Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION: What constitutes an official transcript?
   
   ANSWER: An official transcript is a transcript that bears the seal of the institution or the appropriate color-coding and is signed by the registrar. Photocopies and computer printouts are not official.
   
   
2. QUESTION: I lost my certificate. Can I get another?
   
   

   MSDE will no longer print Maryland certificates.  Once City Schools’s Office of Certification makes the request to MSDE, you will be able to view, download, and print your certificate by logging on to http://www.mdcert.org/. You will need to establish an access account by identifying information and creating a user ID and password.  There are detailed instructions at the site to guide you through the process.

3. QUESTION: I hold National Board Certification. Am I eligible for a professional certificate in Maryland?
   
   ANSWER: If you hold National Board Certification and have 12 semester hours of graduate credit after the conferral of your bachelor's or higher degree, you meet the Advanced professional certificate course work requirements.
   
   
4. QUESTION: Do I need to be Highly Qualified (HQ)? Am I HQ?
   
   ANSWER: All teachers in any core academic subject area (CAS) (including early childhood and elementary) are required to be HQ. CAS include English, reading or language arts, mathematics, sciences, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts (art, dance, music, and theatre), history, and geography. Special educators and ESOL teachers must be HQ in every CAS for which they plan and implement instruction and assess student performance.
   
   You are HQ if you:
   
   
   • hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
   • hold a valid Standard Professional Certificate (SPC), Advanced Professional Certificate (APC) or Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC), and
   • satisfy the applicable requirements listed below:
   
   EARLY CHILDHOOD/ ELEMENTARY TEACHERS WHO BEGAN TEACHING
   THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2002- Demonstrate content knowledge and pedagory
   competency by passing state tests assessing subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading,
   writing, math, and other areas of basic early childhood or elementary (as applicable) school curriculum.
   
   MIDDLE, SECONDARY, & PRE-K-12 TEACHERS (ART & MUSIC) WHO BEGAN TEACHING THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2002-Demonstrate high level of competency in each of the core academic subjects (CAS) assigned to teach by passing the applicable content test in EACH of the CAS assigned to teach OR completing an academic major, course work equivalent to an academic major (30 semester hours), a graduate degree, or APC in each of the CAS assigned to teach.
   
   EARLY CHILDHOOD/ ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, SECONDARY, OR PRE-K-12 TEACHERS (ART & MUSIC) WHO BEGAN TEACHING BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2002- Meet applicable standards listed for teachers who began teaching the first day of school 2002, OR demonstrate competency in each CAS assigned to teach based on a Highly Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE).
   
   
5. QUESTION: I have an Advanced Professional Certificate (APC) in the area of Chemistry 7-12. Am I Highly Qualified (HQ)?
   
   ANSWER: Before this question can be answered, another question must be asked, 'What do you teach?' If you teach Chemistry to students in grades 7-12, you are HQ. If you teach anything else, you are not HQ.
   
   
6. QUESTION: I have an Advanced Professional Certificate (APC) in the area of Special Education K-12. I am a special educator of pre-school children. Am I HQ?
   
   ANSWER: Perhaps. To be HQ you need HOUSSE, or satisfy Maryland's testing requirement of Praxis 0020 and 0014.
   
   
7. QUESTION: I have a valid Advanced Professional Certificate in Elementary grades 1-6 and Middle School. I teach grade 3. Am I Highly Qualified (HQ)?
   
   ANSWER: Yes
   
   
8. QUESTION: I have a valid Standard Professional Certificate in Elementary grades 1-6 and Middle School, and I teach grade 3. Am I HQ?
   
   ANSWER: Yes, if you demonstrated content knowledge (Praxis: 0014) and pedagory competency (Praxis:0012) by passing state tests assessing subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, math, and other areas of basic elementary school curriculum. If you were hired to teach, in any states' accredited school, prior to the first day of 2002-2003 school year, and you were not required to satisfy the tests mentioned, you can obtain HQ status via HOUSSE. Appropriate forms are available on City Schools' website, Human Resources, select Forms.
   
   
9. QUESTION: I have a valid Advanced Professional Certificate in Elementary grades 1-6 and Middle School. I teach middle school science. Am I HQ?
   
   ANSWER: Yes, an Advanced Professional Certificate in Elementary grades 1-6 and Middle School makes you HQ to teach grades 1-6, and all middle school subjects art and music being the exceptions.
   
   
10. QUESTION: I have a Standard Professional Certificate in Elementary grades 1-6 and Middle School. I teach middle school science. Am I HQ?
    
    ANSWER: No. To become HQ you have 3 choices: complete HOUSSE, or satisfy Maryland testing requirement on Praxis II: Middle School Science: Science, or satisfy the requirements for an Advanced Professional Certificate.
    
    
11. QUESTION: Where can I find information about No Child Left Behind and requirements for teachers hired prior to the first day of the 2002-2003 school year?
    
    ANSWER: MSDE website, www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE.
    
    
12. QUESTION: Is there a minimal grade that must be earned?
    
    ANSWER: Course work must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better to fulfill requirements using the transcript analysis option, or to satisfy the need for recent credit, or for any required individual course work. A grade of 'B' or better is required for BCPPS tuition reimbursement.
    
    
13. QUESTION: How can I tell if a course will meet my certification renewal requirements?
    
    ANSWER: This question has many individual responses that would be difficult to address here.
    
    • If you hold a professional certificate (Standard or Advanced) visit MSDE's web-site at www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/certification/certification_branch/; select Certification, Renew. Be certain to note the issue date of your certificate so that you will choose the correct information to read.
    • If you hold a provisional or a conditional certificate, an individual certification evaluation is provided you at the time you receive your certificate. This is your guide except if you are completing a Maryland approved program. Then you are required to follow the program's course of study. If you are a City Schools employee and are still uncertain, call the Office of Certification to schedule an appointment to discuss your certification status.
    
    
14. QUESTION: Can I use video, telecommunications, and correspondence courses?
    
    ANSWER: Yes, as long as you receive college credit, courses are offered by a regionally accredited institution, and the course, grade, and credit appear on an official transcript.
    
    
15. QUESTION: I would like to become a Principal. What are the requirements?
    
    ANSWER: A master's degree in School Administration and Supervision, or a Master's degree in any educational area plus 18 semester hours of specific course work in school administration and supervision and Maryland's testing requirement of Praxis II, School Leadership Series, test code 1010, earning a score of 157 or higher.
    
    If you are interested in adding any area of endorsement to your current professional certificate, send your request to City Schools, Office of Certification. Always include your full name, social security number, and school or office name. An individual certification evaluation will be sent to you within six (6) weeks.
    
    
16. QUESTION: How long will it take for me to receive my certificate?
    
    ANSWER: After you submit all necessary materials to the Office of Certification, it takes approximately 6 months to receive, at your home address of record, your initial, reinstated, or renewed certificate.
    
    
17. QUESTION: I have another state's certificate. Do I need to take Maryland's certification tests?
    
    ANSWER: Before this question can be answered, more information is needed.
    
    There are 2 test exemptions.
    1. Test Option (effective January 1, 2003) - If you have, at the time of hire, a professional out-of-state teacher certificate and can verify that a qualifying score on a valid state certificate test was submitted to receive the out-of-state certificate, you are exempt from Maryland's testing requirement. This is true if the out-of-state test does not test basic skills, content, and pedagogy. It is also true if the out-of-state test is the same series used by Maryland but lower qualifying scores are required.
    2. Certificate and Experience - A teacher who presents a professional out-of-state teaching certificate and verification of 2 years of satisfactory full-time teaching experience in the certification area at the appropriate level, is exempt from Maryland's testing requirement.
       
18. QUESTION: How do I know what type of certificate I'm eligible to receive?
    
    ANSWER: All new City Schools employees receive an individual certification evaluation. If you are not a City Schools employee, contact MSDE at 410-767-0412 or visit their web-site www.msde.state.md.us.
    
    
19. QUESTION: I'm going to retire in 2 years but my certificate expires next year. I heard that I was grandfathered so my certificate is automatically renewed.
    
    ANSWER: Nothing is automatic for certificate renewal. A written request must always be made to the Office of Certification with the accompanying renewal requirements and certificate fee. As an employee, a request will be made for you to MSDE. When you are 55 years of age OR have 25 years of satisfactory public school teaching experience, the superintendent in the Maryland school system in which you are employed MAY request a renewal of your professional certificate without you satisfying renewal requirements. It must be noted that some superintendents in Maryland will not request a renewal without the teacher satisfying renewal requirements. Currently, the City School's Superintendent will request the renewal of a certificate for an employee who is 55 years of age or has 25 years of teaching experience but who has not satisfied renewal requirements.

Contact Information:
Phone Number: 443-984-2000
certification@bcps.k12.md.us
Hours of Operation:  8:30 am – 4:30 pm