Professional Development Points

Professional Development Points (PDPs) are measured as follows:

  • 1 clock hour is equivalent to one PDP

  • 1 semester hour of college credit is equivalent to 15 PDPs

  • One MSDE-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit is equivalent to 15 PDPs

  • One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is equivalent to 10 PDPs*

*CEUs must be from an accredited International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) provider or approved by another Maryland State agency for licensure purposes. Professional development activities will otherwise be measured in clock/contact hours.


How can I earn PDPs?

Educators may accrue PDPs by completing any of the following professional development activities:

  • College coursework that leads to credit from an accredited institution of higher education (earned or taught)

  • Professional learning experience that results in MSDE-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or Core of Knowledge (COK) credit, (earned or taught)

  • Professional learning experience that results in Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from an accredited International Association for Continuing Education and Training provider

  • Professional learning experience that results in Continuing Education Units (CEUs) approved by another Maryland State agency (e.g., Department of Health) for purposes of licensure by that agency (e.g., Maryland social workers license)

  • Attending or presenting at a professional conference, which is defined as a workshop, institute, or seminar of 4 or more hours that contributes to ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development

  • Curriculum development

    • Curriculum development is a group activity in which the license holder contributes to the improvement of the curriculum of a school, a school division, or an educational institution

    • This includes the alignment of curriculum frameworks, instructional materials, and assessments to provide a system with clear expectations of what is to be taught and learned

    • For each curriculum developed, the educator may earn 30 PDPs

  • Publication of a book or article

    • The license holder shall ensure that the book or article contributes to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the license holder’s teaching area or instructional position

    • The educator shall ensure that an article is published in a recognized professional journal

    • The educator shall ensure that books are published for purchase

    • For each book published, the educator may earn 75 PDPs. For each article published, the educator may earn 10 PDPs

  • Mentorship

    • Mentoring is the process by which an experienced professional who has received mentorship training helps one or more individuals to improve their performance

    • Assistance may involve role modeling, direct instruction, demonstration, observation with feedback, developing of plans, and consultation to promote instructional excellence and increased student achievement

    • Mentoring may include the supervision of a field experience of a pre-service student teacher or an intern in an approved teacher preparation program, as well as mentoring as part of the induction process for a beginning teacher

  • Micro-credentials

    • Micro-credentials are a digital form of certification indicating demonstrated competency/mastery in a specific skill or set of skills

    • Educators identify a competency they want to develop, submit evidence that they have mastered the competency, and receive a digital badge once the evidence is approved

    • Micro-credentials can be earned by non-profit and for-profit entities approved by a Maryland local education agency, State-operated school, approved nonpublic school, or the MSDE

    • For each micro-credential earned, the educator may earn 10 PDPs

  • Any professional development activity that is a minimum of one clock hour and approved by the MSDE, a Maryland local education agency, another Maryland state agency, a Maryland-approved nonpublic school, or another state department of education for purposes of professional development

  • Occupational experience

    • Occupational experience may only be used to earn PDPs if the educator holds a license in an area of Professional Technical Education (PTE)

    • Occupational experience related to the career area being taught may be used to earn PDPs

    • For every 10 hours worked, the educator may earn 1 PDP

    • Occupational experience is limited to a maximum of 15 PDPs


Where can I log my PDPs?

The Individualized Professional Development Plan includes a Professional Development Points Activity Log. This log should be used to track PDPs during the validity period of the license and uploaded in the continuing education tab of the renewal application.


How many and what type of PDPs do I need to renew my license?

All professional license holders need 90 PDPs to renew. Visit our Renewal and Advancement webpage for further information about what areas of professional learning are required.