Renewing a certificate: 15 PD hours a year
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Educator Certification unit renews standard certificates. Certificates issued since August 2017 are valid for 12 years; older certificates may carry different terms. Renewal requires 15 professional development hours for each year the certificate is valid: 180 hours for a 12-year certificate, 120 for an 8-year certificate.
- Coursework. College coursework can count. It must relate to education or to a subject taught in Arizona public schools.
- Transcripts. Coursework is documented by an official transcript sent by the institution.
- Conversion. ADE's renewal page is reported to state that each semester hour equals 15 PD hours. Confirm this on ADE's page before you rely on it.
For how hours and credits relate, see clock hours, CEUs and semester credits.
How pay moves: district lanes
Arizona has no statewide teacher salary schedule. Each district decides whether it pays by education lanes, which credits count, and when documents are due. Some districts publish a full step-and-lane grid; others publish only summary salary information. The general mechanics are in lane change, explained.
District schedules
Items marked "confirm" are being verified for this guide and will be updated with a source and date.
Mesa Public Schools
Publishes an average-salary page rather than a lane grid. Ask HR for the current placement rules.
Source: Mesa Public Schools salary information. Confirm lane rules and deadline.Chandler Unified
In research.
Source to be added.Tucson Unified
In research.
Source to be added.Deer Valley Unified
In research.
Source to be added.Peoria Unified
In research.
Source to be added.Before you enroll in anything
- Check your certificate's issue date and validity period, then multiply years by 15 for your renewal total.
- Make sure any course relates to education or a subject taught in Arizona public schools.
- Confirm the semester-hour conversion on ADE's renewal page.
- Arrange for the institution to send an official transcript.
- For salary, ask your district HR in writing whether it pays by education lanes, which courses count, and by what date. Keep the reply.
Salary rules are local. ADE renewal hours and district lane credit are separate. A course accepted for one is not automatically accepted for the other.
Teaching near a state line? See the California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado guides, or compare course providers.
Sources
- Arizona Department of Education, Renew your certification.
- National Education Association, Rankings of the States 2025 and Estimates of School Statistics 2026, Table E-4 (teacher counts).
Last reviewed 2026-11-03. How we correct errors.