Certification Renewal and Maryland Reading Requirement
Before beginning the renewal process, review your certification information. Certified HCPSS employees can view their personal certification information in Workday.
For educators who hold a Standard Professional I Certificate or Advanced Professional Certificate:
- Review the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) renewal requirements prior to completing this form.
- Review the Professional Development Plan (PDP) instructions and form. A completed PDP form must be submitted to your Certification Specialist, even if you are eligible for the Senior Teacher Waiver (see the PDP instructions).
- It is the educator’s responsibility to verify that all required renewal documentation is on file prior to the expiration date of your certificate.
For educators who hold a Standard Professional II Certificate:
Contact your Certification Specialist directly.
- Lasheda Young, Certification Specialist for Employees with Last Names A-K
Office of Human Resources
Lasheda_Young@hcpss.org
410-313-6783 - Lindy Sims, Certification Specialist for Employees with Last Names L-Z
Office of Human Resources
Lindy_Sims@hcpss.org
410-313-6813
All certified educators may need to meet the Maryland Reading Requirement for certification renewal.
Elementary Education, Early Childhood, Special Education Birth-Grade 3 and Grades 1-8:
Teachers certified in Elementary Education, Early Childhood, Special Education Birth-Grade 3 and Grades 1-8 can meet the reading requirement in one of two ways.
- Complete 12 semester hours in reading in the following reading content areas:
- Materials for Teaching Reading.
- Assessment for Reading.
- Methods or Instruction of Reading.
- Processes and Acquisition for Reading.
- Satisfy the Maryland reading requirement by successfully passing the PRAXIS II “Reading Across the Curriculum” assessment (test number 5203). NOTE: This test satisfies the Maryland reading requirement but does not replace the 6 semester hours of credit needed for renewal.
If more than 6 semester hours in reading are needed to meet the Maryland Reading requirement, the educator must submit 6 semester hours in reading within the first validity period and the remaining semester hours during the second validity period. Educators needing 6 semester hours or less will have one renewal period to submit the requirement.
OR
Secondary Content Areas (grades 7-12) and PreK-12 Content Areas:
Teachers certified in a secondary content area (example: Biology grades 7-12, Generic Special Education grades 6-Adult) and teachers certified PreK-12 (Art, ESOL, Health, Music, Physical Education, and Educational Media/Library Media Specialist) are required to have 6 semester hours of credit in reading in the following reading content areas:
- Methods or Strategies of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part I
- Methods or Strategies of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part II
- Children Literature and Adolescent Literature is accepted for educational media and library media science certification.
NOTE: There is currently not a PRAXIS test available to satisfy the Maryland reading requirement for secondary or PreK-12 educators.
School Guidance Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech Pathologist, and School Social Worker:
Educators certified in School Guidance Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech Pathologist, and School Social Worker are not required to complete the Maryland Reading requirement.