The following provides information regarding South Carolina Initial and Professional educator certificates that will expire on June 30, 2021, and includes guidance to assist educators impacted by the current public health emergency.
Additional information regarding Professional Certificate Renewal and Initial Certificate Advancement procedures is available. Educators needing additional assistance may Contact the SCDE Office of Educator Services by email or phone. District personnel administrators and staff should communicate with their designated certification contact for additional information or assistance.
Professional Certificates with One-Year Grace Period Issued for 2020-21
On July 1, 2020, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) added a one-year grace period to Professional certificates for which renewal requirements had not been met or processed by the June 30 expiration date.
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This flexibility was extended to both Academic and CTE Professional and Limited Professional certificates, including any credentials that had been issued a standard one-year extension for the 2019-20 school year.
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With the grace period issued for 2020-21, these educators must complete renewal requirements by June 30, 2021. Renewal requirements may include Read to Succeed and provisions of the Jason Flatt Act.
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Pursuant to amended Regulation 43-55 effective June 26, 2020, educators without a master’s degree or higher are no longer required to complete a three-hour graduate course for certificate renewal.
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Certificates issued the one-year grace period for 2020-21 are not eligible for an additional grace period; however, an educator who will not meet renewal requirements during the grace period ending June 30, 2021, may submit a request to the SCDE for a standard one-year extension for the upcoming 2021-22 school year. Please note that any educator issued a standard one-year extension for 2019-20—the year preceding the grace period—is not eligible for an additional standard extension.
Professional Certificates Expiring June 30, 2021
Educators who hold a Professional educator certificate set to expire on June 30, 2021—who were not issued a grace period for 2020-21—will be eligible for a one-year grace period for the upcoming 2021-22 school year if they are unable to meet renewal requirements.
- The SCDE will issue this one-year grace period through an automated process beginning July 1, 2021, if renewal requirements are not on file or have not been processed by that date. If renewal requirements are on file, the Professional certificate will renew for the standard five-year period unless the educator received an extension for 2019-20.
- Educators do not need to submit a request for this flexibility; the SCDE will add the grace period automatically for eligible certificates.
- These educators will then have until June 30, 2022, to meet renewal requirements.
Initial Certificates with One-Year Grace Period Issued for 2020-21
In July 2020, the SCDE issued a one-year grace period for the 2020-21 school year to Initial certificates that expired on June 30, 2020, without meeting requirements to advance to a Professional certificate.
- Educators who received the grace period for 2020-21 have until June 30, 2021, to meet remaining requirements for certificate advancement. These additional requirements may include the successful summative evaluation of teaching performance as part of the state’s ADEPT system and/or a qualifying score on an approved pedagogy exam if certified by reciprocity.
- Initial certificates issued the one-year grace period for 2020-21 are not eligible for an additional grace period, but may be eligible for a 2021-22 extension at the request of an employing school in South Carolina.
- If not employed by a school in South Carolina, educators must apply for issuance of a new certificate under current requirements.
Initial Certificates Expiring June 30, 2021
Educators who hold an Initial educator certificate set to expire on June 30, 2021—who were not issued a grace period for 2020-21—will be eligible for a one-year grace period for the upcoming 2021-22 school year if they are unable to meet requirements for certificate advancement by the expiration date.
- The SCDE will issue this one-year grace period through an automated process beginning July 1, 2021, if requirements to advance are not on file or have not been processed by that date.
- Educators do not need to submit a request for this flexibility; the SCDE will add the grace period automatically for eligible certificates.
- These educators will have until June 30, 2022, to complete remaining requirements for the Professional certificate.
