One-time 10-year certificate offered

The South Dakota Board of Education recently passed administrative rules that allow educators to acquire a one-time 10-year certificate once they complete an advanced degree. An advanced degree includes a master’s, specialist, doctorate, or National Board Certification.

Any educator who has completed an advanced degree between October 2000 and March 2006 will have the option to have their certificate reflect an expiration date 10 years forward from the date of advanced degree completion. This change of expiration date can be reflected on the certificate without charge. However, a standard fee of $20 will be charged to applicants who request that a new copy of the certificate be mailed to them. 

For any educators completing an advanced degree after March 2006, a request for a one-time 10-year certificate will be honored for a $50 fee.

The Department of Education will send letters to those educators who have an advanced degree currently recorded on the state’s certification system. The letter will give them the option to request that their certificate be adjusted to reflect the extended expiration date. Certificates will not automatically be updated to reflect the 10-year extension from date of completed advanced degree.  

Educators will be provided a change of expiration date form in the mailing. The form must be returned to the department in order to attain the renewal date extension. Those educators who have not previously submitted documentation for advanced degrees may do so by e-mailing the department’s certification officers at certification@state.sd.us.

The 10-year certificate does not eliminate the need for educators to earn six credits for future renewal. At the end of the extended renewal period, every educator that wishes to renew his or her certificate must have earned six credits between the issue date on his or her current certificate and the extended expiration date. However, credits can be any combination of Department of Education-sponsored credits and college credits.