Alternative Teacher Certification in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania alternative certification requirements, step by step

Each requirement below is stated as Pennsylvania Department of Education publishes it, with the governing source cited.

1. 1

   Meet eligibility for experience-based certification

   Qualify for Pennsylvania's Experience-Based Instructional certification pathway (formerly Intern certification), typically requiring a bachelor's degree and relevant qualifications. This route authorizes teaching while you finish approved preparation, not a permanent bypass of Instructional I and Level II rules.

   Source: pa.gov

2. 2

   Pass required Praxis or PECT examinations

   Complete the Praxis or PECT exams required for your certification area before or during the experience-based pathway. Elementary and special education candidates often sit PECT; many other fields sit Praxis. The dual testing system is the same as the traditional route.

   Source: pa.gov

3. 3

   Apply through TIMS for experience-based Instructional I

   Submit your application via TIMS for the Experience-Based Instructional certificate, which authorizes teaching while completing requirements. Fees are typically $150; confirm the current PDE schedule when you file.

   Source: pa.gov

4. 4

   Teach while completing program requirements

   Serve as a classroom teacher for up to five service years while finishing your approved preparation or alternative program requirements. The service-year cap is a hard window: remaining on the experience-based credential indefinitely is not a published option.

   Source: pa.gov

5. 5

   Advance to Instructional II (Level II)

   Upon completing all requirements within the service-year limit, advance to Instructional II and comply with ongoing Act 48 professional development. Level II holders must complete 180 Act 48 hours every five years.

   Source: pa.gov

Pennsylvania's Experience-Based Instructional certification—formerly known as Intern certification—permits candidates to serve in classrooms for up to five service years while completing educator preparation requirements. This pathway targets career changers and candidates who have secured employment before finishing a traditional student teaching sequence, but it still requires passage of Praxis or PECT exams aligned to the certification area.

TIMS manages applications for experience-based credentials alongside traditional Instructional I issuance. The five-service-year cap parallels the broader Instructional I framework but applies specifically to candidates completing requirements while employed. Failure to finish within the allotted service years can jeopardize continued certification eligibility, making coordination between the employing district, preparation provider, and PDE essential.

Upon completing the experience-based pathway, educators advance toward Instructional II (Level II) status and must eventually satisfy Act 48's 180-hour professional development requirement every five years. Application fees are typically around $150. Candidates should consult CSPG guidance and current PDE publications to confirm subject-area test requirements and program approval status before accepting employment under this certificate type.

Required exams and fees

Pennsylvania uses Praxis / PECT. Fees and cut scores appear only when published by the cited source (as of August 2026).

Moving a license to Pennsylvania

Experience-Based Instructional certification is for candidates completing Pennsylvania-approved pathways; out-of-state educators apply through separate TIMS credential evaluation.

Official Pennsylvania reciprocity guidance