Requirements for Renewing Professional Educator’s License
Excluding Beginning Teachers

Required EDUCATOR Components

A Continuing Professional License must be renewed every five (5) years.
Grades K-5
  • 3 Academic Subject Area – Aligned to NC Prof. Teaching Standard 3 and 4
  • 3 Literacy – As defined in GS 115C-296
  • 2 General
Grades 6-12
  • 4 Academic Subject Area – Aligned to NC Prof. Teaching Standard 3 and 4
  • 4 General
Student Services Personnel
  • 4 Professional Discipline Area
  • 4 General
Administrators
  • 4 Executive’s Role – Align with the expectations of the North Carolina School Executive Standards 2, 4, and 5, focused on the school executive’s role as instructional, human resources, and managerial leader
  • 4 General

*Subject to change based on NC State Board of Education policy updates.

See NCDPI webpage “Renew or Update Your Professional Educator’s License” for more information.

National Board Certification

Educators completing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification process may earn all 8.0 renewal credits for completion of the process and certification. Those who are in the national board renewal cycle may earn two credits. Continuing education credits earned for completing or renewing National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification must be applied within the renewal cycle in which the educator earned the certification or renewal of certification.

EDUCATOR COMPONENTS DEFINED:

Literacy : 30 Hours=3.0 CEU’s

The literacy requirement has been extended to include ALL classroom teachers (including PE, Art, Music, Drama) who teach in Elementary Schools.

Students Who Are College and Career Ready in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Language (located in the ELA Common Core Standards (CCSS), page seven) defines and offers a portrait of a literate graduate. It is critical to note that although the description is taken from the English Language Arts Common Core Standards, they are applicable and taught to every student at every grade level, and all educators share in the development of literate graduates. Skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language understanding are prerequisites for all forms of 21st century literacy, including:

  • Reading Literacy
  • Information Literacy
  • Digital and Media Literacy
  • Information and Technology Literacy
  • Visual Literacy
  • Civic Literacy
  • Financial, Economic, and Entrepreneurial Literacy
  • Health Literacy and
  • Environmental Literacy
  • Cultural Literacy
  • Data Literacy

Content/Academic: 30 Hours=3.0 CEU’s

• Content for elementary teachers is Math, Science, Social Studies and English Language Arts.

• Other classroom teachers such as PE, Music and Art can take staff development related to subject area to meet the Content requirement.

• The phrase “including strategies to teach those subjects” includes trainings that emphasize the integration of and interconnectedness of curriculum. Subject matter credits will be approved for qualified trainings in such topics as “reading across the curriculum”, “writing across the curriculum”, and other trainings designed to integrate best practices into a variety of subjects.

• Coaching clinics are not considered “content” for physical education teachers.

• Suggestion: If a teacher is licensed in multiple areas and is teaching in multiple areas, it is suggested that CEU credits be pursued that are related to the areas being taught at the time of license renewal.

Prior Approval Required

• Staff Development taken outside the school system requires PRIOR approval from immediate supervisor and the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction if Teacher is requesting reimbursement or a Substitute Teacher.

Frontline Professional Growth

Henderson County Public Schools staff development credit will be submitted by the facilitator responsible for the in-service activity. Please make sure you sign the class roll when attending HCPS sponsored in-service activities. You may view your CEU information under Renewal Credits.

CEU Information

• Secured access through Human Resource Management System to look at cumulative staff development within the school system, transfer of hours from other administrative units, conference and workshops held outside the school system.

• Credit is no longer given for teaching experience.

• You can click below to see your current credit status. (This link only works while on school campus. If you are trying to access the link from home/off-site, retry when you arrive on campus.)

Renewal of Expired professional educator’s license:

• 8 units of renewal credit must be earned within the most recent five-year period.

• Course work must be directly related to an individual’s professional responsibilities as a public school educator or to his or her areas(s) of licensure.

• The 8 is up to the individual, but one is encouraged to include 3 in literacy and 3 in curriculum in their area of expertise.

Individuals not currently employed in a public school unit:

• Should maintain their own records of renewal credit until it is time to renew their licenses.

• Renew their license on the DPI’s Online Licensure System.

• DPI licensure section does not accept renewal credits of less than 1 unit.