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Requirements  /  Kentucky

Kentucky Teacher PD Requirements (2026)

5-year renewal cycle — no statewide PD hour count

Source

Primary source: Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB). KY is one of a small group of states (with CA, WI) that does NOT use a clock-hour count for teacher renewal — it uses experience-or-graduate-credit. This means hour-count displays for KY teachers should show "—" with a clarifying note rather than a number. The 42 EILA hours for administrators is the one place a clock-hour count appears.

Teachers

Renewal model
No fixed PD hour requirement — 5-year cycle

Kentucky certificates renew every 5 years. KY does NOT use a continuing-education hour count for teacher renewal. Instead, teachers satisfy one of two paths: (a) Complete 3 years of classroom teaching experience within the 5-year cycle, OR (b) Earn 6 semester hours of approved graduate credit. The Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) administers renewals. KY also maintains a 3-tier 'Rank' system (Rank III/II/I) tied to degree attainment that affects salary but is separate from certificate renewal.

Counselors

Renewal model
No fixed PD hour requirement — 5-year cycle

School counselors follow the same EPSB renewal framework — 3 years of qualifying employment in the 5-year cycle OR 6 semester hours of graduate credit. No fixed CE hour count.

Administrators

Renewal model
No fixed PD hour requirement — 5-year cycle

Administrative certificates (principal, DPP, superintendent) renew with EITHER 3 semester hours of graduate credit OR 42 hours of approved Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) training within the 5-year cycle. EILA is the leadership-PD framework specific to KY administrators.

Other South states

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Information current as of May 25, 2026. Verify with your state Department of Education for official licensure decisions.