The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced Wednesday (April 13) that it will provide a grace period until April 30, 2006, for educators to complete their first 180 hours of continuing professional development. But affected educators must apply for the grace period.

Act 48 of 1999 requires that educators obtain 180 hours of continuing professional development credits or six hours of college credits every five years. The first five-year period ends on June 30 of this year.

PDE will send notices to each active public education certificate holder who has NOT achieved the appropriate credits, notifying them that they can request a grace period until April 30, 2006, to complete the necessary credits. The letter will include a form for requesting the grace period. IF YOU HAVE NOT ACHIEVED THE REQUIRED HOURS BY JUNE 30 OF THIS YEAR AND DO NOT REQUEST THE GRACE PERIOD, YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL BE SUSPENDED. Forms requesting the grace period must be returned to PDE by May 31.

Although the grace period runs from July 1, 2005, to April 30, 2006, it does not postpone the beginning of the next five-year period. For those who request the grace period, any credits earned beyond the 180 hours (or 6 college credits) by April 30, 2006, will apply to the next five-year requirement.

If you believe that PDE has made a mistake in calculating your number of credits, you are advised to file for the grace period and contact your PSEA-NEA UniServ representative.

We strongly advise you to check your credits at http://www.pde.state.pa.us.

Jim Weaver, PSEA President