Instructional Experience-Based Certification

Pennsylvania’s Instructional Experience-Based Certification (EBC) is an alternate work-based pathway to earn Instructional I certification while serving in a full-time, paid teaching position. This pathway is ideal for post-baccalaureate career changers and non-traditional candidates who desire certification without unpaid student teaching. This program was formerly referred to as PA Instructional Intern Certification.
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How to Apply for Experience-Based Certification:

  1. Apply for the appropriate graduate program.
  2. Fulfill all eligibility requirements, including program admittance, employment, and testing.
  3. Complete KU's Experience-Based Certification application.
  4. Once the KU application is submitted, complete the PA Department of Education's application through the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS). Choose the (51) Experience-Based option and appropriate area of certification.
    • For help with the TIMS application, please contact our certification office Tanya Faust at tfaust@kutztown.edu or 610-683-4332.

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Eligibility Requirements:

  • Be in good academic standing with a minimum 3.00 GPA.
  • All required testing taken and passed with scores on file with KU and PDE.
    • See testing requirements by certification area below.
  • Full-time employment as the teacher on record in the appropriate content area(s).
  • Secure a eligible mentor teacher at the district.


Frequently asked questions:

  • How does Experience-Based Certification differ from traditional student teaching?

    The Instructional Experience-Based Certification pathway is a work-based route: candidates secure a paid full-time or long-term substitute position as the teacher of record in their certification area while enrolled in a PDE-approved program to complete required coursework for Instructional I certification.

    In contrast, traditional student teaching is the final clinical component of a typically 4-year baccalaureate or 2-year post-baccalaureate preparation program that requires a minimum 12-week, full-time unpaid placement.

  • Who is an ideal candidate for this alternate certification pathway?

    The Instructional Experience-Based Certification pathway is often a great fit for post-baccalaureate candidates who are ready to move into teaching while completing a preparation program. This especially includes career-changers with strong content-area expertise, long-term substitutes or paraprofessionals who already have substantial classroom experience, and other adults who need a work-based, earn-while-you-learn route.

    Ideal candidates are typically those who can secure a position in a school as the teacher of record in their intended certification area, can commit to program coursework and supervision alongside full-time teaching, and want a structured path to full certification without the traditional full-time student teaching placement.

  • Where can I be employed while completing an EBC program?

    At KU, teacher candidates must complete their supervised clinical experience within a 50-mile radius of the university.

    This 50-mile radius typically covers Berks County plus nearby portions of the counties that border it, such as Lehigh, Schuylkill, Montgomery, Chester, Lancaster, Luzerne, and Lebanon. Depending on the exact school location, the 50-mile range can also extend into nearby parts of Philadephia County, Delaware County, and the Lehigh Valley region (especially Northampton and sometimes Carbon) and Upper Bucks County.

  • What is the timeline for the EBC pathway?
    1. Enroll in an approved Instructional Experience-Based teacher preparation program and secure a full-time or long-term substitute position in the appropriate content area(s).
    2. Complete all required certification testing.
    3. Submit the EBC application to KU.
    4. Submit the EBC application to PDE through TIMS.
    5. KU will verify your enrollment in the teacher preparation program through TIMS.
    6. Once PDE issues the Experience-Based certificate, you may serve in the teaching role while you continue coursework.
    7. After you complete all program requirements, KU recommends you for Instructional I certification.
  • How do I apply in TIMS?

    To apply in TIMS for PA Instructional Experience-Based Certification:

    1. Access your TIMS account via your personal Keystone Login credentials.
      • If you have not previously created a Keystone Login, you will need to register for one.
    2. Complete your TIMS profile.
    3. From your TIMS dashboard select “New Credential Application” under “Applications in Process,” and choose the appropriate credential type and subject area(s).
    4. Answer the preliminary and background questions and submit the application.
    5. TIMS will forward the application to KU's certification officer for verification of your enrollment, and then PDE completes its review.

    PDE recommends using Microsoft Edge or Firefox for TIMS to avoid technical issues.

  • Can I be employed on an Emergency Permit when starting an EBC program?

    It is possible to be employed on an Emergency Permit when starting EBC program requirements, but it’s important to understand that Emergency Permits are a separate staffing process with their own rules.

    The key takeaway is: you can’t begin teaching as the teacher of record until the Experience-Based Certification is issued; however, a district may request an Emergency Permit so you can substitute while waiting for the certification to be issued.

Please see PDE's Instructional Experience-Based Certification webpage for more information on the program.
 

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