Missouri State Requirements

The classification, Initial Professional Certificate (IPC) or Initial Career Education Certificate (ICEC), is valid for four years from the date of issuance. To upgrade to a Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC) or Continuous Career Education Certificate (CCEC), (both valid for 99 years) you must do the following: 

• Complete four years of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) approved teaching experience.
• Participate in a district-provided mentoring program for two years. 
• Successfully complete 30 contact hours of professional development for an IPC upgrade; successfully complete 90 contact hours of professional development for an ICEC upgrade. This may include college credits. 
  • There are multiple ways you can achieve this through Learners Edge:
  • Example course options for IPC upgrade: 
    5018: Incorporating Mindfulness: Strategies to Encourage Student Focus and Awareness (30 hours) 
    OR 
    5058: Building Strong Relationships in the Classroom: Care to Connect (30 hours) 
  • Example course combinations options for ICEC upgrade: 
    • Example 1: SEL Focus  
      5203: Social and Emotional Learning Starts with You (45 hours)  
      5102: Anxiety Awareness: Empowering Students with Help and Hope (45 hours) 
    • Example 2: Reading Focus  
      5030: Focus on Phonics for Effective Reading, Writing, and Spelling Instruction (45 hours)  
      5040: Increasing Comprehension with Close Reading in Your Classroom (45 hours)  

• Participate in a beginning teacher assistance program offered by a Missouri college or university, Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC), or professional teacher organization such as MNEA or MSTA
• Successfully participate in your employing school's annual Performance Based Teacher Evaluation process.
• Develop and implement a professional development plan that is on file with the district. Reach out to a Learners Edge advisor to assist with planning.

• Have ten years of experience as a certified teacher 
• Earn the next highest college degree beyond your current  
• Become nationally certified to teach 

You can earn 15 hours of professional development by taking a one credit course at Learners Edge.

5845: Grief and Your Students: Honoring, Sharing, Healing

5137: Headings, Highlights, and Other Active Strategies for Comprehending Digital Texts

5042: The Reading Fluency Toolbox

854: Caring for the Mental Health of Your Students

804: Consumer to Creator: Coding and Kids 

If you have questions about teacher professional development requirements for your specific situation, please review Required Professional Development Hours. 

If you are not currently teaching and your certificate has expired or will expire soon, review the requirement to Reactivate your Certificate. 

You'll find our graduate level courses to be relevant, engaging, and highly applicable to your classroom or school setting…the perfect option to meet your salary advancement needs. Simply select the course(s), session, and a University Partner. Make sure to explore our pricing discounts. 

Take a look at these course combinations to move along the salary schedule. 

Example 1: Differentiation Focus  

Course 5147: Bringing Students from Unfinished Learning to Soaring Achievement (3 credits)  

Course 717: Differentiated Learning: How to Teach to Varying Ability Levels (3 credits) 

5066: Growing Gifts: Stories, Supports and Strategies for Teachers in Gifted Education (3 credits) 

753: Succeeding with the Struggling Student (3 credits) 

5855: Neurodiversity: A New Approach for Students with Special Needs (3 credits)  

Example 2: Reading Focus 

5078: Solving the Reading Puzzle: Using Assessment to Drive Intervention (3 credits) 

5030: Focus on Phonics for Effective Reading, Writing, and Spelling Instruction (3 credits)  

5040: Increasing Comprehension with Close Reading in Your Classroom (3 credits) 

5038: Victorious Vocabulary Instruction for Remarkable Reading (3 credits) 

880: Building Successful Readers in All Content Areas (3 credits) 

If you need assistance with submission of a district approval form, course mapping, or timelines, we’re happy to help. Our Advisory team is here to help you succeed! 

To obtain the required hours, the following equivalencies shall be used:  

1 graduate credit = 15 PD contact hours 

Learners Edge continuing education courses are approved by our regionally accredited universities and colleges from throughout the United States. These partners provide official transcripts, letter grades, and graduate credit for successfully completed Learners Edge courses. 

When selecting your course, choose any of our CAEP and/or regionally accredited graduate credit university partners to gain the semester hours of credit. 

Learners Edge offers over 100 relevant and engaging continuing education courses to help meet your requirements. Here are a few of our newest courses for your consideration: 

5203: Social and Emotional Learning Starts with You (3 credits) 

5139: Coaching Your Students to Action Using the Feedback Loop (3 credits) 

5138: Innovative Strategies for Every Classroom (3 credits)