Section 1205.5. Continuing Professional Education for School or System Leaders.--(a) (1) Every school or system leader shall meet the continuing professional education requirements of section 1205.2 through participation in programs approved in accordance with this section. ((1) amended July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(2) For any school or system leader who serves in both administrative and nonadministrative positions during a compliance period as defined in section 1205.2, the school or system leader's continuing professional education requirements shall be earned in programs approved in accordance with this section in no less than the same proportion as the proportion of the compliance period during which the school or system leader served on an administrative certificate or letter of eligibility.
(b) For the compliance period in effect on January 1, 2008, this section shall only apply to any credits or hours needed to satisfy the unmet requirements of the current compliance period.
(c) (1) The Department of Education shall design and offer continuing professional education programs at no cost to school or system leaders who are required by this section to participate and at no cost to their employer school entities.
(2) In the event that school or system leaders are unable to access these programs because all available slots are filled, the school or system leader may request and shall be granted upon review by the department an extension of the compliance period.
(d) The Department of Education shall approve other providers to offer induction and continuing professional education programs for school or system leaders and shall annually publish a list of approved providers.
(e) All programs offered or approved by the Department of Education under this section shall address the Pennsylvania school leadership standards pursuant to section 1217.
(f) The Secretary of Education may adopt standards as necessary to implement this section.
(g) For the purpose of this section, the term "school or system leader" shall mean an individual who serves on a certificate as a principal, vice principal, assistant principal, director or assistant director of an area career and technical school, superintendent, assistant superintendent, intermediate unit executive director or assistant intermediate unit executive director, including those serving on a commission qualification letter issued by the Department of Education pursuant to section 1003(b.2). ((g) amended July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(h) ((h) deleted by amendment July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(i) ((i) expired July 8, 2023. See Act 55 of 2022)
(1205.5 added July 20, 2007, P.L.278, No.45)