Short answer
How do New Jersey teachers renew a certificate and move up the salary guide?
New Jersey defines the standard certificate as a permanent certificate, so it has no renewal cycle. Instead, every teacher works under an individual professional development plan with at least 20 hours of qualifying experiences a year, prorated for part-time work or leave. Pay follows each district's negotiated salary guide.
Source: N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-4.4, Professional Development and N.J.A.C. 6A:9-2.1, New Jersey Department of Education. Checked .
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Do New Jersey teaching certificates need to be renewed?
Not the standard certificate. The definitions section of N.J.A.C. 6A:9, Professional Standards, calls it "a permanent certificate issued to a person who has met all certificate requirements." The same section describes the provisional certificate, the one novice teachers work under first, as a two-year certificate. Once a teacher holds the standard certificate, there is no credit total or hour bank to report to the state on a five-year clock.
What replaces renewal is a yearly obligation set in N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-4.4. Each teacher is guided by an individual professional development plan (PDP) that "shall include at least 20 hours per year of qualifying experiences that support student achievement." The rule spells out how the plan runs:
- Who writes it. The teacher's supervisor develops the plan's content in consultation with the teacher.
- When. The plan is updated each year no later than October 31. A teacher hired after October 1 gets a plan within 25 working days of hire.
- What it covers. At least one area for growth drawn from the teacher's evaluation and one from individual, team, school or district goals.
- Proration. The 20 hours assume full-time work and are reduced pro rata for part-time employment or an absence, including family or medical leave.
- A floor, not a cap. A plan's goals may call for more than the minimum, and schools the Commissioner identifies as low-performing may require more hours.
College courses fit into this plan. The Department's professional development FAQ says hours for undergraduate or graduate-level courses are "calculated by seat time," so a typical 3-credit course yields 45 hours, more than two years' minimum. Online professional learning counts "if approved by the educator's supervisor." The same FAQ notes that the former 100-hour, five-year cycle was eliminated in 2013, which is why older guides that mention it no longer apply.
The 20 hours and a salary move are separate tests. Your supervisor decides what counts toward the PDP. Whether a course moves you on the salary guide depends on your district's contract and on the state law described below. The license renewal hub shows how New Jersey compares with states that do renew on credits.
How do New Jersey teachers move to a higher salary column?
There is no statewide teacher salary schedule. Each board of education adopts its own salary policy and guides, usually through a contract negotiated with the local association. N.J.S.A. 18A:29-4.1, as amended by P.L.2013, c.199, lets a board adopt a salary policy of one to five years, "including salary schedules for all full-time teaching staff members," binding on the board and future boards for that period. The guides themselves differ by district: some have only degree columns, others add credit columns such as BA+30 or MA+30, and the name for the move varies too.
What is uniform is a set of conditions in state law on paying for coursework. N.J.S.A. 18A:6-8.5, enacted as P.L.2010, c.13, applies whenever a board gives tuition assistance or "additional compensation upon the acquisition of additional academic credits or completion of a degree program":
- The institution has to be a "duly authorized institution of higher education" under N.J.S.A. 18A:3-15.3.
- The course or degree has to be related to the employee's "current or future job responsibilities."
- For tuition assistance, the employee needs the superintendent's approval before enrolling, and a denial can be appealed to the board.
A companion section lets each board set stricter requirements than these. In practice that means two layers to check before a course: the statute's floor, and whatever your district's contract or policy adds on top.
A worked example shows how far apart two districts can be. A Paterson teacher in the BA column who completes 30 approved credits can apply for the BA+30 column through the district's equivalency process. A Newark teacher with the same 30 credits stays in the BA column, because Newark's current guide moves teachers only for a completed master's or doctorate. For the general sequence, see how lane changes work; for what tends to qualify, see units that count.
What do some of the largest New Jersey districts require?
Newark Public Schools
The agreement with the Newark Teachers Union runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029. Its combined Teacher/CST salary guide has three columns, BA, MA and PhD, with steps A through P. Teachers who were on the traditional master's and doctorate guides moved onto the combined guide on July 1, 2024.
- Degrees only: teachers who moved above the Bachelor's column on "equivalency credits" before June 30, 2019 keep that legacy column; the current guide has no credit-based column.
- Timing: verification, such as official transcripts, that the degree was awarded before July 1 of the school year.
- Degree field: related to current or future teaching responsibilities or educational leadership, from a duly authorized institution.
- Tuition reimbursement: written district approval before registration, with the application due 45 days before the term starts.
- Steps: advancement "is not automatic and is contingent upon effective performance."
Paterson Public Schools
Read the full Paterson guide →
The agreement with the Paterson Education Association, July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2027, carries teacher guides with five columns: BA, BA+30, MA, MA+30 and PhD. Credits move a teacher through an equivalency program run by the superintendent's office under N.J.S.A. 18A:29-6 to 18A:29-16.
- Eligibility: the applicant "must hold permanent certification."
- Deadlines: applications by September 30 or February 28; ratings approved in November take effect September 1, those approved in April on February 1.
- Transcripts: proof that official transcripts were requested goes with the application; a late transcript on a timely application is applied retroactively.
- Course test: a college approved by the State Department of Education, in a field the superintendent approves.
- In-service: three semester hours toward equivalency levels for every 15 one-hour workshop sessions taken outside school hours.
Paterson's contract defines college credits as "the credit value accepted by the New Jersey State Department of Education," so the state's credit valuation, not the course's label, sets how much a course is worth there.
Full district guides for New Jersey
Before you enroll
- Read your district's guide first. Find out whether it has credit columns, like Paterson's BA+30 and MA+30, or only degree columns, like Newark's.
- Get approval in writing. State law requires the superintendent's approval before enrolling when tuition assistance is involved, and Newark's contract requires written district approval before registration for reimbursement. Our pre-approval forms guide covers what to ask for.
- Check the institution and the subject. The statute requires a duly authorized institution and a course tied to your current or future job; your district may add more.
- Log the hours in your PDP. A 3-credit course typically counts as 45 hours toward the yearly 20, with your supervisor's sign-off.
- Work back from the filing date. September 30 or February 28 in Paterson; before July 1 for a Newark degree.
The provider directory groups semester-credit providers by need, and the comparison table shows their costs and formats side by side.
New Jersey questions teachers ask
Does a New Jersey teaching certificate expire?
The standard certificate does not. N.J.A.C. 6A:9-2.1 defines it as a permanent certificate. The provisional certificate that novice teachers start on is a two-year certificate.
How many professional development hours do New Jersey teachers need?
At least 20 hours a year under an individual professional development plan, reduced pro rata for part-time work or leave. The plan is updated by October 31 each year.
Do college courses count toward the 20 hours?
Yes. The Department counts undergraduate and graduate-level courses by seat time, so a 3-credit course typically equals 45 hours. Online learning counts if your supervisor approves it.
Do I need approval before taking a course for more pay in New Jersey?
State law requires the superintendent's approval before enrolling in a course for which tuition assistance is sought, and any extra pay for credits must come from a duly authorized institution for a job-related course. Districts may add stricter rules, so check your contract.
Can in-service workshops move me on the Paterson salary guide?
They can count toward equivalency levels. Paterson's contract gives three semester hours for every 15 one-hour workshop sessions taken outside regular school hours.
Does Newark pay for credits beyond a bachelor's degree?
Not on the current guide. Newark's 2024-2029 guide has BA, MA and PhD columns; teachers who moved up on equivalency credits before June 30, 2019 keep their legacy placement.
Sources
- N.J.A.C. 6A:9C, Professional Development, New Jersey Department of Education. Checked
- Professional Development: Frequently Asked Questions, New Jersey Department of Education. Checked
- N.J.A.C. 6A:9, Professional Standards, New Jersey Department of Education. Checked
- P.L.2013, c.199, amending N.J.S.A. 18A:29-4.1 (salary policy schedules), New Jersey Legislature. Checked
- P.L.2010, c.13, N.J.S.A. 18A:6-8.5 and 18A:6-8.6, New Jersey Legislature. Checked
- NTU contract 2024-2029, Newark Teachers Union. Checked
- Agreement between the Newark Board of Education and the Newark Teachers Union, 2024-2029 (final contract book), Newark Teachers Union. Checked
- Agreement between the Paterson School District and the Paterson Education Association, 2022-2027, New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission. Checked
Reviewed November 11, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error