(endorsement codes   001, 002, 004, 005, 013)          

Q : Of the 9 CEUs I must earn, how many CEUs must be in reading?

A : 15 hours, or 1.5 CEUs (assuming that you are working under an elementary endorsement)

Q : When did this requirement go into effect for elementary teachers?

A : The requirement applied to anyone holding an elementary endorsement whose certificate expired on or after July 1, 2002.

Q : I hold an elementary endorsement but teach grade 7 mathematics in a middle school.  Does the reading CEU requirement apply to me?

A : Yes, if you teach under that endorsement.  The CEU requirements pertain to the endorsement, not just the grade level you teach, and whether or not that is the legal endorsement you teach under.

Q : How can I be sure that I have all the reading CEUs I need?

A : Activities are given a code number that identifies their topic.  For this requirement, the code number is 301.  Check your certificates for the number – ‘301’ should appear as the 6^th, 7^th, & 8^th digits of the activity number.

Q : What happens if I’m audited?

A :  If you are audited, the SDE will contact you and request that you submit the CEU certificates you have as evidence that you met the requirements that pertain to your endorsement.  You should make a copy of each certificate for your file, and send in the original certificates.  They will be reviewed for compliance, and if you have met the requirements, your renewed certificate will be sent to you.

Q : What do I need to know about the code numbers on my certificates and what they show?

A : Each CEU activity has a number that indicates several things: who the provider is, what year the CEUs were given, the topic the activity falls under, and the section number of the activity.  In order to know if specific activities help you meet specific requirements (such as the reading or technology requirements), you should look at the 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th digits of the activity number, which correspond to the activity topic.  For reading, the code number is ‘301,’ and for technology the code number is ‘302.’

Q : What happens if I’m audited and some of the code numbers don’t match the 301 or 302 code I need on some of my certificates, but I know the activity fell under the reading or technology?  How do I let the SDE know that those activities should ‘count’ toward meeting the requirement?

A : The code numbers are used by the SDE as a quick reference when they conduct an audit.  Many activities can fall under more than one topic and have more than one activity code.  If the CEU certificates don’t have the code numbers for reading or technology, the auditor looks at the activity name to see if it indicates that it pertains to the requirement.  If it does pertain, then the activity is counted.  If it appears that it doesn’t pertain, the SDE will ask the teacher to produce either a description of the session, or other backup documentation that tells what the session contains.  They’ll use that to determine if the activity met the requirements of the teacher’s endorsement.

Q : As an elementary teacher, am I also expected to earn CEUs in technology?

A : Yes.  That requirement also went into effect for any elementary teacher whose certificate expired on or after July 1, 2002.  It specifies that the CEUs must be in ‘the use of computers in the classroom.’

Q : How can I be sure I have all the technology CEUs I need?

A :  Activities are given a code number that identifies their topic.  For this requirement, the code number is 302.  Check your certificates for the number – ‘301’ should appear as the 6^th, 7^th, & 8^th digits of the activity number.

Q : I haven’t earned all of the CEUs I need to renew my certificate – what can I do on my own to earn them between now and June?

A : There are several options for you…..

1. take a college or university course that is related to your teaching position and/or the specific requirements you must meet (e.g., reading or technology); your course transcript will act as a CEU certificate if you are audited (each credit hour of the course = 1.5 CEUs);
2. attend conferences and/or workshops offered by professional organizations that are approved CEU providers; a list of approved providers is available via this link on the SDE web site: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/cert/ceuprlst.htm ;
3. speak with your district CEU coordinator about earning CEU equivalents through an independent study project;
4. speak with your district CEU coordinator about earning CEU equivalents by participating in on-line professional learning activities offered by organizations such as those listed in the ‘certificate and CEU resources’ section at the end of this document.

Have questions about your certificate?  Please contact Linette Branham at CEA, (860) 525-5641 / (800) 842-4316 / linetteb@cea.org