to the Arizona academic or professional educator standards.

Eligible activities include:

• Academic courses related to education or a subject area taught in Arizona public schools
• District or school-sponsored in-service training specifically designed for professional development
• Professional conferences and workshops related to the profession of teaching or the field of public education
• Business internship
• Educational research
• Serving in a leadership role of a professional organization related to the profession of teaching or the field of public education
• Serving on a visitation team for a school accreditation agency

The following training also qualifies:

• Suicide awareness and prevention
• Child abuse, human trafficking of children, and the sexual abuse of children
• Screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology, and advocacy for students with reading impairments, including dyslexia
• College and career readiness

Arkansas Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 36 hours per year
• Additional requirements: Background check
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Arkansas Division of Elementary & Secondary Education

Arkansas K-12 educators have to get a minimum of 36 hours of professional development required for licensure renewal and contractual agreement. The training has to be focused on the Rules Governing Professional Development in the state.

Some must-complete PD for teachers in Arkansas includes:

• 2 hours of Mandated Reporters to make educators aware of signs of child maltreatment
• 2 hours of Mental Health Awareness to help teachers identify early signs regarding mental health, suicide, and prevention
• 2 hours of Teen Suicide Awareness and Prevention to help teachers identify early signs regarding mental health, suicide, and prevention
• 2 hours of Bullying Prevention to teach educators the requirements regarding bullying incidents and prevention

California Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: None
• Additional requirements: May vary by type of license
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: California Commission on Teacher Credentialing

California teachers typically don’t need to complete professional development in order to be able to renew their license. Nonetheless, the California Department of Education provides ample opportunities for professional learning to help teachers improve their competencies and skills.

Colorado Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 90 contact hours of professional development or 6 semester hours of college or university coursework 
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 7 years
• Local responsible authority: Colorado Department of Education (CDE)

Colorado teachers can choose what professional learning topics to pursue as part of the state requirements, but they have to align with their endorsement areas, the Colorado academic standards, educator quality standards, school culture and climate, leadership, and student safety and well-being. Additionally, there are more specific requirements for special educator teachers, English language educators, principals, and administrators.

Connecticut Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 18 hours of professional development provided by the school district
• Additional requirements: Different number of years of successful teaching at a Connecticut school
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 3, 5, or 8 years
• Local responsible authority: Connecticut Bureau of Certification

Connecticut teachers don’t need to complete professional development activities to qualify to renew their license. Nevertheless, by state law, school districts are obliged to provide 18 hours of PD to teachers each year.

Delaware Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 90 clock hours 
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Delaware Department of Education

Delaware educators need to renew their teaching license every 5 years by completing 90 clock hours of professional development or professional learning which has to be clearly documented. Moreover, it has to cover approved types and topics of PD.

Eligible PD activities in Delaware include:

• Action research or other educational project
• Certification activities required to retain a state professional license
• College course
• Cooperating teacher or intern supervisor
• Curriculum development, assessment development, or both
• Mentoring through a comprehensive educator induction program
• Micro-credential
• Planned professional development professional learning activity or program
• Presentation
• Professional committee, conference, workshop, institute, or academy
• Professional learning community (PLC)
• Skilled and Technical Sciences specific career area program certification or Career and Technical program certification
• Teacher of the Year or other district, state, or national top teacher recognition award or program activities

Florida Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester hours of college credit including at least 1 semester hour of college credit in teaching students with disabilities (SWD)
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Florida Department of Education (FLDOE)

Florida teachers need to complete 6 semester hours of college credit every 5 years to be able to renew their Florida educator certification.

Acceptable equivalencies to college credit include:

• 20 in-service points in an approved Florida master in-service program are equivalent to 1 semester hour of college credit.
• A passing score on the Florida Subject Area Examination is equivalent to 3 semester hours of college credit.
• For Exceptional Student Education, Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired, or Speech-Language Impaired, a passing score on the corresponding Florida Subject Area Examination is equivalent to 3 semester hours of teaching SWD.
• A valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards can renew the Florida certificate in the same subject.
• An Exceptional Needs Specialist certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards meets the requirement for credit in teaching SWD if the Florida certificate includes a subject in instructing students with disabilities.
• Teaching a college level course at an acceptable institution is equivalent to the same credit hours.

You can learn more about Florida requirements for PD here.

Georgia Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester hours of college coursework or 10 Georgia Professional Learning Units (PLUs) or 10 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or 100 hours of BFTS-approved trainings
• Additional requirements: Criminal record check
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)

Georgia teachers need to fulfill any of the professional development requirements listed above or hold a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification in order to renew their teaching license or certificate.

Specific regulations include:

• College coursework must be earned at an institution that meets the accreditation standards outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.31.
• PLUs must be awarded by a State of Georgia education agency, a Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA), a Georgia LUA, or a GaPSC-approved college or university.
• CEUs must be issued by a GaPSC-accepted accredited college or university or a provider authorized by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

Hawaii Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: None
• Additional requirements: HTSB Professional Fitness check + at least 1 full year of teaching within the last 5 years
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Hawaii Teacher Standards Board (HTSB)

Hawaii educators don’t need to complete any hours of professional development to be able to renew their teaching license, based on state requirements. This is usually done based on previous teaching experience.

Idaho Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester credits
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Idaho Department of Education

Idaho teachers need to cover 6 semester credits of professional development every 5 years to remain licensed to instruct in the state. These credits need to be educationally related to the individualized professional learning plan (IPLP) or the professional practice of the educator.

Additional requirements include:

• 3 credits must be transcribed and completed through an accredited college or university.
• Credits must be tied to content areas or areas of endorsement.
• Credits must be specific to pedagogical best practices or administrative or teacher leadership.
• Credits must be tied to a specific area of need designated by district administration.
• Idaho district, charter, or private school in-service hours can be applied towards up to 3 credits, where 15 contact hours are equivalent to 1 semester credit hour.

Illinois Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 120 hours of professional development
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)

Illinois has one of the toughest requirements for professional development for renewing educator licensure. Teachers need to complete 120 hours of PD every 5 years.

Acceptable PD includes:

• Coursework from a regionally accredited Illinois college or university
• National Board Certification
• National Licenses (for school support personnel)
• Activities provided by an approved Illinois professional development provider

Indiana Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester hours or Professional Growth Plan (PGP)
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 2, 5, or 10 years
• Local responsible authority: Indiana Department of Education

Indiana teachers have to renew their Practitioner's license every 2, 5, or 10 years, depending on the type and level of license that they hold.

Renewing a license can be done by meeting one of the following requirements:

• 6 semester hours completed at an accredited Indiana institution
• 6 semester hours completed at an accredited out-of-state institution
• Professional Growth Plan (PGP)
• National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Certification (NBPTS)

Iowa Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 renewal credits + mandatory reporter training for child and dependent abuse
• Additional requirements: Background check
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Iowa Department of Education

Iowa issues many different teaching and administration licenses, with varying professional development requirements. Renewing an Iowa standard teaching license happens every 5 years and requires 6 renewal credits plus mandatory reporter training and child and dependent abuse.

Examples of required PD training in the state include:

• Beginning Teacher Mentoring and Induction
• Attendance Center Professional Development
• Seclusion and Restraint
• District Developed Professional Development
• Dropout Prevention and Returning Dropout Prevention
• Dyslexia Training
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Gifted and Talented
• Hazardous Chemical Risks - Right to Know
• Individual Teacher Development Plan
• Multicultural Gender Fair Approaches (MCGF), Diverse Learners
• Suicide Prevention Intervention and Prevention and ACES

Kansas Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 120 professional development points if holding a graduate degree; 160 professional development points or 8 semester credit hours if not holding a graduate degree
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Kansas State Department of Education

Kansas has relatively demanding requirements for renewing teaching licenses, which include 120 PD points awarded by a Kansas local professional development council for applicants holding a graduate degree and 160 PD points or 8 semester credit hours for applicants not holding a graduate degree. Each educational professional needs to have a 5-year professional development plan based on the criteria established by the State Board and Kansas statutes and regulations.

Kentucky Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 24 hours of professional development credit per year + 6 semester hours of additional graduate credit or completion of 3 years of classroom teaching during the last five-year period of the certificate
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Kentucky Department of Education

Kentucky requires teachers to earn 6 semester hours of additional graduate credit to be able to renew their teacher certification only in case they have not completed at least 3 years of classroom teaching over the course of the last 5 years. In addition, Kentucky teachers have to complete 24 hours of PD credit each year. Schools are obliged to provide 6 hours of PD, while teachers can take professional learning credits for the remaining 18 hours.

Louisiana Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 150 clock hours of professional development
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Louisiana Department of Education

Louisiana teachers need to earn 150 clock hours of PD every 5 years in order to be eligible for state license renewal. The state provides educators with many opportunities for continuing education, career advancement, leadership skills development, collaboration, mentoring, and other PD activities.

Maine Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester hours or 90 contact hours
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Maine Department of Education

Maine requires teachers to complete 6 semester hours of professional development, which is usually equivalent to 2 approved college courses, or 90 contact hours, where 1 CEU corresponds to 10 contact hours. This needs to happen over the course of 5 years. Maine educators need to create a digital folder to track hours and tally their hours at the end of each year, before deciding what PD to complete the following year.

Maryland Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 90 professional development points
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Maryland State Department of Education

Maryland expects teachers to earn 90 PD points, equivalent to 90 clock hours of PD, every 5 years to renew their educator licensure.

The state offers a lot of flexibility in terms of what qualifies as professional development, including:

• Earned or taught college credit at an accredited institution of higher education
• Earned or taught continuing professional development (CPD) credits, approved by the Department
• Continuing education units (CEUs) from an accredited International Association for Continuing Education and Training provider or approved by another Maryland State agency
• Professional conference
• Curriculum development
• Publication of a book or article
• Mentorship
• Micro-credentials
• Professional development activity approved by the Department, Maryland Local School System, State Agency, Maryland-approved non-public school, or another state department of education
• Occupational experience (Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts only)

Massachusetts Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 150 professional development points
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Massachusetts teachers need to follow an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP), according to which they have to complete 150 professional development points (PDPs) every 5 years.

The 150 PDPs have to be distributed as follows:

• At least 15 PDPs in content (subject matter knowledge)
• At least 15 PDPs in pedagogy (professional skills and knowledge)
• At least 15 PDPs in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) or English as a Second Language (ESL)
• At least 15 PDPs of training in strategies for effective schooling for students with disabilities and the instruction of students with diverse learning styles

Michigan Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 150 hours of education-related professional learning or 6 semester credit hours
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Michigan Department of Education

Michigan educators need to complete one of the following forms of professional development in order to qualify for teacher certificate renewal:

• 6 semester credit hours appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement from a regionally accredited college or university
• 6 semester hours in a planned course of study from a college or university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education (USDE)
• 150 Michigan State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement
• 150 hours of Michigan District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) appropriate to the content and grade level of the certificate and endorsement
• Combination of the above

It’s important to note that school districts are obliged to provide teachers with 15 days of PD across the first 3 years of employment and 5 days of PD each year afterwards. This PD needs to be aligned with the individual development plan and mentor’s advice.

Minnesota Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 125 hours of professional development
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board

Minnesota teachers need to undergo 125 hours of professional development activities every 5 years to be able to renew their license.

PD hours have to be distributed across 4 areas including:

• Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies
• Accommodation, Modification, and Adaptation of Curriculum, Materials, and Instruction
• Key Warning Signs for Early-Onset Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents
• Reading Preparation

Mississippi Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 5-10 continuing education units or 3-6 semester hours
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Mississippi Department of Education

Mississippi educators can hold one of 2 types of teaching licenses.

Renewing a Class A license requires one of the following:

• 10 continuing education units (CEUs) in content or job/skill-related area
• 6 semester hours in content or job/skill-related area

At the same time, the renewal of Class AA, AAA, and AAAA licenses necessitates one of the following:

• 5 CEUs in content or job/skill-related area
• 3 semester hours in content or job/skill-related area

These state requirements can be waived in case the educator has completed the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process.

Missouri Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 15 hours per year
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 4 years
• Local responsible authority: Missouri Department of Primary and Secondary Education

Missouri teachers have to complete 15 hours of professional development per year. They are exempt in case they cover 2 of the following requirements: 1) Have 10 years of teaching experience; 2) Hold the next higher degree; or 3) Have a national certification. Meanwhile, 1 college credit hour is equivalent to 15 PD contact hours according to state regulations.

Montana Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 60 professional development units
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Montana Office of Public Instruction

Montana requires educators to complete 60 professional development units every 5 years in order to renew their license. The requirement can be fulfilled by any combination of professional development units and semester/quarter college credits. Each semester credit is equivalent to 15 professional development units, while each quarter credit is equivalent to 10 professional development units.

Nebraska Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 graduate semester hours or verification of teaching experience
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 2-10 years, depending on the type of certificate
• Local responsible authority: Nebraska Department of Education

Nebraska teaching certificates can be renewed by submitting a form verifying teaching experience over the course of the last 5 years or completing 6 graduate semester hours of professional development over the same period. PD activities can cover general education topics or the content area of the instructor.

Nevada Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 15 hours of professional development each calendar year or the equivalent of in-service training
• Additional requirements: Fingerprint Background Waiver, Mandatory Reporting Notification, Child Support Declaration, and Business License Information
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Nevada Department of Education

Nevada requires educators to complete a minimum of 15 hours of PD activities each calendar year. In-service training counts towards PD hours. However, it is not clear what other activities and topics can be used towards the state professional development requirements for teachers. PD hours need to be tracked and uploaded into the educator’s OPAL account.

New Hampshire Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 30 hours for each specific endorsement area held + 45 hours aligned with the Professional Education Requirements
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 3 years
• Local responsible authority: New Hampshire Department of Education

New Hampshire has specific PD requirements for renewing educator licenses, which needs to happen every 3 years. Teachers have to complete 30 hours of PD in each endorsement area which they hold in addition to 45 hours of PD activities aligned with the Professional Education Requirements.

There are dozens of topics that New Hampshire educators can cover under the Professional Education Requirements, organized under the following categories:

• Learning environment
• Student learning
• Instructional practices and design
• Professional responsibility

New Jersey Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 20 hours of professional development each calendar year
• Additional requirements:  Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: Permanent (no need to renew once you receive a Standard Teaching Certificate)
• Local responsible authority: New Jersey Department of Education

New Jersey Standard Teaching Certificates do not need to be renewed as they are considered permanent. However, educators still need to complete at least 20 hours of PD per calendar year to be eligible to work in public and private schools in the state.

New Jersey teachers can choose from a range of subtopics under the following PD topics:

• Health
• Interscholastic Activities
• Prevention: Suicide, Substance Abuse, Harrassment, Intimidation, and Bullying
• Reading Disabilities
• School Safety, Security, and Code of Student Conduct
• Additional topics including Bilingual Education, Educator Evaluation, Equity and Affirmative Action, Ethics, Law, Governance, Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying, Integrated Pest Management, Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS), NJ SMART, Preschool, Special Education, and Teacher Mentor

New Mexico Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: Varies by teacher license type
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5-9 years, depending on type of license
• Local responsible authority: New Mexico Public Education Department

New Mexico teachers can hold one of 3 main types of licenses. The professional development requirements of the state depend on the type of teacher license. It’s important to note that micro-credentialing is a popular alternative to more formal PD for teacher license advancement in New Mexico.

New York Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 100 Continuing Teacher & Leader Education (CTLE) hours
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

New York State refers to professional development for teachers as professional learning (PL), which is any continuing education required by law but not necessarily offered by an NYSED-approved Continuing Teacher & Leader Education (CTLE) sponsor.

Suggested professional learning activities to meet the needs of New York school districts include:

• Collaborating with other teachers to examine case studies of student work and development as part of an approved activity
• Participating in courses and other learning opportunities delivered by institutions of higher education, teacher centers, BOCES, school districts, and independent professional development service providers
• Coursework linked to the improvement of instructional technique or content knowledge
• Coursework for more advanced certification relevant to the certificate title
• Curriculum planning and development
• Participating in school-college teacher development partnerships
• Serving on Comprehensive District Education Plan (CDEP), District Comprehensive Education Plan (DCEP), Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP), or other school leadership activities or committees
• Being an NYSTCE assessor or test development committee member
• Development of statewide curriculum

North Carolina Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 8 units of renewal credit equivalent to 80 clock hours of professional development
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

North Carolina expects K-12 teachers to complete 8 units of renewal credit over the course of 5 years in order to be eligible for professional educator’s license renewal. Each Continuing Education Unit (CEU), also referred to as a renewal unit, corresponds to 10 clock hours of PD activities.

The state accepts the following professional development activities for license renewal:

• College and university courses
• Local in-service courses or workshops
• Classes and workshops approved by an LEA

PD hours need to be properly documented and tracked.

North Dakota Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester hours of college coursework
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI)

North Dakota teachers need to complete 6 semester hours of college coursework in order to meet the state requirements for professional development for license renewal. This needs to happen every 5 years.

Ohio Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or area of teaching or 18 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
• Additional requirements: Background check
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 2-8 years, depending on the type of educator license
• Local responsible authority: State Board of Education of Ohio

Ohio requires educators to complete 6 semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or their teaching subject or 18 CEUs of professional development, equivalent to 180 contact hours of PD. State agencies offer multiple free and paid opportunities for teachers to fulfill the requirements for professional development.

Oklahoma Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 75 professional development points
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Oklahoma State Department of Education

Oklahoma teachers have to earn 75 professional development points (PDPs) over the course of every 5 years, with at least some points earned each calendar year, to be eligible to renew their license. One clock hour of PD activities is equivalent to 1 PD point, while 1 semester hour of approved college credit corresponds to 15 PD points.

Oregon Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 25 continuing professional development units (PDUs) per year
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 3-5 years
• Local responsible authority: Oregon Department of Education

Oregon requires teachers to complete 25 continuing professional development units (PDUs) each year to be able to renew their educator license. One hour of advanced or continuing professional development activity counts as 1 PDU; 1 semester hour of college credit is equivalent to 30 PDUs; and 1 quarter hour of college credit amounts to 20 PDUs.

Pennsylvania Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 credits of collegiate study or 6 credits of PDE-approved continuing professional development courses or 180 hours of continuing professional education programs, activities, or learning experiences through a PDE-approved provider
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pennsylvania teachers need to complete one of the following PD requirements per 5 years to be able to renew their educator certificate:

• 6 credits of collegiate study
• 6 credits of PDE-approved continuing PD courses
• 180 hours of continuing professional education programs, activities, or learning experiences
• Any combination of the activities listed above

In the state, 1 semester collegiate credit corresponds to 30 continuing education units, while 1 quarter collegiate credit equals 20 continuing education hours.

Rhode Island Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 100 Professional Learning Units (PLUs)
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 3-7 years, depending on the type of certificate
• Local responsible authority: State of Rhode Island Department of Education

Rhode Island offers 3 main types of teacher licenses, which expire every 3-7 years. The renewal of a Professional License requires the completion of 100 Professional Learning Units (PLUs) every 5 years. Rhode Island public school educators need to provide evidence of the competition of the required PD to their district.

South Carolina Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 120 renewal credits
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE)

South Carolina requires teachers to complete 120 renewal credits every 5 years in order to be able to renew their Professional certificate. The eligible types of PD depend on the educator’s employment status.

All educators can enroll in the following PD activities:

• College coursework
• Certificate renewal courses approved by the SCDE
• Continuing Education Units (CEUs) approved by the SCDE

Expanded opportunities available to some South Carolina educators include:

• Professional Publications
• Instructional activities, such as teaching a college course
• Professional trainings
• Serving as a professional assessor or evaluator
• Mentorship, supervision, or instructional coaching
• Educational projects, collaborations, grants, or research
• Professional development activities, such as educational conferences, workshops, and task forces
• Professional development CEU credits

South Dakota Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 6 education-related credits or 2-year participation in a state-approved mentor program or national board certification or recertification completion
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: South Dakota Department of Education

South Dakota has 2 main types of teaching certificates: Professional Teaching Certificate and Advanced Teaching Certificate. Both are valid for 5 years.

To renew a Professional Teaching Certificate, teachers need to complete one of the following:

• 6 education-related courses with at least 3 transcripted credits or specialized learning experience hours and the remaining credits including continuing education contact hours (CECHs) or transcripted credits
• At least 2 years of participation in a state-approved mentor program as a mentee
• At least 2 years of participation in a state-approved mentor program as a mentor
• Completion of the national board certification or recertification

Renewing a South Dakota Advanced Teaching Certificate requires one of the following PD activities:

• 6 education-related transcripted credits, specialized learning experience hours, or continuing education contact hours (CECHs)
• At least 2 years of participation in a state-approved mentor program as a mentor
• Completion of the national board certification or recertification

Tennessee Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 60 professional development points (PDPs) or 2 years of qualifying educator experience
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 10 years
• Local responsible authority: Tennessee Department of Education

Tennessee educators need to complete 60 professional development points (PDPs) or show 2 years of qualifying educator experience every 10 years to be eligible to renew their professional license.

Qualifying professional development activities in Tennessee need to improve teacher effectiveness by:

• Developing content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, or pedagogical content knowledge
• Enhancing educator effectiveness, such as world language courses for teachers working with students for whom English is a second language or coursework that supports understanding and use of data
• Developing competency in student social and emotional health and well-being

Eligible PD options in the state include:

• Professional learning: 1 clock hour equals 1 PDP.
• Micro-credentialing: 1 micro-credential equals 6 PDPs.
• Continuing education: 1 CEU equals 5 PDPs.
• College and university coursework: 1 semester hour credit equals 10 PDPs, and 1 semester hour credit audited equals 5 PDps.
• Overall level of effectiveness rating: Overall score of 5 equals 20 PDPs, overall score of 4 equals 15 PDPs, and overall score of 3 equals 3 PDPs.
• LOE rating for educators employed at a priority or focus school: Overall score of 5 equals 25 PDPs, and overall score of 4 equals 20 PDPs.
• National Board Certification: Initial certification equals 30 PDPs, and renewal certification equals 15 PDPs.

Texas Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 150 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Texas classroom teachers need to complete 150 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) every 5 years to be able to renew their certificate.

Eligible professional development topics for teachers in the state include:

• Content area knowledge and skills
• Professional ethics and standards of conduct
• Educating students with disabilities including students with dyslexia (obligatory)

Utah Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 100 license renewal points
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Utah State Board of Education

Utah Professional Educator Licenses are valid for a period of 5 years. Teachers need to complete 100 license renewal points of PD to be eligible for a renewal of their license.

The state recognizes the following types of professional development activities:

• Professional learning experiences, such as university coursework, USBE professional learning, curriculum development, school improvement, training and support designed specifically for new teachers, conferences, workshops, institutes, trainings, symposia, or staff-development programs: Maximum 90 points
• Educator collaboration activities: Maximum 30 points
• Professional service: Maximum 50 points
• Alternate learning opportunities: Maximum 30 points

Utah educators have to choose to engage in at least 2 types of the above-listed activities every 5 years.

Vermont Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 3 or 6 credits of new professional learning, depending on the type of license
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 3-5 years
• Local responsible authority: State of Vermont Agency of Education

Vermont provides 2 types of teaching licenses: License Level I and License Level II. Renewing License Level I requires 3 credits or 45 hours of new professional learning, where at least 1 credit needs to apply directly to the knowledge and performance standards of the endorsement. Meanwhile, to renew License Level II, an educator needs to complete 6 credits or 90 hours of new professional learning, with a minimum of 2 credits applied to the knowledge and performance standards of the endorsement. The remaining PD hours have to fall within the Core Teaching and Leadership Standards for Vermont educators.

Virginia Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 180 professional development points for 5-year licenses and 270 professional development points for 10-year licenses
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5-10 years
• Local responsible authority: Virginia Department of Education

Virginia requires 180 professional development points (PDPs) for teachers with 5-year licenses and 270 PDPs for educators with 10-year licenses.

The state recognizes the following PD activities as eligible for license renewal:

• College credit for coursework covering subject content taught, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, leadership, and other essential elements in teaching to high standards and increasing student learning
• Professional conferences, workshops, institutes, and seminars of more than 4 hours that contribute to ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development
• Curriculum development of a school, a school division, or an educational institution in the teaching area assigned
• Publication of an article in a recognized professional journal contributing to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the educator’s teaching area or instructional position
• Publication of a book contributing to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the teacher’s teaching area or instructional position
• Mentorship including assistance or mentoring
• Planned, focused educational project based on high standards of teaching and learning
• Professional development activity focused on student learning and achievement, school-wide educational improvement, leadership, subject content, teaching strategies, and use of technologies, or other essential elements in teaching to high standards

Washington Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 100 clock hours or equivalent college credits or PGPs or a combination of any of the three options
• Additional requirements: 15 equity-based school practices aligned with CCDEI standards clock hours, valid National Boards certificate or equivalent college credits, or at least one goal of an annual PGP from one of the Legislature-approved providers + fingerprints for background check
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years or less
• Local responsible authority: Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board

Washington State requires teachers to complete 100 clock hours of professional development activities, which can be replaced by college credits, PGPs, or a combination of these options. In addition, educators need to complete 15 equity-based school practices to be eligible for state license renewal. It’s important to note that Washington has specific requirements for instructors teaching STEM.

West Virginia Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 3 or 6 semester hours of college or university coursework
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 1 or 3 years
• Local responsible authority: West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE)

West Virginia has complex state requirements for professional development necessary for teaching license renewal that depends on the specific type of license. Renewing a Professional Teaching Certificate for 1 year requires 3 semester hours of appropriate college or university coursework or 1 e-Learning course. At the same time, to renew the same license for 3 years, a teacher needs to complete 6 semester hours of appropriate college or university coursework with a GPA of 3.0+ or WVDE eligible e-Learning coursework related to the public school program.

Wisconsin Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 60 hours of PD per year incorporated in the work
• Additional requirements: Background check
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 3 years or lifetime licenses
• Local responsible authority: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Wisconsin teachers can hold a Provisional License that is valid for 3 years or a Lifetime License that doesn't need to be renewed. The state does not require continuous professional development for educators to be eligible to teach at public schools. Nevertheless, according to state laws, all Wisconsin teachers and principals should receive at least 60 hours of PD each year incorporated in their work.

Wyoming Teacher PD Requirements

• Professional development hours required: 5 professional development/renewal credits
• Additional requirements: Not specified
• State teaching certificate renewal period: 5 years
• Local responsible authority: Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board

Wyoming teachers need to complete at least 5 PD/renewal credits every 5 years to be eligible to renew their license.

PD credit hours can be obtained in the following ways:

• College courses from an accredited institution
• PTSB-approved workshops including school district workshops, community workshops, and workshops organized by educational organizations
• Credits earned while pursuing National Board Certification

Bottom Line

These are the teacher professional development requirements by state in the US. In summary, the vast majority of US states require educators to complete a certain number of PD hours or points in order to be eligible to renew their educator’s license. However, the specific amount and type of required professional development activities varies significantly from one state to another. That’s why it’s important for teachers to check the demands of their state and start working on fulfilling them early enough to make sure they are able to renew their certificate when the time comes.

Meanwhile, SimplyPD offers a convenient way to complete your professional development requirements. This online marketplace connects peer educators, admins, and leaders from across the country to provide and access PD activities.