Begin Main Content Area

​CSPG 25 - Career and Technical Emergency Permits

Modified: December 2022

A person holding a valid Pennsylvania career and technical emergency permit is qualified to teach career and technical programs in grades 7 through 12.

Career and technical education provide the skills and knowledge students need in a career and technical center or in a secondary school offering approved career and technical programs.

This document contains the following sections:

  • General Policies.
  • Application Process.
  • Documents Required for Career & Technical Emergency Permits.
  • Types of Emergency Permits;
  • Special Considerations; and
  • Summary of Changes.

General Policies

Emergency permits are requested by the chief school administrator of a local education agency (LEA) that has a permanent, temporary, or day-to-day opening for a professional employee. The emergency permit (except locally-issued) is valid from the first day of the month of issuance, until the last day of summer school in that school year.

The LEA is required to post any permanent or long-term vacancy for a minimum of ten days on the LEA's website before submitting an initial or reissuance application for an emergency permit to fill the vacancy.

Application Process

Initial Application: This is the first emergency permit application in the desired subject area and type requested by an LEA for an individual.

Reissuance: This is the second or subsequent emergency permit application of the same subject area and type requested by the same LEA for the same individual.

  1. The candidate initiates and submits an emergency permit request via the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS), at the request of an employing LEA, and affiliates with the LEA by searching and selecting them from a drop-down menu.
  2. When the request is received by the LEA, they select the type of emergency permit and subject area(s) through their TIMS dashboard, select the payment method, and submit the application. NOTE: The LEA determines who is responsible for the payment.
  3. The candidate or the LEA submits the documents listed on the TIMS cover sheet (documents may not be needed).

Documents Required for Career and Technical Emergency Permits

  1. Transcripts
    • A transcript reflecting a minimum of a bachelor's degree is required for:
      • Initial emergency permit for Career and Technical Administrative Director when the applicant does not hold a PA certificate.
    • Transcript with credits is required for:
      • Reissuance of an emergency permit with an educational obligation (Type 01) for cooperative education, career and technical supervisor, and career and technical administrative director emergency permits.
    • Submission Process
      • Electronically direct from the college or university to ra-teachercert@pa.gov; or
      • In an unopened college-sealed envelope; or
      • From the employing LEA if the certifying officer:
        • Received the electronic transcripts directly from the college or university or in college-sealed envelopes; and
        • Writes the name of the LEA directly on the original transcript, marks it as "OFFICIAL," signs, and dates it; and
        • Forwards it directly to the Division of Certification Services electronically or by mail along with the TIMS application coversheet.
  2. PDE requires a copy of the current and valid PA professional license/certification for Type 04 and Type 01 career and technical emergency permits in the following occupational competency areas:
    • Aircraft Maintenance (2503).
    • Aircraft Powerplant (2505).
    • Barbering (2011).
    • Cosmetology (2093).
    • Dental Assistant (2201).
    • Emergency Care Attendant (EMT) (2299);
    • Fire Science/Firefighting (2124).
    • Health Assistant (2202).
    • Health Related Technology (2214).
    • Medical Assistant (2207).
    • Medical Records Technology (2206).
    • Nurse's Aide (2213).
    • Pilot and Flight Crew (2508).
    • Rehabilitation Aide (2223).
    • Remote Aircraft Pilot (2509).
    • Surgical Technology (2134) and
    • Veterinarian Assistant (2250).
  3. Required credentials for non-U.S. citizens and individuals prepared outside of the United States – see CSPG 5.

Types of Emergency Permits

  1. Career and Technical Locally-Issued Day-to-Day Substitute:
    The chief school administrator or career and technical school administrative director is authorized to use a substitute occupational practitioner when no properly certified teachers are available.
    • This emergency permit is valid for 20 days of substitute service and may be renewed for an additional 20 school days upon the approval of the Secretary. A locally-issued renewal form (PDF) is submitted to the Bureau.
    • This emergency permit does not qualify the holder to serve as a regularly employed teacher to fill a vacant position or as a long-term substitute.
    • An application in TIMS is not required.
    • A record of days worked should be kept in the educator's personnel file.  Nothing is needed from PDE.
  2. Career and Technical Day-to-Day Substitute (Type 06):
    • A Type 06 Career and Technical emergency permit is issued to qualify a person for service as a day-to-day substitute in any Career and Technical certificate area.
    • If service exceeds 20 days in a single assignment, a long-term substitute permit (Type 04) is required.
  3. Long-Term Substitute with No Educational Obligation (Type 04):
    A Type 04 permit is requested for a temporary position that will exceed 20 consecutive days in a single assignment and when future employment in the position is not anticipated by the LEA. Following are examples of these types of vacancies:
    • Temporary coverage (i.e., sabbatical, medical, maternity, etc.)
    • Coverage while recruiting
    • Coverage for a position eliminated at the end of the school year
      A Type 04 permit can be re-issued one time in the same subject area per LEA.
  4. Vacant Position with an Educational Obligation (Type 01):
    A Type 01 permit is requested for a position that will exceed 20 consecutive days in a single assignment when the LEA anticipates filling the vacant position. Following are examples of qualifying vacancies:
      • New Position
      • Resignation
      • Termination
      • Retirement
      • Death

    The educator agrees to enroll in a state-approved Career and Technical certification program and complete the requirements for reissuance. Career and Technical applicants must hold a high school diploma (or equivalent) and have the required years (as noted below) of paid experience in the trade.

    NOTE:

      • An applicant for a Career and Technical Intern certificate must present acceptable evidence of at least four years (8,000 hours) of wage-earning experience in the occupation to be taught.
      • An applicant for a Career and Technical Instructional I certificate must present four years (8,000 hours) of wage-earning experience in the occupation taught or two years (4,000 hours) of wage-earing experience in the occupation to be taught plus a baccalaureate degree

    Issuance of a Type 01 Career and Technical area requires submission of a PDE 338 ES (PDF) form or a signed letter on college letterhead from the preparing PA Career and Technical university verifying entrance in a state-approved Career and Technical program.

    Reissuance of a Type 01 Cooperative Education, Career and Technical Supervisor, and Career and Technical Administrative Director requires evidence of enrollment in a state-approved educator program and completion of the required credits in the program.

      • First reissuance credit requirements are based on the date of the initial emergency permit issuance as follows:
        • August 1 – November 30 = 6 program credits.
        • December 1 – March 31 = 3 program credits.
        • April 1 – July 31 = proof of a program enrollment.
      • Second reissuance and all subsequent reissuances may be requested with proof of nine certification program credits.
      • An emergency permit may be reissued one time after the program is completed for testing purposes if the test(s) has been attempted in the previous year. The LEA must alert PDE that the permit being requested is based on testing.
  5. Act 97 Waiver (Type 02):
    Furloughed Teachers
    Refer to CSPG No.14 – Act 97 Waiver of Certificat​ion.

Special Considerations

  1. Inactive and Voluntary Inactive Pennsylvania certificate holders may work for a total of 180 days per school year as a day-to-day or long-term substitute in their certificate area only.
    • An emergency permit is not needed to work in the certificate subject area (24 P.S. § 12-1205.2).
    • Type 06 emergency permit is required when the individual is working outside of their certificate area(s). Substituting for an individual professional or temporary professional employee outside of their certificate area beyond 20 days requires a Type 04 long term substitute permit.
    • These two options combined cannot exceed 180 days per school year.
  2. Career and Technical Emergency Permits will not be issued under the following circumstances:
    • Candidate holds a lapsed Career and Technical Intern certificate in the subject area being requested.
    • Candidate holds a lapsed Career and Technical Instructional I certificate in any subject area and is requesting an emergency permit in any Career and Technical subject area.
    • Candidate holds a lapsed Career and Technical Supervisor I or Career and Technical certificate in the specific credential area being requested; and
    • Candidate voluntarily deleted the subject area being requested from his/her certificate.
  3. The employing LEA may request emergency permits for substitute teachers provided by private agencies or contractors.
  4. Emergency permits may not be requested during a legal work stoppage.

References

22 Pa. Code §49.31, 49.32, 49.33, 49.34; 49:153; 24 P.S. §11-1122

This revision supersedes all earlier CSPGs addressing this subject. Previous CSPG printing dates on this subject: 3/75, 8/76, 1/87, 7/04, 9/10, 4/18,10/18, 1/20.

Summary of Changes

​Date of Revisions​Major Changes to CSPG #25
​12/2022 As per Chapter 49:
  • Added the acceptance of master’s or higher degrees for certification in lieu of bachelor’s degrees.
​2/2022 ​Revisions made for Act 91 of 2021
​1/2020​Updated terminology per Act 76 from “ vocational” to “career and technical”
​10/2018
  • Added occupational competency numbers to the list of licenses/certifications required for type 04 and type 01 emergency permits.
  • Changed Fire Science to Firefighting.
  • Removed Protective Services Occupations.
​4/2018
  • Vocational Emergency Permits were removed from CSPG 13 and entered in CSPG 25.
  • Adjustment of required credit obligations for requesting a Type 01 emergency permit reissuance.
  • Clarification and adjustment of conditions for requesting a Type 01 or Type 04 emergency permit.
  • Added information on Vocational Locally-Issued Day-to-Day Substitute permits.
  • Listed the licenses required for specific vocational emergency permits.
​9/2010​Information listed in CSPG #13:
  • Vocational candidates seeking a Type 01 emergency permit do not need to submit a PDE 338 ES form with the initial application.
  • The PDE 338 ES form is required for Vocational Type 01 reissuance only.
​7/2004​Listed steps and processes for Vocational Instructional Emergency Permits.
​1/1987​A Bachelor’s degree was not required for Vocational Instructional emergency permits.