How to Get a Maryland Teaching Certificate If I Have One From Pennsylvania

If you're certified to teach in Pennsylvania, you can easily become certified to teach in Maryland.

The state of Maryland has a highly regarded education system. If you are currently a certified teacher in Pennsylvania and would like to teach in Maryland, you can get a Maryland teaching certificate using your current certification. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) has arranged an interstate reciprocity agreement to allow states to accept teaching certificates from other states.

Things You'll Need

• Photocopy machine
• Academic transcripts
• Pennsylvania teaching certificate
• Cover letter
• Large envelope
• Postage stamps

Instructions

1. Prepare an application packet for the Maryland Department of Education. Make copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and post-graduate coursework you have completed. Keep the original copies of your transcripts for your personal records.

2. Make a photocopy of your Pennsylvania teaching certificate. Keep the original in a safe place. Include the photocopy in your application packet.

3. Write a cover letter to include with your application packet. In your letter, include your name, mailing address, and social security number. Indicate that you are a certified teacher from Pennsylvania and that you want certification to teach in Maryland.

4. Gather all the materials you prepared in Steps 1 through 3 in a large envelope. Affix the proper postage. Mail the application packet to the Maryland State Department of Education, Certification Branch, 200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.

5. Contact a representative of the Maryland State Department of Education at 410-767-0412 if you'd like to request more information about the reciprocity agreement.

6. To check on the status of your certification, call the Certification Assistance Line at 410-767-0412, or toll-free at 1-866-772-8922. You can also write to the Maryland State Department of Education at the address given in Step 4.

Tips & Warnings

• Present yourself in a professional manner by making sure all your records are neat and orderly.

• Sometimes the Maryland Department of Education will ask a Pennsylvania teacher to fulfill additional requirements before granting them full professional certification in Maryland.

References

• Become a Teacher in Maryland: Interstate Certification Reciprocity Disclaimer
• Maryland Public Schools: Certification
• Teacher World: Becoming a Teacher in Maryland