AEA initiates PLU/CEU opportunities at convenient
locations statewide for the 2011-2012 school year

2012 PLU Workshop Registration Form

This year members will be able to get their Professional Learning Units (PLUs) and Continuing Education Units(CEUs) at convenient locations around the state, and within easy driving distance of any member to gain the professional development they need for certification purposes.
AEA's Education Policy and Professional Practice (EPPP) Department is launching its third year of professional studies for educators who need to earn Professional Learning Units (PLUs).
The following professional studies presented by the EPPP Department have been approved by the Alabama Council for Leadership Development (ACLD) and will be offered for the eight Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders:
Standard 1 – Planning for Continuous Improvement
Standard 2 – Teaching and Learning
Standard 3 – Human Resources Development
Standard 4 – Diversity
Standard 5 – Community and Stakeholder Relationships
Standard 6 – Technology
Standard 7 – Management of the Learning Organization
Standard 8 – Ethics

PLU requirements are based on the instructional leader certification held, not the position or role in which an individual serves. An individual must earn PLUs if he or she holds one of the following certificates:
Superintendent
Superintendent-Principal
Principal
Educational Administrator
Supervisor (any subject and/or grade level)
Administrator of Career and Technical Education
Instructional Leader
Practicing Instructional Leader
Persons who wish to participate in a professional study to earn a PLU in Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8, must attend two different training events. Persons may begin their professional studies at any event with the exception of those held in June 2012. After attending face-to-face training sessions, participants must complete PLU assignments, engage in interactive online discussions, and collaborate on AEA's online Instructional Leaders' Forum.
Participants who wish to earn CEUs may also participate in the training events. The registration fee is $30 for AEA members (which includes lunch). The fee for non-members is $500 for the PLUs and $150.00 for the CEUs.
Persons who are unable to work on assignments with others in their school systems or who do not work in a school system may attend AEA PLU Collaboration Camps in December or June to collaborate with colleagues and complete assignments. Persons who have already attended one training event previously in the school year may also attend a June PLU Camp to satisfy the requirement of attending two training events. Again, however, no one may begin training sessions at a June PLU Camp.
For more information, contact the AEA Education Policy and Professional Practices Department at 1-800-392-5839.
*PLU Collaboration Camps - Participants may attend to earn CEUs, work on PLU assignments, and/or make-up training sessions missed. Participants may not begin a professional study to earn a PLU. However, one may attend to complete a PLU.

The training event dates and locations to earn CEUs and/or begin professional studies to earn PLUs are listed below. A date is also included for attendance at a PLU Collaboration Camp.
September 10, 2011 - Mobile
September 17, 2011 – Huntsville
September 24, 2011 – Gadsden
October 22, 2011 – Florence
November 4-6, 2011 – Minority Leadership Training Conference, Orange Beach
November 19, 2011 – Montgomery
December 10, 2011 – Birmingham (PLU Camp)
January 28, 2012 – Tuscaloosa
February 4, 2012 – Selma
February 11, 2012 - Ozark
March 26, 2012 – Birmingham – Professional Development Conference
*June 2, 2012 – Mobile - PLU Collaboration Camp
*June 6, 2012 – Birmingham - PLU Collaboration Camp
*June 8, 2012 – Prattville - PLU Collaboration Camp

What administrators and supervisors need to know about renewing their Professional Educator Certificate

Here's a review of things you need to know about the Professional Educator Certificate in areas of administration and/or supervision. These areas include educational administrator, superintendent, principal, supervisor, career and technical administrator, and instructional leader.
Educators who hold a Professional Educator Certificate in areas of Administration and/or Supervision with an expiration date of June 30, 2011, have a choice of options for renewal.
One can renew his/her certification by earning Professional Learning units (PLUs) or
One may renew with 50 clock hours of professional development.
All documentations and requirements to continue a certificate with a July 1, 2011, beginning valid date must be met by August 31, 2011. Also, both the application and fee must be received in the Teacher Certification Office no later than December 31, 2011.
When an educator earns the required number of PLUs to renew his or her Professional Educator Certificate in areas of Administration and/or Supervision, all other areas of certification held are also renewed.
The deadline to submit information to renew certificates that expire on June 30, 2012, is June 30, 2012.
If all documentation is not submitted by June 30, 2012, then that certificate will lapse. Educators who allow their certificates to lapse have until August 31, 2012, to meet requirements, all PLUs, clock hours of allowable professional development and allowable graduate credit earned and completed (between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2012) and applied toward the reinstatement of a certificate. Applications and fees to reinstate an expired certificate must be received in the Teacher Certification Office no later than December 31, 2012. If they do so, then their certificates will still have a valid period beginning July 1, 2012.
If the Professional Educator Certificate has expired for more than six months from the date of expiration, the applicant must successfully complete the requirements of the Alabama Prospective Teacher Testing Program (APTTP). Testing requirements must be met on test administration dates no later than December 31, 2012, for a valid period beginning July 1, 2012.
If an educator has Professional Educator Certificate in areas of Administration and/or Supervision and allows it to lapse, meeting requirements to renew the certificate will also meet requirements to renew all other areas listed on his or her certificate. Only meeting requirements to renew teaching areas on a lapsed certificate will not meet requirements for renewal of areas in administration and supervision.
In the next issue, the Professional Educator Certificate (areas other than educational administrator, superintendent, principal, supervisor, career and technical administrator and instructional leader) will be addressed.
The items in this article highlight important points about Professional Educator Certificate in areas of administration and/or supervision.
For more information and details, please go to the Alabama Department of Education Web site at http://tcert.alsde.edu. Click on "Certification" and then "Certification Documents" for the appropriate summary sheets applicable to the area of certification.

Update Regarding PLU Requirements for Renewal

There has recently been a change in the 2011 renewal requirements which provides additional options for holders of Alabama Professional Educator Certificates in areas of administration and/or supervision (currently called Alabama Professional Leadership Certificates) who are seeking to continue those certificates with a beginning valid date of July 1, 2011. This change provides additional options for renewal; some that include Professional Learning Units (PLUs), and some that do not.

The revised renewal options (including PLUs and not including PLUs) and related information may be found at http://tcert.alsde.edu on the summary sheet entitled, REVISED 2011 Requirements for the Renewal of Professional Educator Certificates in Areas of Administration and/or Supervision 06/2011.

Individuals who have not yet continued their Alabama Professional Educator Certificate in an area of administration and/or supervision for 2011 are being sent a letter (copy attached) advising them of this change along with directions on how to continue their certificate. A letter will also be mailed to those who elected not to meet the PLU requirement for 2010 and they too will have the option to continue their certificate.

For individuals holding administrative and/or supervision certification expiring in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, an individualized letter will be mailed to each holder at the address we currently have on file to inform each individual that he/she must meet PLU requirements to renew his/her Alabama Professional Leadership Certificates.

If you have any questions please contact the certification staff member assigned to your school system.


Sarah P. Justiss
State Teacher Certification Officer
Alabama Department of Education