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Disciplinary Sanctions

Types of Discipline

The Educator Discipline Act (PDF) provides for the following types of discipline:

  • Private Reprimand - an admonishment to the educator for his or her conduct. A reprimand does not invalidate an educator's certification or eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or contracted educational provider*, but may be considered in a subsequent disciplinary proceeding against an educator should future conduct warrant additional discipline. Notice of a private reprimand is not communicated to the field or released to the public but does remain on the educator's certification record.

  • Public Reprimand - an admonishment to the educator for his or her conduct. A reprimand does not invalidate an educator's certification or his eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or a contracted educational provider, but may be considered in a subsequent proceeding against an educator should future conduct warrant additional discipline. Notice of a public reprimand is sent to the field via PENN*LINK, is posted on the Department's website and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse. A public reprimand shall remain on the educator's certification record.

  • Suspension - a temporary termination of any certificate held by the educator or eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or by a contracted educational provider, either for a specified period of time or until the educator meets certain conditions. An educator may not be employed in a position for which certification or for which eligibility for employment is required during the duration of the suspension. Notice of a suspension is sent to the field via PENN*LINK, is posted on the Department's website and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse.

  • Revocation - a termination of all certificates held by the educator or of the educator's eligibility to be employed in a charter or cyber charter school or by a contracted educational provider. An educator whose certification or employment eligibility has been revoked may not be employed in a position for which certification or employment eligibility is required until or unless his or her certificate or employment eligibility has been reinstated. Notice of a revocation is sent to the field via PENN*LINK, is posted on the Department's website and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse. In some cases, reinstatement is prohibited by law.

  • Surrender - the termination by consent of a certificate or eligibility. A surrender has the same effect as a revocation. An educator whose certification or employment eligibility has been surrendered may not be employed in a position for which certification or employment eligibility is required until or unless his or her certification or employment eligibility has been reinstated. Notice of a surrender is sent to the field via PENN*LINK and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse.

Reciprocal Discipline against an educator who holds Pennsylvania certification or employment eligibility may occur whenever the Commission receives notice that another state or jurisdiction has imposed discipline against the educator's certification for conduct that would be actionable in Pennsylvania and the Commission determines that the discipline imposed by the other jurisdiction is comparable to discipline that would be imposed in Pennsylvania for similar misconduct.

The Department may also request that the Commission enter a finding that the educator is guilty of sexual abuse or exploitation. If the Commission enters such finding, the educator is not eligible for reinstatement. The Commission may also determine that the educator poses a danger to the health, safety or welfare of children or others in the schools and order that any discipline be imposed immediately. In the event that immediate discipline is imposed, an appeal of the Commission's decision does not stay the discipline.

* Contracted educational providers are individuals or entities with which a school entity has contracted to provide direct educational services to its students.

Note that any educator whose certification or employment eligibility has been surrendered, suspended or revoked is not eligible for employment in a school entity in a position requiring certification or for which certification would be required in a traditional public school until their certification or employment eligibility is reinstated. Further, the educator is not eligible for any certificate until reinstated.