Scroll down for the application booklets and forms.
Applying for Educator Certification through the new Teacher Information Management System (TIMS):
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is requiring all applications for credentials be completed and submitted through the new Teacher Information Management System (TIMS).
Click below to:
Submission of paper applications along with the TIMS online application is no longer functional. However, since the rules for certification have not changed, only the way in which the application for certification is submitted, it is strongly suggested that you
Additional notes: Health certificates or other verification forms will be accepted on either
- the 338 forms or
- the TIMS forms to facilitate the transition
Login Process/Tips for Success
Establish your Pennsylvania web portal login ID. Reference documents on how to complete these steps as an applicant or as school or college/university user are available at the bottom of the PDE Help and Support page.
- To create your UserID, refer to "How to Create a UserID.pdf"
- If you registered in the Pennsylvania web portal, please try to retrieve your current UserID by choosing the "How to Use Forgot Password.pdf"
Once registered and the 24 hour wait period has passed, login to TIMS
If you come to a screen that requests entry of your current legal name, your social security number and your date of birth:
- This is the APPLICANT login process which establishes your link to your currently existing educator record or creates a new educator record.
- It is CRITICAL that this information be correct as it is the process that either matches to your record or creates your new permanent educator record in TIMS.
- If you are entering TIMS to perform functions as a school or college/university and you see this screen, you are at the wrong screen. You must contact your Local Security Administrator and verify that you have been provisioned to complete the tasks in TIMS. Refer to the bottom of the PDE Help and Support page, "How to Find Your Security Administrator.pdf". You must be provisioned to the level of Certifying Officer or Superintendent before you will be provided functionality in TIMS. When provisioned correctly, you will either see a role selection screen or your dashboard when you login to TIMS.
Applying for Certification, Tips for Success
Apply online through TIMS
- Select the credential for which you want to apply
- Preliminary questions will display on credential selection screen
- If you are attending a Pennsylvania institution that will be "recommending" you for certification, answer "yes" to the first question about attending a preparation program, and "no" to the rest of the questions
Information submitted during application should be RELEVANT to the requirements for the credential for which you are applying
- Applying to "add an Instructional area" to an existing Instructional credential requires only that you currently hold an Instructional credential and the test results have been reported to PDE, therefore, Education and Work Experience is not required
- Education information considered RELEVANT includes items that prove you meet such requirements as "holds a bachelor's degree or higher" or "completed an educator preparation program in the area of the credential being requested"
- Select the educational entity at which you:
- received any degrees that you possess. NOTE: This step is important 1) for "Charter School Designation" applicants as it will allow you to select the content area of your MAJOR, however this list will NOT provide an exact match to your major field of study, as it is intended to "categorize" the content of major, not identify it specifically; 2) for all applicants as it will allow you to add your degree held and the GPA for the degree earned
- attended an Educator Preparation Program. NOTE: This step is critical to allowing your recommending institution to process your application through TIMS. If you say "no" to the question or the "Authorization Questions" at the bottom of this page, your institution WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION.
- Work experience considered RELEVANT includes items that prove that you meet such requirements as "three years of successful teaching in the area of the credential held" (for Level II applications), "____ years of experience" (for Administrative or Supervisory credentials) or "professional full time experience" (Vocational Instructional credentials)
- Select the PK-12 Educational Entities or LEA(s) for which you have worked or are working
- Select the business for which you have completed the required vocational instructional experience in the area of the credential requested
- Emergency Permit Requests should NOT be initiated by an applicant unless directed to do so by a PK-12 Educational Entity.
Proof items required to meet the qualifications for the certificate are identified during the application process
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The system will identify those items that may be uploaded with the application and those that must be mailed to PDE
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Original documentation must be sent to PDE with a "coversheet" to be scanned into TIMS
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Transcripts are not required if attending a Pennsylvania approved educator preparation program with the authority to recommend you for certification.
Complete the application by paying online OR send a money order with the coversheet
Print the coversheet from TIMS if documentation must be mailed to PDE
- Assemble the documentation and send it to PDE with the coversheet
The status of your application may be monitored by viewing your dashboard at any time. If you want a school district or college to be able to view your application status, you must affiliate with the institution either through the application process or through your profile.
The following is a listing of all applications and forms processed through the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality. Clicking on the various links will direct you to the booklet with detailed instructions and all the necessary forms needed for that particular application. All forms are in PDF format.
All application materials become the property of the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
School Leadership and Teacher Quality processing fees, applications and forms.
Fee:
Health Certificate Required for initial PA certification application submitted through TIMS
(completed an approved teacher education program through PA college/university with recommendation from that PA college/university)
Must be submitted through TIMS
(completed teacher education program outside of Pennsylvania)
Must be submitted through TIMS
(converting Level I to Level II)
Must be submitted through TIMS
(adding on Instructional areas to your current PA Instructional certificate)
Must be submitted through TIMS
(applying for the Program Specialist - ESL endorsement)
Must be submitted through TIMS
Must be submitted through TIMS
(the permit application should not be initiated unless requested by a PA School District)
Must be submitted through TIMS - "Initiate Permit Request"
(this permit application should not be initiated unless requested by a PA School District)
Must be submitted through TIMS - "Initiate Permit Request"
(this application is used to convert a Pennsylvania Bridge certificate to an Instructional certificate)
Must be submitted through TIMS
Must be submitted through TIMS
Must be submitted through TIMS - "Update existing credential"
Must be submitted through TIMS
$50 Certificate of Preliminary Education (Nurse, Funeral Director)
Must be submitted through TIMS
No Fee Public Librarian
Must be submitted through TIMS
No fee Duplicate copy of your certificate
Certificates may be printed through TIMS
No fee Name Change
Must be submitted through TIMS
No fee Notification of Address Change application
Must be submitted through TIMS
(to be completed only by educators who were certified prior to 1967 and are not on the teacher certification system, and have a copy of their certificate)
Required form PDE 338 U form
Professional Development (ACT 48) application and forms
$75 Request Voluntary Inactive Status
Submitted through TIMS - "Update Credential Application"
$75 Request Removal of Voluntary Inactive Status
Submitted through TIMS - "Update Credential Application"
Submitted through TIMS - "Update Credential Application"
Required form PDE 338 R4 form
