How do I easily find the content that interests me?
How do I Search?
Looking for your Web Portal applications?
What is the purpose of the user images/links on the home page?
What do the categories in the left-hand navigation mean?
What can I find under the Offices area?
How do I navigate the site using the left-hand navigation?
How do I log in?
What are the advantages of/reasons for creating an account (logging in)?
How do I use Advanced Search?
What internet browsers does this site support?
I am encountering playback problems with Quicktime / Adobe Flash videos on the site - what can I do?

 Need Help and Support?
 Visit the Help and Support page for additional guidance with passwords, site tools, support, including information on PDE Web Applications.

Need additional information on how the site works? Visit our overview page.

How do I easily find the content that interests me?

Besides using Search, the content filter tool collects and presents information so users can easily find what they are looking for. Users can interact with the available tabs to sort the information, filter alphabetically, or search within the content filter tool. Instead of searching through all available content, the user can very easily narrow down the type of information they are searching for.

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How do I Search?

To search the PDE web site first enter text in the “PDE Search” box in the left-hand side, then click the “Go” button.  When looking for a specific phrase it is sometimes useful to enclose the phrase in double or single quotes.  Forms can be searched by entering the number of the form or using the search found here.

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Looking for your Web Portal applications?

If you are looking for PIMS, PIMS Reports, PS PIMS, EDNA V2, CAD, PERMS for providers, PASES, or SDC, please click Access Services on the left hand navigation bar. Next, select the link for the ePDE Web Portal and login. Your applications will be there. There have been no changes made to this site's administration functions. It works the same. Please note that these applications will be migrated to the new web site some time in 2010.

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What is the purpose of the user images/links on the home page?

All of the information on this web site is categorized by User Role. Clicking one of the roles (Students, Families, Teachers, Administrators, and Library/Partners) will display information targeted to that particular user type. For example, clicking the "Teacher" role, will display all information, which is targeted to teachers and instructors. Any user can select any user role; a Student may wish to view information targeted to Families.

The Administrator user role contains information targeted to local education entities. Information targeted to Superintendents, Intermediate Units (IUs), and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) can be found in the Administrator user role.

Two types of information are contained in the Library/Partners user role. There is information targeted to Libraries. There is also information targeted to users who interact with the PA Department of Education, but may not work in Education. These types of users include: Vendors, Attorneys, Business Partners, Legislators, and Reporters.

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What do the categories in the left-hand navigation mean? All of the information on this web site is categorized by Content Type. Clicking one of the categories (Certifications, Codes and Regulations, Data and Statistics, Forms, Grants and Subsidies, Policies and Procedures, and Programs) will display information targeted to that particular Content Type. For example, clicking the “Forms” Content Type, will display all PDE forms. Any user can select any available Content Type. back to top

What can I find under the Offices area? General information about each PA Department of Education Office can be found here. Responsibilities of the Office, Bureaus in the Office, overview information, and Divisions in the Office can be found here. back to top

How do I navigate the site using the left-hand navigation? The left-hand navigation expands and contracts as users interact with it. The example below shows the navigation after a user selected “Certifications,” then “Act 48 / Continuing Professional Education,” and finally “Strategic Planning.” back to top

How do I log in? Click the Log In text at the top left region of the portal screen. If you are redirected to the authentication page, follow the instructions to enter your Username and Password: back to top

What are the advantages of/reasons for creating an account (logging in)?

Users must log in to access PDE applications. PDE employees can log in to view intranet information. If there are secured areas specific to information contained in your user profile, a user name will be required to access this information.

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How do I use Advanced Search?

The Advanced Search provides additional criteria a user can manipulate to adjust their searches. Instead of searching only by text, users can define which Office to search in, which user type the information is targeted, the specific Content Type of the information, or a combination of these. In the example below, search results will return Forms (Content Type) in Commonwealth Libraries and Postsecondary and Higher Education (Offices) targeted to Teachers (Users).

Once the results are displayed, users can continue to refine their search criteria. The image below shows the search results from the example search. Notice the information searched against is in the red box near the top:

Click the “Additional Information” link to display descriptive criteria about the corresponding file. If there is a Keyword, or item in “Additional Information” you would like to add to the search string, click the word. It will be automatically added as search criteria, and included in the search. In the images below, the Keyword “computer” was added to search criteria. The search then updated to show the new results.

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What internet browsers does this site support?

Although we make every effort to accommodate all web browsers, the PDE web site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.5 or higher, at a resolution of 1024x768. Mac users may experience compatibility issues utilizing the Safari browser; in this instance, Netscape and/or Firefox are recommended, both of which offer Mac and PC variants. The following links will take you to sites where you can update/download your browser:

• Internet Explorer (PC)
• Netscape (PC or MAC)
• Firefox (PC or MAC)

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I am encountering playback problems with Quicktime / Adobe Flash videos on the site - what can I do?

Some of the web pages may include audio and video files, which require QuickTime 7.0 or Flash. In many cases, a text transcript of the audio or video is available. Streaming audio and video playback is dependent upon the user's connection speed, computer, and Operating System. To download the most up-to-date multimedia viewers, use the links below:

• QuickTime
• Adobe Flash Player

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