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Human Resources → Educator Certification Information → MSDE Certificate → Senior Status

Senior Status Qualification Information

Do You Have Senior Status?

If you will complete or have completed at least 25 years of public or non-public professional school service, in Maryland or any other state, or you are or will be at least 55 years of age any time within the validity dates of your current certificate, you qualify for senior status for MCPS.

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) allows school systems to use this option to request the certificate renewal of its professionally contracted educators who are eligible.  Any coursework on file will be added to your State records; however, there is no need to submit equivalent activities.  You will continue to hold a professional Maryland certificate and there is no indication on the certificate that it was renewed using this allowance/option. 

Icon - star blue If you resign or retire from MCPS before your certificate expires, you will no longer be contracted; therefore, the senior status allowance is not an option for renewing your Maryland certificate.  In that instance, you must submit renewal requirements along with your request to renew your certificate directly to MSDE.

What Senior Status Does NOT Mean

PLEASE NOTE: Senior status is only for certificate renewal and does NOT exempt an educator from the following:

  • Meeting the MSDE Lauryn's Law requirement if the educator holds the School Counselor endorsement area on their Maryland Educator Certificate at time of renewal.

  • Meeting the MSDE maintenance of Braille proficiency requirement if the educator holds the Visually Impaired endorsement area on their Maryland Educator Certificate at time of renewal.

  • Meeting local MCPS requirements for math and science content coursework if the early childhood, elementary, or special educator is a classroom teacher, teaching math and/or science, for grades PK-8.  NOTE:  Local MCPS requirements are separate and apart from and are NOT tied to Maryland Educator Certification renewal requirements in any way.

 

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