Begin Main Content Area

​CSPG 33 - Business/Computer and Information Technology, PK-12

​Instructional Area Code 1603
Modified: August 3, 2023

Business/Computer and Information Technology (BCIT) programs provide students with the fundamental concepts and tools of business, computer, and information technology.  The skills that students take from these programs are necessary for living and working in today's world, including the application of business principles and techniques which are used in personal, post-secondary, and occupational settings.

Grade Level Scope of Certificate

A person holding a valid certificate for Business/Computer and Information Technology is qualified to teach business and basic computer and information technology courses in grades PK-12.

Certification Assignment

The BCIT-certified educator is qualified to teach courses which include areas of computer software applications and incorporate the use of business-related and industry-specific software. Course and program content in this area includes, but is not limited to, keyboarding, word processing, information processing, database application, spreadsheet manipulation, desktop publishing, accessing shared information resources via networks or Internet, multi-media, web-page design, and other emerging software, as well as business programming and operating systems, including hardware and software applications. 

Other courses and programs which the BCIT-certified educator is certified to teach include entrepreneurship, international business, business math, accounting, banking and finance, marketing concepts, merchandising, management concepts, American and global business economics, consumer economics, budgeting, investing and taxes, personal finances, small business management, electronic commerce, business and consumer law, sales and contracts, business organization, insurance, and business communication.

Certificate Clarifications

The BCIT certified educator may also teach career planning and exploration as well as supervise job shadowing experiences. 

Individuals holding Pennsylvania certificates for Office Technology (or the older Typewriting certificate), Data Processing, or Secretarial may teach the above computer and technology-related courses which are related to the content of their certificate(s). 

Individuals holding the former Pennsylvania Business Education Marketing certificate may teach basic marketing courses to students in grades K-12. 

Individuals holding valid Pennsylvania certificates for Accounting (or the older Bookkeeping certificate) may teach Accounting to students in grades K-12. 

Individuals holding valid Pennsylvania certificates for Accounting (or Bookkeeping), Data Processing, Marketing, Secretarial (or Shorthand), and Office Technology (or Typewriting) may teach general business courses such as business and consumer law, principals of selling, office practice, business economics, business English and business mathematics. 

An individual who has received a letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) approving an individual to teach computer courses using any level I or II certificate with a Program Specialist certificate may continue to teach the course of study in the specific school entity for which the approval was received until that specific assignment of the individual changes. Effective September 1, 2003, newly hired educators assigned to basic computer and business education must hold the Business/ Computer and Information Technology certificate or an older titled business certificate listed as appropriate in this CSPG. 

As of August 1, 2011, a person holding an Elementary Education certificate may not be assigned as the teacher of record in the computer lab or resource center when elementary students are grouped separately and scheduled for instruction in business/ computer and information technology.  

Teachers assigned to computer education classes on any level I or II certificate prior to Sept. 1, 2003, may be retained as long as they remain in those positions. Once the position is vacated, staffing must be in accordance with the CSPG.

Special Considerations

An educator certified in this field may:

  • provide professional development related to their collegial studies;
  • serve in the role of mentor or advisor; and
  • assist students in understanding how to read content area materials.

Restrictions

An individual holding a valid Pennsylvania business certificate issued prior to February 1961 may only teach those specific business education subjects listed on their certificate. Appropriate certification is dependent on the content of courses being offered by a school entity. 

As per CSP​G 71 (Computer Science), educators holding a Business/Computer and Information PK-12 certificate and employed to teach computer science in a Commonwealth LEA on December 31, 2022 may continue to do so.  Educators employed to teach computer science in grades 7-12 for the first time after December 31, 2022, or who hold a Business/Computer and Information Technology PK-12 certificate and accept employment to teach computer science in grades 7-12 in a different LEA after December 31, 2022, must hold the PDE-issued Computer Science certificate. 

References

Program Specific Guidelines for Certification.

22 PA Code: Chapter 4: §4.21(e)(1), (2), (3); §4.21(f)(2), (3); §4.22(b), (c)(2), (3), (6), (9); §4.23(b), (c)(7), (d)(1), (2), (e); §4.31(a), (b), (c)

Chapter 49: §49.11, §49.81

PA Public School Code: §1202, §1604

This revision supersedes all earlier CSPGs carrying this number and/or addressing this subject.  Previous printing dates on this subject:  0/76, 1/87, 3/92, 7/04, 6/05, 7/12.

Summary of Changes

​Date of Revisions
​Major Changes to CPSG #33
​8/2023
​Updated formatting and terminology.
Added restriction regarding the teaching of Computer Science.
​9/2019
​Updated grade scope for consistency and clarification.
​5/2013​Under Certification Clarifications, paragraph two, replaced “at any grade level” with “in Kindergarten through grade 12” for consistency and clarification. (Date of CSPG was not changed.)
​7/2012​Incorporated clarification from memo of 6/2002: Teachers hired to teach computer education on any Instructional I or II certificate prior to 9/1/2003 under CSPG #113 of 12/1990 may continue in such an assignment. If a break occurs in the assignment within the district to teacher computer education, then the assignment must be filled by one of the appropriate certificates listed in CSPG #033.
​6/2005​Proposed change from K-12 to 7-12 was never approved. The draft appeared on the public website until discovered and removed in June 2011.
​7/2004​Teachers hired after 9/1/2003 to teach computer education should hold one of the certificates listed in CSPG #033 of 7/2004.
​CSPG #113 – 12/1990​Academic computer education may be staffed by any Instructional I or II certificate according to CSPG #113 of 12/1990.
​CSPG #80 – 10/1990​Computer education may be staffed by any Instructional I or II certificate with reference to CSPG #80 of 10/1990.
​CSPG #80A – 10/1990​The Program Specialist certificate used upon request from a district and approval by PDE for the purposes of a computer education assignment was discontinued according to CSPG #80A of 10/1990.
​CSPG #38 – 3/1992
  • ​Five business education certificate titles issued 5/1/1985 and prior to 9/1/2003: Accounting, Data Processing, Marketing, Secretarial, Office Technology.
  • Five business education certificate titles issued 7/1/1969: Accounting, Data Processing, Marketing, Secretarial, Typewriting.
  • Business education certificates issued prior to 2/1/1961 had endorsements added. The certificate holder could only teach the endorsement areas added to their business certificate.
​CSPG #62 – 3/1975​A school entity could apply for a Program Specialist certificate for a candidate holding an Instructional certificate along with a letter of request and a job description to the PDE requesting that the assignment would be for computer education (or another assignment listed in CSPG #62 of 3/1975.)