​Principals, assistant principals, and vice principals are required to complete a Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)-approved Principal Induction Program and convert from an Administrative I to an Administrative II certificate within five years of initial appointment as a principal, assistant principal, or vice principal in commonwealth public schools*.  Note the applicability below:

• All persons issued an Administrative certificate prior to January 1, 2008, but who are employed for the first time as a principal or assistant/vice principal in a commonwealth public school on or after January 1, 2008. This requirement includes administrators assigned to “acting" principal or assistant/vice principal positions.
• All persons issued an Administrative I certificate on or after January 1, 2008, who are employed as principal or assistant/vice principal in a commonwealth public school. This requirement includes administrators assigned to “acting" principal or assistant/vice principal positions.
• All persons hired on an Administrative Provisional I certificate who complete PIL Induction as the program requirement for certification must complete a PDE-approved Principal Induction Program within two years from the date of employment in the position.   

Administrative Provisional certificate I holders who complete an approved Administrative certificate program as their program requirement must complete the program and testing within two years; but have five years from the date of hire in which to complete the PIL Induction.

• The induction/continuing education requirement begins on the date of service in an Act 45-covered position. The LEA PIMS staffing report will inform PDE/PERMS of the administrator's change to an Act 45-designated title; however, the requirement may not be visible on the PERMS record for several months. Note: PDE Certification Information is available on the TIMS Website. 

*Note these exceptions: 

• Administrative (Type 78) certificates that are valid for 99 years require completion of the Principal Induction Program only if initially hired in a public school as a principal, vice, or assistant principal position on or after January 1, 2008.
• Administrative Provisional I holders who complete PIL Induction as the program requirement for certification must complete the induction and testing requirement and convert to an Administrative I within two years of employment.  
  

​All certified school and system leaders who serve in the following positions in a commonwealth public school:

1. Assistant or Vice Principal
2. Principal
3. Assistant Superintendent
4. Superintendent
5. Assistant Intermediate Unit Executive Director
6. Intermediate Unit Executive Director
7. Director of a Career and Technology Center
   

• ​All persons employed as school and system leaders must complete 180 hours of Act 45/PIL continuing professional education every five years. The number of hours is prorated during the period when first hired in one of the positions listed above.
  
• The original end date of the five-year cycle does not change when the individual is first hired in the school and system leader position (e.g., Act 48 compliance period is from 2021-2026. The educator becomes a principal in 2023. PERMS will calculate the Act 45/PIL hours to be completed by the new principal based on the beginning service date as reported, but the compliance period remains through 2026).
• School and system leaders are required to fulfill the Act 45/PIL hours in PDE-approved programs that address one or more of the eight PA school leadership standards.
  

• The date of hire in one of the seven designated positions marks the beginning of the Act 45/PIL continuing professional education requirements regardless of the number of regular Act 48 hours that the administrator may have previously earned. For example, if you are hired in one of these seven positions half-way through your Act 48 compliance period, you must earn half of the required 180 hours in Act 45/PIL hours before the cycle ends.
  
• The number of Act 45/PIL hours are to be completed for the remainder of the school or system leader's continuing professional education compliance period even if they are not displayed in PERMS. This information may not appear on the individual's record until the new position is included in the school district's annual spring PIMS report to PDE.​
  

• ​All PDE PIL Program courses provide Act 45 continuing professional education hours, including those approved for the Principal Induction Program. The courses are found on the PDE PIL website.
• PDE-approved Superintendent Letter of Eligibility program courses provide Act 45 continuing professional education hours.
  
• A list of non-PDE courses approved to provide Act 45 continuing professional education hours is located on the PDE PIL website.