TYPES OF DISCIPLINE:

The Professional Educator Discipline Act (PDF) provides for the following types of discipline:

• Private Reprimand - an admonishment to the educator for his or her conduct. A reprimand does not invalidate an educator's certification or eligibility to be employed in a charter school, but may be considered in a subsequent disciplinary proceeding against an educator should future conduct warrant additional discipline. Notice of a private reprimand is not communicated to the field or released to the public but does remain on the educator's certification record.
  
  
• Public Reprimand - an admonishment to the educator for his or her conduct. A reprimand does not invalidate an educator's certification or his eligibility to be employed in a charter school, but may be considered in a subsequent proceeding against an educator should future conduct warrant additional discipline. Notice of a public reprimand is sent to the field via PENN*LINK and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse. A public reprimand does remain on the educator's certification record.
  
  
• Suspension - a temporary termination of any certificate or employment eligibility held by the educator, either for a specified period of time or until the educator meets certain conditions. An educator may not be employed in a position for which certification is required during the duration of the suspension. Notice of a suspension is sent to the field via PENN*LINK and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse.
  
  
• Revocation - a termination of all certificates held by the educator or of the educator's eligibility to be employed in a charter school. An educator whose certification or employment eligibility has been revoked may not be employed in a position for which certification is required until or unless his or her certificate or employment eligibility has been reinstated. Notice of a revocation is sent to the field via PENN*LINK and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse. In some cases, reinstatement is prohibited by law.
  
  
• Surrender in Lieu of Discipline - when an educator surrenders his or her certification or employment eligibility after a school entity furnishes the educator with a written statement of charges for dismissal, after the educator has been dismissed or after an educator misconduct complaint or mandatory report has been filed with the Department of Education, the effect is the same as revocation. An educator whose certification or employment eligibility has been surrendered in lieu of discipline may not be employed in a position for which certification is required until or unless his or her certification or employment eligibility has been reinstated. Notice of a surrender in lieu of discipline is sent to the field via PENN*LINK and is released to other state jurisdictions through the NASDTEC national clearinghouse.

The level of discipline imposed is determined on a case-by-case basis.