Effective January 1, 2013 all final renewable licenses require Professional Development Units (PDUs). 
                         
Summary of Changes:
 
·         All educators who have obtained a final renewable license type are required to complete Professional Development Units (PDUs).  A “final license type” is defined as a license that an educator could choose to renew indefinitely, for the remainder of a career.
 
·         Educators contracted half-time or more with a district still need to complete the same number of PDUs as were previously required. However, these educators no longer have to develop a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Plan during each renewal cycle unless so required by their district or school employer. The district MUST verify the PDU requirement has been met.
 
·         Unemployed educators now need to complete PDUs, if the license expires on or after January 1, 2013. Applying for renewal early will NOT waive the PDU requirement.
 
·         TSPC no longer requires a Professional Development Plan.  Instead, educators are required to: (1) track completed PDUs and enter them on a log; and (2) ensure that PDUs fit within one of the seven newly adopted professional development “standards.”
 
·         Some educators will report PDUs directly to TSPC, while others will continue to report to school districts.  If an educator is unemployed, retired, or working as a substitute teacher, that educator must report PDUs on a Log of Professional Development Activities submitted directly to TSPC at renewal.  Educators employed half-time or more by a school district need to report PDUs to their school district.  School districts will then continue to report those PDUs to TSPC on the PEER forms.
 
·         Holders of Substitute and Restricted Substitute Teacher Licenses will only need to complete 30 PDUs total when renewing their three-year license.  
 
·         These changes will be phased in over the next three years.  For educators who have not previously been required to complete PDUs, this requirement will be phased in as follows:
 
o        Educators whose licenses expire in 2013 will have to complete 25 PDUs total (Substitutes and Restricted Substitutes license holders will have to complete 10 PDUs total.)
o        Educators whose licenses expire in 2014 will have to complete 50 PDUs total.  (Substitutes and Restricted Substitutes license holders will have to complete 20 PDUs total.)
o        Educators whose licenses expire in 2015 or later will have to complete the full 75 PDUs for a three-year license, and 125 PDUs for a five-year license. (Substitutes and Restricted Substitutes license holders will have to complete 30 PDUs total.)
 
·         TSPC will randomly audit individual educators.  Educators should keep copies of all records showing completion of PDUs for at least six years.
 
Which licenses will require PDUs to renew?
 
·         Currently: Basic, Standard, Initial II, Continuing, Limited, CTE II, Five-Year CTE, Initial School Psychologist, and Distinguished Administrator licenses will require PDUs.
 
·         Charter School Registrations, as well as American Indian Language Teaching, Limited Student Services, Five Year Teaching (pre-1965), and Exceptional Administrator licenses will now also require PDUs.
 
·         Substitute and Restricted teaching licenses will both require PDUs.
 
·         Initial, Initial I, Restricted Transitional, and Emergency licenses will not require any PDUs.  (With the exception of Initial School Psych licenses, as listed above.)
  
 
What activities may be used as PDUs?
 
·         Activities must fall within one of the seven “standards” specified in OAR 584-090-0110 in order to earn credit. 
  
·         Educators do not have to complete college coursework in order to earn PDU credit.  Although coursework is completely acceptable, there are other options, as well.  If an educator chooses to complete coursework, credit may be earned from a community college, college, or university.  Also, either undergraduate or graduate level credit is acceptable.
 
·         One activity that is NOT allowed for credit:  actual teaching or tutoring (substitute or regular employment).
 
How are PDUs counted?
 
·         College coursework counts as follows:
o    One quarter of college credit = 20 PDUs
o    One semester of college credit = 30 PDUs
 
·         Coursework can be at the college, university, or community college level.  Credit can be obtained for both undergraduate and graduate level courses.
 
·         For activities that do not have a specified number of credits attached, PDUs will be counted as one hour of “seat time” = one PDU.
  
What documentation must be submitted to TSPC?
 
·         If an educator is employed by a district, PDUs must be reported to the employing school district, which in turn reports PDUs to TSPC on the PEER form.
 
·         If an educator is unemployed, retired, or working as a substitute teacher, they must report PDUs directly to TSPC by submitting the Log of Professional Development Activities directly to the agency.  All completed PDU activities should be listed on this form.  Although educators should also keep documentation of all individual PDU activities completed, copies of those materials will only need to be submitted if you are audited by TSPC.  Again, although educators may now download this form and use it to track progress, no one will need to send this form to TSPC until 2013.
 
Can the same PDUs be used to renew more than one license?
 
·         Yes.  Educators never have to complete more than 25 PDUs per year total regardless of the number of licenses held.