Non-Academic Credit & Continuing Education Unit Information

Non-academic credit is available only from the Teacher Certification office for pre-approved professional learning activities. Travel, institutes, and workshops are the types of activities that may qualify for non-academic credit.

Travel

A minimum of 3 weeks of organized, sponsored educational travel are required for each non- academic credit. Recreational travel will not qualify to earn non-academic credit(s). Travel must be pre-approved to qualify for non-academic credit.

Institutes and Workshops

One non-academic credit may be awarded per 15 contact hours at a single institute or workshop, sponsored by an institution of higher education, a state professional organization, a national professional organization, or an Alaska public school district. Attendance must be pre-approved in order to qualify for non-academic credit.

Note: Individual preparatory and follow-up activities may not be included in the required 15-hour time period. Hours from various events may not be combined to equal 15 contact hours.Non-academic credits must be related to the endorsement area(s) on the certificate which is being renewed. The cost of each non-academic credit applied toward renewal is $50.00.

Pre-Approval Forms

• Non-Academic Credit Pre-Approval Form - Education Travel
• Non-Academic Pre-Approval Form - Institutes & Workshops

Pre-Approval Steps: 

1. Complete the pre-approval form 
2. Upload the completed form to your TEACH-AK dashboard  
3. Complete this Pre-Approval Google Form to inform Teacher Certification Office that it is ready for review. 
4. You will be notified of approval or denial via email and the updated document will be uploaded to your dashboard.
5. When you are ready to apply for a renewal, you must upload it to the "renewal credit" portion of your application, along with supporting documentation (written component, transcripts, certificate, etc.) 
6. If you are receiving non-academic credit, please pay through the Online Payment Center prior to submitting your renewal application.

More information concerning pre-approved non-academic credit and continuing education units is located here. 

Continuing education units must be related to one of the endorsement areas on your certificate(s). One continuing education unit (CEU) may be awarded for a minimum of 15 contact hours at a single professional learning activity sponsored by:

1. A regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education,
2. An organization that has been approved to grant CEUs by the national or state organization that represents the field.
3. An Alaska public school district, or
4. Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

A copy of the certificate of attendance must be submitted as documentation of the hours. If contact hours are not indicated on the certificate of attendance, the agenda must also be submitted, with all attendance clearly marked. If the university, national or state organization that represents the field, or Alaska public school district is not listed on the certificate of attendance, additional documentation from the sponsor of the activity may be requested by the Teacher Education & Certification Office.

Continuing education units do not need pre-approval from the teacher certification office. The supporting documents must be submitted with the application for renewal of the 5-year certificate.

The cost of each continuing education unit applied toward renewal is $50.00

Approved CEU Organizations

The following is a list of national and state professional organizations approved for granting continuing education units. Any certificate of completion submitted for continuing education units must be associated with one of the national or state professional organizations listed below.