Approved Semester Credits for Ohio Renewal

Earn Graduate-Level Semester Credits for Your Ohio Teaching License Renewal

Affordable, fully accredited, online semester credits for your Ohio teaching license renewal.

  • Hundreds of Ohio teachers take Model Teaching courses every year to help them renew their teaching license, advance their salary, or simply to improve their instructional effectiveness.

  • Learn more below about Ohio teacher certificate renewal requirements, and how our courses can help.

Professional development courses
Home » PD Requirements By State » Ohio Teacher Professional Development

Professional Development for Ohio Teachers

High-quality, straightforward, and cost-effective online courses for Ohio Teachers.  Let us show you how we can help you improve your teaching effectiveness, maintain your teaching license, and advance your teaching career.

  • Easy, Template-Based Course Format Built to Help You Earn Your Ohio Renewal Credits Quickly

  • High-Quality Courses, Full of Resources, Tools, & Templates

  • Access Your Courses Immediately, Any-Time, Anywhere & at Your Own Pace
Pay for Credits As You Go

Regionally Accredited Semester Credits

Model Teaching partners with accredited universities to offer semester credit courses (semester hours).  You’ll receive an official transcript suitable for submission to the Ohio State Board of Education for your renewal.

Semester Credit Courses for Ohio Teacher License Renewal

Most Ohio teachers hold a 5-Year Professional Educator License. To renew, educators are typically required to complete either 6 semester hours of relevant coursework, 18 continuing education units (CEUs) (180 contact hours), or a combination of both. Any CEUs/contact hours must be aligned to an approved Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) and reviewed by a Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC). Non-employed educators can renew with 6 semester hours, while lapsed licenses may require additional coursework for reinstatement. After completing the PD requirements, teachers must submit their renewal application online through Ohio’s CORE/eLicense system.

What’s Required for Ohio Teacher License Renewal

General License Terms:

  • Teaching Certificate Term: 5 years
  • Credits Required: 6 semester credits (semester hours) of coursework related to classroom teaching and/or your licensure area.
  • 18 CEUs (continuing education units) or 180 contact hours.
  • Note: Using CEUs/contact hours requires review/approval by a regional provider with an Ohio-approved LPDC.

Acceptable Credits for Ohio Certificate Renewal:

Ohio recognizes multiple continuing education credits and courses for renewing teacher certificates.

  • Accredited Semester Credits: Teachers may complete 6 semester credits from accredited colleges/universities related to teaching or teaching areas. This must include an official transcript and letter grade. (what we recommend)
  • CEUs/Contact hours:  10 contact hours = 1 CEU; 18 CEUs = 180 hours total. These can be earned in full or in combination with semester credits. Note: These require review/approval by a regional provider with an Ohio-approved LPDC.
  • Other equivalent professional learning activities, if approved by your LPDC.
  • You may combine coursework and CEUs/equivalents to reach the requirement.

Based on Employment Status:

  • Employed by an Ohio school/district: IPDP approved by LPDC + 6 semester hours or 18 CEUs (180 hours) or approved combination; then apply in CORE.
  • Not employed in an Ohio school: 6 semester hours; if using CEUs/equivalents, obtain review/approval through an Ohio-approved LPDC; then apply in CORE.
  • License lapsed: 9 semester hours to reinstate, then apply.

Important Terminology:

Semester Hours = Semester Credits
CEUs = Continuing Education Units (10 contact hours).
IPDP = Individual Professional Development Plan.
LPDC = Local Professional Development Committee.

How Model Teaching Can Help

Model Teaching offers online, graduate-level courses designed for Ohio renewal. Our partnered courses provide semester credits that you can align with your IPDP and with your Ohio renewal submission. Model Teaching’s university partners are all regionally accredited, and all coursework will provide semester credits (semester hours), including access to an official transcript from that academic institution for submission to Ohio for your renewal. Pick courses from our diverse course menu in your teaching area to earn your required credits, or choose one of our build-your-own credit course bundles (6 credits or 9 credits) and pick any courses from our full menu at your own pace to earn your credits.

How Our Courses Work

Quick FAQs

All Model Teaching university partners are regionally-accredited universities that offer our courses in partnership for graduate-level, academic, and/or post-baccalaureate credit. Ohio accepts Model Teaching credit courses to fulfill the full 6-credit or 9-credit requirement.  You will not be required to complete CEUs, only the required semester credits. Also, most states and school districts allow teachers to earn this type of credit as part of advancing in the salary scale. Please check with your district’s policies regarding continuing education for salary advancement prior to enrolling.

We recommend choosing any of our regionally-accredited university-partnered courses or course bundle packs. These courses are offered in partnership with regionally accredited universities and include an official transcript.

We highly recommend any of our Build Your Own Credit Bundles, as this is the most cost-effective way to earn credits in bulk.

The most cost-effective way to earn credits is by enrolling in one of our course bundle packs (see below).

Model Teaching believes that teachers should be provided with affordable, high-quality opportunities for professional development, whether they are seeking salary advancement, renewing their teaching license, or simply improving their instructional effectiveness.  Our streamlined, standardized course structure enables us to deliver high-quality, evaluated courses to teachers at costs far below the industry standard.  Additionally, by bundling our courses, we can significantly reduce our overall costs—passing these savings on to our valued teachers.  LiveChat with us if you have any questions about how the courses work.

Once you have completed your courses and processed your credits, our university partner will notify you via email that your transcripts are ready, and you may request them. When requesting them, you can choose to have the transcripts sent directly to the OH SDE, to yourself, or both.

Please refer to our course menu for a listing of graduate-level courses. Within each course page, you will have access to a syllabus that you may download.

To read a live list of running reviews from teachers currently taking our courses, please visit: https://www.modelteaching.com/latest-course-reviews

HELPFUL LINKS FOR OHIO TEACHERS

Ohio Teacher Professional Development

Ohio State Board of Education – Renew a License

Additional Information for Renewal

Core rule for renewal (Ohio Administrative Code 3301-24-08): defines the renewal pathways (6 semester hours; 18 CEUs/180 hours; combinations), LPDC approval for employed educators, non-employed educator options, and lapsed-license reinstatement (9 semester hours).

Where to apply: All renewals are submitted through the state’s CORE/eLicense system.

Renewal season timing: The state typically opens renewal applications around Nov. 1 for licenses expiring the following June 30.

Background checks: See the State Board’s background-check page for current expectations and how they apply to you; your eLicense account will indicate whether a new BCI/FBI check is required.

Reference: Ohio State Board of Education

*Please refer to the Ohio SBE for the most up-to-date and accurate information (https://sboe.ohio.gov/educator-licensure/renew-a-license/renew-a-license) on Ohio teacher recertification requirements.

What we recommend for Ohio teacher license renewal

What We Recommend For Ohio Teachers

Build Your Own Graduate-Level Bundle

Everything You Need for Your OH Teaching Certificate Renewal

Access Our Full Course Menu to Earn Your Required Number of Credits

  • Includes full access to all graduate-level courses from any of our university partners

  • Choose our 6-credit bundle if you need the full six credits for your renewal

  • All university-partnered courses are regionally-accredited & include an official transcript & letter grade ready for OH SBE submission

  • Great for salary advancement or Ohio certificate renewal

Build your own credit bundle pack
Learn About The Bundle

Salary Advancement Courses For Ohio Teachers

Model Teaching partners with regionally-accredited universities across the country to provide graduate-level courses to thousands of K-12 teachers and educators every year. Generally, school districts across the country provide various salary scale advancement opportunities to teachers that often includes participation in graduate-level professional development. Our university-partnered, graduate-level courses are an excellent and cost-effective way for you to earn the continuing education academic credit you need.

University Accredited Seal-color-min

Accredited University Credits with Official Transcripts

Receive an official transcript and letter-grade with every graduate-level course. All of our university partners are regionally-accredited and courses are designed primarily for teacher salary-advancement and license-renewal.

Convenient & Cost-Effective Online Courses Built for Simplicity

We make earning your academic credits easy and cost-effective by bundling our courses into packages so you can earn the maximum number of credits for a lower cost.  All Model Teaching courses provide you with relevant, implementation-focused training along with dozens of templates & tools to help you put your new skills into action.

All Model Teaching university partners are regionally-accredited universities who offer our courses in partnership for graduate-level, academic and/or post-bachelorette credit.  Most states and school districts allow teachers to earn this type of credit as part of advancing in the salary scale.  Please check with your district’s policies regarding continuing education for salary advancement prior to enrolling.

The most cost-effective way to earn credits is by enrolling in one of our course bundle packs.

Please refer to our course menu for a listing of graduate-level courses. Within each course page, you will have access to a syllabus that you may download.

Yes, all university-partnered graduate-level courses will include access to an official transcript from the university.

Yes! You may apply up to 9 credits towards an M.Ed. program through our university partner, Augustana University. Read more here >

To read a live list of running reviews from teachers currently taking our courses, please visit: https://www.modelteaching.com/latest-course-reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Ohio teacher license renewal — requirements, credits, and how to get started

Ohio teachers with a 5-Year Professional Educator License need either 6 semester hours of coursework related to their teaching area, 18 CEUs (180 contact hours), or an approved combination of both. All credits must be completed before October 1 of your license expiration year, or the requirement increases to 9 semester hours.
An Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) outlines the professional development you plan to complete during your renewal cycle. If you work in an Ohio school or district, your IPDP must be approved by your Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) before you start earning renewal credits. Educators not employed in Ohio schools can skip the IPDP if they renew with semester credits only.
Yes. You can renew with 6 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited college or university. You can also combine semester credits and CEUs to meet the requirement. One CEU equals 10 contact hours, and you need 18 CEUs total if going that route. CEUs require LPDC review and approval, while semester credits from accredited institutions generally do not.
If your license lapses, the reinstatement requirement increases to 9 semester hours of coursework related to your teaching area. You submit your reinstatement application through Ohio's CORE/eLicense system with official transcripts. To avoid this, make sure your renewal application and all credits are submitted before October 1 of your expiration year.
After you finish your courses and process your credits, the university partner will email you when your transcripts are ready. You can request that they be sent directly to the Ohio State Board of Education, to yourself, or both. You then upload your official transcripts through the CORE/eLicense system as part of your renewal application.
In most cases, yes. Many Ohio school districts offer salary scale advancement for teachers who complete graduate-level professional development. Model Teaching's university-partnered courses are graduate-level and include an official transcript with a letter grade, which is what districts typically require. Check with your district's HR department about their specific salary advancement policies before enrolling.
Model Teaching offers graduate-level courses through regionally accredited university partners. Each course comes with an official transcript and letter grade, which Ohio accepts toward the 6-semester-hour renewal requirement. You can also align these courses with your IPDP for LPDC documentation. The course menu includes classroom management, special education, reading instruction, and other areas that match Ohio teaching fields.
Course bundle packs typically offer the lowest per-credit cost. Model Teaching's Build Your Own Bundle lets you pick from any courses offered through accredited university partners and earn up to 6 or 9 credits at a reduced rate. Every course includes an official transcript ready for CORE/eLicense submission and can also count toward salary advancement in most Ohio districts.
Bundle Pack