Maintaining a valid South Carolina teaching certificate is a condition of employment for all certified staff and the responsibility of every educator in the Clover School District (CSD). Most professional certificates must be renewed every five years and the date of expiration is June 30th of the last year in the validity cycle shown on the current certificate.  Because many state and district data systems are integrated, it is very important that the name shown on your teaching certificate matches the name by which you are known in the CSD Human Resources Department.   If your current name is different from the one shown on your teaching certificate, access your SCDE Educator Portal to update your certificate.  A photocopy of an official document (marriage license, Social Security card, driver's license, or passport) is required. 

When does my current certificate expire?

Check your certification status at the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) Educator Portal.  SCDE no longer issues printed copies of certificates, but one can be downloaded from the portal.

 I still have an initial certificate.  What do I need to do to earn a professional certificate?

Earning a professional teaching certificate requires passing the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam for your grade span and successfully completing a summative ADEPT evaluation. If you have obtained an initial certificate through reciprocity from a state that did not require PLT, you are provided three years to pass it.  Educators with less than one year of experience are required to successfully complete Induction before proceeding to a summative evaluation. Results from summative evaluations are reported to SCDE in late spring each year, and typically initial certificates are converted to professional certificates the following fall.  Some special area educators (School Counselors, School Librarians, and Speech Language Pathologists) are required to provide additional documentation before converting an internship certificate to a professional certificate. 

 I have a professional certificate that is due to expire.  What steps do I take to renew it?

All CSD Educators have access to the CSD Teacher Certification Canvas course.  Modules provide step-by-step support including

• an overview and state guidelines for Certificate Renewal

• the CSD Renewal Credit Matrix, outlining acceptable options for recertification credit

• directions for documenting your professional learning and renewal credits

• forms to be completed with the assistance of your building supervisor

I know that I must earn 120 renewal credits, but are there any additional requirements for certificate renewal?

Depending upon your area of certification and your current position, you may be subject to two additional requirements.

• Educators in a middle school or high school setting, regardless of certification area, must complete a suicide prevention module.  Details are located in the Additional Resources section of this page.

• All certified educators, regardless of role or certification area, are required to meet either the Read to Succeed Literacy Teacher endorsement or the Read to Succeed Literacy Requirement.  Details are located in the Additional Resources section of this page.

What is the CSD Human Resource Department’s role in maintaining current teaching licenses?

The department issues a reminder to all current CSD educators in the spring prior to the last year of their certificate validity cycle.  Also, the department offers help sessions to review the renewal process.  In these sessions, educators can receive assistance in interpreting renewal requirements and their current renewal status.

CSD provides Unified Talent Professional Learning (UTPL) as a means of documenting each educator's professional learning including activities that might qualify for renewal credit.  Educators can access their CSD transcript through UTPL at any time and also request external credit for activities completed outside CSD.  Directions for using UTPL and "how-to" pages for common functions can be found in the CSD Teacher Certification Canvas course.

Educators who meet the following criteria should submit a signed Recertification Computation Sheet to the Director of Teacher Effectiveness by May 1 each year.   Keep a photocopy for your records.

• Have a professional certificate that expires at the end of the current school year

• Have a professional certificate and are leaving the school district at the end of the current school year

• Have a professional certificate that expires at the end of the next school year and who have obtained their 120 credits already

Upon review and approval of the Recertification Computation Sheet, the CSD Human Resources department will update certificates with the SCDE Office of Educator Services.

In addition to the duties listed above, the CSD Human Resources Department

• Provides information to building level administrators regarding the certification status of teachers

• Coordinates a recertification appeals process, and

• Promotes and encourages professional learning opportunities that meet option requirements as outlined by the Renewal Credit Matrix.

 For questions regarding certification, contact Cheryl Sniker, Director of Teacher Effectiveness 

 What is the South Carolina Office of Educator Services’s role in maintaining current teaching certificates?

The South Carolina Office of Educator Services manages requests for certificate updates. Teachers should use the SCDE Educator Portal to request the following updates: .

• changing a name or other demographic information

• advancing class level (Bachelors + 18, Masters, Masters + 30, Doctorate)

• adding areas of certification

• adding endorsements (GT, R2S, etc.)

• seeking pre-approval for university/college programs or coursework 

 How do I contact the Office of Educator Services?

When contacting the Office of Educator Services, you must provide your Educator ID (EID) which is available through the Educator Portal and your full, legal name. The Office of Educator Services assists applicants and educators by telephone and email and evaluates certification requests in the order in which they are received. Walk-in services are not available.

• Email for traditionally certified educators

• Email for alternative route certification

• Telephone (803) 896-0325 as follows: