Requirements / Pennsylvania
180 hours every 5 years for teachers
Primary source: Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Act 48 FAQ. Act 48 of 1999, effective July 1, 2000. Covers ALL Pennsylvania professional educator certifications: Instructional I/II, Educational Specialist I/II, Administrative, Supervisory, Letters of Eligibility, vocational certificates — whether employed or not. Conversion: 1 semester credit collegiate study = 30 hours of PD. PDE-Approved Provider requirement. Act 45 imposes ADDITIONAL admin-specific continuing-education requirements on top of Act 48 that are not folded into the 180-hour figure (see CSPG 8 Continuing Professional Development guidance).
Pennsylvania Act 48 requires 180 hours of continuing professional education every 5 years to maintain active certification. Equivalent paths: 6 semester credits of collegiate study, OR 6 CPE credits of PDE-approved continuing professional education, OR any combination. Conversion: 1 semester credit = 30 hours. Activities must come from a PDE-Approved Provider. Tracked in PERMS (Professional Education Record Management System).
School counselors hold an Educational Specialist I or II certificate and are subject to the same Act 48 requirement: 180 hours per 5-year period (or equivalent semester credits / CPE credits). Same PDE-approved provider rule applies.
Administrative certificates (and Supervisory certificates and Letters of Eligibility) follow the same Act 48 / 180-hour / 5-year requirement. Note: Pennsylvania Act 45 layers ADDITIONAL Inductee Program / continuing education requirements on top of Act 48 for school administrators — those are not captured in this single hour number.
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Information current as of May 25, 2026. Verify with your state Department of Education for official licensure decisions.