Chapter 03. Professional and Technical Education and Specialized Areas for Fine Arts
Regulation .01 Purpose.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Professional and Technical Education and Specialized Areas for Fine Arts teachers shall meet the requirements for a license under Regulation .02 of this chapter.
B.
A Professional and Technical Education or Specialized Areas for Fine Arts license shall only be used for instruction in a specialized program or at a specialized school.
C.
A local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 shall request an initial Professional and Technical Education or Specialized Areas for Fine Arts license.
D.
An individual licensed in Professional and Technical Education or Specialized Areas for Fine Arts who is no longer employed with a local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 may request the renewal of that license directly from the Department.
Regulation .02 Licenses and Pathways for Professional and Technical Education and Specialized Areas for Fine Arts.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Types of Professional and Technical Education and Specialized Areas for Fine Arts Licenses.
(1)
Temporary Professional.
(a)
The Temporary Professional License is valid for 2 years and may not be renewed.
(b)
A local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 may request a Temporary Professional License for an applicant who does not meet the renewal requirements of a professional license.
(2)
Initial Professional.
(a)
The Initial Professional License is valid for 5 years and may be renewed should the license holder meet the renewal requirements under Regulation .03 of this chapter.
(b)
An applicant who is employed in a local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 and has met the requirements of one of the pathways to licensure under §C of this regulation is eligible for an Initial Professional License.
(3)
Professional.
(a)
The Professional License is valid for 5 years and may be renewed should the license holder meet the renewal requirements under Regulation .03 of this chapter.
(b)
An applicant who is employed in a local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 and has met one of the pathways to licensure under §C of this regulation is eligible for a Professional License if the applicant submits documentation:
(i)
Demonstrating completion of a Maryland induction program under COMAR 13A.07.01; or
(ii)
Verifying3 years of effective teaching performance.
(4)
Advanced Professional.
(a)
The Advanced Professional License is valid for 5 years and may be renewed should the license holder meet the renewal requirements under Regulation .03 of this chapter.
(b)
An applicant who has met the requirements of one of the pathways to licensure under §B of this regulation is eligible for an Advanced Professional Teacher License if the applicant meets the requirements for the Professional License under §A(3) of this regulation and submits documentation demonstrating that the applicant has:
(i)
A master’s degree or higher;
(ii)
At least 30 semester hours of post baccalaureate credit; or
(iii)
A National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
(c)
An applicant for the Advanced Professional License in a Professional Technical Education/Specialized Area of Fine Arts area who does not possess a bachelor’s degree shall complete a planned program of 30 semester hours of credit, or submit a National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
(5)
Conditional.
(a)
A conditional license is valid for 5 years and may not be renewed.
(b)
A local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 may request a conditional license if:
(i)
The school cannot fill a position with an individual who qualifies for a license under §A(1)—(4) of this regulation; and
(ii)
The individual presents verification of 3 years of occupational experience in the career area to be taught as defined in §C(5)(a) of this regulation.
(c)
An applicant who is issued a conditional license shall pursue a pathway to professional licensure under §C of this regulation.
(6)
Adjunct Teacher.
(a)
The Department may issue an adjunct license on the request of a local school system superintendent or an education director of a nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10.
(b)
The request for adjunct license shall include:
(i)
The name and credentials of the individual;
(ii)
The course name and content to be taught; and
(iii)
An explanation as to why the position cannot be filled by a qualified license holder.
(c)
The adjunct license is nontransferable between local school systems.
(d)
A local school system or nonpublic school may not employ an individual who holds an adjunct license as a full-time employee.
(e)
An applicant for an adjunct license shall:
(i)
Hold a high school diploma or its equivalent;
(ii)
Hold an industry license, when applicable for the profession; and
(iii)
Have 5 years of satisfactory occupational experience in the field to be taught.
(f)
The employing local school system or nonpublic school shall provide an individual who is issued an adjunct license the following:
(i)
A professionally licensed mentor;
(ii)
Side-by-side coaching or co-teaching with a professionally licensed teacher;
(iii)
A minimum of 45 hours of professional development, with 30 hours delivered before entry to the classroom and the remainder to be delivered throughout the school year; and
(iv)
Evaluations of the individual’s teaching effectiveness.
(g)
The adjunct license issued in accordance with this regulation is valid for a 1-year period and may be renewed on the request of the local school system or nonpublic school.
B.
In addition to holding an educator license, the applicant is governed by current licensure, certification, or registration regulations administered by professional organizations or legally constituted authorities in the State, in the career area to be taught, if applicable.
C.
Pathways to Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts Licensure.
(1)
Maryland Approved Program. Candidates who complete a Maryland approved educator preparation program as set forth in COMAR 13A.07.06 shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
Bachelor’s degree or higher; and
(b)
Completion of an approved program as set forth in COMAR 13A.07.06.
(2)
Out-of-State Preparation Program. Candidates who complete a state-approved educator preparation program leading to licensure in that state shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
Bachelor’s degree or higher; and
(b)
Complete a preparation program, including a clinical internship, approved to lead to professional and technical education licensure in another state, in the license area being sought.
(3)
Out-of-State License. Candidates who hold a valid or expired professional license/certificate in a professional and technical education area from another state or foreign country are eligible for a comparable Maryland license.
(4)
National Board Certificate (Professional and Technical Education only). Candidates who hold a National Board Certificate in the area of Career and Technical Education are eligible for a comparable Advanced Professional License.
(5)
Occupational Experience. Candidates with occupational experience in a Professional and Technical area or Specialized Area of Fine Arts shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
Occupational Experience.
(i)
Verification of 3 years of occupational experience in the area to be taught that may include satisfactory post-secondary teaching experience in the area to be taught; and/or satisfactory occupational employment.
(ii)
The applicant may substitute a Department-accepted, current industry recognized credential for 1 year of the occupational experience requirement.
(iii)
The applicant may substitute a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in the area to be taught for 1 year of the occupational experience requirement.
(b)
Completion of 12 credits of professional education coursework from an institution of higher education or through Department-approved continuing professional development credits to include the following topics:
(i)
Planning, delivering, and assessing instruction;
(ii)
Classroom management;
(iii)
Differentiating Instruction to accommodate students with special needs; and
(iv)
Teaching literacy in the content area.
D.
Special Provision. The Department shall evaluate credits from institutions in other countries for comparability of degree and coursework through an independent agency authorized to analyze foreign credentials and designated by the Department. The evaluation is conclusive for the Department.
E.
Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts Endorsements.
(1)
An individual who holds a professional license under §A(1)—(4) of this regulation may add an additional Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts endorsement by submitting documentation demonstrating that the individual has:
(a)
Obtained a valid, Department-recognized industry credential in the area to be taught; or
(b)
Meets the requirements for initial licensure under §C of this regulation.
(2)
A local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 shall request an additional Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts endorsement.
Regulation .03 Renewal and Advancement of a Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts License.LinkCopy Citation
A.
General.
(1)
An applicant who holds a license is responsible for initiating the renewal of the license.
(2)
An applicant shall ensure renewal requirements are received before the expiration date of the license to be considered continuous.
(3)
Failure to Meet Requirements. Failure to meet the requirements of this section results in nonrenewal of the license. A local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 may request a Temporary Professional License under Regulation .02A(2) of this chapter for an employee who fails to meet the renewal requirements of the Initial Professional, Professional, or Advanced Professional license.
(4)
Advancement to a New License. An applicant may apply to advance to the next level of licensure by meeting the requirements under Regulation .02A of this chapter.
B.
Professional Development Requirements. The Initial Professional, Professional, and Advanced Professional license may be renewed for successive 5-year terms on the successful completion of the requisite number of professional development points (PDPs), as set forth in Regulation .05 of this chapter, based on an individual professional development plan, as set forth in Regulation .04 of this chapter, that is designed to improve teaching and student learning and that is approved, if required, by the educator’s supervisor.
C.
Application Process.
(1)
Renewal. An educator may renew their existing Initial Professional, Professional, or Advanced Professional License by submitting:
(a)
A completed application, in the manner required by the Department;
(b)
A statement, signed under the penalty of perjury, that the applicant has completed all requirements for licensure renewal, including the requisite number of Professional Development Points under an Individual Professional Development Plan; and
(c)
The required fee.
(2)
Advancement. An educator may request advancement to a new level of licensure by submitting:
(a)
A completed application, in the manner required by the Department;
(b)
Supporting documentation demonstrating the applicant has met the requirements for the new level of licensure; and
(c)
The required fee.
(3)
All documentation submitted is subject to audit by the Department, and the educator shall provide additional documentation to the Department on request.
(4)
Individuals employed by a Maryland local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10, may submit documentation directly to the employer.
(5)
Individuals who are not employed by a Maryland local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 shall submit documentation directly to the Department.
Regulation .04 Individual Professional Development Plans — Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Individual Professional Development Plans.
(1)
An educator shall have an individual professional development plan in place for each of the 5 years of validity for each Initial Professional, Professional, and Advanced Professional license issued to the educator.
(2)
An individual professional development plan shall include a minimum of 90 professional development points, as set forth in Regulation .05 of this chapter, to renew the educator’s license.
(3)
Educators who are not employed with a local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 are responsible for developing their own individual professional development plan.
B.
Approval of an Individual Professional Development Plan.
(1)
Educators working in a Maryland local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 shall obtain approval of their proposed individual professional development plan from their supervisors.
(2)
The educator’s supervisor, or an appropriate designee, shall approve proposed individual professional development plans.
(3)
Educators shall obtain initial approval of their individual professional development plan within 6 months of issuance of the license to be renewed.
(4)
Supervisor Review.
(a)
A supervisor shall review the existing individual professional development plan of any educator new to the district or school within 3 months of the educator’s beginning employment in the new position.
(b)
A supervisor may require an educator to amend the plan or may withdraw approval for a plan that had been previously approved, but the Department shall approve any professional development points that were earned consistently with an approved plan in the application for license renewal.
(5)
Signatures.
(a)
Before applying to renew an Initial Professional, Professional, or Advanced Professional license, educators shall obtain a signature from a current supervisor.
(b)
A supervisor’s signature shall indicate that the supervisor has reviewed the log of professional development activities maintained by the educator to ensure that the reported activities are consistent with the approved individual professional development plan.
(c)
The educator remains responsible for the final accounting of professional development points applied towards license renewal.
(d)
An educator whose supervisor refuses to sign an individual professional development plan may follow the review procedures set forth in §B(7) of this regulation.
(6)
Approval of an individual professional development plan may not be unreasonably withheld by a supervisor.
(7)
If a plan is rejected by a supervisor, an educator may seek review of the denial from:
(a)
The superintendent of schools, or designee, if employed with a local school system;
(b)
The Chief Officer of the Legal Authority, or designee, if employed with a nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10; or
(c)
The Executive Director, or comparable position, if employed with a State-operated school.
Regulation .05 Professional Development Points- Professional and Technical Education/Specialized Areas for Fine Arts.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Professional Development Point (PDP). The Department shall measure professional development activities as follows:
(1)
1 clock hour is equivalent to one PDP.
(2)
1 semester hour is equivalent to 15 PDPs.
(3)
One Department-approved continuing professional development credit is equivalent to 15 PDPs.
(4)
One continuing education unit is equivalent to ten PDPs.
B.
Educators applying to renew an Initial Professional, Professional, or Advanced Professional License shall complete a minimum of 90 PDPs that shall include:
(1)
Content or pedagogy related to an area on the educator’s license;
(2)
English as a Second Language, Sheltered English, or Bilingual Education;
(3)
Strategies for teaching students with disabilities, or differentiated instruction for students with diverse learning needs; and
(4)
Culturally Responsive Teaching or diverse student identities in education.
C.
Additional Requirements for Specific Licensure Areas.
(1)
Blind/Visually Impaired. Teachers who hold a license in the area of the Blind/Visually Impaired shall present a minimum of 15 PDPs in braille maintenance.
(2)
School Counselor. An educator who is licensed as a School Counselor shall present 1 semester hour of coursework from an institution of higher education, one Department-approved continuing professional development credit; or an equivalent number of continuing education units that address the following:
(a)
Depression;
(b)
Trauma;
(c)
Violence;
(d)
Youth suicide;
(e)
Substance abuse; and
(f)
The identification of professional resources and best practices for distributing resources to parents or guardians to help students in crisis.
(3)
Administrator. If an educator is employed in a local school system, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 and assigned in an administrator or supervisor position, the educator shall submit PDPs which include:
(a)
Strategies for increasing teacher retention; and
(b)
Strategies for developing and facilitating teacher leadership.
D.
Professional development points may be accrued by the completion of one of more of the following:
(1)
College credit earned or taught at an accredited institution of higher education.
(2)
Continuing professional development (CPD) credits, earned or taught, approved by the Department.
(3)
Continuing education units (CEUs) from an accredited International Association for Continuing Education and Training provider or approved by another Maryland State agency for purposes of licensure.
(4)
Professional conference. A professional conference is a workshop, institute, or seminar of 4 or more hours that contributes to ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development.
(5)
Curriculum Development.
(a)
Curriculum development is a group activity in which the license holder contributes to the improvement of the curriculum of a school, a school division, or an educational institution.
(b)
This includes the alignment of curriculum frameworks, instructional materials, and assessments to provide a system with clear expectations of what is to be taught and learned.
(c)
For each curriculum developed, the Department shall award the educator up to 30 PDPs.
(6)
Publication of a Book or Article.
(a)
The license holder shall ensure that the book or article contributes to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the license holder’s teaching area or instructional position.
(b)
The educator shall ensure that an article is published in a recognized professional journal.
(c)
The educator shall ensure that books are published for purchase.
(d)
For each book published, the Department shall award the educator up to 75 PDPs. For each article published, the Department shall award the educator up to 10 PDPs.
(7)
Mentorship.
(a)
Mentoring is the process by which an experienced professional who has received mentorship training helps one or more individuals to improve their performance.
(b)
Assistance may involve role modeling, direct instruction, demonstration, observation with feedback, developing of plans, and consultation to promote instructional excellence and increased student achievement.
(c)
Mentoring may include the supervision of a field experience of a pre-service student teacher or an intern in an approved teacher preparation program, as well as mentoring as part of the induction process for a beginning teacher.
(8)
Micro-Credentials.
(a)
Micro-credentials are a digital form of certification indicating demonstrated competency/mastery in a specific skill or set of skills.
(b)
Educators identify a competency they want to develop, submit evidence that they have mastered the competency, and receive a digital badge once the evidence is approved.
(c)
Micro-credentials can be earned by non-profit and for profit entities approved by the local school system, State-operated school, nonpublic school, or the Department.
(d)
For each micro-credential earned, the Department shall award the educator up to 10 PDPs.
(9)
Professional Development Activity.
(a)
The Department shall accept professional development activities approved by the Department, Maryland local school system, State Agency, a Maryland approved nonpublic school, or another state department of education.
(b)
The license holder shall ensure that each activity is a minimum of 1 contact hour.
(10)
Occupational Experience.
(a)
Occupational experience related to the career area being taught may be used to earn PDPs.
(b)
For every 10 hours worked, the educator may earn 1 PDP.
(c)
Occupational experience is limited to 15 PDPs.
E.
An educator who earns a National Board Certificate from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards may present that certificate when subsequently renewing a Maryland Educator License as a substitute for §B of this regulation.
Chapter annotations
Authority: Education Article, §§2-205, 2-303(g), 6-701—6-708, 8-3A-03 and 8-701—8-708; Annotated Code of Maryland
History: Effective date:
History: For a history of certification requirements before January 1, 1989, see the Administrative History for COMAR 13A.07.01.
History: Regulations .01—.10, and .12 adopted effective January 1, 1989 (15:26 Md. R. 2994)
History: Regulation .01 amended effective November 6, 1995 (22:22 Md. R. 1670)
History: Regulation .02 amended effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2908)
History: Regulation .02B amended effective April 6, 1998 (25:7 Md. R. 528)
History: Regulations .03—.05 repealed and new Regulation .03 adopted effective August 6, 2001 (28:15 Md. R. 1399)
History: Regulation .06 repealed and new Regulation .06 adopted effective August 14, 1995 (22:16 Md. R. 1222)
History: Regulation .09 amended effective September 30, 1995 (21:24 Md. R. 1990)
History: Regulation .09B amended effective November 1, 1992 (19:21 Md. R. 1892); May 14, 2001 (28:9 Md. R. 888)
History: Regulation .09C amended effective May 14, 2001 (28:9 Md. R. 888)
History: Regulation .10 amended effective September 30, 1995 (21:24 Md. R. 1990)
History: Regulation .10B amended effective November 1, 1992 (19:21 Md. R. 1892); August 7, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1403)
History: Regulation .10C amended effective August 7, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1403)
History: Regulation .11 adopted effective April 3, 1989 (16:6 Md. R. 729)
History: Regulation .11 amended effective April 6, 1998 (25:7 Md. R. 528)
History: Regulation .12 amended effective July 27, 1998 (25:15 Md. R. 1192)
History: Chapter revised effective January 20, 2003 (30:1 Md. R. 26)
History: Regulation .02 amended effective December 12, 2011 (38:25 Md. R. 1582); September 3, 2012 (39:17 Md. R. 1148); April 1, 2013 (40:6 Md. R. 475); March 2, 2015 (42:4 Md. R. 434)
History: Regulation .02F adopted effective November 7, 2016 (43:22 Md. R. 1223)
History: Regulation .03B amended effective December 12, 2011 (38:25 Md. R. 1582)
History: Regulation .04C amended effective July 16, 2018 (45:14 Md. R. 698)
History: Regulation .08 amended effective March 2, 2015 (42:4 Md. R. 434)
History: Regulation .09 repealed effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 424)
History: Regulation .10 amended effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 424)
History: Regulation .11 adopted effective November 7, 2005 (32:22 Md. R. 1757)
History: Regulation .11 amended effective December 12, 2011 (38:25 Md. R. 1582)
History: Regulation .12 adopted effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 424)
History: Regulations .01—.12 repealed under Subtitle 12 Certification Chapter 03 Specialists and new Regulations .01—.05 adopted under Subtitle 12 Educator Licensure Chapter 03 Professional and Technical Education and Specialized Areas for Fine Arts effective April 1, 2024 (51:5 Md R. 231)
History: Regulation .05C amended effective March 3, 2025 (52:4 Md. R. 220)