Level II Certification
Eligibility Requirements:
1. Credit Requirements:
- Complete 24 credits beyond your bachelor’s degree. If you hold a Master’s Degree, additional credit hours are not required.
- At least 6 of these 24 credits must be related to your area(s) of certification and/or designed to enhance professional practice.
2. Service Requirements:
- Complete a minimum of three years of satisfactory service in a Pennsylvania school.
- Level II certification must be converted by the end of your sixth year of teaching in Pennsylvania. Failure to do so will prevent you from continuing to teach.
3. Induction Program Completion:
- Complete the District’s Induction program or another Pennsylvania-approved Induction program.
4. PDE 427 Level I to Level II Assessment Form:
- Work with the supervisor or principal to collaborate on completing the 427 Form. This will be done electronically through PA ETEP
- PDE 427a: This form is for Classroom Teachers and uses language from the Classroom Teacher Framework for Observation and Practice. This form is used when a teacher is being evaluated to move from an Instructional I to an Instructional II certification.
- PDE 427b: This form is for Non-Teaching Professionals and uses language from the Non-Teaching Professional Framework for Observation and Practice. This form is used when a non-teaching professional is being evaluated to move from an Educational Specialist I to an Educational Specialist II certification.
- PDE 427a: This form is for Classroom Teachers and uses language from the Classroom Teacher Framework for Observation and Practice. This form is used when a teacher is being evaluated to move from an Instructional I to an Instructional II certification.
- Once the 427 Form is completed and signed, submit it to the Human Resources office.
Application Process Via PDE TIMS:
When all four of the eligibility requirements are met and you are ready to apply for Level II certification, complete the following steps:
- Visit the PDE TIMS online system.
- Submit your application.
- Pay the $200 application fee.
- Submit proof of credits to PDE.
- Official transcripts should be emailed directly from the university to PDE at ra-teachercert@pa.gov. This is the preferred method.
- For the following situations, you will need to mail the original document(s) to PDE with the TIMS application cover sheet. The cover sheet is available on TIMS once you submit and pay the application fee:
- For IU courses, a raised seal letter.
- If your full name on your transcript differs from the name in your TIMS profile (e.g., due to marriage), you must submit a paper copy of your transcript in a sealed college/university envelope.
Please note: You do not need to print the PDE 338P form, because the Human Resources Office completes this form electronically.
For in-depth instructions, including a video tutorial, visit the PDE website
Final Step:
Once PDE notifies you that your Level II certificate has been approved, you must provide a copy to the Human Resources Office. You can submit either a PDF or a hard copy. Your Level II certificate can be accessed by logging into your TIMS account.
Please contact Amelia Pumala, apumala@wcasd.net; 484-266-1012, if you have any questions or need any assistance.