Connecticut Teacher Certification Renewal
Learn how to renew a Professional Educator Certification or reinstate a Professional Educator Certification in Connecticut
Teaching Certification Renewal
Connecticut has a three-tier system for certifying educators: Initial, Provisional and Professional. When you receive your Initial Certificate, it is valid for three years. You must complete the teacher induction program (TEAM) and serve as a full-time Connecticut teacher for 10 months under your Initial Certificate before you may apply for your Provisional Certificate. Alternatively, you may be eligible for a Provisional Certificate if you worked for 30 months during the past 10 years at an approved nonpublic school in Connecticut.
TEAM contains five models of professional growth for new teachers: classroom environment, planning, instruction, assessment and professional responsibility. Participation guidelines for TEAM vary according to your area of certification. TEAM also includes mentorship and monitoring of a teacher’s performance.
At the end of three years, if you have fulfilled all of the TEAM requirements, you are eligible to apply for your Provisional Certificate. Submit the Form ED-170, General Application for Certificate along with any supporting documents and the necessary fees, to Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Standards and Certification, P.O. Box 150471 – Room 243, Hartford, CT 06115-0471.
If you do not fulfill your TEAM requirements at the end of your Initial Certificate’s life, you may apply for a continuation using Form ED-183, Application for Renewal of Connecticut Initial Educator Certificate.
Once you receive your Provisional Certificate, its term is eight years. To move up to the next level, a Professional Certificate, you must have 30 months of teaching experience in a Connecticut school under a Provisional Certificate and complete any additional course requirements based upon your certification area. Submit Form ED-170, General Application for Certificate along with any supporting documents and the necessary fees, to Connecticut State Department of Education at the above address. The Professional Certificate is valid for five years.
To renew a Professional Certificate, you must complete nine continuing education units (CEUs) during the five-year duration of the certificate. There is no fee to renew a Professional Certificate, but you must submit the Form ED-179, Application for Continuation of Professional Educator Certificate six months before its expiration date to the above address. Save your original CEU certificates in case documentation is required for audit by the department at a later date.
Reinstatement of Certification
If your Connecticut teaching certificate has lapsed, you may be eligible to have it reinstated. You must fulfill any requirements necessary to bring the certificate up to date, including experience, CEUs, examinations and/or extra course work required for your certification area/level. You may be eligible for an Interim Certificate, valid for one year, while you take the courses and/or complete the examinations necessary to bring your qualification up to the required level. Interim Certificates are not renewable.
If you have had a Professional Certificate, but have not served as a contracted teacher under it for the five years of its duration (i.e., if you served as a substitute teacher, tutor, or the like), you do not need to fulfill the CEU requirement. As each case is unique, your best bet is to contact the Certification Office at (860) 713-6969 with any questions you may have about reinstatement.