Educator Certification

Renewal shall require:

• Completion of an online CA-2 application on the Kentucky Educator Credentialing System (KECS);
• Official transcripts showing six (6) new semester hours of graduate level coursework completed in educational leadership*; OR
• New passing PRAXIS scores required for the Principal certification.

• Appropriate payment through the KECS system via the ePay online payment service for certification fees. Please note that any other forms of payment are not accepted and will be returned to the applicant.

*Renewal of a Principal Statement of Eligibility based on six (6) semester hours is a one time option. 

Level I renewal shall require:

• Completion of an online CA-1 application on the Kentucky Educator Credentialing System (KECS);
• Completion of a Level II program approved by the Education Professional Standards Board pursuant to 16 KAR 5:010;
• Submission of official transcripts to show the coursework for the Level II program has been completed.
• Appropriate payment through the KECS system via the ePay online payment service for certification fees. Please note that any other forms of payment are not accepted and will be returned to the applicant.

Level II renewal shall require:

• Completion of an online CA-2 application on the Kentucky Educator Credentialing System (KECS);
• Two (2) years of experience as a principal or assistance principal; OR
• Three (3) semester hours of additional graduate credit related to educational leadership for each year of experience the applicant has not completed; OR
• Forty-two (42) hours of approved Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) training.
• Appropriate payment through the KECS system via the ePay online payment service for certification fees. Please note that any other forms of payment are not accepted and will be returned to the applicant.

The above Level II renewal requirements must be completed within the last 5 year issuance of the certificate.

Official transcripts showing the hours for renewal must be submitted in addition to the application if renewing based on coursework.

Transcripts are only considered official if submitted one of the following ways:  

• Electronic transcripts sent DIRECTLY from the institution's third-party transcript provider to KDELicensure@education.ky.gov. Electronic transcripts are not accepted if printed by or forwarded by the applicant. 
  
  
• Sent by mail on official transcripts to

KDE Certification
300 Sower Blvd., 5^th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601.  

Official transcripts that are mailed or dropped off at the office are NOT accepted nor returned to the applicant.