PROCESSING YOURAPPLICATION

FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL CERTIFICATE

Instructional I and IICERTIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS

• Instructional I is your first teaching

certificate.

• Instructional II requires 3 years of teaching, 24 post-bacc credits and the completion of a school induction program. You apply for Instructional II certification through the school district where you are teaching.

Paper Application Should Include:

• Certification Cover Sheet

• PDE338G – medical form requires doctor’s signature for first certification

• Certification Analysis Sheet – completed by adviser listing courses required for certification (graduate students). Include transcript for any courses taken outside of Arcadia.

• Photocopy of Praxis Scores

• Photocopy of Instructional Certificate if already certified. This includes Intern and Emergency Certificates.

• The certification application requires approval from the Certification Officer, Graduate Studies,

Taylor 105.

Certification Cover Sheet

Complete the following information. Return to: Office of Graduate Studies, Taylor Hall, Room 105

Name:_____________________________________ Social Security #: _________________________

1.

Type of Certification applying for:

Intern (must submit copy of Intern Application)

Educational Specialist

Instructional I

Elementary School Counselor

Instructional II

Secondary School Counselor

Certification Concentration:_______________________________ 2. Have you previously been certified by the State of Pennsylvania? Yes _____ No _____

If Yes, provide a photocopy of certificate. This includes a copy of Intern Certificate.

3.

Undergraduate _____ Graduate: Certification only ____ Certification plus Master's Degree ______ 4.

Practicum/Student Teaching Information:

School Placement/Name of School: ______________________________________________________

Grade Level: _________________________________________________________________________

Applicant's Signature _______________________________________________ Date: ______________Certification Officer's Signature ________________________________________Date: ______________

General Application Form PDE 338G (medical form)

Section I Personal Information

Section II Certification Information Subject Area and code

Section III Health Certificate Licensed physician, Nurse Practitioner or Physician

Assistant. Signature not required if previously certified (includes intern and emergency certification)

Section IV Background 1 through 7Section V Code of Conduct

Section VI AFFIDAVIT YOUR SIGNATURE AND DATE

What’s New?•

PDE is now requiring electronic applications via TIMS – Teacher Information Management System.

• The Graduate Office is still requiring paper applications .

• Instructional I & II Paper Application can be found at www.arcadia.edu/gsforms.

• The application will be scanned and the original 338G form will be mailed back to you with the certification letter stating you have met the requirements of certification once the TIMS electronic application has been submitted.

•

TIMS• With TIMS you can do the following:• Apply for state certification• Submit related application materials• Monitor your application status• Pay fees using a credit card• Update your contact information, such as

name change and address• Communicate with PDE• Print certificates• Add additional areas of certification

PDE website: www.education.state.pa.us

You will access TIMS from this portal but first you must Register and create a Profile.

Name Prefix: ▬First Name: *▬Last Name: *▬Name Suffix: ▬Company: ▬Title: ▬Address1: * ▬Address2: ▬City: * ▬State: * ▬Zip: * ▬Phone : ▬Fax : ▬Email Address: * ▬User ID: * ▬Password: * ▬Confirm Password: * ▬If you ever lose your username or password we will ask you the following question, and need to receiveyour given answer, to confirm your identity. Please use a question that you will be sure to remember.Question : * ▬Answer : * ▬ Register ▬

Accessing TIMS

After you register and create a profile Log In then select the “Teacher” Icon in the Center of the Page

Accessing TIMS

Select the TIMS Icon

AccessingTIMS

Accessing TIMS

Establish Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) Profile

This one time registration process requires the following information to be provided:

1. If you hold a PA certificate, enter the information that was provided at the time of issuance of your latest PA certificate. 2. If you do not hold a PA certificate, enter your SSN, Date of Birth, and Current Official Name as it appears on legal documents.

* SSN: * Confirm SSN:* Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY): * Official First Name: * Last Name: Middle Initial: * Citizenship Status Continue>>>

TIMS Home Screen Dashboard

The Home Screen displays previous information. You must create a New Credential Application any time you are adding another area of certification.

Credential Type and Subject Area

•Select the credential type (Instructional I) and subject area •Answer YES to question 2. This step is critical to process your application through TIMS. If you say "no" Arcadia WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION.

Step 1: Background Questions

These are the same questions found on Page 2 of the PDE338G form. If you answer yes to any of these questions you will be asked to submit legal documentation and/or a letter of explanation.

Step 2: Demographic Details

• This screen is populated with the information you provided when you registered and created a User Profile.

• Areas not shaded can be edited

Step 3: Education Details

Regardless of what information you see on the screen you are creating a new application and there is NO information in it until you put it in.

Graduate students click Add New and select the institution where you did your undergrad degree. THEN click Add New again and

select Arcadia. Undergrad students will only need to add Arcadia.

Add/Edit Educator Preparation Program

Add the Educator Preparation Program you attended while at Arcadia University.

Educator Preparation Program * (Select from menu box)Program Level* (Select from menu box)Program Level Type* (type is traditional)Attendance Start Date (MM/YYYY)* End/Anticipated Graduation Date (MM/YYYY)* Program GPA *

Note: You can enter a future date for anticipated graduation for a certification program but not for a graduate degree.

* denotes a required field

Step 4: Certification Details

• In-State Certification (displays any current PA certificates and can not be edited)

• Out-of-State Certification (you can add out-of-state certifications if relevant)

Note: This screen does not require that you add any information. Any screen that allows you to move to the next step without adding information is not a required screen and you should (seriously) leave it alone and keep going.

Step 5: Proof Items Details

• All requirements and related proof documents required for the application are listed here.

• Any that may be submitted electronically are designated.

• Original documents must be submitted directly to PDE with a Cover Sheet that can be printed after submitting the application from the confirmation screen or from the dashboard (Home Page).

Application Summary

Check the Code of Conduct Section and Correct and True Section at the bottom of the page and “Proceed to

Submit”

Payment Screen

Application Submitted

Print the Cover Sheet and mail to PDE along with any requested documentation.

Cover Sheet

Note the Scan Bar: This is unique to each applicant.The general form is the PDE338G from the paper application that will be mailed back to the applicant from the Certification Officer.

University Verification

• Once you submit the electronic application through TIMS, the Certification Officer from Arcadia can access the application and recommend the candidate to PDE.

• This process will take 8-12 weeks before PDE approves the application and the candidate can print the certificate (credential).

Credentials

Check the status of your application every few weeks. When approved

you will be able to print your Certificate.

Professional Certificate

TIMS USER GUIDES

CONVERT AN INSTRUCTIONAL ITO INSTRUCTIONAL II

This is done through the school district where you are teaching

REQUIREMENTS:

• 3 years of teaching in PA public school• 24 Post-baccalaureate credits*

– Undergraduate/graduate courses from an accredited four year school (Religion, Law, Medicine and Community College credits excluded)

– PDE approved in-service credits• Induction Program

• * Effective September 1, 2011 Educators issued an Instructional I certificate after September 22, 2007 must complete 6 credits in the area of Inclusive Classrooms as a part of the 24 post baccalaureate credits required for Level II conversion.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (Act 48)

• To maintain their certification, all school personnel are required to participate in continuing professional development.

Every 5 years teachers must complete:

6 undergraduate/graduate credits or 180 hours of PDE approved in-service OR a combination of credits and hours

Adding An Instructional Area To A PA Certificate

 REQUIREMENTS: 

Must hold an Instructional certificate (Level I, II or administrative) and be adding an Instructional area.

  Applies to middle school (7-9) single area content (until 2013)

or secondary (7-12) single area content (no time restriction) (math, general science, chemistry, social studies, etc.)

Pass required Praxis exam and apply directly to PDE via TIMS

Excludes:  all K-6 or K-12 Content Areas and any Instructional subject with "no qualifying score". 

www.ets.org for information on Praxis tests

RECIPROSITYINTERSTATE AGREEMENTS

• PA has interstate agreements with 42 states.

• Agreements simplify issuance of a comparable certificate by another state.

• Teacher must obtain forms from the Department of Education for the state in which they seek reciprocal certification.

• Program Verification forms from out-of-state agencies should be sent to the Graduate Office.

• Additional certification requirements may apply.

Resources for Teachers U.S. Department of Education

www.ed.gov

Certification Requirements for all 50 States(maintained by the University of Kentucky)http://www.uky.edu/Education/TEP/usacert.html

PA R.E.A.P.

(Regional Education Applicant & Placement Program)http://www.pareap.net/

On-Line Application reviewed by School District Personnel who are Hiring Teachers Job Listings for Educators Other Participating REAP States

Internet Resources for Teachers can be found on the Graduate Forms Pagewww.arcadia.edu/gsforms

For help or information pertaining to Certification contact Mary Kate

McNulty, Certification Officer mcnulty@arcadia.edu