Section 1204.2. Career and Technical Instructional Certificate.--(a) The Secretary of Education may grant a certificate under this section to every person who presents to the Department of Education satisfactory evidence of good moral character and who has completed such work in career and technical education as may be required by the standards of the State Board of Education.
(b) In addition to other requirements promulgated by the State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall issue a Career and Technical Experience-Based Certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.151 (relating to eligibility and criteria) to an individual seeking a position with the primary responsibility of teaching occupational skills in State-approved career and technical education programs in the public schools of this Commonwealth if the individual presents any of the following: (Intro. par. amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(1) Evidence of a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, of wage-earning experience in the occupational area to be taught.
(2) Evidence of a minimum of four thousand (4,000) hours, equivalent to two (2) years full-time, of wage-earning experience in the occupational area to be taught plus a baccalaureate degree.
(3) Evidence of a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, of experience as a volunteer firefighter or emergency medical technician in the occupational area to be taught.
(4) Evidence of a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, of experience teaching post-secondary courses at a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the occupational area to be taught.
(5) Evidence that a veteran has served in the United States Armed Forces for a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, in the occupational area to be taught. ((5) added Oct. 27, 2025, P.L.147, No.41)
((b) amended July 11, 2024, P.L.618, No.55)
(b.1) In addition to other requirements promulgated by the State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall issue a Career and Technical Instructional I Certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.142 (relating to Career and Technical Instructional I) to an individual seeking a position with the primary responsibility of teaching occupational skills in State-approved career and technical education programs in the public schools of this Commonwealth if the individual presents any of the following:
(1) Evidence of a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, of wage-earning experience in the occupational area to be taught.
(2) Evidence of a minimum of four thousand (4,000) hours, equivalent to two (2) years full-time, of wage-earning experience in the occupational area to be taught plus a baccalaureate degree.
(3) Evidence of a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, as a volunteer firefighter or emergency medical technician in the occupational area to be taught.
(4) Evidence of a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, of experience teaching post-secondary courses at a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the occupational area to be taught.
(5) Evidence that a veteran has served in the United States Armed Forces for a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours, equivalent to four (4) years full-time, in the occupational area to be taught. ((5) added Oct. 27, 2025, P.L.147, No.41)
((b.1) added July 11, 2024, P.L.618, No.55)
(b.2) The Career and Technical Experience-based Certificate shall be issued for the period of time needed by an individual to complete eighteen (18) credit hours in an approved career and technical educator preparation program, but in no case may the period of time exceed five (5) years from the date of issuance. ((b.2) added Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(b.3) In addition to any other requirement promulgated by the State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall issue a Career and Technical Experience-Based Certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.151 to an individual securing recognition of occupational competency upon the basis of credential review and adequate work experience beyond the learning period as established by the department in a competency area regardless of whether an occupational competency examination exists. ((b.3) added Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(b.4) In addition to any other requirement promulgated by the State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall issue a Career and Technical Instructional I Certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.142 to an individual securing recognition of occupational competency upon the basis of credential review and adequate work experience beyond the learning period as established by the department in a competency area, regardless of whether an occupational competency examination exists. ((b.4) added Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(c) Notwithstanding any other requirement promulgated by the State Board of Education, the State Board of Education shall not require an applicant to have completed more than eighteen (18) credit hours in an approved program of career and technical teacher education in order for the Secretary of Education to grant the applicant a Career and Technical Instructional I Certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.142 (relating to Vocational Instructional I), which certificate shall entitle the individual to teach for eight (8) annual school terms.
(d) Notwithstanding any other requirement promulgated by the State Board of Education, the State Board of Education shall not require an applicant to have completed more than sixty (60) total credit hours in an approved program of career and technical teacher education in order for the Secretary of Education to grant the applicant a Career and Technical Instructional II Certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.143 (relating to Vocational Instructional II). Credit hours in an approved program of career and technical teacher education completed by the applicant toward the fulfillment of the requirements for a Career and Technical Instructional I Certificate shall be counted toward the total credit hours required for a Career and Technical Instructional II Certificate.
(e) The Department of Education shall form a professional advisory committee for the purposes of reviewing career and technical instructional certification program guidelines every five (5) years to ensure that the requirements for program design and delivery pertain to the professional responsibilities of a career and technical educator. The professional advisory committee shall, at a minimum, include representatives whose primary responsibility is teaching occupational skills in State-approved career and technical education programs.
(f) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Emergency medical technician" shall mean an individual who is certified by the Department of Health as an emergency medical technician.
"Veteran" shall mean an individual who:
(1) served in the United States Armed Forces, including a reserve component or National Guard; and
(2) was discharged or released from that service under conditions other than dishonorable.
(Def. added Oct. 27, 2025, P.L.147, No.41)
"Volunteer firefighter" shall mean as follows:
(1) A person who is a member of:
(i) a fire company organized and existing under the laws of this Commonwealth;
(ii) a fire police unit, rescue squad, ambulance corps or other like organization affiliated with one or more fire companies; or
(iii) a fire company or affiliated organization which participates in the fire service but does not look to that service as the person's primary means of livelihood.
(2) A person does not lose status as a volunteer firefighter solely because the person may also be a paid firefighter, so long as the person is acting within the scope of the person's responsibilities as a member of a volunteer fire company at the pertinent time and not within the scope of the person's responsibilities as a paid firefighter.
((f) added July 11, 2024, P.L.618, No.55)
(1204.2 amended Oct. 30, 2019, P.L.460, No.76)