Educators are encouraged to retain a personal complete set of official transcripts on hand. The compliance department does not maintain an ongoing file of coursework for each employee.
Master’s Equivalency Salary Upgrade
Master’s Equivalency requires 36 graduate credits from an accredited college/university with a grade of “C” or better. A minimum of 18 credits in any certified content area and a maximum of 18 PA approved in-service credits. In-service is considered “professional development” before year 2000.
Applicants should obtain a Letter of Equivalency from the state, he/she must complete a Salary Upgrade Request Form and attach a copy of the Letter of Equivalency.
Master’s Degree Salary Upgrade
Things to remember:
- Applicant must complete a Salary Upgrade Request Form and submit official Master’s transcript, sealed in official college envelope, which shows conferred Master’s Degree with date awarded.
- Credits must be from an accredited degree granting (BA or higher) college or university; credits from junior college and/or community college are not accepted.
- Degrees from other countries must be evaluated by a National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services member; WES is one that is frequently used but any member can be used by the applicant. A list of members can be found at http://www.naces.org/.
- We do not accept courses in real estate, law, medicine or religion because they cannot be used in the classroom. We will, however, accept medical courses for nurses and “school” law courses.
- Vocational Education Teachers with a Vocational I certificate or a Bachelor’s degree with 6 years of trade experience or a Master’s Degree should be paid at a Masters Level.
Master’s Plus 30 Salary Upgrade
Things to remember:
- Applicant must complete a Salary Upgrade Request Form and submit official Master’s transcript, sealed in official college envelope, which shows conferred Master’s Degree with date awarded, along with the other official, sealed transcripts which make up the additional credits.
- Master’s Plus 30 requires 60 credits beyond the Bachelor’s Degree.
- Credits must be from a 4-year accredited college or university; credits from junior college and/or community college are not accepted.
- Degrees from other countries must be evaluated by a National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services member; WES is one that is frequently used but any member can be used by the applicant. A list of members can be found at http://www.naces.org/.
- We do not accept courses in real estate, law, medicine or religion because they cannot be used in the classroom. We will, however, accept medical courses for nurses and “school” law courses.
- Some colleges/universities use quarter hours. The School District of Philadelphia considers quarter hour credits to be 2/3 of a semester hour and will use the following calculation to convert those credits to semester hours: total number of quarter hours multiplied by 2 and divided by 3 = number of semester hours. A few of the universities that use a quarter hour system are Antioch, California State – East Bay, and Drexel.
Doctorate’s Salary Upgrade
Things to remember:
- Applicant must complete a Salary Upgrade Request Form and submit official Doctorate’s transcript, sealed in official college envelope, which shows conferred Doctorate’s Degree with date awarded.
- Credits must be from a 4-year accredited college or university; credits from junior college and/or community college are not accepted.
- Any degree from a graduate degree granting institution, awarded or conferred on or after January 1, 2012 will be accepted for salary upgrade.
- Degrees from other countries must be evaluated by a National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services member; WES is one that is frequently used but any member can be used by the applicant. A list of members can be found at http://www.naces.org/.
- We do not accept courses in real estate, law, medicine or religion because they cannot be used in the classroom. We will, however, accept medical courses for nurses and “school” law courses.
Senior Career Teacher (SCT) Salary Upgrade
Things to remember:
- Applicant must complete an SCT Salary Upgrade Form and submit official Master’s transcript, sealed in official college envelope, which shows conferred Master’s Degree with date awarded, along with the other official, sealed transcripts which make up the additional credits.
- SCT requires 90 credits beyond the Bachelor’s Degree or a PhD.
- SCT requires 2 professional certifications or 1 K-12 certification area; applicant should submit a copy of professional certifications.
- SCT requires that applicant completed 10 years of teaching experience as a teacher in SDP. We do not count long-term sub work.
- Credits must be from a 4-year accredited college or university; credits from junior college and/or community college are not accepted.
- Degrees from other countries must be evaluated by a National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services member; WES is one that is frequently used but any member can be used by the applicant. A list of members can be found at http://www.naces.org/.
- We do not accept courses in real estate, law, medicine or religion because they cannot be used in the classroom. We will, however, accept medical courses for nurses and “school” law courses.
- School Nurses, Occupational/Physical Therapist and Psychologist cannot attain Senior Career Teacher salary status.
- Some colleges/universities use quarter hours. The School District of Philadelphia considers quarter hour credits to be 2/3 of a semester hour and will use the following calculation to convert those credits to semester hours: total number of quarter hours multiplied by 2 and divided by 3 = number of semester hours. A few of the universities that use a quarter hour system are Antioch, California State – East Bay, and Drexel. Contact the institution’s Registrar’s Office to inquire.
Vocational Education Teacher Salary Upgrade (Credits earned at a community college ARE acceptable for Vocational Education Teachers)
Master’s Equivalency
Applicant for Master’s’ Equivalency certificate in the Vocational Trade area must submit a complete set of sealed, official transcripts showing a total of 90 semester credit hours.
Up to (12) In-Service credits may be used. A completion rating of satisfactory is required.
Master’s Plus 30
Applicants for Master’s’ Plus 30 in the Vocational Trade area must submit a copy of their Vocational II Certificate and a sealed, official transcript showing a total of 120 semester credit hours.
Senior Career Teacher
Applicants for Senior Career Teacher in the Vocational Trade area must have completed TEN (10) years satisfactory teaching service with the School District for Philadelphia, this service must be in school year increments.
Applicants must submit a copy of a valid Pennsylvania Vocational II certificate and a sealed, official transcript showing 45 approved college credits.
Transcripts and supporting documents for all of the above should be sent or hand-delivered to:
The School District of Philadelphia
Educational Center
Certification Office
440 North Broad Street, Suite 222
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Salary adjustments for all of the above will be effective* on the first day of the pay period in which the last credential is received by the Certification Office.
