Teacher Certification Section - Certificate Level
Certificate Level
Prior to July 1, 1993, certificates were issued in field by level.
Certificates were issued on the basis of earned degrees and the level of certification
recognized the degree level attained in the specific field. Individuals with certification
in more than one field often had more than one certification level. Effective July 1,
1993, the PSC assigns a single certification level to accompany all fields held by an
individual. The level of certification recognizes the commission’s determined
equivalent of an individual’s level of education. The assignment of a certification
level is contingent upon: a valid certificate field being held; the degree being from a
regionally accredited institution; and the degree and/or major meeting rules on acceptable
credit and degrees. In some cases, the commission’s determined equivalent
certification level may be equal to or less than an individual’s highest degree
level. (For example: degrees with "doctoral" or "doctorate" in the
degree title may result in a certification level of four, five, six, or seven. - See PSC Rule 505-2-.002.)
Generally Recognized Certification
Levels
Level One (Vocational) - completion of a high school
diploma or GED
Level Two (Vocational) - a minimum of an associate’s degree
Level Four - a minimum of a bachelor’s degree
Level Five - a minimum of a master’s degree
Level Six - a minimum of an education specialist’s degree; or
completion
or completion of an all-but-dissertation (ABD) program
Level Seven - a minimum of a Ph.D. or Ed.D. degree |
Effective Date of Certificate Level
With the July 1, 1993 rule changes affecting certification level, a new
certificate format was created to accompany the changes. One of the changes was to list
every field of certification held by an individual on a single page and to identify one
certificate level at the top of the page which is applicable to all fields held. Each
certificate indicates the highest level of certification recognized by the PSC and the
effective date of that level. The date (July 1, 1993 or later) shown on the certificate is
the earliest date the level is recognized for certification (For example: an applicant may
hold a certificate in Math - Level 4 with an effective date of July 1, 1993; upon
completion of the Master’s degree on March 14, 1997, the level will change to 5 with
an effective date of March 14, 1997.
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