South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 43 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Article 3 - REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REGULATIONS › Section 43-53 - Credential Classification

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
I. 
			 Types of Credential Classification
A. Initial
			 Certificate
An initial certificate is valid for three years. Beyond the
				initial three-year validity period, teachers who do not yet meet the
				requirements for professional certification, but who are employed by a public
				school district at the induction or annual contract level, as defined in S.C.
				Code Ann. Section
				59-26-40,
				may have their certificates extended annually at the request of the employing
				school district.
Teachers who hold initial certificates and are employed in a
				public school setting in a position that does not require certification or is
				not included in the ADEPT system may have their certificates extended annually
				for an indefinite period at the request of the employing school or school
				district, provided that certificate renewal requirements, as specified in
				Reg.43-55 (Renewal of Credentials) are met every five years.
Teachers who hold initial certificates and are employed in a
				nonpublic school educational setting may have their certificates extended
				annually for an indefinite period at the request of the educational entity,
				provided that certificate renewal requirements, as specified in Reg.43-55
				(Renewal of Credentials) are met every five years.
Teachers who hold initial certificates but who are not employed
				by a public school district in a position requiring certification at the time
				the initial certificate expires, and who have not otherwise met the
				requirements for professional certification, may reapply for an initial
				certificate at such time as they become employed by a public school district or
				private school, subject to the requirements for initial certification in effect
				at the time of reapplication. To qualify for an initial certificate, the
				applicant must fulfill the following requirements:
1. Earn a bachelor's or master's degree
			 either from an institution that has a state-approved teacher education program
			 and is accredited for general collegiate purposes by a regional accreditation
			 association, or from a South Carolina institution that has programs approved
			 for teacher education by the State Board of Education (SBE), or from an
			 institution that has programs approved for teacher education by a national
			 accreditation association with which the South Carolina Department of Education
			 (SCDE) has a partnership agreement. Professional education credit must be
			 earned through an institution that has a teacher education program approved for
			 initial certification.
2. Submit
			 the required teaching content area examination score(s) and the required score
			 on the examination of general professional knowledge (pedagogy) as adopted by
			 the SBE for purposes of certification.
3. Undergo a criminal records check by the
			 South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and a national criminal records
			 check supported by fingerprints conducted by the Federal Bureau of
			 Investigation (FBI). If the applicant does not complete the initial
			 certification process within eighteen months from the original date of
			 application, the FBI fingerprint process must be repeated. Eligible applicants
			 who have prior arrests and/or convictions must undergo a review by the SBE and
			 be approved before a certificate may be issued. Background checks from other
			 states or agencies are not transferable to South Carolina.