CSPG 33 - Business, Computer and Information Technology
Modified: September 1, 2019
Business, Computer and Information Technology 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 business environments and applying a variety of business principles and techniques which are used in personal, postsecondary 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, Computer and Information Technology courses in grades K-12.
Certification Assignment
The Business, Computer and Information Technology 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, working with a database, spreadsheet manipulation, desktop publishing, accessing shared information resources via networks or Internet, multi-media, web-page design, and other emerging software. Also included are business programming and operating systems, including hardware and software applications.
Other courses and programs which the Business, Computer and Information Technology educator can teach include areas such as 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, business/English/communication, etc.
Certificate Clarifications
The Pennsylvania certified Business, Computer and Information Technology teacher may provide career planning, job shadowing, and other exploratory experiences and community transition experiences in the Business, Computer and Information Technology education area.
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 the certificates which they hold in K-12.
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), 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 Sept. 1, 2003, newly hired educators assigned to computer education must hold the Business Computer and Information Technology certificate or an older titled business certificate listed as appropriate in CSPG #033.
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. From the 2004-2005 school-year to June 2011 there was a temporary easing of this requirement. However, as of August 1, 2011, newly assigned computer education teachers may not be elementary certified teachers.
Teachers assigned to computer education classes on any level I or II certificate and hired prior to Sept. 1, 2003 may be retained as long as they remain in those positions. Once a computer education position is vacated, staffing must be in accordance with the guidelines provided relative to CSPG #033.
Individuals holding valid Pennsylvania certificates issued under 1961 regulations for business education in which specific subjects were written on the certificate, in addition to and under the business education endorsement, may teach the specific subjects listed on their certificate as well as general business courses. These general business courses include business and consumer law, business economics, consumer economics, office practice, principles of selling, business English and business mathematics.
Special Considerations
An educator certified in Business, Computer and Information Technology may provide school staff professional development services regarding their collegial studies/skills, may serve in the role of mentor or advisor, and may assist students in understanding the “reading” content area materials related to this subject area.
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.
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, §49.142
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
| 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.
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| 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.) |