Renew your Louisiana teaching certificate with accredited online courses
Louisiana counts 150 Continuing Learning Units over 5 years, and you can earn them with professional development clock hours or graduate credits. Model Teaching offers both, self-paced and 100% online, and the same credits move you up the pay scale.
Are you looking to renew your certificate or advance your salary?
Renew my LA certificate
Earn your 150 Continuing Learning Units with PD clock hours or graduate credits, on your own schedule.
See what Louisiana requiresAdvance my salary
Bank graduate-level credits that move you up your district's salary schedule, earn a Level 3 certificate, and apply toward a master's program.
Explore salary advancementLouisiana Professional Teaching Certificate renewal requirements
Louisiana issues Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Professional Teaching Certificates, and Level 2 and Level 3 are valid for 5 years. If a Louisiana system employs you, you renew through the Louisiana Educator Portal with employer verification and effective evaluations for at least 3 of the 5 years. Level 2 and Level 3 holders also complete 150 Continuing Learning Units (CLUs) of professional development across the 5 years. One CLU equals 1 clock hour of district- or system-approved PD, and 1 semester credit converts to 15 CLUs, so 10 graduate credits or 150 approved PD hours both reach the total.
How many CLUs do I need?
Louisiana sets the requirement by certificate level, not by grade band or role. Select your level to see what you need.
What you need
Level 1 is the initial certificate, valid 3 years with up to two 1-year extensions, and it has no CLU requirement. Your Louisiana employing system requests the extension or your advancement to Level 2.
Level 2 is valid 5 years. You complete 150 CLUs, plus effective evaluations for 3 of the 5 years and employer verification. 150 approved PD clock hours or 10 graduate credits reach the total.
Level 3 is valid 5 years and requires a master's degree. You complete the same 150 CLUs, plus effective evaluations for 3 of the 5 years and employer verification.
Our graduate credits and PD clock-hour courses both build toward your 150 CLUs, in one place.
See the bundleWhat counts toward your 150 CLUs
- Graduate semester credits from a regionally accredited university. Each credit converts to 15 CLUs, so a handful of courses adds up quickly. These credits also raise your pay, cover a lapsed-certificate reinstatement, and count toward a Level 3 certificate. (What we recommend.)
- PD clock-hour courses, the budget path to CLUs. One CLU equals 1 clock hour of district- or system-approved PD, and Model Teaching's PD clock-hour courses count toward your 150 CLUs with district or LDOE approval. A fast, affordable way to reach the total.
- District-provided PD, workshops, and conferences that your district or system approves.
You keep your own CLU records, and you file the renewal in the Louisiana Educator Portal, where your employing system verifies and signs it. If your certificate has lapsed, reinstatement takes 6 semester hours of education or content coursework from a regionally accredited university earned within the last 5 years, which Model Teaching's credit courses cover directly.
How Model Teaching courses count toward your Louisiana renewal
Model Teaching gives Louisiana teachers two ways to meet the requirement. Our university-partnered graduate courses award accredited semester credits, and each credit converts to 15 CLUs, so they build toward your 150 CLUs, cover a lapsed-certificate reinstatement, which needs 6 university credits, and count toward a Level 3 certificate and a higher salary lane. Our professional development clock-hour courses count as CLUs when your district or the LDOE approves them, the most cost-effective way to build toward 150 CLUs. Every course sends documentation you keep for your CLU records, or an official transcript for credit courses. To confirm a course for your district, download its syllabus from any course page and share it before you enroll.
Read more about Louisiana teacher certificate renewal and recertification
Louisiana issues teachers a Professional Teaching Certificate in three levels. Level 1 is the initial certificate, valid for 3 years with up to two 1-year extensions. After 3 years of Louisiana teaching experience with effective evaluations, you advance to a Level 2 certificate, valid for 5 years. A Level 3 certificate, also valid for 5 years, requires a master's degree. Teachers still search for "Louisiana license renewal," but the credential is a certificate.
Renewing a Level 2 or Level 3 certificate has two parts for an employed teacher. Your Louisiana employing system verifies your employment and your effective evaluations for at least 3 of the most recent 5 years, and you file the renewal in the Louisiana Educator Portal. Alongside that, Level 2 and Level 3 holders complete 150 Continuing Learning Units of professional development across the 5 years. One CLU equals 1 clock hour of district- or system-approved PD, and 1 semester credit of university coursework converts to 15 CLUs, so 150 approved PD hours or 10 graduate credits both reach the total. You keep your own CLU records, since the state does not track them for you.
Because a CLU is a clock hour, Louisiana is one of the states where professional development clock-hour courses work well. Model Teaching offers PD clock-hour courses that count toward your CLUs when your district or the LDOE approves them, which is often cheaper than earning the equivalent in university credit. Many teachers also get a share of their CLUs through district-provided PD days, then fill the gap with clock-hour courses or a graduate course or two.
Two situations call for university credit specifically. Reinstating a lapsed Louisiana certificate takes 6 semester hours of education or content coursework from a regionally accredited university, earned within the last 5 years. Advancing to a Level 3 certificate takes a master's degree, and Model Teaching's Augustana University M.Ed. is built for that: you complete 9 credits through Model Teaching, roll them into the Augustana master's, and finish a full degree for well under the national average. A Level 3 certificate and added graduate credits also move you up your district's salary schedule.
A quick note on terms. Louisiana calls the credential a "certificate," and some teachers search "license renewal" or "recertification." Whichever term you use, the credential you renew is your Professional Teaching Certificate, and Level 2 and Level 3 holders earn 150 CLUs every 5 years. You can review the official rules on the LDOE certificate renewal help article.
Build your own Louisiana CLU plan
Earn your 150 CLUs with PD clock-hour courses, graduate credits, or a mix, then keep the same credits working for salary and a master's.
- PD clock-hour courses count as CLUs with district or LDOE approval
- 10 graduate credits = 150 CLUs, a full renewal, and they also cover reinstatement and Level 3
- Regionally accredited credits with an official transcript
- Self-paced, 100% online, with a full year of access
Every course is delivered through a regionally accredited university partner. Your credits and official transcript come directly from that university.
Credits and official transcripts issued directly by our university partners
Move up your Louisiana salary schedule with graduate credits
Louisiana sets a statewide minimum salary schedule, and districts add their own steps and lanes on top of it, with graduate credits and degrees moving you into a higher lane. A Level 3 certificate, which requires a master's, also raises your placement. Because each district builds on the state minimum differently, check your contract or your district office for how credits and a degree translate to pay, and whether they need pre-approval. The graduate credits you earn for renewal or a Level 3 certificate can do double duty toward a lane change.
Accredited transcripts that count
Every Model Teaching course sends an official transcript and letter grade from a regionally accredited university partner, which is what your district needs for a lane change and what the LDOE needs for a Level 3 certificate.
Fast rolling processing
We process credits on a rolling basis, so you can request transcripts when you finish and meet your district's salary-schedule deadlines.
Cost-effective bundling
Bundle your credits once and pay as you complete courses, which keeps your per-credit cost low whether you are earning CLUs, reinstating, moving up a lane, or working toward a master's.
Earn a master's and a Level 3 certificate
A Level 3 certificate requires a master's degree. Complete 9 credits through Model Teaching, roll them into the Augustana University M.Ed., and finish a full degree for well under the national average. A Level 3 also raises your salary placement.
Choose how you earn your CLUs
You can earn CLUs with PD clock-hour courses or with graduate credit bundles. Bundles are pay-as-you-go: a one-time fee reserves your credits, then you pay $70 per credit as you finish each course. Every option is 100% online and self-paced.
Pick PD clock-hour courses for your CLUs.
1 clock hour = 1 CLU
The most affordable way to build CLUs.
- Each clock hour counts as 1 CLU with district or LDOE approval
- The most affordable way to reach 150 CLUs
- Self-paced, with documentation you keep for your records
We recommend confirming district or LDOE approval before you choose clock hours.
Build your PD bundleDue now to access and take your courses.
Then $70 per credit as you go
$619 total for 6 credits.
- Reinstates a lapsed certificate (6 credits) or earns 90 CLUs
- Choose any university-partnered courses
- Official transcript and letter grade
- Salary-schedule eligible credits
Due now to access and take your courses.
Then $70 per credit as you go
$919 total for 9 credits.
- Roll 9 credits into the Augustana University M.Ed.
- Choose any university-partnered courses
- Earns a Level 3 certificate and raises salary placement
10 graduate credits = 150 CLUs, a full Louisiana renewal. Our 10-credit build-your-own bundle covers it in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Louisiana teacher certification renewal, CLUs, and LDOE requirements.
Requirements How many CLUs do Louisiana teachers need to renew?
Level 2 and Level 3 certificate holders complete 150 Continuing Learning Units of professional development over the 5-year renewal period, along with effective evaluations for 3 of the 5 years and employer verification. Level 1 has no CLU requirement.
Process Where do I submit my renewal?
You file in the Louisiana Educator Portal, and your employing Louisiana system verifies your employment and evaluations and signs the request. You keep your own CLU records.
Credits What is a CLU?
A Continuing Learning Unit equals 1 clock hour of district- or system-approved professional development. One semester credit of university coursework converts to 15 CLUs.
Salary Can the same credits raise my salary?
Yes. Louisiana districts build lanes on top of the state minimum salary schedule, and graduate credits and a Level 3 certificate move you up. Check your district contract for the steps.
Renewal How do I reinstate a lapsed Louisiana certificate?
Reinstatement takes 6 semester hours of education or content coursework from a regionally accredited university, earned within the last 5 years. Model Teaching's credit courses cover this.
Credits Do professional development clock hours count in Louisiana?
Yes. Because a CLU is a clock hour, Model Teaching's PD clock-hour courses count toward your 150 CLUs when your district or the LDOE approves them, which is often cheaper than the equivalent in university credit.
Requirements How do I earn a Level 3 certificate?
A Level 3 certificate requires a master's degree. Through Model Teaching's Augustana University M.Ed., you complete 9 credits with Model Teaching and finish the degree with Augustana, which also raises your salary placement.
Renewal What if I am not currently teaching in Louisiana?
You place the certificate into non-practicing status through the Louisiana Educator Portal to preserve it, rather than renewing on CLUs, and you reactivate it when you return to a Louisiana teaching role.
Ready to renew your Louisiana teaching certificate?
Earn your 150 CLUs with PD clock hours or graduate credits, and move up the salary schedule, all at your own pace.
Model Teaching strives to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information on renewal and salary advancement requirements for every state. Requirements can change and vary by district, so we encourage you to do your own research and confirm exactly what you need with your state licensing agency and district before you enroll.
