FAQs

  • What is required for standard certificate renewal?

    How are staff development hours acquired?
    Staff development may occur in the district as posted on Eduphoria Workshop, or out of district by attending workshops, conferences, or taking college courses.

    Where are my staff development hours counted and stored?
    Staff development hours are accumulated and stored via the Eduphoria Workshop in your portfolio. They will remain there indefinitely even after you leave the district.

    How many hours of professional development or CPE hours am I required to have?
    Beginning August, 2008, GPISD requires that all professional staff complete 150 clock hours of continued professional education (CPE) before September 1, 2012.

    What about my previous hours?
    The hours that are in your portfolio will remain there and may be used by those teachers on a Standard Certificate who are required to have 150 hours prior to applying for re-certification through SBEC. The re-certification date is 5 years (on your birthday) from the issuance of your certificate and is different for everyone. You may reach the SBEC link through the HRS site.

    So now I have two cycles?
    Yes, some teachers will have two cycles. Teachers on a Standard Certificate will need 150 hours dependent on the date of certification and 150 hour for GPISD every five years. Teachers on a Lifetime Certificate will all have one, new cycle beginning next year that requires 150 hours. As stated earlier, for teachers on the Standard Certificate, your hours will NOT disappear and may be used for SBEC certification purposes.

    What if I am a re-tired/re-hired teacher or part time?
    You are required to have ½ (75 hours) every five years.

    What if I take a college course?
    Each college hour is equal to 15 clock hours. (One 3 hr. course= 45 clock hours) You will enter each course as an “Out of District” workshop and attach a copy of your transcript as documentation.

    How do I get credit for attending a session?
    If the session was in Eduphoria, you have 48 hours to take the survey to receive credit. If the session was not in Eduphoria then you follow the directions for “Out of District Credit”

    How do I know what kind of workshops to take?
    Your principal or content area specialist most likely is the best source for determining appropriate training sessions. Another suggestion is to go the TEA Website and look at the Framework for Staff Development.

    Can I arrive late? Can I leave early?
    You are expected to be at a session at the time of start. You are expected to participate for the entire time of the session. During a session, GPISD Standards required that cell-phones be turned off, side-conversations not occur, and that you participate fully.

    What if I forget to take the survey for credit?
    You will need to submit the workshop as an Out of District course, attach proof of attendance with an explanation on Formspace.